This chapter introduced you to one of the most fundamental factors in your college and career success: critical thinking. You can use critical thinking to learn and set goals — in school and at work. Revisit the following key points and reflect on how you can use this information to support your success now and in the future.
Critical thinking is the process of approaching information in a thoughtful way, understanding how to think logically and rationally, and applying those methods of thinking in your classes and your life. It involves using higher-level thinking skills such as synthesis and evaluation.
You can use critical thinking to learn in every course you’re taking. Bloom’s taxonomy helps you identify the level at which you’re learning and think about how that learning will be assessed on exams or assignments.
You can use critical thinking to set and achieve goals through a five-step process: (1) gather information about yourself, (2) set a SMART goal, (3) make an action plan, (4) list possible barriers and solutions, and (5) act and evaluate your outcomes.
The Personal Success Plan can help you set and achieve goals. The steps in the PSP mirror the five goal-setting steps, with one additional step, connecting to career. You can use the PSP to list your goals and action steps, document which steps you’ve completed, evaluate your progress, and revise your plan if needed.
Thinking critically helps you launch and maintain a successful career. You can use the techniques you read about in this chapter to continually acquire new knowledge and skills and to set goals in the workplace.