First, identify a situation or circumstance—professional or personal—in which you successfully applied critical thinking skills to achieve a positive outcome, indicating and explaining in detail the nature of the situation or circumstance, the particular critical thinking skills involved in achieving a positive outcome (logic, objectivity, metacognition, resistance or avoidance of habits that hinder thinking) and how the successful application of those critical thinking skills led to that positive outcome. Next, identify a situation or circumstance in which you failed to use critical thinking skills, to your detriment, likewise explaining the nature of the situation or circumstance in question, the critical thinking skills neglected or misapplied and how the neglect or misapplication of those critical thinking skills contributed to a negative outcome.
Finally, identify and discuss ways in which you see critical thinking as relevant or useful in your life at present, as well as any applications of critical thinking skills you anticipate for your future endeavors and pursuits, indicating how you plan to incorporate or exercise critical thinking skills now and in the future to help yourself with the various challenges and opportunities you are currently facing, or which you anticipate facing in the coming months and years.
Your essay should include at least two secondary sources for use as evidence of your claim. You may utilize course sources, such as our textbook, articles, or videos, but you must cite them correctly (in-text and Works Cited page).
Your essay should also contain a solid introduction and conclusion. In the introduction, discuss your relationship with critical thinking in general. Start with a broad statement about critical thinking and narrow your introduction to end with a specific thesis statement about your experience with critical thinking. For your conclusion, restate (not repeat) the thesis idea and then give your reader insight into what the essay means. What do you want your reader to take away from the essay? What can they learn from your experience?