Critical Thinking

Project: Apply Critical Thinking

In this project, you will address a case study that intentionally does not give you enough detail for you to quickly resolve the issue. This is meant to enable you to use the processes of critical thinking to reach conclusions. Given the gaps in information provided to you, you will identify what you know, what you don’t know, and what questions you need to ask as you start your investigation of the facts of the case. The process is designed to encourage clear thinking and to help you to identify potential cognitive traps that could derail well-reasoned conclusions.

There are six steps that will lead you through this project.

Step 1: Prepare to Think Critically

In this first step, you will prepare to respond to your boss’s request for an analysis of a problem in your organization. You realize that this will require careful thinking. So, you take some time to review the process and to engage in Critical Thinking and Analysis (see attachment).

When you have finished your review of the learning resources, you will move on to the next step: identifying the problem.

Step 2: Identify the Problem

Now that you have reviewed the process, apply that to the problem by reviewing the case, "Trouble in the Truss Construction Shop." Your first task is to figure out how the incident resulted in a problem in the truss construction shop.

Remember the direction from your boss is to “apply your critical thinking and analytical skills to figure out what happened, what we know and don’t know, and how the organization might remedy this situation.”

So, what is the problem that resulted from the incident, and why might there be different interpretations of the facts?

Outline the points that you want to make in the first two sections of your paper (introduction, explanation), and draft those sections.

Next, you will analyze the information.

CASE STUDY: Trouble in the Truss Construction Shop

Two weeks ago, during a QA truss load test, the truss being tested fragmented along a horizontal axis, causing a large piece of the truss to break part and fall on a hoist operator supporting the test. The hoist operator sustained head injuries and remains in an induced coma in a local hospital. This accident sent shock waves through the Truss Construction Department because the company has heavily invested in a new engineering and manufacturing process to produce a cost-effective truss that has been touted to be on the “cutting edge” of construction technology, especially for low cost housing in overseas markets.

A report by the Safety Officer, QA manager, and engineer verified that the test being conducted pushed the load testing slightly beyond the high threshold of acceptable load-bearing, though the extra load was not expected to cause the truss to fail. In fact, the trusses were advertised to meet “commercial-high” load requirements.

Employees in the engineering shop have been asking if the manufacturing or engineering process is flawed and if the trusses being produced could fail under load.

Company memos have focused on production and more testing at lower thresholds, and members of management are encouraging employees to continue the current production schedule to meet orders for the trusses.

The Sales department is highly concerned that if there is any delay in shipping, customers will pull their orders, which would have a disastrous result on revenues.

Faruch Habib, a production line worker, leaked the details of the accident and test thresholds to the press. Two weeks later, he was terminated for documented poor performance, according to managers.

The company Public Relations department has issued a general statement that the company has taken all action to ensure that this type of workplace accident would not be repeated.

Step 3: Analyze the Information

Once that you have some understanding of the issues of the event, gather and analyze information. The Problem Analysis( see resources ) resources will further aid your analysis and development of the third section of your paper.

Outline the points that you want to make in Section 3: Analysis of the Information of your paper, and draft that section.

Next, you will consider other viewpoints.

Step 4: Consider and Analyze Other Viewpoints, Conclusions, and Solutions

Once you have completed your analysis of the incident, the next step is to analyze alternative viewpoints, conclusions, and solutions. To do this you will need to apply Ethical Decision-Making and Reasoning (see resources ). Also highly recommended, Randolph Pherson's "The Five Habits of the Master Thinker,"( see resources ) a paper written for intelligence analysts, but applicable to all analytical thinking and reasoning.

Outline the points that you want to make in Section 4: Analysis of Alternative Viewpoints, Conclusions, or Solutions of your paper, and draft that section.

Next, you will develop your conclusions.

Step 5: Develop Well-Reasoned Conclusions

You considered alternative viewpoints in the last step. Now you’re ready to develop your personal conclusions and suggest remedies so that your boss is well-equipped to brief her leadership about the situation.

Remember, you may need to consult outside references but this is not a research paper. It is more investigative in nature about the facts of the case. Please cite outside sources carefully.

Now, outline your argument and draft Section 5: Conclusions and Recommendations, the final sections. Your boss is expecting to receive a concise, focused paper to prepare her for further meetings. Stay to the main points, although you may have more facts to answer any questions. You will submit your paper in the final step.

Step 6: Submit Critical Thinking Paper

Your final paper should be no more than 5 double-spaced pages, excluding the cover page and References page(s). Please organize your paper in accordance with your preparatory steps, using these subheadings:

1. Introduction

2. Explanation of the Issue

3. Analysis of the Information

4. Consideration of alternative viewpoints and conclusions

5. Conclusions and Recommendations

Here are some tips for success:

· Consider outside sources if they inform your case. However, stay on task.

· Use APA style for “in text” and reference citations. At this point, your citations should be error-free.

Consider these Best Practices for a paper:

· An effective introduction that grabs the reader’s attention and sets the tone and direction for the rest of the paper;

· Supporting paragraphs that move the reader from the general introduction to the more specific aspects of your analysis;

· Body paragraphs that provide support; and,

· A conclusion that leads to a natural close to what you have presented in your paper.

Rubric

Competencies	Exceeds Performance Requirements
1.1: Organize document or presentation clearly in a manner that promotes understanding and meets the requirements of the assignment.	Key Criteria: Material is presented with meticulous attention to logical order, supporting a clearly articulated thesis. Ideas are arranged so that they make consistent, coherent progress from introduction to conclusion; transitions support smooth connections from point to point. Paper addresses all requirements of the assignment, to include error-free APA formatting and compliance with instructions.
1.2: Develop coherent paragraphs or points so that each is internally unified and so that each functions as part of the whole document or presentation.	Key Criteria: Paper achieves internal coherence through consistent and skillful construction of paragraphs with meaningful topic sentences, supported by well-developed sentences of sufficient depth. The arrangement of paragraphs enables ideas to flow seamlessly from one point to the next.
1.4: Tailor communications to the audience	Key Criteria: Paper demonstrates cognizance of audience, skillfully using precise and appropriate language and terms to convey the intended meaning and tone of the paper to readers.
1.5: Use sentence structure appropriate to the task, message and audience.	Key Criteria: Paper expresses ideas clearly and concisely. Sentence structure is varied throughout the paper to ensure smooth flow and engaging narrative. Paper is free of major sentence-level errors such as awkward syntax, run-on sentences, fragments, and comma splices.
1.6: Follow conventions of Standard Written English.	Key Criteria: Paper is free of errors in standard usage rules of grammar, word choice, spelling, and punctuation. Paper demonstrates correct tense constructions, noun/pronoun congruence, and accepted use of acronyms.
2.1: Identify and clearly explain the issue, question, or problem under critical consideration.	Key Criteria: Paper provides a clear and comprehensive explanation of the issue under consideration, providing sufficient detail to illuminate the underlying causes and addressing questions that inform the direction of research. Paper indicates that the student has considered and identified relevant factors to inform and direct research.
2.2: Locate and access sufficient information to investigate the issue or problem.	Key Criteria: Paper demonstrates skill in locating and accessing information that provides insight into the issue or problem. Where applicable, paper identifies contradictions or inconsistencies in information and demonstrates skill in using search engines to find facts.
2.4: Consider and analyze information in context to the issue or problem.	Key Criteria: Paper acknowledges and addresses various viewpoints, and conclusions are based on sound analysis. Alternative perspectives and solutions are discussed in enough detail to justify a different conclusion or course of action. Analysis of all options is logic-based.
2.5: Develop well-reasoned ideas, conclusions or decisions, checking them against relevant criteria and benchmarks.	Key Criteria: Paper demonstrates compelling conclusions based on thoughtful analysis of fact. Paper incudes legal or ethical dimensions of the issue where applicable. Paper is complete in format and content and has few if any formatting errors.