Analyzing Literature

Elements of Thought Discussion Template

Use this template to guide your preparation and post for the Week 4 discussion. Be sure to communicate in a scholarly manner when responding to each of the following items. For example, use proper grammar, cohesive sentence structure, clear and direct language, correct punctuation, and well-developed paragraphs. Provide one response for each item. This exercise is based on the International Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing Test (Paul & Elder, 2006).

1. The main purpose of this article is:

Describe here, as accurately as possible, the author’s intent in writing the article. What was the author trying to accomplish?

2. The key question that the author is addressing is:

Identify and explain the key question in the mind of the author when he or she wrote the article.

3. The most important information in this article is:

Identify and describe the key information the author used or presupposed in the article to support his or her main arguments. Here, you are looking for facts, experience, and data the author is using to support his or her conclusions.

4. The main inferences in this article are:

Describe the most important conclusions the author makes and presents in the article.

5. The key concept (or concepts) we need to understand in this article is (are):

To identify the key concepts, ask yourself: What are the most important concepts one must know to understand the author’s line of reasoning? Then, elaborate on what the author means by these ideas.

6. The main assumption (or assumptions) underlying the author’s thinking is (are):

Ask yourself: What is the author taking for granted that might be questioned? The assumptions are generalizations that the author does not think he or she has to defend in the context of writing the article, and they are usually unstated. This is where the author’s thinking logically begins.

7. a. If we take this line of reasoning seriously, the implications are:

What consequences are likely to follow if people take the author’s line of reasoning seriously? Here, you are to pursue the logical implications of the author’s position. You should include implications that the author states and does not state.

b. If we fail to take this line of reasoning seriously, the implications are:

What consequences are likely to follow if people ignore the author’s reasoning?

8. The main point (or points) of view presented in this article is (are):

What is the author looking at, and how is he or she seeing or understanding it? For example, in this assessment the question, “What are we looking at?” addresses our thinking. The question, “How are we seeing it?” addresses our critical evaluation of our thinking. Our point of view is defined by the fact that we see thinking as a subject of critical evaluation.

Reference

Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2006). The international critical thinking, reading, & writing test. Foundation for Critical Thinking. Repurposed with permission.