Critical Thinking & Metacognition
Thinking critically means:
A. Thinking fast
B. Following your first idea
C. Thinking carefully, evaluating information, and being open to changing your mind
D. Copying others
C. Thinking carefully, evaluating information, and being open to changing your mind
A fact is something that:
A. Someone believes
B. Has evidence and can be proven true
C. Only you think
D. Is always emotional
B. Has evidence and can be proven true
Data has limits because it might be incomplete, outdated, or collected with __________.
bias / errors / unreliable methods
Logical reasoning means using:
A. Feelings
B. Evidence and clear steps
C. Only experiences
D. Guesses
B. Evidence and clear steps
An inference is:
A. A wild guess
B. A conclusion based on evidence
C. A random statement
D. A fact
B. A conclusion based on evidence
Metacognition means “thinking about your own __________.”
thinking
Bias means having a __________ toward or against something.
opinion
Which is strongest evidence?
A. “I feel like this is true.”
B. “My cousin said so.”
C. A research study with data
D. A rumor
C. A research study with data
False equivalence compares two things that are not truly __________.
equal / alike
A hypothesis is a __________ that can be tested.
prediction / question
Which helps develop critical thinking?
A. Practice and reflection
B. Doing everything the same way
C. Avoiding questions
D. Only trusting feelings
A. Practice and reflection
Which source is MOST reliable?
A. A random blog
B. A friend’s guess
C. A science journal written by experts
D. A YouTube comment
C. A science journal written by experts
Being open-minded means:
A. Ignoring evidence
B. Considering new ideas
C. Refusing to change your mind
D. Believing everything
B. Considering new ideas
An appeal to emotion tries to persuade by:
A. Using logic
B. Using facts
C. Using feelings
D. Using data
C. Using feelings
Which is a testable question?
A. Why is blue the best color?
B. How many minutes of sunlight help plants grow taller?
C. Is it better to be happy or sad?
D. What is the best superhero?
B. How many minutes of sunlight help plants grow taller?
Ella asks herself: “Does this make sense? What evidence do I have? What do I still need to know?”
Which skill is she using?
Metacognitive questioning / critical thinking strategies/ Metacognition
A magazine ad says a toy is “the best ever,” but provides no data. What degree of certainty is appropriate?
Unknown or unlikely (because no evidence is given)
Which statement BEST shows someone evaluating evidence before making a decision?
A. “I picked this answer because it looks right.”
B. “I chose this because my friend said so.”
C. “I examined the data and chose the option supported by facts.”
D. “I selected the first option I recognized.”
C. “I examined the data and chose the option supported by facts.”
Which shows multiple perspectives?
A. Listening to only one side
B. Considering how different people may feel about a plan
C. Deciding without thinking
D. Only using your own experience
B. Considering how different people may feel about a plan
Given: “The grass is wet.”
What inference can you make?
It is likely wet because it rained.
A factor that can influence critical thinking is __________.
emotions, bias, lack of information, experiences (any accepted)
It is hard to determine truth sometimes because people may have different __________ or incomplete information.
perspectives / experiences / information
Which factor could make a source less reliable?
A. It uses clear data and evidence.
B. It is written by experts with experience.
C. It includes strong bias and only one point of view.
D. It explains how the information was collected.
C. It includes strong bias and only one point of view.
A logical argument must include a claim supported by __________.
evidence / reasons
The scientific method includes forming a question, collecting data, and drawing a __________.
conclusion