Learning Skills - Environmental Science - page 3

by taking several deep breaths. Do this about every
10-15 minutes. Look over the test and answer the
questions you know well first. Then work on the
harder ones. Use the process of elimination to narrow
down the choices for multiple-choice questions. Par-
ing them down to two choices gives you a 50% chance
of guessing the right answer. For essay questions, or-
ganize your thoughts before you start writing. If you
have no idea what a question means, make an edu-
cated guess—you might get some partial credit. An-
other strategy for getting some credit is to show your
knowledge and reasoning by writing something like
this: “If this question means so and so, then my an-
swer is ________.”
Develop an optimistic outlook. Try to be a “glass is
half-full” rather than a “glass is half-empty” person.
Pessimism, fear, anxiety, and excessive worrying
(especially over things you cannot control) are de-
structive, they feed on themselves, and they lead to
inaction. Try to keep your energizing feelings of opti-
mism slightly ahead of your immobilizing feelings of
pessimism. Then you will always be moving forward.
Take time to enjoy life. Every day take time to laugh
and enjoy nature, beauty, and friendship. Becoming
an effective and efficient learner is the best way to do
this without falling behind and living under a cloud
of guilt and anxiety.

Do not believe everything you read on the Internet.
The Internet is a wonderful and easily accessible
source of information. It is also a useful way to find
alternative information and opinions on almost any
subject or issue—much of it not available in the
mainstream media and scholarly articles. However,
because the Internet is so open, anyone can write
anything they want with no editorial control or peer
evaluation—the method in which scientific or other
experts in an area review and comment on an article
before it is accepted for publication in a scholarly jour-
nal. As a result, evaluating information on the Internet
is one of the best ways to put into practice the princi-
ples of critical thinking. Use and enjoy the Internet,
but be skeptical and proceed with caution.
Identify and evaluate your personal biases and be-
liefs. Every person has biases and beliefs taught to us
by our parents, teachers, friends, role models, and ex-
perience. What are your basic beliefs and biases?
Where did they come from? What assumptions are
they based on? How sure are you that your beliefs and
assumptions are right and why? According to William
James, “A great many people think they are thinking
when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.”
Be open-minded, flexible, and humble. Consider dif-
ferent points of view, suspend judgment until you
gather more evidence, and change your mind when
necessary. Recognize that many useful and acceptable
solutions to a problem may exist and that very few is-
sues are black or white. There are usually valid points
on both (or many) sides of an issue. One way to evalu-
ate divergent views is to get into another person's
head. How do other people see or view the world?
What are their basic assumptions and beliefs? Is their
position logically consistent with their assumptions
and beliefs? And always be humble about what you
know. According to Will Durant, “Education is a pro-
gressive discovery of our own ignorance.”
Evaluate how the information related to an issue
was obtained. Are the statements made based on first-
hand knowledge or research or on hearsay? Are un-
named sources used? Is the information based on
reproducible and widely accepted scientific studies
( sound or consensus science, p. 22) or on preliminary sci-
entific results that may be valid but need further test-
ing ( frontier science, p. 22)? Is it based on a few isolated
stories or experiences ( anecdotal information )oroncare-
fully controlled studies? Is it based on unsubstantiated
and widely doubted scientific information or beliefs
( junk science or pseudoscience )? You need to know how
to detect junk science, as discussed on p. 22.
Question the evidence and conclusions presented.
What are the conclusions or claims? What evidence
is presented to support them? Does the evidence sup-
port them? Is there a need to gather more evidence to

Critical Thinking Skills: Detecting Baloney
Learning how to think critically is a skill you will need
throughout your life.
Every day we are exposed to a sea of information, ideas,
and opinions. How do we know what to believe and
why? Do the claims seem reasonable or exaggerated?
Critical thinking involves developing skills to help
you analyze and evaluate the validity of information
and ideas you are exposed to and to make decisions.
Critical thinking skills help you decide rationally what
to believe or what to do. They involve examining in-
formation and conclusions or beliefs in terms of the ev-
idence and chain of logical reasoning that supports
them. Critical thinking helps you distinguish between
facts and opinions, evaluate evidence and arguments,
take and defend an informed position on issues, inte-
grate information and see relationships, and apply
your knowledge to dealing with new and different
problems. Here are some basic skills for learning how
to think more critically.
Question everything and everybody. Be skeptical, as
any good scientist is. Do not believe everything you
hear or read, including the content of this textbook.
Evaluate all information you receive. Seek other
sources and opinions. As Albert Einstein put it, “The
important thing is not to stop questioning.”