Independent Learning Centre

Designed to enhance academic study skills with practical tips and solutions, this guide introduces key strategies for better critical, reflective and creative thinking. It covers problem-solving, idea and data assessment and production, as well as decision-making.

Highlights include a section on group work and collaboration (pp.104-119), a section on how to use teacher feedback (pp.247-254) and a section on how to communicate your critical thinking skills in the job application process (pp.254-267).

If you believe in the supernatural, paranormal and mysterious, this book may change the way you think. Using examples from pseudoscience and other myths, this introduction to critical reasoning covers the skills needed to distinguish scientific fact from fiction in extraordinary or unusual circumstances.

Highlights include guided critical readings and discussion questions in every chapter, as well as a section on why you cannot always believe what you see (pp.99-107) and a chapter on case studies in the extraordinary (pp.220-90).

This book offers a concise introduction to the essentials of critical writing, using examples and questions from both contemporary and historical contexts. Designed as a practical tool, this Oxford guide will take you through the key steps involved in the development of strong arguments, with a special emphasis on writing in the humanities and social sciences.

Highlights include chapter summaries of key points, mistakes to avoid, as well as strategies to evaluate the arguments of others.

Strong reasoning skills prevent you from falling into thinking traps, and help you make better decisions and convince others more effectively. Peg Tittle’s book goes beyond reading and writing to also include the analysis of images, ads and spoken discourse, in order to give you a complete introduction to critical reasoning.

Highlights include stimulating questions in every chapter, templates for the analysis of arguments, actual questions from reasoning tests such as the LSAT, GMAT and GRE, as well as a companion website with audio and video recordings for critical analysis.

Asking the right questions is an essential part of critical thinking. This book takes the questioning process as a starting point to cover the main aspects of critical thinking applied to academic reading and writing. The text is easy to follow thanks to a clear and accessible approach, and the examples are taken from familiar situations that facilitate the understanding of concepts.

Highlights include sections on weaknesses in reasoning (pp.57-82) and on the credibility of evidence (pp.98-103), as well as a final chapter that recaps all key points.

本書可分為三部分：第一部分為「判斷與可信性」（頁2 - 134），說明批判思考的基本技巧，以及組織結構與判斷資料來源的方法；第二部分為「謬誤及其他修辭手法」（頁136 - 246），從修辭學角度講述左右思考的常見現象；第三部分為「論證」（頁248 - 504），從邏輯學角度介紹不同的論證方法，並談及道德、法律與美學的推理命題。書中附有大量練習，讀者可藉此檢視自己是否掌握批判思考的方法。

本書以元認知（Metacognition）理論為基礎，向讀者介紹由思考自己的思想入手，從而逐步建立批判思考能力的方法。其中第三章以對比方式（頁17 - 37），介紹如何培養理性思維，內容深入細緻。而第十章和第十一章（頁164 - 192及頁193 - 212），說明非理性傾向與社群影響如何對批判思考構成障礙，分析亦見全面。讀者如能細讀，當有助於鍛煉思考。

本書共分十一章，內容包括建立推理、釐清概念、判斷訊息和評估推論等方面的技巧，涵蓋批判思考的各項要點。當中第四章除講述「隱含假設」與「論證情境」如何影響推理外，還介紹「思考地圖」（頁61 - 77），為希望建立批判思考能力的讀者提供實用的指引。書中既將練習穿插於各章節內，同時又另備問題附錄，讀者可按需要完成，以檢驗自己的思考技巧。

本書共分六卷，作者以個人生活見聞為引子，然後從腦科學的角度分析各種社會現象，是靈活運用批判思考技巧的上佳例子。其中第三卷對資訊革命、教育、考試與學習心態等方面的論述（頁90 - 114），不僅點出日本當前的社會問題，同時亦見作者藉由批判思考得出的洞見。讀者如掌握相關技巧，當能提高個人的思考能力。