Critical Thinking?

Hi,

Just jumped up into Year 13 and I'm looking to take up another AS alongside my A2s and "Critical Thinking" has been brought forward as a suggestion by my head of sixth.

I can't find that much information about it... so does anyone here do the subject? How is it? What exactly do you do in the subject?

Cheers.

Reply 1

DrNick2006

10

I did OCR Critical Thinking, and it's quite hard in my opinion. It's mainly looking at arguments, and looking for flaws and fallacies within the arguments. It's also about considering other factors, such as credibility of a piece of evidence, and being able to write your own arguments.

It doesn't require much work (in fact pretty much sod all), but that shouldn't be mistaken for thinking it's easy, because the exams are difficult.

But it is quite good! Honest!

Reply 2

desmondmac

1

if people did more than "sod all" work wouldnt the exam be that much easier, i know its a skill that ur meant to acquire and apply or whatever....but surely if people did the work set they wouldnt find the exam so "difficult".....neway ive been teaching myself it and its really interesting, it does get a bit dodgy at times but once you practice techniques u soon get betta. one greatly satisfying thing about it is that u find urself being apply ur knowledge of critical thinking to everything u read, observe etc and it just makes thinks that much more interesting....yeh take it!!!

Reply 3

DrNick2006

10

Had I not have done it, I would agree with you. However, we did, when compared to my other subjects, much less work, save that done in the one lesson each week. It isn't, I don't think, something that you would be better off by revising for hours on, because it all pretty much depends on which texts are given on the day, and as long as you know the basic information that was given in the lessons, it depends on your own ability to write clearly and spot minute flaws in a text. I did actually get an A in it, with some, but not a lot of work, whereas others I know revised considerably more and got lower marks, especially those doing more practical subjects, at which I am appalling.

But much as I dislike the tone of your post, I would agree that it has also with me increased the way I analyse things when I read them, and you notice how often common flaws are made, especially in some newspapers.

Reply 4

Popa Dom

2

desmondmac

if people did more than "sod all" work wouldnt the exam be that much easier, i know its a skill that ur meant to acquire and apply or whatever....but surely if people did the work set they wouldnt find the exam so "difficult".....neway ive been teaching myself it and its really interesting, it does get a bit dodgy at times but once you practice techniques u soon get betta. one greatly satisfying thing about it is that u find urself being apply ur knowledge of critical thinking to everything u read, observe etc and it just makes thinks that much more interesting....yeh take it!!!

I dont think most people who study critical thinking have ever had work set.. I also wonder how you can teach it to yourself, I mewan yeah at Alevel you should know a few moral theories for the "philosophy-lite" paper, and its helpful (though not necessary) to know teh names of common flaws, but apart from that theres absolutely nothing to teach yourself ( I swear the entire AS syllabus of things you needed to actualy know was : "weight is the number of arguments on each side". There you go, you now know everything you need for critical thinking AS.

To the OP, do you generally find that you're quite good at spotting flaws in other peoples arguments? If so you should find critical thinking pretty much a breeze (and its always good fun to read some of the articles you have to analyse)

Reply 5

j.r.87

i think ur either good at critical thinking or not. im a figures and numbers type of person so i managed to get a U in critical thinking a-level (i done the whole a-level in one year). i actually found maths easier than this.

Reply 6

Scrub

I suffered with this up to Easter as my 6th AS level then dropped it cause I didn't know anything and it was getting too much trying to do 6 AS levels...I thought it was more important to concentrate on my proper subjects!

If you want to take it, take it, it might be useful for some subjects at uni etc...
(if I was you, I wouldn't and I'd do a more interesting subject that you personally want to do!)

Reply 7

Bobby™

Popa Dom

I swear the entire AS syllabus of things you needed to actualy know was : "weight is the number of arguments on each side". There you go, you now know everything you need for critical thinking AS.

Very true

Reply 8

Xtrm2Matt

OP

Decided to take this up with the condition that I can drop it at any time should I feel I want to (agreed by my head of sixth).

Problem is, I'm already taking the subjects I like / will help me in the future. Everything else offered to me is inappropriate.

Cheers for the help / advice :smile:

Reply 9

smirf83

3

j.r.87

i think ur either good at critical thinking or not. im a figures and numbers type of person so i managed to get a U in critical thinking a-level (i done the whole a-level in one year). i actually found maths easier than this.

Ahh i'm in a similar situation, i've signed up for the full a-level in 1 year but i have a feeling i'm going to be useless at this, it seems similar to eng gcse where you had to analyse articles and say how the author is using techniques of persuasion etc, and i hated this kinda crap. Should I just drop down to the AS? I don't want to get a U!

Reply 10

DrNick2006

10

smirf83

Ahh i'm in a similar situation, i've signed up for the full a-level in 1 year but i have a feeling i'm going to be useless at this, it seems similar to eng gcse where you had to analyse articles and say how the author is using techniques of persuasion etc, and i hated this kinda crap. Should I just drop down to the AS? I don't want to get a U!

I would advise no. It's not really like English Language, because it's more finding flaws in an author's argument, and discussing which argument is better and why, rather than finding techniques used.

And if it were this that you weren't good at, ironically, dropping to AS wouldn't make much difference, because this is the main bulk of the "first year" work. The second year is a little bit less of this, so losing the "second year" could almost be a disadvantage!

Reply 11

j.r.87

smirf83

Ahh i'm in a similar situation, i've signed up for the full a-level in 1 year but i have a feeling i'm going to be useless at this, it seems similar to eng gcse where you had to analyse articles and say how the author is using techniques of persuasion etc, and i hated this kinda crap. Should I just drop down to the AS? I don't want to get a U!

i think doing the full a-level was the biggest mistake in my life. not because i got an U for it, but because i had 3 major exams the day after the A2 critical thinking exam. the a2 c.t. exams were too long and i couldnt prepare myself for the exams the day after. i had 2 business and 1 maths exam, and i done bad in these exams.

Critical Thinking?

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