...Critical Thinking Application Paper University of Phoenix MGT 350 Oretha Johnson The purpose of this paper is to provide an example from personal experience in applying critical thinking to a work-related decision, and the importance and benefits of critical thinking in the decision-making processes. Using a work related decision and personal experience, conveying the importance of critical thinking in this decision-making process will reveal itself in the form of a question, and an opinion (Wilder, 2001). Critical thinking is the mode of thinking about a problem, subject or content in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and imposing intellectual standards upon them (Paul & Elder, 2006). The court system is a demanding industry and requires a great deal of critical thinking. I retired in March 2012 as the Administrative Coordinator of Operations for the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office. This job had high-level responsibilities and authority as well as tough decision making. I used critical thinking as a measuring rod and a means of making effective decisions. There was an employee on my team that was not performing her job duties. She was a likable person and was favored by the boss. On another note, she was experiencing challenges at home and with her health. I had to find a logical reason for the cause of the problem, in terms of her work performance. My findings...
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...Critical Thinking Application Paper Critical Thinking Application Paper University of Phoenix April Armstrong Instructor Karen Amabile Date August 3, 2009 Critical Thinking Application Paper Critical thinking can be described as identifying and challenging assumptions and exploring and imagining alternatives. The idea of not having critical thinking would be to believe everyone no matter what they are saying. Everyone would believe all the commercials on television, any politicians who are giving his or her election speeches, all reading material that is read, and it must be correct if certain organizations are doing it. Critical thinking has eight main components that are known as perception, assumptions, emotion, language, argument, fallacy, logic, and problem solving. Perception is the how an individual receives or explains our personal experiences and how it is received interprets what that person thinks about a certain situation. This can vary from individual to individual. Assumptions in critical thinking are ideas about human nature that are evidence without proof of argument. The assumptions are what people believe to be true and make a person feel comfortable in his or her beliefs. Presenting the choice between two possibilities is an important feature of thinking critically. Emotion is another component in critical thinking that should not be involved even though it is always there. Emotions help individuals to understand all the issues...
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...Barriers to Critical Thinking One barrier to critical thinking is self-serving biases. Our actions do not need to be rationalized if the motives are good. But, even good motives can lead us into other thinking mentalities that can lead us to undesirable consequences and even pose a threat to our self-esteem. The characteristics of others even post a threat to our self-esteem. These ego threatening situations can cause us to form cognitive biases called self-serving biases. These biases reside in our thinking and perception, which help protect and enhance our self-esteem. Unfortunately, people lean towards seeing what they want to see and what they need to see to keep good positive feelings for themselves as people (Kirby, G. & Goodpaster, J., 2007). Another barrier to critical thinking is emotional influences. There are many aspects of emotional influences such as depression, anger and passion. Many studies of depression aid to the idea that irrational cognitions are correlated with depression. If an individual lets depression take over, the effect can alter their expectations and even cause a negative mentality to occur. Also, anger tends to alter emotional influences. Anger causes many negative relationships with others. It can show many irrational behaviors and thoughts. If anger leads to this we must lessen the impact it can cause. Having passion will aid if it is a positive impact of feeling. If the source of our passion is positive, then we...
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...Critical Thinking Applications Michael E. Murphy University of Phoenix Online Critical Thinking: Strategies in Decisions Making MGT 350 Bridget Peaco July 12, 2010 Human beings tend toward selfish pursuits. People rarely act in a rational and an objective manner (Kurland, 2000). To set aside these traits, it takes an applied effort, which can lead to different options and intellectual improvement. Critical thinking can help people to take control of their own thinking. They learn to distinguish between what is opinion and factual reality. Simply put, the process of critical thinking helps a person to assess what others either write or speak, and ascertain the validity of his or her comments. Critical thinkers have certain attributes that permit them to observe conditions around themselves and then make educated choices that can solve either problems or dilemmas. Some of these attributes are: * asks pertinent questions * assesses statements and arguments * is able to admit a lack of understanding or information * has a sense of curiosity * is interested in finding new solutions * is able to clearly define a set of criteria for analyzing ideas * is willing to examine beliefs, assumptions, and opinions and weigh them against facts * listens carefully to others and is able to give feedback * sees that critical thinking is a lifelong process of self-assessment * suspends judgment until all facts have been gathered and considered ...
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...Business Critical Thinking Application Paper Critical Thinking Application Paper r MGT/350 h , 2011 x Abstract Critical thinking requires one to have strong commands of the fundamentals of discipline. There is the art of reasoning, which is to present reasoning supporting of a conclusion. There’s also the critical thinking application, in which the critical thinker applies reasons, judgments, and questions. All the while they are presenting positions clearly and honestly and a good a critical thinker teaches other what they know. Critical Thinking Application Paper Critical Thinking Critical thinking means to me is the thought process about any subject, content, issues or concerns in which my thinking improves the quality of my thinking by proficiently taking charge of any situation at hand. In today’s working environment there are so many examples of critical thinking. One example is to deciding how to meet budget requirements in today’s economy. With an every decreasing government budget and the impending government shut down will most serenely lead to furlough. In a business such as the federal government with more dependents than it has money can be a struggle. In this scenario critical thinking comes into play with ways for the federal government to pay the expenses and pay the dependents can be changeling. Carefully choosing and making the right choices takes a great deal of research and time and usually leads to two or three choices in the end. Once...
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...Critical Thinking Application Paper Linda Page MGT/350 August 6, 2011 Hawthorne Welcher Critical Thinking Application Paper According to Paul and Elder (2006) Critical thinking is the art of thinking about thinking while thinking in order to make thinking better. It involves three interwoven phases: it analyzes thinking, it evaluates thinking, and it improves thinking. When the author thinks of decision-making and critical thinking, she knows that they go hand in hand. The author is employed by the Fort Gordon Commissary, which is a military grocery store. Within her department there are three store associates/ tellers and one lead teller, they all handle customer services. Being the lead teller the author has a major reasonability to up hold, especially with customer services. Our customers expect us to be able to fix whatever is wrong with their order, from over rings to lost items. There are days where the author has to make decision as to whether if the customer is due a refund or a simple exchange of an item or if the situation that the customer is complaining about is a bagger problem. This is where the author believes their biggest problem is the baggers and the way they bag. A lot of the time the tellers has to evaluate if the situation, to see if the bagger did damage the customer groceries or if the customer is trying to get over. The way that the tellers have been able to analyze the problem, is to tell the customer if there is any damage to their grocer the...
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...Critical Thinking Application Deshone Jones MGT / 350 Charles Donewar April 20, 2010 Critical Thinking Application Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally. The purpose of the critical thinking application paper is to explain ways critical thinking is used in work-related situations. The paper will provide examples from personal experiences while applying critical thinking in work-related decisions. The paper will illustrate the importance and benefits of critical thinking in the decision-making processes. Critical thinking is necessary for business situations as well as personal situations. Critical thinking is a skill that motivates reading, writing, speaking, and listening. By using critical thinking in the workplace it helps me to recognize the logical relations between different ideas. Critical thinking is a skill that helps any individual to recognize, creates, and evaluates argument within in given situation. When working I as an individual try to use critical thinking to notice discrepancies and any regular errors in the analysis process. When using critical thinking a person can solve problems thoroughly and recognize the significance and meanings of different ideas. Last, critical thinking sometimes help reveal unfairness and narrow-mindedness, but it also helps an individual to mirror on the reason of one’s own ideas and morals. In my workplace there are always changes and these changes become more complex as the days go on, so in...
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...Critical Thinking Application Paper By Monica Berry University of Phoenix August 1, 2011 MGT/350 Karen Allen Critical Thinking Application Paper In this paper I will discuss the experience of applying critical thinking to personal and business decisions. Critical thinking decisions will require people to think from both sides of the problem to come up with a solution not biased. What is Critical Thinking Critical thinking is the process of thinking of possible outcomes and findings, and determining if weighing all answers and possible explanations to reach the best decision for this situation. A good critical thinker knows how to examine an issue from all sides, how to make rational decisions and how to with personal judgment or bias, and looking at the situation objectively. Personal Experience with Critical Thinking In personal decision- making, it involves making the best decision for not just that moment but for long-term reasons. Some people only make decisions based on the immediate future, but it should also include long-term. My personal decision would be deciding to enroll in school. I went back and forth with the what if’s and why not’s, I sat down and made a plan for myself ,which included short and long- term goals. I made the goals where they were attainable. Then once I saw the planner I decided it was time to take the next step. I became disabled in1999, but they did not say I could not go to school or work I just had to...
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...Critical Thinking Application Critical Thinking Application Paper MGT/350 May 8, 2010 Roger Sevison Critical Thinking Application Abstract In this paper I will define what critical thinking is, the outcome of critical thinking and what critical thinking means to me. I will also discuss when to use critical thinking and why it is important to use critical thinking when decision making. Critical Thinking I believe that critical thinking occurs when someone is constantly taking in all kinds of information, weighing the pros and cons from that information, and deciding the best outcome for the situation. In decision-making, critical thinking occurs when a person takes their time to think carefully and plan every aspect of what will happen in their life. I believe that everyone should make goals or plans to what he want out of life and how they want their lives to turn out. Critical thinking can be used in any situation. Critical thinking will allow a person to reach his goals by keeping the person focused on doing the right things. Critical Thinking (cont’d) Critical thinking is the concept from which good decisions come from. Critical thinking occurs when a person thinks of the possible outcomes from different scenarios that could take place on a daily and chooses the best one. Decision making is an important aspect...
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...Critical Thinking Application Paper Juan Vigil MGT/350 May 19, 2011 Robert Sell Critical Thinking Application Paper The world in which we as Americans live in is changing rapidly from social, economic, political, and even technological advancements. More than ever, we are face with new approaches to deal with these changes and to operate a business. This requires thinking critically and making wise decisions. “Thinking is the activity of the brain that can potentially be communicated” (Kirby & Goodpaster, 2007, p. 6). As organizations and businesses strive for success, one will be part of these changes that will result in positive or negative outcomes for the business. In order for a business to be successful, one should sharpen its ability to think critically and make good decisions. The concept of using critical thinking is not easy; however within this paper critical thinking will be defined, along with a real work- related example of critical thinking, and the importance of critical thinking in the decision making process. Critical thinking occurs to everyone on day-to-day basis to once a day to frequent times a day. Critical thinking is important to our lives because it enables us to make the best choice from a certain circumstance. Critical thinking not only is an important part of our personal lives, but as well as for our professional lives. The ability to think critically will have a positive impact to one’s organization in terms of profitability...
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...Critical Thinking Application Paper Laura Jones Mgt 350 January 10, 2010 Bill Shell Critical Thinking Application Paper A person uses critical thinking daily without realizing what he or she is doing. Critical thinking helps people make decisions, small or large. A person will use critical thinking on a personal level, such as buying a house or a car or even down to whether he or she should buy a shirt. In the business world, people will use critical thinking skills to make decisions that impact the company. As this paper progresses, I will be discussing what critical thinking is, the steps that are taken when using the critical thinking process, an example of how I used critical thinking in the workplace, and the benefits and importance of using critical thinking when making a decision. What is Critical Thinking? According to Dictionary.com critical thinking is defined as “the mental process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information to reach an answer or conclusion” (2010). Critical thinking in the ideal form is based on broad intelligent values that surpass situational division. By this I am meaning to make use of good critical thinking, one must use accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance to the situation, good reasoning, facts, and clarifying the situation (National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking, 2009). University of Phoenix has nine...
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...Critical Thinking Application Paper MGT 350 April 10, 2011 Harry Derderian Critical Thinking Application Report Critical thinking is a term that we have all heard from our parents, teachers, managers or friends. However, I doubt that many of us have really taken the time to fully understand what it means and why it is so important. The purpose of this report is to gain an understanding of what critical thinking means and why it is so fundamentally important that we conscientiously practice and use critical thinking skills every day. This task will be accomplished by using a work place example and outlining the benefits of the critical thinking process. Critical Thinking Defined The quick and easy way to define critical thinking is to research it on-line. For instance, according to the website, Dictionary.com, critical thinking is defined as “the mental process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information to reach an answer or conclusion”. This definition is a good start, but we must explore it on a deeper level to fully understand critical thinking. According to Facione (2011), an international group of experts were asked to define critical thinking. The team came up with a few conclusions. One conclusion is that critical thinking requires a purpose to the thinking and it can be done either independently or collaboratively. They decided critical thinking requires the following...
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...Critical Thinking Application Hazael Mendez MGT 350 October 4, 2012 Luz Negron Alvarez University of Phoenix Critical Thinking Application Critical thinking is the method of studying a dilemma in order to reach the most reasonable deduction. In a nutshell it is the method of examining, and making the situation better (Paul and Elder, 2007). A critical thinker is more productive as a member of staff and as an individual. Critical thinking is fundamental in a commerce atmosphere working to eliminate swift managerial decisions. Asserting critical thinking skills makes it possible for individuals to formulate knowledgeable decisions. Critically thinking helps individuals to be aware of the trouble and the origin of the trouble. When the dilemma is recognized, utilizing critical thinking allows us to arrive at possible solutions to the problem. The decision making method permits individuals to consider every decision and decide which decision best works to resolve the problem. Critical thinking is presents itself to everyone, everywhere. Critical Thinking is used constantly at work and has an abundance of importance and benefits. Everyone must learn what critical thinking is, how it is used, and how to use it, so better decisions can be made. Critical Thinking consists of mental processes of discernment, analysis and evaluation. It includes possible processes of reflecting upon a concrete or insubstantial item...
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...Critical Thinking Application Paper MGT/350 Critical Thinking Application Paper In life, decisions must always be made. These decisions could be based on anything from a business decision, to whether or not you should buy one car over another. The decision could be something minor, such as if you want peanut butter and jelly or a ham sandwich. Conversely, the decision could be something major, such as whether you should pay the expensive bill to save a sick pet or simply put them down and end their suffering. Both ways one looks at it the decisions must be made, and critical thinking is simply a process one uses to make these decisions. Dictionary.com defines critical thinking as “the mental process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information to reach an answer or conclusion”. Simply put, critical thinking is considering your options and making the best decision based on the information you are given. I would venture to say that critical thinking would be the opposite of making a “blind-decision” or an uninformed decision. When I first started working for the previous company that employed me, our shop manager was faced with a decision to make. A prospective supplier came to our shop offering what seemed to be a great deal. The deal proposed was that this supplier had the ability to offer our bolts and other shop supplies at an almost 50% reduction in price. Because that seemed like such a “no-brainer” the...
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...Critical Thinking Application Paper Brandi Rhodes February 28, 2011 MGT / 350 Ernest Pressburger Critical Thinking Application Paper In this cutthroat economy we live in it is vital to understand the basics behind the importance of a good critical thinker both personally and professionally. As the business markets constantly change the economy continues to place increasing demands on familiarizing skills possessed by valuable critical thinkers on their staff and in their everyday lives. To have such skills is extremely important in promoting effective critical thinking. Not only does critical thinking provide individuals with the etiquette to become a good decision-maker, it allows individuals to analyze specific situations and provide step-by-step answers to the problems at hand. At some point, we as humans will engage in some aspects of critical thinking to a degree. Nevertheless, life occurrences will influence these abilities, yet certain expertise, approach and environments can develop and enhance our abilities to think decisively and critically. In this paper, I will describe critical thinking and its importance as well as elaborate on my own personal work-related experience in applying critical thinking. Primarily, how we tackle new information, concepts, problems, and demands is considered the basis of valuable critical thinking. It is defined as “the mental process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating...
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