Spring 2009 Critical Thinking Student Sample Work

Return to Critical Thinking

Let's use this page to post sample work from the class.

Quotes from Reflective Voice Papers

Some wording from your papers describing things you'd like to improve:

I am stubborn and do not like to be wrong.

I need to develop a more openness and humility, and not be overconfident in my beliefs or myself.

I have not developed a good way to invite criticism,

I would like to work on is being open to hearing both sides of a situation even when I have my own distinct views. Thi it. Learning to be less judgmental, value "Sympathetic Understanding," and respecting people's views and opinions has allowed me to make more fiiends and connect with people I never would have connected with because I was unwilling to make friendships with people who differed from me.

I like to let my, voice be heard, and it is often heard in a negative tone because of my inability to address my point in a gentler manner.

I end to tense up and think that others are judging me upon my knowledge for the subject.

I start to over analyze things and think about what I am going to say even before I say it.

I get really nervous when talking in front of others. especially when I am not familiar with the subject.

I get discouraged when I hear someone answer a question so intellectually or easily and think, why I can't think like that?

I need to gain the courage to speak up about my thoughts and ideas in classroom/social situations.

When my frustration grows. sometimes lose my composure and raise my voice due to the fact that I am irritated, which makes my point less valid at times.

I have always been the kind of person who talks excessively, and because of this I do not believe that I am always a good listener.

I want to become the kind of person who is more of a mediator in situations.

I want to become the kind of person who stays calm and collected, and does not overreact in situations. 11 Taking a middle stand can turn into one of my weaknesses when I refuse to stand up for my own ideas in favor of avoiding conflict. Sometimes

I am fearful that my ideas will not be listened to or that I might appear to be unintelligent.

I wish to continue to strive for the ideal of being a person who can be a mediator and can also accept criticism, looking to gain knowledge.

Ninety percent of the time I'm right, The other ten percent, I'm so far off it's embarrassing.

It's simple to switch words around to make people second guess their thoughts, but there are times when the original idea is important, and my wordplay has made it into a joke. In creating the joke, I lose the message, and I feel that this is definitely one of my more serious character flaws.

I would like to gain more confidence in myself and my ability to stand up for my position.

I want to build and strengthen my inner voice, so that it is no longer judgmental towards others and myself, and so it no longer attacks my own person as well, but a self-loving and confident persona that will allow me to better interact with others intellectually.

Despite my efforts to keep me emotions out of discussion, I becoming too emotionally involved, I often find myself drawn into a discussion emotionally. This causes less clear thinking and often rasher statements than I would have normally said.

There are many times when a contemplative situation comes up and I argue just for the sake of arguing not because I have any vested interest in the conversation.