Human Development & Family Studies – Critical Thinking

Thinking More Deeply

Critical thinking is a large component of HDFS, in the sense that it is a main theme throughout many of the classes in the discipline. What professors are looking for with critical thinking is the student’s ability to reflect on an event or topic at a deeper level. This means going beyond just basic observations and reactions, and exploring it in a more meaningful and expanded way.

Critical thinking is often used to show the real-life application of material learned in class. Professors will be looking for the student to demonstrate critical thinking, and then tie it back to class material or textbooks. There are no “correct” answers in critical thinking; rather, professors are evaluating the student’s reflections to make sure there is an understanding of the information, and an ability to demonstrate this understanding through critical thinking. Often there is a personal component to critical thinking, where the student ties in their personal feelings and reflections.

Guiding Questions

• Did the student raise vital questions and concerns about the topic/event?
• Did the student collect and evaluate relevant information?
• Did the student present a well-justified solution (if applicable)?

It is not expected that the student will be able to master critical thinking within one course or semester. Rather, developing critical thinking is a long-term goal, and professors want to see progress toward that goal.

For an example of critical thinking: see the annotated critical thinking paper “The Race Game.” (PDF)