As a student, you are asked to use your critical thinking skills all the time- in school, college, and beyond. 

No matter what walk of life you come from, what industry you’re interested in pursuing, or how much experience you’ve already garnered, critical thinking skills are crucial in every phase of life. 

Lacking such skills can make or break a person’s career, as the consequences of one’s inability to process and analyze information effectively can be massive.

Let’s explore the different critical thinking skills and how you can start improving them to level up your career.

What Is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is the ability to think in an organized and rational manner to understand connections between ideas and facts. It helps you decide what to believe. In other words, it’s “thinking about thinking”—identifying, analyzing, and then fixing flaws in the way we think.

No skill is more valuable and hard to come by than the ability to critically think through problems. Critical thinking helps in good decision-making at the workplace by allowing you to recognize barriers and find solutions to overcome them. It teaches you how to think instead of what to think based on the in-hand information. 

Critical Thinking: An Essential Skill For Every Student

The importance of critical thinking is more obvious than ever in a world where fake news, scams, and hoaxes are part of everyday life.

Studies indicate that critical thinking skills are among the most highly valued attributes employers seek in job candidates. They want staff who can solve problems, make decisions and take appropriate action.

Developing your thinking skills can also help you to communicate more effectively. You’ll be able to explain your ideas clearly and persuasively and listen carefully to others. It can make it easier to build relationships and resolve conflicts.

Critical thinking skills are the cornerstone of self-development and improvement. That’s why they’re crucial to have in today’s job market.

7 Important Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking skills are paramount to success in life. After all, if you can think critically, you will be able to solve problems effectively, make good decisions, or communicate clearly.

Here are the seven critical thinking skills students must master. 

Identification

The first step in the critical thinking process is identifying the situation or problem and the factors that may influence it. Once you have a clear picture of the situation and the people, groups, or factors that may be influenced, you can then begin to dive deeper into an issue and its potential solutions.

Observation

Observation is the ability to take in information and make sense of it. When you’re observing something, you’re not just looking at it but also thinking about what you’re seeing. 

The critical observation is the ability to notice subtle details that allow us to maneuver situations more tactfully.

Identifying biases

This skill can be exceedingly difficult, as even the smartest ones can fail to recognize biases. Strong critical thinkers do their best to evaluate information objectively. It involves knowing when others have a cognitive bias and when you have one yourself.

Biases can influence how someone understands the facts presented to them. But when you’re aware of those biases, you can question yourself on those biases and consider other points of view.

Analysis

Analyzing is the ability to take information and break it down into smaller pieces. It is the process of thinking about topics or issues objectively and critically. It is often done by asking questions and clarifying the issue. Analyzing is one of the most crucial aspects of critical thinking.

Inference

It is the ability to draw a conclusion based on evidence. When you make an inference, you are using your understanding of the world and the information you have to come to a logical conclusion. Processing information is key to coming up with a reasoned judgment.

Without inference, it can be difficult to take action once you’ve analyzed the facts. 

Curiosity

It’s easy to sit back and take everything presented to you at face value, but that can also be a recipe for disaster when faced with a scenario that requires critical thinking.

Intellectual curiosity is a valuable skill, especially when it comes to critical thinking. So, don’t be afraid to question everything and explore what you’re curious about.

Problem Solving and Decision Making

It is the ability to identify and solve problems. Once you analyze and interpret a problem, you can come up with one or more possible solutions. Further, by making a decisive decision, you come to a conclusion based on the data you have interpreted. 

Become A Better Critical Thinker

Thinking critically is vital for anyone looking to have a successful college career and a fruitful professional life upon graduation. Your ability to objectively analyze and evaluate complex subjects and situations will always be useful. So, unlock your potential by practicing and refining the seven critical thinking skills above.

If you’re looking to improve your skills in a way that can impact your life and career moving forward, higher education is a fantastic venue to achieve that. 

Developing critical thinking skills takes time, but there are some ways to speed up the process. 

You can start by deciding what you're aiming to achieve, be aware of your personal preferences and biases and practice these skills like any other life skill.