English for business, management of business lesson3 PDF

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Critical Thinking,Reading and Writing [Part 1]OBJECTIVESAt the end of this unit you should be able to: - Define critical thinking - Recognize the characteristics of critical thinkers - Read criticallyDefining Critical ThinkingOur understanding of the world depends on what a smart thinker we are. Sma...

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Session 3

Critical Thinking, Reading and Writing [Part 1]

OBJECTIVES At the end of this unit you should be able to: • Define critical thinking • Recognize the characteristics of critical thinkers • Read critically

Defining Critical Thinking Our understanding of the world depends on what a smart thinker we are. Smart thinking improves the ways in which we can work with knowledge and information. As a student pursuing a diploma in Business, smart thinking helps you to study. Academic work requires the use of reasoning. You are expected to understand the content, digest information, pick out key issues to learn, grasp underlying concepts and comprehend unfamiliar ideas. This unit is designed to equip you with the skills to think, read and write critically. So what is ‘critical thinking’? Are we all born thinkers? This is the illusion that we believe in. We have been so conditioned to accept that as long as we have been to school we can think. This is not really true. Yes, we can think simple thoughts and we can make simple inferences like if a child is crying then he/she must be hungry, sleepy, hurt, unhappy or disturbed by the environment. These inferences are based on assumptions and this is a result of stereotyping. These are conditioned thoughts i.e. thoughts that we have picked up because we have seen others use it successfully. These are universally accepted thoughts. But individual thinking and thinking critically and creatively are tools that have to be taught. We need to train our minds to pick up the hidden aspects of what is being said. We need to train our minds to see how things can be done differently. So critical thinking means actively seeking to understand analyze and evaluate information. If you develop critical thinking skills, you will be empowered in all areas of your life, and you will be able to work more productively - especially in teams - because you will be able to look at things objectively and intelligently as a critical thinker.

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Activity 1 Study the table below, and see which characteristics you can identify in yourself. How far are you already a critical thinker? If you have more characteristics from list A than from list B, what do you think this means? For each of following, think of examples or episodes where you demonstrate these characteristics.

List A I practice honesty with myself, acknowledge what I don’t know, recognize my limitations and I am watchful of my own errors.

List B I pretend that I know more than I do, ignoring my limitations, and assume that my views are error-free.

2

I regard problems and controversial issues as exciting challenges.

I regard problems and controversial issues as nuisances or ego threats.

3

I strive for understanding, and keep curiosity alive. I remain patient with complexity, and am ready to invest time to overcome confusion.

I am impatient with complexity and thus would rather remain confused than make the effort to understand.

4

I base judgements on evidence rather than personal preferences. I defer judgement whenever evidence is insufficient and revise my judgement when new evidence reveals error.

I base judgements on first impressions and gut reactions. I am not concerned about the amount or quality of evidence, and I cling steadfastly to earlier views.

5

I show interest in other people’s ideas, and I am willing to read and listen attentively, even when I tend to disagree with the other person.

I am preoccupied with my own opinion, and am therefore unwilling to pay attention to others’ views. At the first sign of disagreement, I tend to think, “how can I refuse this?”

6

I recognize that extreme views (whether I ignore the need for balance and conservative or liberal) are seldom correct, give preference to views that so I avoid them, and practice fair- support their established views. mindedness and adopt a balanced view.

7

I practice restraint and control my feelings I tend to follow my feelings and act rather than be controlled by them, and think impulsively. before acting.

1

Adapted from Santrock & Halonen (1999)

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Critical Reading Critical reading is active and thoughtful reading. Reading at a higher level is more than just being able to read the written word. At your level of education, you should be able to read critically and interact with the writer’s ideas and thoughts. This requires you to evaluate what you read and determine if it is accurate and reasonable. Critical readers are less vulnerable to deception and manipulation. Critical reading requires you to understand the writer’s intention and assumptions. So when you read something, you ask yourself, “What does the writer mean?” “What is he implying?” “Why does he say that the idea or model was brilliant?” “What exact words did he use to convey the meaning/message, and why?” In other words, as readers we want to know if there is more than just a surface level in the written words. We want evidence for the writer’s personal opinions. Once writers justify their views, we can understand the real message clearly and then decide whether or not to accept the views expressed. Even when they do not make their own views clear, we need to ask ‘What do they really mean?’ (Sometimes we may even suspect they have a “hidden agenda” - a reason for writing which they are not telling us. What clues might make us suspect that?) Two Modes of Reading It is helpful to think of critical reading as involving two modes of reading: reading with the author, or trying to completely understand the author's views, and reading the author critically, or questioning the author's views. The first mode is necessary for the second to be possible. By reading in two modes, you will be able to develop your own ideas and theories—but only after thoroughly understanding the author's arguments. Reading with the author: understanding the author's perspective 1. Make sure you truly understand the author's views and ideas. Summarizing and paraphrasing his/her argument in your own words may be helpful at this stage. 2. Accept the author's ideas temporarily (even if you disagree). Use the author's ideas as a lens with which to look at your world, extending the author's theories with examples of your own that are in agreement Reading the author critically: engaging the author in a dialogue 1. Looking through your own lens now, question and challenge the author. Some things to look for include: limitations, biases, faulty reasoning, questions left unaddressed, and problems with or alternate interpretations of the author's examples. 2. Now you can form your own ideas and theories. What parts of the author's ideas do you agree with? What parts would you revise? What is your perspective?

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Activity 2 Read the two articles below on Mrs. Thatcher (the ex-Prime Minister of Britain) that appeared in two newspapers on the same day before Mrs. Thatcher became the Prime Minister. Answer the questions that follow:

Article 1 - (Daily Mirror)

On Behalf of Mrs Thatcher, the reply to a plea for HELP! COUNCIL tenant Evelyn Collingwood was stunned by the letter she received from the office of Tory leader Margaret Thatcher. Mrs. Collingwood had dropped a chatty note "to let Mrs. Thatcher know what ordinary people are thinking." The reply she got, sent in the Tory leader's name, came as a bombshell. Mrs. Collingwood described it last night as "grossly insulting." She said, “'This letter makes out that all council house tenants are scroungers. Mrs. Thatcher must think we are all blooming peasants.” Mrs. Thatcher was upset, too. She said she hadn't known about Mrs. Collingwood's letter OR the reply. And she sent a messenger with a hand-written apology to 53 year-old Mrs.Collingwood's home at Erith, Kent.

Article 2 - (Daily Mail)

You're on your way, Mrs. T. AFTER Wednesday night's triumph Mrs. Thatcher did not get to sleep until after 230 a.m. But by 7 a.m. she was awake and reading the morning papers' accounts of her victory. Then it was a large cooked breakfast, and soon after Mrs. Thatcher emerged from her home in Flood Street, Chelsea. Wearing a floral-patterned silken headscarf and camel coat she beamed at waiting newspapermen and said: "My troops are ready and we are looking forward to the election campaign." "We have been ready since October and we are confident of victory. We will just keep working hard. We are organizing our election strategy. There are great issues to be decided." With that she was driven away flanked by three police outriders for what she termed "a pretty busy day." She went straight to her office at the Commons where already messages of congratulations and good will were pouring in. A team of secretaries answered endless phone calls and opened letters delivered by hand to beat the postmen's go-slow. In the mid-morning she presided over a Shadow Cabinet meeting in their oakpanelled room hung with oil paintings of Winston Churchill and Nelson. (adapted from F. Grellet (1981), Developing Reading Skills)

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a) Underline the words or expressions that, according to you, bias the opinions of the readers. b) Which article favours Mrs. Thatcher? c) Considering those two articles, would you rely on the information given by one newspaper rather than other? Justify your answer. d) Besides the choice of words or expressions you have underlined other devices are used to bias the reader's opinion. For instance: o Whose words are most often quoted in Article 1? o Whose words are most often quoted in Article 2? e) Which article will most appeal to people o who admire activity? o who want to defend justice? o who think one should fight for one's right? o who admire organization? o who think the way a Prime Minister looks and behaves in public is important?

Reading Assignment Questions Critically As a diploma student, you will have to tackle many assignments, but do remember that a “beautifully” written and presented assignment, handed in by the due date, does not guarantee you a good grade or even a pass if it doesn’t answer the question!. Hence, the first lesson you have to take is to learn how to critically read an assignment question.

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Activity 3 Look at the directive words (adapted from Marshall and Rowland, 1985) in the table below – do you recognize them in some of your assignments and examination questions? Note what each of these words mean. Attempt a description for the ones that have been left out. Directives: 1. Analyse

Show the essence of something by breaking it down into its component parts and examine each part in detail.

2. Argue

3. Compare

4. Criticise

Use your judgement regarding the merit of theories or opinions in reference to the truth of facts, and reinforce your judgement by discussion of the evidence.

5. Define

6. Describe

Give a detailed or graphic account.

7. Discuss

Investigate or examine by argument, sift and debate, giving reasons For‐and‐against.

8. Enumerate

9. Evaluate

Make an appraisal of the worth of something, in the light of its apparent truth or utility; include your personal opinion.

10. Examine

Present in depth and investigate the implication.

11. Explain

Make plain, interpret and account for in detail.

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12.. Illustrate

13. Interpret

Bring out the meaning of, and make clear and explicit, usually also by expressing your own judgement.

14. Justify

Show adequate grounds for decision or conclusions

15. Outline

16. Prove

Demonstrate truth or falsity by presenting evidence.

17. Relate

18 Review

Make a survey of, examining the subject critically

19. State

Specify fully or clearly

20. Summarise

21. Trace

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The following steps are necessary in critical reading of assignment questions:

Analysing the question Assignment questions usually consist of 3 elements: o SUBJECT – which tells you what the general area is o LIMITING WORDS – which tells you which part of the subject you must limit yourself to and focus on o DIRECTION WORDS – which tell you what to do Let’s take a look at the example taken from: http://www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/writing/answering#special on how to analyze an assignment question. Assignment question: What is a Value Added Statement? Outline the assumptions underlying the Value Added Statement, and argue the case for and against the inclusion of this statement in company annual reports. Subject: The Value Added Statement Limiting words (1): What the Value Added Statement is. Direction words (1): What is...? Limiting words (2): The assumptions underlying the Value Added Statement. Direction words (2): Outline... Limiting words (3): The inclusion of the Value Added Statement in annual reports. Direction words (3): Argue the case for and against... The assignment question is therefore asking you to do three things: 1. describe or define the Value Added Statement; 2. focus on its underlying assumptions (giving the essential details); 3. focus on its inclusion in annual reports (with arguments for and against). NOTE: In every case, you are expected to focus only on the limiting words. You are not being asked to write everything you know about the Value Added Statement. If you do this, you will lose marks for providing information that is irrelevant. Once you get used to the limiting words, you will be able to understand the demands of all assignment as well as examination questions. Now, let’s put to practice what you have learned on the following questions.

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Activity 4 Analyze the following questions using the above steps and state what the questions are asking you to do: Question 1 When a government runs a severe budget deficit, one of the main concerns is the crowding out effect.

Explain with the aid of Keynesian Cross diagram, what is a

crowding out effect and how will it affect an economy. Question 2 In Sri Lanka, there are many tea farmers producing identical tea. The tea market can be considered as perfectly competitive where price is determined by market demand and supply. Analyze the effects of price, market quantity and quantity of farmer when research shows that drinking tea is bad for health. Illustrate with appropriate industry and firm diagrams. Analyze both the short run and long run equilibrium. Note these important points: •

Make sure that you understand all the key words in the question.

•

Make sure that you understand what the direction words mean—then carry out those directions.

•

Focus on the limiting words.

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