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Reading Reflection #10: Overcoming Obstacles to Critical Thinking

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Summarize your understanding of dichotomous (also called black and white) thinking. Provide an example of a well-known social issue in which this type of thinking is often used.

Dichotomous thinking is when you approach a question only seeing two clear answers to it (i.e. yes or no). When you approach a question this way, you are neglecting a number of altering possibilities by categorizing them into a yes or no mindset. One example of a current social issue that often uses dichotomous thinking is that of quarantining. Many people I talk to see it as two options: it is safer to stay inside for the good of everyone or everything should open for the good of small business. However, both sides neglect to see how a combination of these two is also a possibility. This is the reason protests are ensuing and people either fully support, or do not support the movement.

According to ARQ, what are some dangers of dichotomous thinking? How does “grey thinking” and using “if-clauses” enable you to find the best possible solution to an issue or problem?

Dichotomous thinkers often limit their own possibilities. Usually yes or no thinkers will not take into account all of the context of the issue at hand. Grey thinking and if-clauses have the ability to compare an extensive list of pros and cons. It reveals the “bad” in the “good” and the “good” in the “bad”. If-clauses allow for us to assume we do not know for certain the outcome of decisions. This makes us look at the situation objectively instead of applying our own personal beliefs.

 

Self Reflection

Based on the readings, discussions, and assignments you’ve completed for HONS 250, describe how your thinking has changed since the beginning of the semester.

I was always one to defend my position endlessly. However, after this semester, I understand that it is very beneficial to look at a question with multiple scopes. It can reveal different conclusions that make more sense. Besides that, I also learned how to look at research. I always assumed if there was research from a reputable source, then it was something to be trusted. However, I now understand that there is a lot more that goes into credibility than a recognizable author.

What have you learned about yourself as a result of taking HONS 250?

I have learned a lot more about my own values. It started with the value assessment survey where we identified them. i then slowly applied these to my learning in all classes and learned a lot more about myself that way. For example, many of my values right now are future focused and work-driven. I’m interested to see how they will differ when I have a family in the future.

What are some ways you will continue practicing your critical thinking skills beyond this semester?

Being a biomedical science major, I am always reading research articles. When I see long words I don’t know and a reputable journal, I would normally just assume whatever they say is true. However, I now know that I need to use a critical eye to understand the true credibility of the source no matter what. On the other hand, I also know now if I publish a research article, then I need to establish credible evidence in order to make a truly trustworthy study.

Reading Reflection #9: Rival Causes and Statistics

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  • What are rival causes and when how should you look for them (what questions should you use to find them)?

Rival causes are alternative explanations for some event that occurred that also seem possible. Some questions to identify if there are rival causes is simply asking if there are any other possible explanations for the event that occurred. It is also all about taking a different viewpoint. You should try to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and see if there are any other causes.

  • Explain the difference between causation and association/correlation. Which is more difficult to demonstrate and why

The basis of this difference is that we often oversimplify what is causing an event due to the causal oversimplification fallacy. We believe that if we find one thing that effects an event, that was the singular cause. There are many things that can be associated, but not be the main cause of it. For example, drug addiction is believed to be something that can be passed down genetically. So, some may mistakingly say that DNA is what causes addiction. However, that is just a small contributing factor. There is also exposure and behavior analytics that come into play. So DNA does not necessarily cause addiction, it is just associated with it.

Increased amounts of germs and bacteria on college campuses cause higher rates of illness in college students. College students are less likely to sanitize living areas and common areas on campus, which in turn creates excessive germs on surfaces and in the air leading to more sickness in students.

      • Conclusion: There is a higher rate of illness in college students
      • Reason/cause: College students do not sanitize living areas and common areas
      • Rival (other possible) causes: They do not have the money to buy preventative medicine, they do not have a well-balanced diet to support the immune system, they are living closer to other people than people who are not in college
      • Evaluation (How strong is the original argument? What’s missing?): I think that the argument is valid, but even if the living areas had more germs, washing hands would eliminate this factor. There is nothing saying that college students don’t wash their hands or use proper personal hygiene.

B. Based on your reading of ARQ chapter 10, “Are Any Statistics Deceptive?”, summarize how the following types of statistics can be deceptive. What are some strategies you can use to determine how reliable each type is?

  • Unknowable and biased statistics

This is when large numbers are used to strike curiosity and shock. For example, it will make more people listen to you if you say that 90% of people they know are carrying corona virus, rather than saying it is possible that 30% of the people you know may have been exposed. To decide how reliable it is, further research needs to be done into how these statistics were obtained and if there is other supporting evidence for their numbers.

  • Confusing averages

Average is a very vague term to explain a subset of ways to get data. Average can be mean using the mean, median, or mode. Depending which one you use, it will change how high or low your statistic is. This can be used by “researchers” to skew the data to match their hypothesis. To determine how reliable it is, you want to see if they provide raw statistics that show what the different kinds of averages look like compared to each other.

  • Measurement errors

When making a claim, there can be errors in obtaining the data. If the measurements are off, then the conclusion could be incorrect. A way to determine how reliable this is, would be to use critical analysis and decide if there are any possible issues that could have occurred during the obtaining of data. See if these issues are addressed in the research.

  • Concluding one thing, proving another

This is when the statistic itself says one thing, but the conclusion is not answering that same question. In order to decide if a statistic is reliable, you need to be able to take a step back and ask what the statistic itself is saying. Then, look at the conclusion and see what that is answering. Compare the two conclusions and see if they are similar.

Deceiving by omitting information

This is when certain information is not mentioned in order to make the statistic sound more impressive. To decide if a statistic is omitting information, there are two variables to look for: absolute numbers and percentages. A statistic will be more reliable if both absolute numbers and percentages are given. This will show the true gravity of the statistic.

C. Read the following passage. Identify the conclusion, and reasons, and evaluate the evidence (in this case the statistics) used to support the writer’s argument.

The home is becoming a more dangerous place to spend time. The number of home-related injuries is on the rise. In 2005, approximately 2300 children aged 14 and under died from accidents in the home. Also, 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs each year. To make matters worse, even television, a relatively safe household appliance, is becoming dangerous. In fact, 42,000 people are injured by televisions and television stands each year. With so many accidents in the home, perhaps people need to start spending more time outdoors.

    • Conclusion: The home is becoming a dangerous place to spend time, so more people should go outdoors.
    • Reasons/causes: The home-related injuries is rising due to dogs, TVs, and children are dying from accidents in the home.
    • Evaluate the evidence (the statistics): I don’t find these statistics to be particularly reliable. First off, it seems that they are omitting information. They give absolute numbers, but don’t tell us what percentage of people that is. So, it makes it hard to understand how much of an issue this is. For example, it may be true that 42,000 people get injured by TV accidents, but that is what percentage of people who own a TV. Also, it claims that there is a “rise” in home-related injuries, but gives us no other statistical time frames to relate these statistics to.

Reading Reflection #8: Evidence Part 2

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  1. Briefly describe the scientific method (you may have to Google it). What are the main characteristics of the scientific method, as mentioned in this chapter, that contribute to the reliability and dependability of research data and results?

The scientific method is essentially just being very skeptical of everything you hear which is what leads to research and experimentation.  According to the chapter, research has many different problems. To avoid the misuse or misunderstanding of research, serious skepticism must be used when being presented with research.

  1. What are some ways that surveys or questionnaires can be unreliable? What are some things to look for to verify the reliability of survey information?

Some surveys are reliable, but it all depends survey to survey. Some of them can be unreliable in the way that they have a preconceived bias and are prying for a more preferred response from the survey taker. I think the easiest way to verify the reliability of a survey is to look at the questions being asked. If there are leading words that try to point to a certain answer, then the results from those surveys should be void.

  1. What are some pros and cons of research studies? Explain how some research findings can be problematic.

Research studies are often taken as fact, but this is not always true. Sometimes finding can contradict each other. So even though their procedures both seem to check out, the results can be opposite which means there is no “fact” quite yet.  A pro of research studies is that it provides evidence from experimentation that someone who does not access have laboratories would not be able to carry out.

  1. What are three questions you can use to evaluate research studies? Where (in an article) should you look to find answers to these questions?

The first is asking questions about the quality of the source of the report. To answer this, you can look at the author’s credentials and what background they have in the area of study. Another question is if the findings have been replicated in other studies. This can be done by looking up the same, specific research topic and reading up on similar articles. Finally, another question is if there is other clues that the research was done well. Recognizing this will come from actually reading the entire article and trying to identify the procedure and any problems could have arose by using that specific method.

  1. Find a scholarly, peer-reviewed research article to use for Short Formal Assignment 4: Scholarly Article Analysis. Skim through the article to prepare for Assignment 4. Write (or copy and paste) the APA citation for the article here.

Melloni, C., Dunning, A., Granger, C. B., Thomas, L., Khouri, M. G., Garcia, D. A., … Lopes, R. D. (2017). Efficacy and Safety of Apixaban Versus Warfarin in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and a History of Cancer: Insights from the ARISTOTLE Trial. The American Journal of Medicine, 130(12), 1440–1448. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2017.06.026

Reading Reflections #7: Evidence Part 1

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  1. In class we have been working on identifying arguments in written material. You’ll remember that an argument must have both a conclusion and reasons. The next step in evaluating information critically is looking for the evidence that supports the reasons. Summarize, in your own words, the textbook’s definition of evidence (don’t forget to provide an in-text citation).

According to the book, evidence is information that will bolster a claim that the communicator has made. It is meant to “back up or to justify the dependability of a factual claim” (Browne & Keeley 91).

  1. Provide a brief definition of each of the four different types of evidence discussed in this chapter (personal experience, case examples, testimonials, and appeals to authority). What is a strength and a potential problem with the validity and/or reliability of each of the four types of evidence:

Although each of the four types of evidence can be used, each has their ups and downs. First is personal experience. Its strength is that since it personally happened to you, it shows that there is reputable evidence that the arguer themself can back up their claims with their own experience. A problem is that personal experience evidence is usually based off broad generalizations. Just because you had one experience this way, does not mean that is how it works for the general population. This can go in both the positive and negative direction. Just because you got a good haircut at a certain company does not mean everyone will have a good experience. On the other hand, if you had a bad experience at a certain McDonalds does not mean that everyone will have a bad experience who eats McDonalds.

Case examples is another type of evidence. The strength to this is that it can emotionally invest the listener which may make them more easily persuaded to believe what the argument is. However, the problem is that this is mostly no more than storytelling. It is just explaining an isolated incident in great detail to evoke emotion. This has the same issues as personal experience because that one experience cannot generalize how it will always go for a majority of the population.

A third type is testimonials. This is quoting someone who is usually a celebrity as evidence. The strength is that it can more easily persuade the listener if they are familiar and give credibility to that particular celebrity. However, it is essentially preying on the idols of persuasive listeners. This leads to the problem in which just because that particular person may be someone the listener looks up to, their evidence in the end could also just be another opinion.

Appeals to authority is the last type of evidence. Appealing to authority has the strength that it makes its listener feel inferior. By breaking down their mental state to make them believe they are not intelligent enough to form their own opinion, it leaves an empty space to be filled by someone who is “superior”. A problem is that the validity of the “authority figure” may not be considered. If the authority figure does not have the credibility, then what they say is not necessarily a fact.

  1. Go to www.theconversation.com, www.theatlantic.com, or quillette.com and look for an article that uses one of the four types of evidence discussed in this chapter. Briefly summarize the article and describe the evidence the author provides. How reliable do you think the evidence is, given the topic of the article, and why? Include an APA citation for the article (hint, the publication/journal title is The Conversation, The Atlantic, or Quillette).

In the article It’s Okay to Miss Your Old Life, they discuss how the COVID-19 epidemic has drastically changed our lives. With a lot of articles saying that it is selfish to talk about what you are missing out on, it explains what you can do to protect yourself as well. The type of evidence used is an Appeal to Authority. However, the evidence is not extremely reliable. When they call to authority figure, they refer to them as nothing more than “experts”. There is no back up for why they are considered experts. This makes me call into question the validity of the authority figure.

 

Nyce, C. M. (2020, April 1). It’s okay to miss your own life. The Atlantic. Retrieved April 2nd, 2020, from https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2020/04/its-okay-to-miss-your-old-life/609307/

Reading Reflection #2: Implicit Bias and Race

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Trouble in Mind: To Be Black is Blue in America

  1. After reading IBé’s story about being a black man in St. Cloud, the first emotion I felt was empathy. Although my experiences have never come close to that, in some distant way I can feel what he was feeling. My main takeaway though was how far St. Cloud has come. St. Cloud is a very diverse place (at least to me, growing up in a white community). I see more inclusion than I usually do exclusion, which sounds like a whole different city than what he is explaining.
  2. I think the meaning behind this quotation is that, as a colored person, if you are always aware of the fact that you are a minority in a situation, you will always be upset about how unfair and hostile society is. You will always feel that the world is against you. However, if you turn a blind eye, you will lose your mind trying to decide what is and isn’t meant to be a microaggression towards you and ultimately lose grip on the reality of everything. Are you making up the discrimination in your head or are they actually singling you out?

 

Microaggressions in the Classroom

  1. One microaggression I experienced specifically seemed to always happen in my high school math classes. Every time I was performing well on a certain unit it was always, “you’re so good at math, you’re lucky you were born being good at it”. My first thought was always, I can’t decide my reaction because it was a compliment immediately followed by a very hurtful stereotype.
  2. A sense of belonging really clears my mind. In my high school, I was made aware every day that I was not like everyone else. However, in college, I really do not hear these microaggressions anymore. In fact, sometimes for days at a time I forget I am a different color. My culture is a part of me, but not something that needs to be thrown in my face everyday.

 

Do Conversations About Race Belong in the Classroom?

  1. My high school was not extremely diverse. In fact, only about 6% of people in the whole city are not white. Being Filipino, I always was aware of the fact that I was different. In the environment I grew up in, it was sort of engrained in me that being white was a privilege in itself. For example, I have been told more than enough times “I really didn’t know if we were going to get along, but you are like the ‘whitest’ Asian girl I know”. So, it seemed to me from a young age that being white was some unattainable reward that I could act, but never truly be.
  2. I think conversations about race should happen in schools, especially in areas where one race is dominated by another. However, I think the conversations need to be well planned and executed. For example, it should not just be an open floor debate about how race affects us in a 2nd grade classroom. It should be engrained into the teachings. It should be about teaching young kids about the pitfalls and triumphs of all races. It shouldn’t be just “black people were enslaved, and the white people dominated all the land”. It should be “here are the ups and downs of both” so that colored children aren’t being taught that their past seemed hopeless.