This document provides resources for students to develop their critical thinking skills. It includes readings on common misconceptions of critical thinking, combating fake news, and teaching critical thinking. Videos define critical thinking and discuss recognizing fake news. Students are prompted to explain elements of critical thinking, analyze examples demonstrating strong and weak critical thinking, and reflect on applying their education to their career and community.

1. Elements of Critical Thinking [WLOs: 2, 3, 4] [CLOs: 2, 3, 4]
Prepare:
Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, in
preparation for discussing the importance of critical thinking
skills,
Read the articles
Common Misconceptions of Critical Thinking
Combating Fake News in the Digital Age
6 Critical Thinking Skills You Need to Master Now (Links to an
external site.)
Teaching and Learning in a Post-Truth world: It’s Time for
Schools to Upgrade and Reinvest in Media Literacy Lessons
Critical Thinking and the Challenges of Internet (Links to an
external site.)
Watch the videos
Fake News: Part 1 (Links to an external site.)
Critical Thinking
(Links to an external site.)
Review the resources

2. Critical Thinking Skills (Links to an external site.)
Valuable Intellectual Traits (Links to an external site.)
Critical Thinking Web (Links to an external site.)
Reflect:
Reflect on the characteristics of a critical thinker. Critical
thinking gets you involved in a dialogue with the ideas you read
from others in this class. To be a critical thinker, you need to be
able to summarize, analyze, hypothesize, and evaluate new
information that you encounter.
Write:
For this discussion, you will address the following prompts.
Keep in mind that the article or video you’ve chosen should not
be about critical thinking, but should be about someone making
a statement, claim, or argument related to your Final Paper
topic. One source should demonstrate good critical thinking
skills and the other source should demonstrate the lack or
absence of critical thinking skills. Personal examples should not
be used.
Explain at least five elements of critical thinking that you found
in the reading material.
Search the Internet, media, or the Ashford University Library,
and find an example in which good critical thinking skills are
being demonstrated by the author or speaker. Summarize the
content and explain why you think it demonstrates good critical
thinking skills.

3. Search the Internet, media, or the Ashford University Library,
and find an example in which the author or speaker lacks good
critical thinking skills. Summarize the content and explain why
you think it demonstrates the absence of good, critical thinking
skills.
Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length, which
should include a thorough response to each prompt. You are
required to provide in-text citations of applicable required
reading materials and/or any other outside sources you use to
support your claims. Provide full reference entries of all sources
cited at the end of your response. Please use correct APA
format when writing in-text citations (see
In-Text Citation Helper (Links to an external site.)
) and references (see
Formatting Your References List (Links to an external site.)
).
Reflecting on General Education and Career [WLOs: 2, 3, 4]
[CLOs: 2, 3, 4]
Prepare:
Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, read the
articles
Teaching Writing Skills That Enhance Student Success in
Future Employment
;
An Inner Barrier to Career Development: Preconditions of the
Impostor Phenomenon and Consequences for Career

4. Development (Links to an external site.)
; and
9 Questions That’ll Help You Find Your Dream Career (Links
to an external site.)
; watch the video
Business, Management & Administration (Links to an external
site.)
; and review the General Education Curriculum found in
General Academic Information and Policies (Links to an
external site.)
in the Ashford University Catalog. This catalog addresses the
core competencies that the general education courses must
cover: Ethical Reasoning, Written Communication, Oral and
Interpersonal Communication, Information Literacy, Critical
Thinking, and Quantitative Reasoning.
Reflect:
Think about the core competencies as previously mentioned,
and ponder your time taking general education courses. Reflect
on the specific courses not associated with your college major
and determine the level of new information you have acquired
that relates to the core competencies. You must also think about
a potential job you might apply to once you graduate and
determine what skills you developed through general education
courses that make you qualified for a specific job.
Write:
For this discussion, you will address the following prompts:
Review a job description through a job website (e.g.,
Career Builder (Links to an external site.)
,
Monster (Links to an external site.)
, etc.) in your desired career field. Please provide the job title
and the link to the job description. (I'M LOOKING FOR A

5. CAREER IN BUSINESS/ACCOUNTING)
Identify at least five skills you have obtained through your
general education courses that will make you successful at this
job.
Demonstrate with at least two examples how your newly
acquired knowledge and skills have shaped both your personal
and professional development.
Describe your plans for putting your education to use within
your community.
Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length, which
should include a thorough response to each prompt. You are
required to provide in-text citations of applicable required
reading materials and/or any other outside sources you use to
support your claims. Provide full reference entries of all sources
cited at the end of your response. Please use correct APA
format when writing in-text citations (see
In-Text Citation Helper (Links to an external site.)
) and references (see
Formatting Your References List (Links to an external site.)
).
Required Resources
Articles
Bailin, S., Case, R., Coombs, J. R., & Daniels, L. B. (1999).

6. Common misconceptions of critical thinking
.
Journal of Curriculum Studies, 31
(3), 269-283. doi:10.1080/002202799183124
The full-text version of this article is available through the
EBSCOhost database in the Ashford University Library. In this
article, the authors present better ways for instructors to teach
critical thinking skills to students in college. They go over the
importance of developing critical thinking skills in the earlier
years of acquiring one’s education so to be better prepared for
real-world problems after graduation. It is important for
students to understand that the ability to think critically is not
separate from attaining knowledge. Critical thinking skills can
be applied to various domains of knowledge. This article will
assist you with your Elements of Critical Thinking discussion
and your Critical Thinking Quiz this week.
Burkhardt, J. M. (2017).
Combating fake news in the digital age
.
Library Technology Reports
,
53
(8), 5-33. https://journals.ala.org/index.php/ltr/index
The full-text version of this article is available through the
Academic Search Complete database in the Ashford University
Library. Although fake news has been around for very long
time, the new electronic media and the Internet have provided
an open means for fake news to spread rapidly through an entire
population. Bots are increasingly being used to spread
misinformation, to manipulate information, and to force a

7. particular meme on readers. “Individuals have the responsibility
to protect themselves from fake news” (p. 5). While the article
is aimed principally at librarians and library staff, it provides
insights that are applicable by everyone. This article will assist
you with your Elements of Critical Thinking discussion this
week.
Erstad, W. (2018, January 22).
6 critical thinking skills you need to master now (Links to an
external site.)
. http://www.rasmussen.edu/student-life/blogs/main/critical-
thinking-skills-you-need-to-master-now/
In this resource, the author lists, describes, and explains six
basic critical thinking skills. Each of the skills is named,
defined, described, and explained, and examples are given as to
their appropriate use. This article will assist you with your
Elements of Critical Thinking discussion and your Critical
Thinking Quiz this week.
Accessibility Statement does not exist.
Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)
Hobbs, R. (2017).
Teaching and learning in a post-truth world
.
Educational Leadership
,
75
(3), 26-31. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-
leadership.aspx

8. The full-text version of this article is available through the
Academic OneFile database in the Ashford University Library.
Who cares if it is true or not, so long as it is exciting and
entertaining and fits the readers’ belief system? Fake news uses
sensationalism to prompt a viral response in order to spread
misinformation quickly to as large an audience as possible.
Students must learn how to distinguish between manipulation
and evidence-based reporting. This article will assist you with
your Elements of Critical Thinking discussion this week.
Plencner, A. (2014).
Critical thinking and the challenges of Internet (Links to an
external site.)
.
Communication Today, 5(
2), 4-18. http://www.communicationtoday.sk/critical-thinking-
and-the-challenges-of-internet/
The author presents ways in which to use critical thinking skills
to evaluate Internet sources effectively. The author further
elaborates on how critical thinking tools can help raise
awareness, enhance one’s reasoning, and enable one to evaluate
other perspectives with an open mind. This article will allow the
reader to understand the importance of well-developed critical
thinking skills. This article will assist you with your Elements
of Critical Thinking discussion and your Critical Thinking Quiz
this week.
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9. Coyle, J. P. (2010).
Teaching writing skills that enhance student success in future
employment (Links to an external site.)
.
Collected Essays on Teaching and Learning, 3
, 195-200. doi:10.22329/celt.v3i0.3262
The full-text version of this article can be accessed through the
ERIC database in the Ashford University Library. The author of
this article stresses the importance for college students to
develop better writing skills in college, because employers seek
effective writers. The ability to write effectively can have a
positive impact on work performance. This article will assist
you with your Reflecting on General Education and Career
discussion this week.
Neureiter, M., & Traut-Mattausch, E. (2016).
An inner barrier to career development: preconditions of the
impostor phenomenon and consequences for career
development (Links to an external site.)
.
Frontiers in Psychology
, 1-15. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00048
The full-text version of this article can be accessed through the
EBSCOhost database in the Ashford University Library. The
authors of this article completed a study in which “imposter
feelings” that lead to fears of failure and success decreased
one’s ability to effectively plan a career and, thus, impacts
one’s level of motivation. This article will assist you with your
Reflecting on General Education and Career discussion this

10. week.
The Muse. (2013, November 1).
9 questions that’ll help you find your dream career (Links to an
external site.)
.
Forbes
. http://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2013/11/01/9-
questions-thatll-help-you-find-your-dream-
career/#222ce1fc23bb
This article provides nine questions that help the reader think
more about how to achieve the career they have always wanted.
The questions focus on current skills and qualities that allows
the reader decide if a career change is necessary. This article
will assist you with your Reflecting on General Education and
Career discussion this week.
Accessibility Statement does not exist.
Privacy Policy
Multimedia
Tan, K., & Walko, D. S. (Executive Producers), Dimoff, D.
(Producer). (2018).
Fake news: Part 1 (Links to an external site.)
[Video segment]. In
How to recognize fake news
[Streaming video]. Films On Demand database.
The full version of this video is available through the Films On

11. Demand database in the Ashford University Library. Fake news
is more than a social media menace—it threatens critical
thinking skills needed to develop information literacy.
Combined with the impulse to share exciting, shocking, and
alarming stories, fake news is shaping—and distorting—
perceptions, especially in younger demographics. In this video,
you will learn what drives fake news, how to spot it, and how to
debunk it. You will see how to distinguish between bias and
accuracy, and opinion from fact. This video will assist you with
your Elements of Critical Thinking discussion forum this week.
This video has closed captioning and a transcript.
QualiaSoup. (2009, December 24).
Critical thinking
(Links to an external site.)
[Video file]. https://youtu.be/6OLPL5p0fMg
In this YouTube video, the speaker provides a thorough
explanation of how to improve one’s critical thinking skills.
The speaker compares different ways people solve problems.
For instance, someone can memorize a solution to a problem,
but to solve multiple problems of the same caliber would
require critical thinking skills. The speaker expresses the
importance of examining flaws and biases when approaching to
answer a specific question. Students need to be better at
thinking and should work on minimizing biases that have been
influenced by culture and one’s environment. Critical thinking
means to seek out knowledge and evidence that fits with reality.
This video will assist you with your Elements of Critical
Thinking discussion and your Critical Thinking Quiz this week.
Accessibility Statement (Links to an external site.)
Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)

12. Radcliff, R. (Writer). (2007).
Business, management & administration (Links to an external
site.)
[Series episode]. In P. Iacono and A. S. Weber (Executive
Producers),
The complete career clusters
[Streaming video]. Films On Demand database.
The full version of this video is available through the Films on
Demand database in the Ashford University Library. This video
has several segments that provide information on how to get
into a green career through fields related to business,
management, and administration jobs. It further describes how
companies can be greener to make the world more sustainable,
such as recycling boxes and any plastics. This video will assist
you with your Reflecting on General Education and Career
discussion this week.
Web Pages
Critical thinking skills (Links to an external site.)
. (n.d.).
http://www.umich.edu/~elements/probsolv/strategy/ctskills.htm
In this resource, the authors provide examples of critical
thinking tools in application. The authors present a set-by-step
approach to the process of critical thinking, giving some
suggested approaches as well as verb-active statements to serve
as guides to help you ensure that you are thinking critically.

13. This web page will assist you with your Elements of Critical
Thinking discussion forum and your Critical Thinking Quiz this
week.
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Valuable intellectual traits (Links to an external site.)
. (2014 , September).
http://www.cetla.howard.edu/new_showcase/lectures/docs/jones
/intraits.html
In this resource, the author provides brief explanations of the
intellectual virtues that inform critical thinking skills. The
author lists eight virtue traits that are necessary to the critical
thinking mindset, providing definitions, explanations, and
examples. This web page will assist you with your Elements of
Critical Thinking discussion forum and your Critical Thinking
Quiz this week.
Accessibility Statement does not exist.
Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)
Website
Critical thinking web (Links to an external site.)
. (n.d.). Critical thinking. http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/
This website is a central gathering point for information about
critical thinking websites. This central website provides links to

14. several websites that cover different aspects of critical thinking
skills, logic, and rhetoric. Each of the websites in the Critical
Thinking Web provides additional resources concerning the
principles and process of critical thinking, including guides to
their use in different fields of study, and which critical thinking
questions are most appropriate for given situations. This
website will assist you with your Elements of Critical Thinking
discussion forum and your Critical Thinking Quiz this week.
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Recommended Resources
Book
Kallet, M. (2014, March).
Think smarter: Critical thinking to improve problem-solving
and decision-making skills
. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com
The full-text version of this book can be accessed through the
Ebook Central database in the Ashford University Library. In
the first three chapters of this book, the author describes and
explains the basic framework of critical thinking tools. The
author provides clear, step-by-step processes to use when
approaching common, everyday problems from the critical
thinking perspective. The author provides a specific tool set to
use to improve critical thinking skills. This book may assist you
with your Elements of Critical Thinking discussion and your
Critical Thinking Quiz this week.

15. Multimedia
Center for Innovation in Legal Education. (2013, August 1).
Episode 1.1: What is critical thinking?
(Links to an external site.)
[Video file]. https://youtu.be/J0yEAE5owWw
This speaker of this video defines critical thinking and explains
its purpose in solving problems. Critical thinking takes time and
involves been thorough by focusing on all complexities of the
issue at hand. Critical thinking is not about accepting or
rejecting a claim. It is about evaluating all parts of the claim
that someone has made before making an educative response to
that claim. This video may assist you with your Elements of
Critical Thinking discussion and your Critical Thinking Quiz
this week.
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