1. Introduction
Critical thinking is probably the most difficult problem in studying abroad. We follow the methods taught by the teacher in class, but when we go home and look up the dictionary, we are still confused by the complex foreign literature. Don’t worry, I will explain in detail what is critical thinking and teach you how to write an impeccable foreign language review with simple and clear tips.
2. What is critical thinking?
Critical thinking is not picking on others or gossiping about the news, but a scientifically rigorous way of thinking. It manifests itself in the form of finding problems, making targeted analyses, classifying things scientifically, extracting the essence from them, and also finding the shortcomings.
3. Critical thinking tips
First of all, before writing a paper or reading the literature, ask yourself: do I agree with this idea? Why do I agree? Why do you disagree? What other evidence would help me better understand and explain them? What evidence supports my point of view?
Next, learn to compare & analyse & conclude to find out which papers are more accurate, comprehensive and informative. Look at other people’s research, identify any gaps or flaws, and then think about whether you agree with them or not.
Finally, learn to take a developmental perspective, think about and articulate past, present and future perspectives, and improve your reasoning and reflective skills. Be good at asking thoughtful questions, including open-ended questions, outcome-based questions, reflective questions and structured questions, etc. Enhance your ability to think critically and summarise judgements by questioning and reflecting on existing literature and research.
4. Summary of common statements for critical thinking
The following statements can be used when highlighting the shortcomings of previous research: most empirical studies on …… have relied on small sample sizes; previous studies have not explored …… in depth; researchers have not… …an exhaustive treatment; most studies in the field have focused only on ……; and published prior studies have been limited to localised investigations.
Instead, the following statements can be used when giving a positive and affirmative rating: overall, X’s research provides a strong explanation for ……; this paper provides valuable insight into ……; during this period, research on… . the most comprehensive research has been undertaken; a good overview of …… has been provided in the work on …….
5 Conclusion
Critical thinking is not unattainable, and with the right methods and techniques, you can easily cope with all kinds of foreign literature. We hope that the above can inspire you and wish you a smooth journey on the road of foreign language learning!
