critical thinking challenge questions

WHAT IS THE CRITICAL THINKING CHALLENGE?

The Critical Thinking Challenge is a team competition, open to all individual students, from grades 3 – 6, that promotes the practical application of mathematics, encourages teamwork, builds confidence, and increases learning skills, all while having FUN! 80% of adults "strongly agree" that K-12 schools should teach critical thinking to students, according to a Gallup poll on American attitudes toward public education. While achievement in the classroom may depend on mastery of content in core subject areas such as math and reading, Gallup says it also "depends on more than knowledge of core content. Critical thinking , creativity, communication, and other soft skills, as well as student physical and social well-being, are also necessary for future success in higher education and in the workplace." (ProCon.org)

HOW TO REGISTER FOR THE CRITICAL THINKING CHALLENGE

Participation criteria.

- Online registration only. Click the banner at the top of the page to get started.

-  Registration period: April 15 - May 12

-  3rd to 6th Graders in the 2024 Spring Semester

-  $10 non-member registration fee (FREE for Eye Level students).

COMPETITION SCHEDULE

Local event, test location: local eye level learning centers, date: may 18 or may 25 or june 1, 2024(date set by each learning center) -  25 question competition -  regardless of the school grade, all participants will answer the same questions -  after the test, the center director will make one team consisting of 2 members based on the results -  one team per eye level learning center for the national final round national final round, the final round will be conducted online via kahoot, date for the final round: june 15th, 2024 4pm (est), via kahoot.

-  Only teams who pass the 1st round will be invited to the National Final Round

-  One team from each Eye Level Learning Centers

-  Two members per team

-  To be eligible for the National Final Round, all team members must have registered online during the registration period

-  Each student's school grade must be verified by submitting an approved document prior to participation in the National Final Round

-  Total: 20 Critical Thinking Questions, which increase in difficulty as teams advance

- The teams selected for the final round will need to visit the Eye Level center to participate in the final round

- The team will need to join the Zoom meeting to participate in the final round. They will utilize additional tablets or mobile devices to access Kahoot!

This is how points are calculated:

• Divide response time by the question timer. For example, a team responded 2 seconds after a 30-second question timer started
• Divide that value by 2. For example, 0.0667 divided by 2 is 0.0333
• Subtract that value from 1. For example, 1 minus 0.0333 is 0.9667
• Multiply points possible by that value. For example, 1000 points possible multiplied by 0.9667 is 966.7
• Round to the nearest whole number. For example, 966.7 is 967 points

- The teams with the most points will win 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place

- If there is a tie, tied teams will enter a tie breaking round

NATIONAL FINAL ROUND PRIZE

Grand prize (1 team) $1,000 usd (team), 2nd place prize (1 team) $500 usd (team), 3rd place prize (1 team) $300 usd (team), sample test paper & test location.

The sample test questions are available only at your local Eye Level Learning Center.

Find the Nearest Test Location For You.

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Critical Thinking Challenge

85 Critical Thinking Questions to Carefully Examine Any Information

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The ability to think critically will often determine your success in life.

Let’s face it. Every day, we are bombarded by news, social media updates, and an avalanche of information. If you take all of this at face value, it’s easy to be deceived, misled or ripped off.

That’s why it’s important to  develop a mindset that focuses on critical thinking . This is a skill that needs to be developed in the classroom. But it’s also a valuable life skill.

With that in mind, the following post will share 85 critical thinking questions you can use to increase your awareness about different problems by carefully examining available information. 

Let’s get started…

Table of Contents

What Are Critical Thinking Questions?

Critical thinking questions are inquiries that help you think rationally and clearly by understanding the link between different facts or ideas. These questions create a seemingly endless learning process that lets you critique, evaluate, and develop a depth of knowledge about a given subject. Moreover, you get to reinforce your viewpoints or see things in a new way.

We make decisions every day, whether at work or home. Adopting logical, rational, and practical approaches in addressing various issues requiring critical thinking is essential in decision-making. Therefore, before arriving at a decision, always ask yourself relevant questions and carefully analyze the matter’s pros and cons.

Critical Thinking Questions When in an Argument

When you make an argument using a critical thinking approach, you focus on justified claims that are valid and based on evidence. It helps one establish a strong argument.

• Do I disagree with the other person? Might the person I'm arguing with be misinformed on what they are saying?
• Would I be comfortable saying what I am telling him/her if I was in front of a group of people? 
• What would happen if I lose this argument? Is engaging in this argument worth my time and energy? How will I feel if I lose?
• Is there room for ambiguity or misinterpretation? Are we arguing because I didn't make my point explicit? Should I take my time to understand his school of thought?
• Do I need some rest before saying something? Am I arguing because of other reasons other than the issues at hand? Do I need to take some time and cool down?

• Is it more important that I’m right? Am I trying to ask to prove an unnecessary point?
• Is this argument inductive, deductive, or abductive? Is it a weak or strong argument that I need to engage in? Is it compelling or sound? 
• Is my opponent sincere? Given that they are wrong, are they willing to admit that they are wrong? Can they depend on available evidence, wherever it leads?
• Are my opponents only trying to shift their burden to me? What is the best way to prove them wrong without making them feel bad?
• Are the people I'm arguing with only interested in winning, or are they trying to pass some information across and help me discover the truth?

Critical Thinking Questions When Reading a Book 

When you read a book, you probably ask yourself many “why” questions. Why is this a problem? Why did the character say that? Why is this important? The most challenging part of reading a book is assessing the information you are reading. These questions can help.

• If I learn only two things from this book, what will they be? How will they help me? How will I apply them in my daily life?
• What message are the authors trying to pass across? Are they making suggestions or providing evidence for their arguments?
• Given that almost every book is about solving problems, what is the most prevalent issue that the author is trying to solve?
• What is the author’s writing style? What strategy or master plan does the author employ to convey his/her main ideas throughout the book?
• Do I have background information about the book’s topic? If so, how is what the author is saying different from what I already know?
• What didn’t I understand from the book? Should I re-read the book to understand everything the writer is trying to convey?
• Which sections of the book do I love the most, and why? Generally, do I like this book? Should I look for more books that are written by the same author?
• If I had a chance to meet this book’s author, what questions would I ask him/her? What would I tell the writer about the book? Is it a great book worth recommending to your friends and family members?
• Who are the main characters of the book? If there is only one main character, what overarching goal does the character accomplish?
• In what ways did the protagonist change from the start of the book to the end? What caused the changes? Was the protagonist reckless in some ways? Which ways?

Critical Thinking Questions to Spot a Scam

Asking questions when you feel that a fraud or a scam is being presented to you is a good way to stretch your critical thinking muscles. Are you being emailed or messaged by a stranger? Or maybe there are other red flags you are unsure about. If so, ask these questions.

• Does it seem to be too good to be true? Is this stranger pushy or trying to lure me into making a poor decision?
• When trying out online dating: Is my new “friend” professing strong feelings towards me although we’ve only interacted for a few hours?
• Why is a stranger calling me to ask about my Social Security Number (SSN), personal contact information, or bank details while claiming they are from the bank or a phone company? 
• When buying products online, why does the seller ask me to pay for goods using an insecure payment option like Bitcoin or money order?
• Does the email I have received have any spelling or grammatical errors? Is the language used overly formal or informal?
• If I do a quick search about the exact words of the email I received, does Google indicate it's a fraud or scam?
• Why should a stranger manipulate me using obvious questions like “Would you want to be rich or poor?” While they already know the answer?
• Is the email asking me to download an attachment? Or click a link to some insecure website? 
• Is the person trying to make me feel selfish or guilty for not sending them money, whether for a donation or buying a product? 
• Is the stranger portraying a sense of urgency and using pressure tactics? Are they telling me that their family member needs urgent medical attention?

Critical Thinking Questions About Your Life

It can also help to ask yourself a few critical thinking questions about your life. This way, you can gather basic information and uncover solutions to problems you might not have otherwise thought of.

• Where do I wish to be in a few years, probably two, three, or five years? What short-term and long-term goals should I set?
• What have I achieved so far from the time I set my previous goals? What should I be grateful for?
• Do I have any values that guide me in life? If so, what are these values? Am I always true to these values?
• Am I always worried about what people around me think? Can I act independently without the need to meet social expectations?
• What should people say about me at my funeral? Would they talk about how good I made them feel or how rich and flashy I was?
• If I wasn't afraid of anyone or anything, what would I have done? What if I didn't have any fear in me?
• If today was my last day, what extraordinary thing would I do? Can I do it right now?
• What should I do with the things that matter the most to me? 
• What things will make the greatest difference in my future life if I take action now?
• How should I react when I feel unwanted by the people I love the most? Should I tell them?

Critical Thinking Questions for a Debate or Discussion

When you are in the middle of a debate or discussion, you need to know that what you are saying is fact, have evidence to support your claim, and position yourself as an expert in what you are saying. Here are some critical thinking questions to ask when you are in a debate or discussion.

• Is there fairness in this discussion? Is the moderator supporting one side? Do they want to make one side look stupid or wrong? 
• What is the aim of this discussion? Is there a major problem that needs to be solved? If so, how can I help solve it?
• Who are the people affected by this discussion? If they were here, what would they say?
• Do my views on this discussion matter? If I raise my point, will I be redundant?
• What am I supposed to learn from this debate, and how can I use what I have learned in my daily life?
• Does the audience seem to be biased towards one side? Are they booing one side? What can I do even if it's our opponents being booed?
• Who are the discussion panel members? What views have they held about this kind of discussion or any other related discussions in the past?
• How can I make my point without being ambiguous? Before I speak, should I take down some notes to avoid any confusion during my speech?
• Am I ready to apologize if I make a mistake during the discussion? If so, what are the limits?
• What information does my team, or I need before this discussion? 

Critical Thinking Questions About Lying

Admitting when you are wrong, choosing not to cheat, and sharing constructive feedback are all ways to show your honesty. Here are some critical thinking skills to ask regarding lying.

• Will the lie hurt those I am telling, or will it help them? What if being honest might cause my friend unnecessary pain?
• Should I be the one telling this person a lie, or I let someone else do it? 
• Will I be the one hurt if I tell this lie? Will my friend feel I am a betrayer? Will it affect our friendship?
• Do they answer my questions in detail, or are they always trying to ignore and dodge the main problem?
• What if I ask these people the same question using different terms and wording? Will they give me the same response?
• Did the tone of my friend suddenly change after I asked him/her this question? Do they sound louder, faster, or slower compared to how they usually speak?
• Does this person have something to gain by lying to me? What is their motive?
• Does this person take a sudden pause or hesitate more than usual when responding to my question?
• When I look at these people's faces, do their facial expressions match what they say?
• Should I believe this person or not? What are my intuitions? Does it look like they are telling the truth?
• Do they blink like other days when I ask them questions? Are they always trying to avoid direct eye contact?
• Why do they seem uncomfortable when it’s just a normal conversation?  

Critical Thinking Questions When Presented With a Claim

Critical thinking is much more than just evaluating whether a claim is true or not. It also means a critical thinker reflects on what follows from true claims.

• What does this claim mean, and what are its implications? What if it's a false claim?
• Which of my morals, values, or beliefs do I have to give up to accept this claim?
• Do professionals in this field agree or disagree with the claim that has been made?
• Do they have evidence to back their claim? Which is the most robust evidence to support the claim?
• What argument can I come up with to refute this claim? Or what is the best view that can support this claim?
• Who is the primary source of the claim being made? Is the basis of the claim reliable?
• Is it a claim, or it's just an opinion?
• Is the claim likely to be 100% false, true, or partially true?
• Am I allowed to refute the claim and table my evidence, or is it one-sided?

Critical Thinking Interview Questions

Critical thinking skills are valuable in any industry or field and for almost all roles. During a job interview, you will be asked questions so the potential employer can assess your skills and see how you use logic. Your critical thinking ability is just one vital part that can play into your professional development.

• Is there a time you had to convince someone to use an alternate approach to solve a problem?
• Have you ever had to make a difficult decision quickly?
• How would you handle a situation where your supervisor handled something wrong or made a mistake?
• What is one of the most difficult decisions you have ever had to make at work?
• How would you solve a disagreement between coworkers when approaching a project?
• Can you describe a time when you anticipated a problem ahead of time and took the appropriate steps to stop the problem from becoming an issue?
• If you discover a cheaper way to do something or a better solution to a problem and try to explain it to your supervisor, but they don’t understand, what do you do?

Critical Thinking Questions for Kids

We can’t leave the kids out either. Critical thinking questions for kids get them thinking and talking. It also allows a parent to get to know their child better.

• How many grains of sand do you think are on the beach?
• What would happen if it stopped raining?
• Do you think there is life on other planets?
• Should children be able to set their own bedtimes?
• How would you describe what a tree looks like without saying green or leaves?
• Can you name five different emotions?
• Can you talk for five minutes without uttering “um?”

What Are the Basic Principles of Critical Thinking?

Your critical thinking skills involve gathering complete information, understanding and defining terms, questioning the methods by which we get facts, questioning the conclusions, and looking for hidden assumptions and biases.

Additionally, we can’t expect to find all of the answers, and we need to take the time to examine the big picture of it all.

Here are the basic principles:

• Disposition: Someone with critical thinking skills is often skeptical, open-minded, and practices fair-mindedness. They can look at different viewpoints and change positions if the evidence and reason lead them to do so.
• Criteria: In order to think critically, one must also apply criteria. Certain conditions must be met before someone believes in something. The information needs to be from credible sources.
• Argument: An argument is simply a statement or proposition that is shown with supporting evidence. When you use your critical thinking skills, you identify, evaluate, and construct your argument.
• Reasoning: With critical thinking comes reasoning. You must examine logical relationships among the statements being made.
• Point of View: Critical thinkers can see things from different perspectives and different points of view.

What Are Good Analysis Questions?

Analysis is a part of critical thinking that allows you to examine something carefully. Someone with analytical skills can examine the information presented, understand what that information means, and then properly explain that information to others. Analysis in critical thinking provides more clarity on the information you process.

When analyzing, you may ask yourself, “how do I know this,” how would I solve this problem,” and “why does it matter?”

Why Is Critical Thinking an Important Skill?

Critical thinking skills allow you to express thoughts, ideas, and beliefs in a better way. It also leads to improved communication while allowing others to understand you better. Critical thinking fosters creativity and encourages out-of-the-box thinking. This is a skill that can be applied to many different areas of your life.

For example, knowing the answers to critical thinking questions for a job interview will better prepare you for the interview. Many employers, during questioning, are likely to ask you critical thinking questions to assess if you have the ability to evaluate information effectively so you can make more informed decisions.

Final Thoughts on Critical Thinking Questions

Although it's common to get torn between making two or more choices, nobody wants to make the wrong decision. The only thing you can do to avoid this is use critical thinking questions to examine your situation. The answers to these questions will help you make informed decisions and help you comprehend crucial matters in your life. 

Want to learn more about critical thinking and decision-making using a real-life example? Here is  how Jeff Bezos uses critical thinking  to make some of the most challenging life decisions.

Finally, if you want to ask better questions, then watch this short, 20-minute course to learn how to have a great conversation with virtually anyone .

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How to develop critical thinking skills

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What are critical thinking skills?

How to develop critical thinking skills: 12 tips, how to practice critical thinking skills at work, become your own best critic.

A client requests a tight deadline on an intense project. Your childcare provider calls in sick on a day full of meetings. Payment from a contract gig is a month behind. 

Your day-to-day will always have challenges, big and small. And no matter the size and urgency, they all ask you to use critical thinking to analyze the situation and arrive at the right solution. 

Critical thinking includes a wide set of soft skills that encourage continuous learning, resilience , and self-reflection. The more you add to your professional toolbelt, the more equipped you’ll be to tackle whatever challenge presents itself. Here’s how to develop critical thinking, with examples explaining how to use it.

Critical thinking skills are the skills you use to analyze information, imagine scenarios holistically, and create rational solutions. It’s a type of emotional intelligence that stimulates effective problem-solving and decision-making . 

When you fine-tune your critical thinking skills, you seek beyond face-value observations and knee-jerk reactions. Instead, you harvest deeper insights and string together ideas and concepts in logical, sometimes out-of-the-box , ways. 

Imagine a team working on a marketing strategy for a new set of services. That team might use critical thinking to balance goals and key performance indicators , like new customer acquisition costs, average monthly sales, and net profit margins. They understand the connections between overlapping factors to build a strategy that stays within budget and attracts new sales. 

Looking for ways to improve critical thinking skills? Start by brushing up on the following soft skills that fall under this umbrella: 

• Analytical thinking: Approaching problems with an analytical eye includes breaking down complex issues into small chunks and examining their significance. An example could be organizing customer feedback to identify trends and improve your product offerings. 
• Open-mindedness: Push past cognitive biases and be receptive to different points of view and constructive feedback . Managers and team members who keep an open mind position themselves to hear new ideas that foster innovation . 
• Creative thinking: With creative thinking , you can develop several ideas to address a single problem, like brainstorming more efficient workflow best practices to boost productivity and employee morale . 
• Self-reflection: Self-reflection lets you examine your thinking and assumptions to stimulate healthier collaboration and thought processes. Maybe a bad first impression created a negative anchoring bias with a new coworker. Reflecting on your own behavior stirs up empathy and improves the relationship. 
• Evaluation: With evaluation skills, you tackle the pros and cons of a situation based on logic rather than emotion. When prioritizing tasks , you might be tempted to do the fun or easy ones first, but evaluating their urgency and importance can help you make better decisions. 

There’s no magic method to change your thinking processes. Improvement happens with small, intentional changes to your everyday habits until a more critical approach to thinking is automatic. 

Here are 12 tips for building stronger self-awareness and learning how to improve critical thinking: 

1. Be cautious

There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of skepticism. One of the core principles of critical thinking is asking questions and dissecting the available information. You might surprise yourself at what you find when you stop to think before taking action. 

Before making a decision, use evidence, logic, and deductive reasoning to support your own opinions or challenge ideas. It helps you and your team avoid falling prey to bad information or resistance to change .

2. Ask open-ended questions

“Yes” or “no” questions invite agreement rather than reflection. Instead, ask open-ended questions that force you to engage in analysis and rumination. Digging deeper can help you identify potential biases, uncover assumptions, and arrive at new hypotheses and possible solutions. 

3. Do your research

No matter your proficiency, you can always learn more. Turning to different points of view and information is a great way to develop a comprehensive understanding of a topic and make informed decisions. You’ll prioritize reliable information rather than fall into emotional or automatic decision-making. 

4. Consider several opinions

You might spend so much time on your work that it’s easy to get stuck in your own perspective, especially if you work independently on a remote team . Make an effort to reach out to colleagues to hear different ideas and thought patterns. Their input might surprise you.

If or when you disagree, remember that you and your team share a common goal. Divergent opinions are constructive, so shift the focus to finding solutions rather than defending disagreements. 

5. Learn to be quiet

Active listening is the intentional practice of concentrating on a conversation partner instead of your own thoughts. It’s about paying attention to detail and letting people know you value their opinions, which can open your mind to new perspectives and thought processes.

If you’re brainstorming with your team or having a 1:1 with a coworker , listen, ask clarifying questions, and work to understand other peoples’ viewpoints. Listening to your team will help you find fallacies in arguments to improve possible solutions.

6. Schedule reflection

Whether waking up at 5 am or using a procrastination hack, scheduling time to think puts you in a growth mindset . Your mind has natural cognitive biases to help you simplify decision-making, but squashing them is key to thinking critically and finding new solutions besides the ones you might gravitate toward. Creating time and calm space in your day gives you the chance to step back and visualize the biases that impact your decision-making. 

7. Cultivate curiosity

With so many demands and job responsibilities, it’s easy to seek solace in routine. But getting out of your comfort zone helps spark critical thinking and find more solutions than you usually might.

If curiosity doesn’t come naturally to you, cultivate a thirst for knowledge by reskilling and upskilling . Not only will you add a new skill to your resume , but expanding the limits of your professional knowledge might motivate you to ask more questions. 

You don’t have to develop critical thinking skills exclusively in the office. Whether on your break or finding a hobby to do after work, playing strategic games or filling out crosswords can prime your brain for problem-solving. 

9. Write it down

Recording your thoughts with pen and paper can lead to stronger brain activity than typing them out on a keyboard. If you’re stuck and want to think more critically about a problem, writing your ideas can help you process information more deeply.

The act of recording ideas on paper can also improve your memory . Ideas are more likely to linger in the background of your mind, leading to deeper thinking that informs your decision-making process. 

10. Speak up

Take opportunities to share your opinion, even if it intimidates you. Whether at a networking event with new people or a meeting with close colleagues, try to engage with people who challenge or help you develop your ideas. Having conversations that force you to support your position encourages you to refine your argument and think critically. 

11. Stay humble

Ideas and concepts aren’t the same as real-life actions. There may be such a thing as negative outcomes, but there’s no such thing as a bad idea. At the brainstorming stage , don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

Sometimes the best solutions come from off-the-wall, unorthodox decisions. Sit in your creativity , let ideas flow, and don’t be afraid to share them with your colleagues. Putting yourself in a creative mindset helps you see situations from new perspectives and arrive at innovative conclusions. 

12. Embrace discomfort

Get comfortable feeling uncomfortable . It isn’t easy when others challenge your ideas, but sometimes, it’s the only way to see new perspectives and think critically.

By willingly stepping into unfamiliar territory, you foster the resilience and flexibility you need to become a better thinker. You’ll learn how to pick yourself up from failure and approach problems from fresh angles. 

Thinking critically is easier said than done. To help you understand its impact (and how to use it), here are two scenarios that require critical thinking skills and provide teachable moments. 

Scenario #1: Unexpected delays and budget

Imagine your team is working on producing an event. Unexpectedly, a vendor explains they’ll be a week behind on delivering materials. Then another vendor sends a quote that’s more than you can afford. Unless you develop a creative solution, the team will have to push back deadlines and go over budget, potentially costing the client’s trust. 

Here’s how you could approach the situation with creative thinking:

• Analyze the situation holistically: Determine how the delayed materials and over-budget quote will impact the rest of your timeline and financial resources . That way, you can identify whether you need to build an entirely new plan with new vendors, or if it’s worth it to readjust time and resources. 
• Identify your alternative options: With careful assessment, your team decides that another vendor can’t provide the same materials in a quicker time frame. You’ll need to rearrange assignment schedules to complete everything on time. 
• Collaborate and adapt: Your team has an emergency meeting to rearrange your project schedule. You write down each deliverable and determine which ones you can and can’t complete by the deadline. To compensate for lost time, you rearrange your task schedule to complete everything that doesn’t need the delayed materials first, then advance as far as you can on the tasks that do. 
• Check different resources: In the meantime, you scour through your contact sheet to find alternative vendors that fit your budget. Accounting helps by providing old invoices to determine which vendors have quoted less for previous jobs. After pulling all your sources, you find a vendor that fits your budget. 
• Maintain open communication: You create a special Slack channel to keep everyone up to date on changes, challenges, and additional delays. Keeping an open line encourages transparency on the team’s progress and boosts everyone’s confidence. 

Scenario #2: Differing opinions 

A conflict arises between two team members on the best approach for a new strategy for a gaming app. One believes that small tweaks to the current content are necessary to maintain user engagement and stay within budget. The other believes a bold revamp is needed to encourage new followers and stronger sales revenue. 

Here’s how critical thinking could help this conflict:

• Listen actively: Give both team members the opportunity to present their ideas free of interruption. Encourage the entire team to ask open-ended questions to more fully understand and develop each argument. 
• Flex your analytical skills: After learning more about both ideas, everyone should objectively assess the benefits and drawbacks of each approach. Analyze each idea's risk, merits, and feasibility based on available data and the app’s goals and objectives. 
• Identify common ground: The team discusses similarities between each approach and brainstorms ways to integrate both idea s, like making small but eye-catching modifications to existing content or using the same visual design in new media formats. 
• Test new strategy: To test out the potential of a bolder strategy, the team decides to A/B test both approaches. You create a set of criteria to evenly distribute users by different demographics to analyze engagement, revenue, and customer turnover. 
• Monitor and adapt: After implementing the A/B test, the team closely monitors the results of each strategy. You regroup and optimize the changes that provide stronger results after the testing. That way, all team members understand why you’re making the changes you decide to make.

You can’t think your problems away. But you can equip yourself with skills that help you move through your biggest challenges and find innovative solutions. Learning how to develop critical thinking is the start of honing an adaptable growth mindset. 

Now that you have resources to increase critical thinking skills in your professional development, you can identify whether you embrace change or routine, are open or resistant to feedback, or turn to research or emotion will build self-awareness. From there, tweak and incorporate techniques to be a critical thinker when life presents you with a problem.

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Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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41+ Critical Thinking Examples (Definition + Practices)

Critical thinking is an essential skill in our information-overloaded world, where figuring out what is fact and fiction has become increasingly challenging.

But why is critical thinking essential? Put, critical thinking empowers us to make better decisions, challenge and validate our beliefs and assumptions, and understand and interact with the world more effectively and meaningfully.

Critical thinking is like using your brain's "superpowers" to make smart choices. Whether it's picking the right insurance, deciding what to do in a job, or discussing topics in school, thinking deeply helps a lot. In the next parts, we'll share real-life examples of when this superpower comes in handy and give you some fun exercises to practice it.

Critical Thinking Process Outline

Critical thinking means thinking clearly and fairly without letting personal feelings get in the way. It's like being a detective, trying to solve a mystery by using clues and thinking hard about them.

It isn't always easy to think critically, as it can take a pretty smart person to see some of the questions that aren't being answered in a certain situation. But, we can train our brains to think more like puzzle solvers, which can help develop our critical thinking skills.

Here's what it looks like step by step:

Spotting the Problem: It's like discovering a puzzle to solve. You see that there's something you need to figure out or decide.

Collecting Clues: Now, you need to gather information. Maybe you read about it, watch a video, talk to people, or do some research. It's like getting all the pieces to solve your puzzle.

Breaking It Down: This is where you look at all your clues and try to see how they fit together. You're asking questions like: Why did this happen? What could happen next?

Checking Your Clues: You want to make sure your information is good. This means seeing if what you found out is true and if you can trust where it came from.

Making a Guess: After looking at all your clues, you think about what they mean and come up with an answer. This answer is like your best guess based on what you know.

Explaining Your Thoughts: Now, you tell others how you solved the puzzle. You explain how you thought about it and how you answered. 

Checking Your Work: This is like looking back and seeing if you missed anything. Did you make any mistakes? Did you let any personal feelings get in the way? This step helps make sure your thinking is clear and fair.

And remember, you might sometimes need to go back and redo some steps if you discover something new. If you realize you missed an important clue, you might have to go back and collect more information.

Critical Thinking Methods

Just like doing push-ups or running helps our bodies get stronger, there are special exercises that help our brains think better. These brain workouts push us to think harder, look at things closely, and ask many questions.

It's not always about finding the "right" answer. Instead, it's about the journey of thinking and asking "why" or "how." Doing these exercises often helps us become better thinkers and makes us curious to know more about the world.

Now, let's look at some brain workouts to help us think better:

1. "What If" Scenarios

Imagine crazy things happening, like, "What if there was no internet for a month? What would we do?" These games help us think of new and different ideas.

Pick a hot topic. Argue one side of it and then try arguing the opposite. This makes us see different viewpoints and think deeply about a topic.

3. Analyze Visual Data

Check out charts or pictures with lots of numbers and info but no explanations. What story are they telling? This helps us get better at understanding information just by looking at it.

4. Mind Mapping

Write an idea in the center and then draw lines to related ideas. It's like making a map of your thoughts. This helps us see how everything is connected.

There's lots of mind-mapping software , but it's also nice to do this by hand.

5. Weekly Diary

Every week, write about what happened, the choices you made, and what you learned. Writing helps us think about our actions and how we can do better.

6. Evaluating Information Sources

Collect stories or articles about one topic from newspapers or blogs. Which ones are trustworthy? Which ones might be a little biased? This teaches us to be smart about where we get our info.

There are many resources to help you determine if information sources are factual or not.

7. Socratic Questioning

This way of thinking is called the Socrates Method, named after an old-time thinker from Greece. It's about asking lots of questions to understand a topic. You can do this by yourself or chat with a friend.

Start with a Big Question:

"What does 'success' mean?"

Dive Deeper with More Questions:

"Why do you think of success that way?" "Do TV shows, friends, or family make you think that?" "Does everyone think about success the same way?"

"Can someone be a winner even if they aren't rich or famous?" "Can someone feel like they didn't succeed, even if everyone else thinks they did?"

Look for Real-life Examples:

"Who is someone you think is successful? Why?" "Was there a time you felt like a winner? What happened?"

Think About Other People's Views:

"How might a person from another country think about success?" "Does the idea of success change as we grow up or as our life changes?"

Think About What It Means:

"How does your idea of success shape what you want in life?" "Are there problems with only wanting to be rich or famous?"

Look Back and Think:

"After talking about this, did your idea of success change? How?" "Did you learn something new about what success means?"

8. Six Thinking Hats 

Edward de Bono came up with a cool way to solve problems by thinking in six different ways, like wearing different colored hats. You can do this independently, but it might be more effective in a group so everyone can have a different hat color. Each color has its way of thinking:

White Hat (Facts): Just the facts! Ask, "What do we know? What do we need to find out?"

Red Hat (Feelings): Talk about feelings. Ask, "How do I feel about this?"

Black Hat (Careful Thinking): Be cautious. Ask, "What could go wrong?"

Yellow Hat (Positive Thinking): Look on the bright side. Ask, "What's good about this?"

Green Hat (Creative Thinking): Think of new ideas. Ask, "What's another way to look at this?"

Blue Hat (Planning): Organize the talk. Ask, "What should we do next?"

When using this method with a group:

• Explain all the hats.
• Decide which hat to wear first.
• Make sure everyone switches hats at the same time.
• Finish with the Blue Hat to plan the next steps.

9. SWOT Analysis

SWOT Analysis is like a game plan for businesses to know where they stand and where they should go. "SWOT" stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

There are a lot of SWOT templates out there for how to do this visually, but you can also think it through. It doesn't just apply to businesses but can be a good way to decide if a project you're working on is working.

Strengths: What's working well? Ask, "What are we good at?"

Weaknesses: Where can we do better? Ask, "Where can we improve?"

Opportunities: What good things might come our way? Ask, "What chances can we grab?"

Threats: What challenges might we face? Ask, "What might make things tough for us?"

Steps to do a SWOT Analysis:

• Goal: Decide what you want to find out.
• Research: Learn about your business and the world around it.
• Brainstorm: Get a group and think together. Talk about strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Pick the Most Important Points: Some things might be more urgent or important than others.
• Make a Plan: Decide what to do based on your SWOT list.
• Check Again Later: Things change, so look at your SWOT again after a while to update it.

Now that you have a few tools for thinking critically, let’s get into some specific examples.

Everyday Examples

Life is a series of decisions. From the moment we wake up, we're faced with choices – some trivial, like choosing a breakfast cereal, and some more significant, like buying a home or confronting an ethical dilemma at work. While it might seem that these decisions are disparate, they all benefit from the application of critical thinking.

10. Deciding to buy something

Imagine you want a new phone. Don't just buy it because the ad looks cool. Think about what you need in a phone. Look up different phones and see what people say about them. Choose the one that's the best deal for what you want.

11. Deciding what is true

There's a lot of news everywhere. Don't believe everything right away. Think about why someone might be telling you this. Check if what you're reading or watching is true. Make up your mind after you've looked into it.

12. Deciding when you’re wrong

Sometimes, friends can have disagreements. Don't just get mad right away. Try to see where they're coming from. Talk about what's going on. Find a way to fix the problem that's fair for everyone.

13. Deciding what to eat

There's always a new diet or exercise that's popular. Don't just follow it because it's trendy. Find out if it's good for you. Ask someone who knows, like a doctor. Make choices that make you feel good and stay healthy.

14. Deciding what to do today

Everyone is busy with school, chores, and hobbies. Make a list of things you need to do. Decide which ones are most important. Plan your day so you can get things done and still have fun.

15. Making Tough Choices

Sometimes, it's hard to know what's right. Think about how each choice will affect you and others. Talk to people you trust about it. Choose what feels right in your heart and is fair to others.

16. Planning for the Future

Big decisions, like where to go to school, can be tricky. Think about what you want in the future. Look at the good and bad of each choice. Talk to people who know about it. Pick what feels best for your dreams and goals.

Job Examples

17. solving problems.

Workers brainstorm ways to fix a machine quickly without making things worse when a machine breaks at a factory.

18. Decision Making

A store manager decides which products to order more of based on what's selling best.

19. Setting Goals

A team leader helps their team decide what tasks are most important to finish this month and which can wait.

20. Evaluating Ideas

At a team meeting, everyone shares ideas for a new project. The group discusses each idea's pros and cons before picking one.

21. Handling Conflict

Two workers disagree on how to do a job. Instead of arguing, they talk calmly, listen to each other, and find a solution they both like.

22. Improving Processes

A cashier thinks of a faster way to ring up items so customers don't have to wait as long.

23. Asking Questions

Before starting a big task, an employee asks for clear instructions and checks if they have the necessary tools.

24. Checking Facts

Before presenting a report, someone double-checks all their information to make sure there are no mistakes.

25. Planning for the Future

A business owner thinks about what might happen in the next few years, like new competitors or changes in what customers want, and makes plans based on those thoughts.

26. Understanding Perspectives

A team is designing a new toy. They think about what kids and parents would both like instead of just what they think is fun.

School Examples

27. researching a topic.

For a history project, a student looks up different sources to understand an event from multiple viewpoints.

28. Debating an Issue

In a class discussion, students pick sides on a topic, like school uniforms, and share reasons to support their views.

29. Evaluating Sources

While writing an essay, a student checks if the information from a website is trustworthy or might be biased.

30. Problem Solving in Math

When stuck on a tricky math problem, a student tries different methods to find the answer instead of giving up.

31. Analyzing Literature

In English class, students discuss why a character in a book made certain choices and what those decisions reveal about them.

32. Testing a Hypothesis

For a science experiment, students guess what will happen and then conduct tests to see if they're right or wrong.

33. Giving Peer Feedback

After reading a classmate's essay, a student offers suggestions for improving it.

34. Questioning Assumptions

In a geography lesson, students consider why certain countries are called "developed" and what that label means.

35. Designing a Study

For a psychology project, students plan an experiment to understand how people's memories work and think of ways to ensure accurate results.

36. Interpreting Data

In a science class, students look at charts and graphs from a study, then discuss what the information tells them and if there are any patterns.

Critical Thinking Puzzles

Not all scenarios will have a single correct answer that can be figured out by thinking critically. Sometimes we have to think critically about ethical choices or moral behaviors. 

Here are some mind games and scenarios you can solve using critical thinking. You can see the solution(s) at the end of the post.

37. The Farmer, Fox, Chicken, and Grain Problem

A farmer is at a riverbank with a fox, a chicken, and a grain bag. He needs to get all three items across the river. However, his boat can only carry himself and one of the three items at a time. 

Here's the challenge:

• If the fox is left alone with the chicken, the fox will eat the chicken.
• If the chicken is left alone with the grain, the chicken will eat the grain.

How can the farmer get all three items across the river without any item being eaten? 

38. The Rope, Jar, and Pebbles Problem

You are in a room with two long ropes hanging from the ceiling. Each rope is just out of arm's reach from the other, so you can't hold onto one rope and reach the other simultaneously. 

Your task is to tie the two rope ends together, but you can't move the position where they hang from the ceiling.

You are given a jar full of pebbles. How do you complete the task?

39. The Two Guards Problem

Imagine there are two doors. One door leads to certain doom, and the other leads to freedom. You don't know which is which.

In front of each door stands a guard. One guard always tells the truth. The other guard always lies. You don't know which guard is which.

You can ask only one question to one of the guards. What question should you ask to find the door that leads to freedom?

40. The Hourglass Problem

You have two hourglasses. One measures 7 minutes when turned over, and the other measures 4 minutes. Using just these hourglasses, how can you time exactly 9 minutes?

41. The Lifeboat Dilemma

Imagine you're on a ship that's sinking. You get on a lifeboat, but it's already too full and might flip over. 

Nearby in the water, five people are struggling: a scientist close to finding a cure for a sickness, an old couple who've been together for a long time, a mom with three kids waiting at home, and a tired teenager who helped save others but is now in danger. 

You can only save one person without making the boat flip. Who would you choose?

42. The Tech Dilemma

You work at a tech company and help make a computer program to help small businesses. You're almost ready to share it with everyone, but you find out there might be a small chance it has a problem that could show users' private info. 

If you decide to fix it, you must wait two more months before sharing it. But your bosses want you to share it now. What would you do?

43. The History Mystery

Dr. Amelia is a history expert. She's studying where a group of people traveled long ago. She reads old letters and documents to learn about it. But she finds some letters that tell a different story than what most people believe. 

If she says this new story is true, it could change what people learn in school and what they think about history. What should she do?

The Role of Bias in Critical Thinking

Have you ever decided you don’t like someone before you even know them? Or maybe someone shared an idea with you that you immediately loved without even knowing all the details. 

This experience is called bias, which occurs when you like or dislike something or someone without a good reason or knowing why. It can also take shape in certain reactions to situations, like a habit or instinct. 

Bias comes from our own experiences, what friends or family tell us, or even things we are born believing. Sometimes, bias can help us stay safe, but other times it stops us from seeing the truth.

Not all bias is bad. Bias can be a mechanism for assessing our potential safety in a new situation. If we are biased to think that anything long, thin, and curled up is a snake, we might assume the rope is something to be afraid of before we know it is just a rope.

While bias might serve us in some situations (like jumping out of the way of an actual snake before we have time to process that we need to be jumping out of the way), it often harms our ability to think critically.

How Bias Gets in the Way of Good Thinking

Selective Perception: We only notice things that match our ideas and ignore the rest. 

It's like only picking red candies from a mixed bowl because you think they taste the best, but they taste the same as every other candy in the bowl. It could also be when we see all the signs that our partner is cheating on us but choose to ignore them because we are happy the way we are (or at least, we think we are).

Agreeing with Yourself: This is called “ confirmation bias ” when we only listen to ideas that match our own and seek, interpret, and remember information in a way that confirms what we already think we know or believe. 

An example is when someone wants to know if it is safe to vaccinate their children but already believes that vaccines are not safe, so they only look for information supporting the idea that vaccines are bad.

Thinking We Know It All: Similar to confirmation bias, this is called “overconfidence bias.” Sometimes we think our ideas are the best and don't listen to others. This can stop us from learning.

Have you ever met someone who you consider a “know it”? Probably, they have a lot of overconfidence bias because while they may know many things accurately, they can’t know everything. Still, if they act like they do, they show overconfidence bias.

There's a weird kind of bias similar to this called the Dunning Kruger Effect, and that is when someone is bad at what they do, but they believe and act like they are the best .

Following the Crowd: This is formally called “groupthink”. It's hard to speak up with a different idea if everyone agrees. But this can lead to mistakes.

An example of this we’ve all likely seen is the cool clique in primary school. There is usually one person that is the head of the group, the “coolest kid in school”, and everyone listens to them and does what they want, even if they don’t think it’s a good idea.

How to Overcome Biases

Here are a few ways to learn to think better, free from our biases (or at least aware of them!).

Know Your Biases: Realize that everyone has biases. If we know about them, we can think better.

Listen to Different People: Talking to different kinds of people can give us new ideas.

Ask Why: Always ask yourself why you believe something. Is it true, or is it just a bias?

Understand Others: Try to think about how others feel. It helps you see things in new ways.

Keep Learning: Always be curious and open to new information.

In today's world, everything changes fast, and there's so much information everywhere. This makes critical thinking super important. It helps us distinguish between what's real and what's made up. It also helps us make good choices. But thinking this way can be tough sometimes because of biases. These are like sneaky thoughts that can trick us. The good news is we can learn to see them and think better.

There are cool tools and ways we've talked about, like the "Socratic Questioning" method and the "Six Thinking Hats." These tools help us get better at thinking. These thinking skills can also help us in school, work, and everyday life.

We’ve also looked at specific scenarios where critical thinking would be helpful, such as deciding what diet to follow and checking facts.

Thinking isn't just a skill—it's a special talent we improve over time. Working on it lets us see things more clearly and understand the world better. So, keep practicing and asking questions! It'll make you a smarter thinker and help you see the world differently.

Critical Thinking Puzzles (Solutions)

The farmer, fox, chicken, and grain problem.

• The farmer first takes the chicken across the river and leaves it on the other side.
• He returns to the original side and takes the fox across the river.
• After leaving the fox on the other side, he returns the chicken to the starting side.
• He leaves the chicken on the starting side and takes the grain bag across the river.
• He leaves the grain with the fox on the other side and returns to get the chicken.
• The farmer takes the chicken across, and now all three items -- the fox, the chicken, and the grain -- are safely on the other side of the river.

The Rope, Jar, and Pebbles Problem

• Take one rope and tie the jar of pebbles to its end.
• Swing the rope with the jar in a pendulum motion.
• While the rope is swinging, grab the other rope and wait.
• As the swinging rope comes back within reach due to its pendulum motion, grab it.
• With both ropes within reach, untie the jar and tie the rope ends together.

The Two Guards Problem

The question is, "What would the other guard say is the door to doom?" Then choose the opposite door.

The Hourglass Problem

• Start both hourglasses. 
• When the 4-minute hourglass runs out, turn it over.
• When the 7-minute hourglass runs out, the 4-minute hourglass will have been running for 3 minutes. Turn the 7-minute hourglass over. 
• When the 4-minute hourglass runs out for the second time (a total of 8 minutes have passed), the 7-minute hourglass will run for 1 minute. Turn the 7-minute hourglass again for 1 minute to empty the hourglass (a total of 9 minutes passed).

The Boat and Weights Problem

Take the cat over first and leave it on the other side. Then, return and take the fish across next. When you get there, take the cat back with you. Leave the cat on the starting side and take the cat food across. Lastly, return to get the cat and bring it to the other side.

The Lifeboat Dilemma

There isn’t one correct answer to this problem. Here are some elements to consider:

• Moral Principles: What values guide your decision? Is it the potential greater good for humanity (the scientist)? What is the value of long-standing love and commitment (the elderly couple)? What is the future of young children who depend on their mothers? Or the selfless bravery of the teenager?
• Future Implications: Consider the future consequences of each choice. Saving the scientist might benefit millions in the future, but what moral message does it send about the value of individual lives?
• Emotional vs. Logical Thinking: While it's essential to engage empathy, it's also crucial not to let emotions cloud judgment entirely. For instance, while the teenager's bravery is commendable, does it make him more deserving of a spot on the boat than the others?
• Acknowledging Uncertainty: The scientist claims to be close to a significant breakthrough, but there's no certainty. How does this uncertainty factor into your decision?
• Personal Bias: Recognize and challenge any personal biases, such as biases towards age, profession, or familial status.

The Tech Dilemma

Again, there isn’t one correct answer to this problem. Here are some elements to consider:

• Evaluate the Risk: How severe is the potential vulnerability? Can it be easily exploited, or would it require significant expertise? Even if the circumstances are rare, what would be the consequences if the vulnerability were exploited?
• Stakeholder Considerations: Different stakeholders will have different priorities. Upper management might prioritize financial projections, the marketing team might be concerned about the product's reputation, and customers might prioritize the security of their data. How do you balance these competing interests?
• Short-Term vs. Long-Term Implications: While launching on time could meet immediate financial goals, consider the potential long-term damage to the company's reputation if the vulnerability is exploited. Would the short-term gains be worth the potential long-term costs?
• Ethical Implications : Beyond the financial and reputational aspects, there's an ethical dimension to consider. Is it right to release a product with a known vulnerability, even if the chances of it being exploited are low?
• Seek External Input: Consulting with cybersecurity experts outside your company might be beneficial. They could provide a more objective risk assessment and potential mitigation strategies.
• Communication: How will you communicate the decision, whatever it may be, both internally to your team and upper management and externally to your customers and potential users?

The History Mystery

Dr. Amelia should take the following steps:

• Verify the Letters: Before making any claims, she should check if the letters are actual and not fake. She can do this by seeing when and where they were written and if they match with other things from that time.
• Get a Second Opinion: It's always good to have someone else look at what you've found. Dr. Amelia could show the letters to other history experts and see their thoughts.
• Research More: Maybe there are more documents or letters out there that support this new story. Dr. Amelia should keep looking to see if she can find more evidence.
• Share the Findings: If Dr. Amelia believes the letters are true after all her checks, she should tell others. This can be through books, talks, or articles.
• Stay Open to Feedback: Some people might agree with Dr. Amelia, and others might not. She should listen to everyone and be ready to learn more or change her mind if new information arises.

Ultimately, Dr. Amelia's job is to find out the truth about history and share it. It's okay if this new truth differs from what people used to believe. History is about learning from the past, no matter the story.

Related posts:

• Experimenter Bias (Definition + Examples)
• Hasty Generalization Fallacy (31 Examples + Similar Names)
• Ad Hoc Fallacy (29 Examples + Other Names)
• Confirmation Bias (Examples + Definition)
• Equivocation Fallacy (26 Examples + Description)

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115 Critical Thinking Questions For Adults and Students

By: Author Tom Stevenson

Posted on Published: November 9, 2021  - Last updated: August 19, 2023

To learn how this content was created please read our Editorial Guidelines .

Critical thinking questions are a great way to help you learn and get to the heart of many matters.

These fun critical thinking questions are what you should be asking if you want to learn more and challenge your own beliefs.

Questioning what you’ve read, what you’ve learnt and your own preconceptions is a useful way to remove your own ignorance on many topics.

As a child, we asked questions about critical thinking all the time. It’s how we learn right and wrong and a variety of other things. Curiosity and questioning what we know are some of the best ways to improve your knowledge.

Whether you want to use these questions with your students or to learn more yourself, they’ll help you develop a framework to learn more about almost anything.

Table of Contents

Critical thinking questions examples.

Critical thinking questions are easy to spot. They’re questions that are worded so you can take a more in-depth look at things.

They’re similar in nature to open-ended questions , in that it’s expected the person who’s being questioned will provide a substantive answer rather than a short one.

Here are a few examples so you get the idea:

• How do you know this?
• Why does it matter?
• What are the reasons for _____?

Critical Thinking Questions Starting With ‘What’

1. What do you think you would have done if you were the person in that position?

2. What did you think they meant when they said…?

3. What did you assume about them in the beginning that you were wrong about?

4. What do you think it meant when this happened…?

5. What did the evidence say about…?

6. What do you think would have happened if…?

7. What are your conclusions about…?

8. What do you think would have been a better ending to…?

9. What could have been a big twist in the story?

10. What do you think would have happened if…?

You might also like:

• Hardest questions to answer
• Ethical questions
• Philosophical questions
• Probing questions
• Questions that make you think

11. What were the strengths of this argument?

12. What do you think were the weaknesses about…?

13. What do you think that ___ meant?

You might also like: What if questions

14. What do you think made ___ do that?

15. What do you think the reasons are for it happening in that way?

16. What do you think would have changed if ___ did _?

17. What would have been a better option for…?

18. What do you think the problem was about…?

19. What do you think you could do to solve this problem?

20. What should have happened instead of…?

21. What do you think the biggest win about ___ is?

22. What do you think will happen when…?

23. What do you think that character’s motive was in the movie?

24. What makes you come to that idea?

25. What is the point of…?

26. What do you think you would say to ___ if you had the chance?

You might also like: Self-reflection questions

Questions For Critical Thinking Starting With ‘When’

27. When do you think that this became a problem?

28. When will you change your mind about…?

29. When do you think you will be ready to…?

30. When will you be able to tell if _ worked?

31. When is ___ ever acceptable?

32. When will be the right time to stop…?

33. When is the best time to start…?

34. When do you think the situation changed with…?

35. When will ___ ever happen?

36. When do you think you knew in the movie what the ending was going to be?

37. When will be the best time to have another think about…?

38. When shall we revisit…?

39. When did you realise that ___ hadn’t worked?

You might also like: Thought provoking questions

Critical Thinking Questions Starting With ‘How’

40. How do you feel about…?

41. How do you think _ could have been handled better?

42. How would you have responded to…?

43. How did you come to that conclusion about…?

44. How does doing ___ change…?

45. How would you feel if…?

46. How did you come to deciding…?

47. How do you think ___ might hurt..?

48. How else would you handle this in the future?

49. How do you think they ought to have responded to…?

50. How do you think you will feel when…?

51. How did this benefit you?

52. How would ___ benefit others?

Next: Mind blowing questions

53. How is this different from other situations?

54. How would you advise them to handle it in the future?

55. How do you think they will react when they find out…?

Critical Thinking Questions Starting With ‘Who’

56. Who will be affected when this happens?

57. Who is the person that you would call on for…?

58. Who do you think will be most impacted by…?

59. Who caused the problem in ___ this situation?

60. Who wrote…?

61. Who do you think is most likely to…?

62. Who do you think will most benefit from…?

63. Who do you think was the problem in ___ situation?

64. Who caused the most harm in…?

65. Who is responsible for…?

You might also like: Yes or no questions

66. Who do you think is the most crucial person for…?

67. Who would be the best person to call on for this problem?

68. Who can you count on …?

69. Who do you think would be best off staying out of…?

70. Who is the person you are most nervous about telling…?

71. Who was the happiest when they found out that…?

72. Who was the most important character in this story?

73. Who had the strongest argument for…?

74. Who do you feel was wrong in that situation?

75. Who would be the first person that you would tell about…?

Critical Thinking Questions Starting With ‘Why’

76. Why do you need to…?

77. Why do you think they chose to…?

78. Why do you think that ___ happened?

Next: Hypothetical questions

79. Why is it important to…?

80. Why do you think ___ is necessary?

81. Why do you think that they said?

82. Why do you think the author decided to add…?

83. Why is it a problem when…?

84. Why do we need to do…?

85. Why are you so…?

86. Why does this need to stop?

87. Why do you need to improve…?

88. Why do you think I am bringing this up…

89. Why do you think that ___ became a problem?

90. Why do you think it wasn’t rectified?

Critical Thinking Questions Starting With ‘Where’

91. Where has this happened before?

You might also like: Unanswerable questions

92. Where do you think we would be if…?

93. Where did the story begin to alter?

94. Where can we give our attention to…?

95. Where can you get more information about…?

96. Where do we need to improve?

97. Where would we find the solution for….?

98. Where did they find the solution?

99. Where do you think that ___ got complicated?

100. Where could we ask for help with…?

101. Where would you have done things differently?

102. Where would you seek answers to these problems?

103. Where do you think would have been the best place to stop?

104. Where would you advise we focus next time we…?

105. Where do you think it went wrong?

Critical Thinking Questions For Interviews

106. Tell me about a time you had to use your initiative to solve a problem

107. How would you handle a situation when you’ve noticed a superior makes an error?

108. What would you do if a colleague came to you with an unusual suggestion to improve the business?

109. Have you ever anticipated potential problems and stopped them before they became an issue?

110. How quickly do you make decisions?

111. How do you handle disagreements between colleagues?

112. Have you ever convinced managers or your superiors to take your approach on solving a problem?

113. How would you solve a disagreement between a customer and a colleague?

114. What would you do if a customer came to with an issue while you were talking to a colleague/superior?

115. What would you do if you had a deadline approaching you knew you wouldn’t be able to meet?

Looking For More Questions?

Existential Questions – Questions that will make you think about life, the universe and many other deep topics.

Trick Questions – If you want people to start thinking but in a fun way, these questions are perfect!

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100+ Critical Thinking Questions for Students To Ask About Anything

Critical thinkers question everything.

In an age of “fake news” claims and constant argument about pretty much any issue, critical thinking skills are key. Teach your students that it’s vital to ask questions about everything, but that it’s also important to ask the right sorts of questions. Students can use these critical thinking questions with fiction or nonfiction texts. They’re also useful when discussing important issues or trying to understand others’ motivations in general.

“Who” Critical Thinking Questions

Questions like these help students ponder who’s involved in a story and how the actions affect them. They’ll also consider who’s telling the tale and how reliable that narrator might be.

• Is the protagonist?
• Is the antagonist?
• Caused harm?
• Is harmed as a result?
• Was the most important character?

• Is responsible?
• Is most directly affected?
• Should have won?
• Will benefit?
• Would be affected by this?

• Makes the decisions?

“What” Critical Thinking Questions

Ask questions that explore issues more deeply, including those that might not be directly answered in the text.

• Background information do I know or need to know?
• Is the main message?
• Are the defining characteristics?

• Questions or concerns do I have?
• Don’t I understand?
• Evidence supports the author’s conclusion?
• Would it be like if … ?
• Could happen if … ?
• Other outcomes might have happened?
• Questions would you have asked?
• Would you ask the author about … ?
• Was the point of … ?
• Should have happened instead?
• Is that character’s motive?
• Else could have changed the whole story?

• Can you conclude?
• Would your position have been in that situation?
• Would happen if … ?
• Makes your position stronger?
• Was the turning point?
• Is the point of the question?
• Did it mean when … ?
• Is the other side of this argument?
• Was the purpose of … ?
• Does ______ mean?
• Is the problem you are trying to solve?
• Does the evidence say?
• Assumptions are you making?
• Is a better alternative?
• Are the strengths of the argument?

• Are the weaknesses of the argument?
• Is the difference between _______ and _______?

“Where” Critical Thinking Questions

Think about where the story is set and how it affects the actions. Plus, consider where and how you can learn more.

• Would this issue be a major problem?
• Are areas for improvement?
• Did the story change?
• Would you most often find this problem?

• Are there similar situations?
• Would you go to get answers to this problem?
• Can this be improved?
• Can you get more information?
• Will this idea take us?

“When” Critical Thinking Questions

Think about timing and the effect it has on the characters or people involved.

• Is this acceptable?
• Is this unacceptable?

• Does this become a problem?
• Is the best time to take action?
• Will we be able to tell if it worked?
• Is it time to reassess?
• Should we ask for help?
• Is the best time to start?
• Is it time to stop?
• Would this benefit society?

• Has this happened before?

“Why” Critical Thinking Questions

Asking “why” might be one of the most important parts of critical thinking. Exploring and understanding motivation helps develop empathy and make sense of difficult situations.

• Is _________ happening?
• Have we allowed this to happen?
• Should people care about this issue?

• Is this a problem?
• Did the character say … ?
• Did the character do … ?
• Is this relevant?
• Did the author write this?
• Did the author decide to … ?
• Is this important?

• Did that happen?
• Is it necessary?
• Do you think I (he, she, they) asked that question?
• Is that answer the best one?
• Do we need this today?

“How” Critical Thinking Questions

Use these questions to consider how things happen and whether change is possible.

• Do we know this is true?
• Does the language used affect the story?
• Would you solve … ?
• Is this different from other situations?

• Is this similar to … ?
• Would you use … ?
• Does the location affect the story?
• Could the story have ended differently?
• Does this work?
• Could this be harmful?
• Does this connect with what I already know?
• Else could this have been handled?
• Should they have responded?

• Would you feel about … ?
• Does this change the outcome?
• Did you make that decision?
• Does this benefit you/others?
• Does this hurt you/others?
• Could this problem be avoided?

More Critical Thinking Questions

Here are more questions to help probe further and deepen understanding.

• Can you give me an example?

• Do you agree with … ?
• Can you compare this with … ?
• Can you defend the actions of … ?
• Could this be interpreted differently?
• Is the narrator reliable?
• Does it seem too good to be true?

• Is ______ a fact or an opinion?

What are your favorite critical thinking questions? Come exchange ideas on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out 10 tips for teaching kids to be awesome critical thinkers ., you might also like.

5 Critical Thinking Skills Every Kid Needs To Learn (And How To Teach Them)

Teach them to thoughtfully question the world around them. Continue Reading

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10 Critical Thinking Questions to Ask in Any Situation: Enhance Your Decision-Making Skills

Critical thinking is an essential skill in today’s information-heavy world. It helps individuals navigate through vast amounts of data and determine what is accurate and useful. This article aims to provide you with key questions that can be used in any situation to enhance your critical thinking abilities.

1) What are the underlying assumptions?

Underlying assumptions are beliefs we accept without proof. These can shape our decisions and views. They often go unnoticed yet influence our thoughts and actions significantly.

Assumptions can be based on personal experiences, cultural norms, or societal expectations. These assumptions can lead to bias if not examined. Challenging them helps in forming a clearer, more unbiased perspective.

For more about identifying assumptions, visit Critical Thinking and Academic Research .

2) How relevant is this information to the issue?

It’s vital to ask whether the information directly impacts the decision or if it’s just peripheral. Recognize which details support the objective and which ones do not.

3) What are the possible consequences?

Thinking about possible consequences can help make better decisions. This involves anticipating both positive and negative outcomes of an action.

Understanding potential consequences can guide towards more responsible actions. One way to do this is by asking, “If I do this, what might happen next?” This approach fosters careful and deliberate decision-making.

In any situation, weighing possible consequences ensures a more comprehensive understanding of potential outcomes. It promotes a balanced approach and reduces the risk of negative results.

4) What evidence supports this claim?

In discussions or debates, asking for evidence forces clearer thinking. This can prevent the spread of misinformation. According to Harvard University , identifying a claim and seeking evidence creates a more informed dialogue.

Can this viewpoint be challenged?

By challenging a viewpoint, one can explore potential weaknesses or flaws. This process is essential in critical thinking, as it encourages deeper analysis and understanding.

Moreover, considering alternative views encourages flexibility in thinking. It helps individuals avoid rigid or narrow-minded approaches.

For more questions that foster critical thinking, such as analyzing the relevance of information, you can explore resources like TeachThought’s list of questions .

6) What Are the Alternatives?

Sometimes, the best option isn’t the most convenient one. Asking about alternatives encourages more thoughtful decision-making. It ensures that all potential paths are evaluated.

Asking “What are the alternatives?” is a habit of strong critical thinkers. It ensures they are not limited by initial impressions and are open to different perspectives.

7) Who benefits from this?

Understanding who benefits helps uncover motivations. For example, if a new policy is implemented, ask who benefits from this . It could be companies, individuals, or specific groups.

This question is essential because it digs deeper into the heart of the issue. It gets to the core of why certain actions are taken and who is truly advantaged.

8) What are the sources of bias?

Cognitive biases are another source. These are mental shortcuts that affect how people process information. The Khan Academy explains that these can lead to errors in thinking.

External influences such as media and peers can also introduce bias. News sources and social circles can shape opinions and views, often without one noticing.

9) Is the argument logically sound?

If any premise of an argument is false, the argument cannot be sound. This means that even if the logic is valid, the argument fails because it is based on incorrect information. It’s important to verify the truth of each premise before accepting the conclusion.

In summary, ensuring an argument is logically sound involves checking both the validity of its structure and the truth of its premises. This helps in making informed decisions based on reliable reasoning.

10) What is the context of this situation?

Another aspect of context is the environment. This means understanding the physical, social, or cultural setting. For example, a decision in a corporate environment may differ greatly from one made in a community-based setting.

Lastly, legal and ethical considerations are essential. Rules, laws, and ethical norms provide boundaries within which decisions must be made. Ignoring these can lead to negative consequences.

The Importance of Critical Thinking

Why critical thinking skills matter.

Critical thinking allows individuals to analyze and break down complex issues. By asking better questions, people can make more informed decisions. It involves understanding and evaluating information rather than just accepting it. This skill helps in identifying biases and making logical connections. According to the Harvard Business Review , critical thinking is at the heart of problem-solving, enabling individuals to tackle challenges efficiently.

Impact on Personal and Professional Life

Applying critical thinking in various contexts, critical thinking at work.

In the workplace, critical thinking can improve problem-solving. Employees who evaluate situations carefully often find effective solutions. For instance, a manager might assess the root cause of a decline in sales before deciding on a strategy. This helps in making informed decisions.

Critical Thinking in Education

In education, critical thinking enhances learning. Students who question assumptions and analyze texts develop deeper understanding. For instance, when studying historical events, they evaluate causes and consequences, leading to a more comprehensive grasp of history.

Everyday Decision Making

Critical thinking is valuable in daily life. It helps individuals make better personal decisions. For example, before buying a product, a person might research reviews and compare prices. This careful evaluation ensures that they get the best value.

Enhancing Your Critical Thinking Abilities

Improving your critical thinking skills involves developing specific techniques and overcoming barriers that can hinder your progress.

Techniques for Improvement

It’s also useful to practice problem-solving regularly. Tackle puzzles, play strategy games, or engage in debates. These activities train the mind to think critically under different scenarios.

Overcoming Common Barriers

Stress and time constraints can also hinder critical thinking. Practicing stress management techniques such as meditation or time management can create a more conducive environment for thoughtful analysis.

Lastly, an unwillingness to challenge assumptions can impede critical thinking. Commit to questioning existing beliefs and explore alternative viewpoints, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of any situation.

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• Published on February 10, 2018
• February 10, 2018

Critical Thinking Questions That Will Blow Your Mind

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What would it be like if every decision you made didn’t involve your personal feelings or over-emotional reactions? What if your perspective was always balanced and decisions completely informed? Is it not time that you used critical thinking questions to become the more levelheaded, cool, and calm person you want to be?

Being a critical thinker enables you to take a neutral perspective on an idea or scenario and gives you the power of true choice. Being free from manipulation or emotional ties to your decision will allow you to make the most beneficial choice in any circumstance.

In critical thinking, we are taught to question everything. However, the question behind the question is; what questions should you be asking? Before we go into the critical matter of the exact questions, we should first look at the manner in which these critical thinking questions should be asked. After this article, you will be a wizard at asking critical thinking questions. 

The Standard of Questions You Should Ask

Although the actual questions will be very important to critical thinking, the emphasis and purpose of these questions will determine how effective the questions will be. You must first know how to question before you know what and which critical thinking questions to ask.

1. Open-ended questioning

As a critical thinker, you cannot allow whomever or whatever you are questioning to give you the smallest amount of information for your questions. Yes or No answers can really drag out the process of getting the answers and information that you want.

Asking questions that will not only give you the answers you are looking for but also open up a heap more information than you were searching for. Ask open-ended questions such as the following:

• “What is the purpose of this scenario?”  Instead of:  “Is this the purpose of this scenario?”
• “What is your favorite thing about this scenario?” Instead of: “Is this your favorite thing about this scenario?”

2. Avoid leading questions

Being a critical thinker is about escaping your bias and seeing things outside of your personal perspective . It is thus very important to avoid leading the question, in an area you want it to go.

Keep your questions as neutral as possible and don’t allow any definitive language to creep into the question. Such as using the following:

• “What is your take on the healthiest diet there is?”  Instead of: “Don’t you think the vegan diet is the healthiest diet?”
• “What is the condition of the country at the moment?”  Instead of: “How bad is the condition of the country at the moment?”

3. Specify the boundaries of your questions

As much as leading a question can be a hindrance to what you want, so can leaving the question too open, and invite unnecessary information to be given. Critical thinking is about being objective, but it still needs a direction and focus in which you apply your critical thinking.

Make sure that you set up an accurate framework in which your questions can be answered. Being too broad makes the process of getting answers inefficient and drawn out. Try asking questions like:

• “Who is your favorite male tennis player in the United States?”  Instead of: “Who is your favorite tennis player?”
• “If you could live anywhere in South East Asia, where would that be?”  Instead of: “If you could live anywhere, where would that be?”

4. Funnel the questions until you get the answer you were looking for

When questions remain shallow, it is easy for the sources of information you are questioning to mislead and avoid giving you the information that you want.

Do not set up the path of questions beforehand, but rather make sure that you dig deeper after each question in the direction of information that you really want.  Once you have your answer, then move back to broader questioning in order to get a better picture of the whole once again.

5. All the answers to your question must be based on facts and well supported from many different sources

Make sure that you don’t give into hearsay. Find the studies, the science, and ample testimonials before you accept the information that you have been given.

Look into many different and unrelated sources to see if the information matches up. Look at the other side of the argument and validate their claims.

Methods of Critical Thinking Questions

1. the 5 w’s and the h.

These are the absolute basics of critical thinking. The Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How are foundational questions that are taught over and over in journalism, investigation, and research.

They are the base from which every critical analysis should be created. You would apply these questions as follows:

•    …would benefit?
•    …would this harm?
•    …is responsible?
•    …has researched this before?
•    …is the other perspective?
•    …would be the challenges?
•    …are the strengths?
•    …is the key subject?
•    …would this problem reside?
•    …are there similar situations?
•    …can more information be found?
•    …can this be improved on?
•    …is this acceptable and unacceptable?
•    …could this be implemented?
•    …would we be able to measure the results?
•    …is it time to stop this action?
•    …is this a problem?
•    …is this relevant?
•    …should this be known about?
•    …is there a need for this?
•    …is this different from anything else similar to it?
•    …it functions?
•    … is this the truth about it?
•    …could it harm anyone?

2. Agenda and method questioning

These two areas of questioning may have already been covered through the 5 W’s and the H. However, it is beneficial to emphasize the angle from which this questioning comes.

The first one is questioning the agenda. This is aimed at figuring out how people could benefit from a situation or idea. This agenda can place all the information received in context.

For instance, if a company was contributing to a charity and their agenda was to improve their image against the damage done by that company, then the contributions would be much less charitable and much more about publicity.

Questions that would help clarify the agenda would be:

• What is the person or organization involved trying to accomplish?
• What issues or problems are raised by the person or organization involved?
• What data, what experiences, what evidence is given?
• Is the person or organization involved thinking about the environment?
• Is the person’s or organization’s thinking justified as far as we can see from our perspective?
• And how do they justify it from their perspective?
• How can we enter their perspective to appreciate what they have to say?

The second aspect of this is questioning the method. As a critical thinker, this makes the outcomes of every situation and idea questionable, which is exactly the point of critical thinking.

Too many times the outcome of a specific method is the focus of debate, without clarifying if that outcome has validity.

Questions that would help clarify the Method would be:

•   I s the person or organization involved willing to fundamentally rethink their methods of creating a certain outcome?
•  Has the person or organization involved thought about how the method will work going into the future?
•  To what extent has the method been tested?
•  Is there any other method that could be used to produce this outcome and what would be the implications of this method?
•  Is the person or organization involved willing to allow this method to be tested?
•  In what other situation has this method been used and how effective was it?

3. Inquiry process

The inquiry process is exactly that; a process. It does entail certain questions but the power of this process resides in the way the process is conducted.

This process is the standard of research and creates an order in which you can follow, uncovering the information that you seek. Although the terminology may change for each step of the process, the essence of what needs to be done remains the same.

The process is divided as follows:

•     Ask (Pose Question)
•    Investigate (Find Resources)
•    Create (interpret/ Synthesise)
•    Discuss (Report findings)
•    Reflect (follow the process backward)

4. Bloom’s taxonomy

Bloom’s taxonomy was created by Dr. Benjamin Bloom , a psychologist in the 1950’s. Bloom’s work was to create a better form of learning through more focus on analysis and evaluation.

Bloom’s taxonomy is very much Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to critical thinking. The original Bloom’s taxonomy encompasses:

•    What is the subject?
•    When did it happen?

Comprehension:

•    How would you compare the subject?
•    Explain the subject in your own words?

Application

•    What examples can you find of the subject?
•    What approach would you use to solve the problem?
•    What inference can you make from the information?
•    How would you classify or categorize the subject?
•    How would you compare the information?
•    What was the value or importance of the information?

Creation or Synthesis

•    Can you propose an alternative interpretation of the information?
•    What might happen if you…?

Bloom’s Taxonomy has since been revised. In 2001 a group of cognitive psychologists, curriculum theorists and instructional researchers, and testing and assessment specialists change the titles of each level to make a more dynamic approach to the system.

The titles were revised to:

•    Recognizing
•    Recalling
•    Interpreting
•    Exemplifying
•    Classifying
•    Summarizing
•    Inferring
•    Comparing
•    Explaining
•    Executing
•    Implementing
•    Differentiating
•    Organizing
•    Attributing
•    Checking
•    Critiquing
•    Generating
•    Planning
•    Producing

In the process of the revision, the authors broke the knowledge area into its own taxonomy:

Factual Knowledge

•    Knowledge of terminology
•    Knowledge of specific details and elements

Conceptual Knowledge

•    Knowledge of classifications and categories
•    Knowledge of principles and generalizations
•    Knowledge of theories, models, and structures

Procedural Knowledge

•    Knowledge of subject-specific skills and algorithms
•    Knowledge of subject-specific techniques and methods
•    Knowledge of criteria for determining when to use appropriate procedures

Metacognitive Knowledge

•    Strategic Knowledge
•    Knowledge about cognitive tasks, including appropriate contextual and conditional knowledge
•    Self-knowledge

If you want to know more about the reasoning behind the revision click here .

5. Integral questioning

Integral theory was created by Ken Wilber  (author of A Brief History of Everything ) and has become one of the most useful structures of evaluation in this era. The integral model is a reference structure in which you can objectively see all areas of a specific subject.

This method goes hand in glove with the practice of critical thinking. Applying the method into question form will bring out the following analysis:

Quadrants: this is the evaluation of each viewpoint of a certain subject.

•    What does a specific person involved think or feel about the subject?
•    What studies and tests have been done on the subject?
•    What do the people as a whole feel or think about the subject?
•    What does the industry of the subject say on the subject?

Lines: These are the areas of understanding of factors involved in the matter.

•    What are the different areas of life expressed in this subject?
•    What factors are involved in the situation or subject?
•    To what area of understanding does is the subject appeal to?

Levels: This deals with a hierarchical standard of a certain area of the subject.

•    To what level of understanding does is a subject appeal?
•    How complex or advanced is this subject?
•    What standard of knowledge needs to be obtained to understand this subject?

State: This refers to a fleeting state of being in which the subject can be seen in.

•    In what state of mind was the person involved in when reviewing the subject?
•    In what state of mind was the person involved in when the situation occurred?
•    Is the information given contextual to a certain situation?

Types: This is a division of experiences based on traits that could affect perspective.

•    How would someone who is completely different from the person involved perceive the situation?
•    What different types of people were involved in the situation?
•    How could this subject be received differently by a different cultural reference?

Question Everything

You now possess all that you need to start becoming a critical thinker and asking critical thinking questions. The only way to engrain the above processes and questions to become a critical thinker is to practice. You might need to refer to this article consistently at first, but after time you will become a natural and healthy critical thinker.

This video may help to ignite your passion for questioning everything:

Read more on critical thinking by checking out these related articles and resources:

• How to Solve the Biggest Problems With Critical Thinking
• Critical Thinking Examples That Wil Influence the World Around You

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10+ Critical Thinking Questions to Build Your Skills

What is critical thinking for leaders, why do you need critical thinking skills at work, critical thinking questions for managers and teams, critical thinking questions for decision-making and planning, critical thinking questions for team building, thinking, critically, critical thinking questions faqs.

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• Problem-solving: In any workplace, there are bound to be problems that arise. Critical thinking enables employees to analyze the problem from different angles, identify the root cause, and develop effective solutions.
• Decision-making: Critical thinking is crucial when making important decisions. Employees with strong critical thinking skills can better weigh the pros and cons of various options, anticipate potential outcomes, and make informed decisions.
• Innovation: Critical thinking enables employees to think outside the box and develop innovative solutions to problems. Employees can identify new and creative ways to approach problems by examining the situation from different perspectives.
• Communication: Effective communication is essential in any workplace. Critical thinking helps employees to communicate their ideas clearly and persuasively. It also enables employees to listen actively, ask insightful questions, and respond thoughtfully.
• Time management: In fast-paced work environments, employees must make decisions quickly. Critical thinking lets employees quickly analyze information and make informed decisions without sacrificing quality.

What problem or issue are we trying to solve, and what are the underlying causes?

A manager leads a team that needs help meeting its sales targets. Rather than simply increasing sales numbers, the manager first tries to understand the issue’s root causes. After conducting research and analysis, the manager identifies that the team needs more sales training and skills to engage with potential customers effectively . With this understanding, the manager can develop targeted training and coaching programs to improve the team’s sales skills, ultimately leading to better sales performance.

What are the potential consequences of different courses of action, and how can I mitigate risks?

A manager is considering launching a new product line. Before making a decision, the manager should evaluates the consequences of different courses of action. They consider factors such as market demand, production costs, and potential profitability, as well as potential risks such as supply chain disruptions or low sales volume. With this understanding, the manager then develops strategies to mitigate risks and maximize the chances of success. By taking a thoughtful and strategic approach to decision-making, the manager can increase the chances of success and minimize potential negative consequences.

What data do I need to make an informed decision, and how can I ensure its accuracy and reliability?

A manager is considering expanding into a new market. To make an informed decision, the manager needs data on market size, consumer demographics, competitor analysis, and potential regulatory barriers. The manager then works to ensure the accuracy and reliability of this data, which involves validating sources, cross-checking data against multiple sources, and engaging experts in the field to provide additional insights.

What are the potential unintended consequences of the actions, and how can I minimize them? 

A manager is considering implementing a new cost-cutting measure, such as reducing employee benefits. While this may help the organization save money in the short term, it could also have unintended consequences, such as reduced employee morale and increased turnover. To minimize these unintended consequences, the manager could consider alternative cost-cutting measures or work to mitigate the impact on employees by providing additional support or incentives.

How can I test the assumptions and hypotheses, and what metrics can I measure success? 

A manager is considering launching a new product. The manager has assumptions about the market demand for the product, customer preferences, and production costs. To test these assumptions, the manager conducts market research, analyzes customer feedback, and conducts cost-benefit analyses to determine the product’s viability. The manager then sets metrics for success, such as sales targets or customer satisfaction ratings, and tracks these metrics over time to determine if the product is meeting expectations.

How can I anticipate and prepare for potential roadblocks or obstacles and develop contingency plans? 

A manager oversees the development of a new product dependent on a key supplier for a critical component. The manager anticipates potential roadblocks, such as delays or quality issues with the supplier, and develops contingency plans to identify alternate suppliers or develop in-house capabilities for the component. In addition to developing contingency plans, the manager also communicates and aligns these plans with relevant stakeholders, including team members and leadership. It helps ensure everyone is on the same page and prepared to pivot if necessary.

How can I learn from past experiences and mistakes and apply those lessons to the current situation?

A manager oversaw a marketing campaign that failed to generate the desired results. After analyzing the campaign, the manager identified that the messaging was unclear and did not effectively communicate the product’s value proposition. When planning a new campaign for a similar product, the manager could apply the lessons learned by ensuring the messaging is clear and effectively communicates the value proposition.

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How can i leverage our team’s diverse perspectives and expertise to generate creative solutions .

A manager is tasked with improving customer satisfaction ratings. The manager could convene a cross-functional team, including representatives from sales, customer service, marketing, and product development. The team could then use brainstorming sessions or design thinking techniques to generate creative solutions, drawing on their diverse perspectives and expertise to create innovative ideas. By involving the team in the solution process, the manager not only taps into the collective knowledge and experience of the team but also increases buy-in and engagement around the solution.

What is the long-term impact of my decisions, and how can I ensure they align with our organization’s mission and values?

A manager overseeing a manufacturing operation may need to make decisions about sourcing raw materials or disposing of waste products. By considering the long-term impact of these decisions, the manager could work to identify suppliers who prioritize sustainability and implement practices that reduce waste and minimize environmental harm.

How can we effectively communicate our decisions to the team to gain buy-in and support?

A manager observes that their team feels disconnected from the work being done daily. Upon thinking, the manager understands that the team needs to be made aware of the rationale behind decisions made by the management. They can explore various communication strategies and channels to ensure team members understand the rationale behind decisions.

What feedback mechanisms can we implement to regularly assess and enhance our processes?

A manager observes little performance improvement even after reviews and appraisals are over. They conclude that the feedback mechanisms are insufficient as they work infrequently and without coordination for follow-ups. It helps them search for better processes to implement with their team.

Suprabha Sharma

Suprabha, a versatile professional who blends expertise in human resources and psychology, bridges the divide between people management and personal growth with her novel perspectives at Risely. Her experience as a human resource professional has empowered her to visualize practical solutions for frequent managerial challenges that form the pivot of her writings.

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A Crash Course in Critical Thinking

What you need to know—and read—about one of the essential skills needed today..

Posted April 8, 2024 | Reviewed by Michelle Quirk

• In research for "A More Beautiful Question," I did a deep dive into the current crisis in critical thinking.
• Many people may think of themselves as critical thinkers, but they actually are not.
• Here is a series of questions you can ask yourself to try to ensure that you are thinking critically.

Conspiracy theories. Inability to distinguish facts from falsehoods. Widespread confusion about who and what to believe.

These are some of the hallmarks of the current crisis in critical thinking—which just might be the issue of our times. Because if people aren’t willing or able to think critically as they choose potential leaders, they’re apt to choose bad ones. And if they can’t judge whether the information they’re receiving is sound, they may follow faulty advice while ignoring recommendations that are science-based and solid (and perhaps life-saving).

Moreover, as a society, if we can’t think critically about the many serious challenges we face, it becomes more difficult to agree on what those challenges are—much less solve them.

On a personal level, critical thinking can enable you to make better everyday decisions. It can help you make sense of an increasingly complex and confusing world.

In the new expanded edition of my book A More Beautiful Question ( AMBQ ), I took a deep dive into critical thinking. Here are a few key things I learned.

First off, before you can get better at critical thinking, you should understand what it is. It’s not just about being a skeptic. When thinking critically, we are thoughtfully reasoning, evaluating, and making decisions based on evidence and logic. And—perhaps most important—while doing this, a critical thinker always strives to be open-minded and fair-minded . That’s not easy: It demands that you constantly question your assumptions and biases and that you always remain open to considering opposing views.

In today’s polarized environment, many people think of themselves as critical thinkers simply because they ask skeptical questions—often directed at, say, certain government policies or ideas espoused by those on the “other side” of the political divide. The problem is, they may not be asking these questions with an open mind or a willingness to fairly consider opposing views.

When people do this, they’re engaging in “weak-sense critical thinking”—a term popularized by the late Richard Paul, a co-founder of The Foundation for Critical Thinking . “Weak-sense critical thinking” means applying the tools and practices of critical thinking—questioning, investigating, evaluating—but with the sole purpose of confirming one’s own bias or serving an agenda.

In AMBQ , I lay out a series of questions you can ask yourself to try to ensure that you’re thinking critically. Here are some of the questions to consider:

• Why do I believe what I believe?
• Are my views based on evidence?
• Have I fairly and thoughtfully considered differing viewpoints?
• Am I truly open to changing my mind?

Of course, becoming a better critical thinker is not as simple as just asking yourself a few questions. Critical thinking is a habit of mind that must be developed and strengthened over time. In effect, you must train yourself to think in a manner that is more effortful, aware, grounded, and balanced.

For those interested in giving themselves a crash course in critical thinking—something I did myself, as I was working on my book—I thought it might be helpful to share a list of some of the books that have shaped my own thinking on this subject. As a self-interested author, I naturally would suggest that you start with the new 10th-anniversary edition of A More Beautiful Question , but beyond that, here are the top eight critical-thinking books I’d recommend.

The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark , by Carl Sagan

This book simply must top the list, because the late scientist and author Carl Sagan continues to be such a bright shining light in the critical thinking universe. Chapter 12 includes the details on Sagan’s famous “baloney detection kit,” a collection of lessons and tips on how to deal with bogus arguments and logical fallacies.

Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments Into Extraordinary Results , by Shane Parrish

The creator of the Farnham Street website and host of the “Knowledge Project” podcast explains how to contend with biases and unconscious reactions so you can make better everyday decisions. It contains insights from many of the brilliant thinkers Shane has studied.

Good Thinking: Why Flawed Logic Puts Us All at Risk and How Critical Thinking Can Save the World , by David Robert Grimes

A brilliant, comprehensive 2021 book on critical thinking that, to my mind, hasn’t received nearly enough attention . The scientist Grimes dissects bad thinking, shows why it persists, and offers the tools to defeat it.

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know , by Adam Grant

Intellectual humility—being willing to admit that you might be wrong—is what this book is primarily about. But Adam, the renowned Wharton psychology professor and bestselling author, takes the reader on a mind-opening journey with colorful stories and characters.

Think Like a Detective: A Kid's Guide to Critical Thinking , by David Pakman

The popular YouTuber and podcast host Pakman—normally known for talking politics —has written a terrific primer on critical thinking for children. The illustrated book presents critical thinking as a “superpower” that enables kids to unlock mysteries and dig for truth. (I also recommend Pakman’s second kids’ book called Think Like a Scientist .)

Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters , by Steven Pinker

The Harvard psychology professor Pinker tackles conspiracy theories head-on but also explores concepts involving risk/reward, probability and randomness, and correlation/causation. And if that strikes you as daunting, be assured that Pinker makes it lively and accessible.

How Minds Change: The Surprising Science of Belief, Opinion and Persuasion , by David McRaney

David is a science writer who hosts the popular podcast “You Are Not So Smart” (and his ideas are featured in A More Beautiful Question ). His well-written book looks at ways you can actually get through to people who see the world very differently than you (hint: bludgeoning them with facts definitely won’t work).

A Healthy Democracy's Best Hope: Building the Critical Thinking Habit , by M Neil Browne and Chelsea Kulhanek

Neil Browne, author of the seminal Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking, has been a pioneer in presenting critical thinking as a question-based approach to making sense of the world around us. His newest book, co-authored with Chelsea Kulhanek, breaks down critical thinking into “11 explosive questions”—including the “priors question” (which challenges us to question assumptions), the “evidence question” (focusing on how to evaluate and weigh evidence), and the “humility question” (which reminds us that a critical thinker must be humble enough to consider the possibility of being wrong).

Warren Berger is a longtime journalist and author of A More Beautiful Question .

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What is the Critical Thinking Test?

Critical thinking practice test, take a free practice critical thinking test, practice critical thinking test.

Updated November 16, 2023

The Critical Thinking Test is a comprehensive evaluation designed to assess individuals' cognitive capacities and analytical prowess.

This formal examination, often referred to as the critical thinking assessment, is a benchmark for those aiming to demonstrate their proficiency in discernment and problem-solving.

In addition, this evaluative tool meticulously gauges a range of skills, including logical reasoning, analytical thinking, and the ability to evaluate and synthesize information.

This article will embark on an exploration of the Critical Thinking Test, elucidating its intricacies and elucidating its paramount importance. We will dissect the essential skills it measures and clarify its significance in gauging one's intellectual aptitude.

We will examine examples of critical thinking questions, illuminating the challenging scenarios that candidates encounter prompting them to navigate the complexities of thought with finesse.

Before going ahead to take the critical thinking test, let's delve into the realm of preparation. This segment serves as a crucible for honing the skills assessed in the actual examination, offering candidates a chance to refine their analytical blades before facing the real challenge. Here are some skills that will help you with the critical thinking assessment: Logical Reasoning: The practice test meticulously evaluates your ability to deduce conclusions from given information, assess the validity of arguments, and recognize patterns in logic. Analytical Thinking: Prepare to dissect complex scenarios, identify key components, and synthesize information to draw insightful conclusions—a fundamental aspect of the critical thinking assessment. Problem-Solving Proficiency: Navigate through intricate problems that mirror real-world challenges, honing your capacity to approach issues systematically and derive effective solutions. What to Expect: The Critical Thinking Practice Test is crafted to mirror the format and complexity of the actual examination. Expect a series of scenarios, each accompanied by a set of questions that demand thoughtful analysis and logical deduction. These scenarios span diverse fields, from business and science to everyday scenarios, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of your critical thinking skills. Examples of Critical Thinking Questions Scenario: In a business context, analyze the potential impacts of a proposed strategy on both short-term profitability and long-term sustainability. Question: What factors would you consider in determining the viability of the proposed strategy, and how might it affect the company's overall success? Scenario: Evaluate conflicting scientific studies on a pressing environmental issue.

Question: Identify the key methodologies and data points in each study. How would you reconcile the disparities to form an informed, unbiased conclusion?

Why Practice Matters

Engaging in the Critical Thinking Practice Test familiarizes you with the test format and cultivates a mindset geared towards agile and astute reasoning. This preparatory phase allows you to refine your cognitive toolkit, ensuring you approach the assessment with confidence and finesse.

We'll navigate through specific examples as we proceed, offering insights into effective strategies for tackling critical thinking questions. Prepare to embark on a journey of intellectual sharpening, where each practice question refines your analytical prowess for the challenges ahead.

This is a practice critical thinking test.

The test consists of three questions . 

After you have answered all the questions, you will be shown the correct answers and given full explanations.

Make sure you read and fully understand each question before answering. Work quickly, but don't rush. You cannot afford to make mistakes on a real test .

If you get a question wrong, make sure you find out why and learn how to answer this type of question in the future. 

Six friends are seated in a restaurant across a rectangular table. There are three chairs on each side. Adam and Dorky do not have anyone sitting to their right and Clyde and Benjamin do not have anyone sitting to their left. Adam and Benjamin are not sitting on the same side of the table.

If Ethan is not sitting next to Dorky, who is seated immediately to the left of Felix?

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2023 Critical Thinking Challenge

We’re excited to announce that our biggest student competition is back and better this year! The Critical Thinking Challenge is open to all students from grades 3–6. If you think your child is up for a math challenge, then this is the event is for them! There is a $1,000 grand prize for the winning team, and special prizes for the two teams that come in 2 nd and 3 rd place.

💡 There are 2 rounds to the Critical Thinking Challenge: a local round and a regional round. The first round of the event will be held at your local Eye Level Learning Center, and the final round will be held on a regional level at an event space near you!

💡 For all information regarding registration, event dates, times, and locations, please visit www.criticalthinkingchallenge.com .  

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Boost Your Intellect: 9 Critical Thinking Questions Challenge Your Mind

Disclaimer : We sometimes use affiliate links in our content. For more information, visit our Disclaimer Page . 

Are you seeking ways to enhance your cognitive abilities and become a better problem solver? Look no further than critical thinking questions . These types of questions can help you develop and improve critical thinking skills , leading to a more profound and nuanced understanding of the world around you.

In this article, we will provide 9 challenging questions to help boost your intellect. These thought-provoking questions include logical reasoning, problem-solving, and ethical dilemmas to challenge your thinking and improve your ability to analyze complex problems.

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Key Takeaways:

• There are numerous benefits to honing critical thinking skills .
• Critical thinking is an essential skill for success in various aspects of life.
• Regularly practicing critical thinking exercises can lead to personal and professional growth .
• Engaging with critical thinking questions can help overcome cognitive biases and other critical thinking challenges.
• Critical thinking is a valuable lifelong habit worth cultivating.

Why Critical Thinking is Important for Intellectual Growth

When it comes to personal and intellectual growth, critical thinking skills are essential. Critical thinking involves analyzing information, identifying patterns, and making decisions based on evidence and sound reasoning. It allows individuals to approach problems systematically and logically, which leads to more effective problem-solving and decision-making.

Developing critical thinking skills is crucial for success in various aspects of life, such as academic achievement, professional advancement, and personal relationships. In today’s world, where information is easily accessible and quickly disseminated, individuals must be able to evaluate sources and differentiate between fact and opinion.

Furthermore, critical thinking skills are necessary for adapting to an ever-changing world. Technology, social norms, and economic circumstances are constantly evolving, and individuals must be able to think creatively and flexibly to navigate these changes.

By developing critical thinking skills, individuals can become more self-aware and reflective, better understand their biases, and make more informed decisions. They can also communicate effectively and collaborate with others, which leads to more productive and positive interactions.

There are several ways to develop critical thinking skills, including practicing mindfulness, engaging in cognitive exercises, and seeking out diverse perspectives. Individuals can improve their critical thinking abilities and enhance their intellectual growth with dedication and effort.

How to Improve Your Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking skills are essential for personal and intellectual growth. Here are some practical tips and strategies to help you improve your critical thinking abilities:

1. Analyze information from multiple perspectives

Challenge yourself to look at a problem or situation from different angles. Consider the viewpoints of different stakeholders and identify potential biases or assumptions that may impact your analysis.

2. Ask probing questions

Don’t be afraid to ask questions that challenge your assumptions or beliefs. Asking open-ended questions that start with “what,” “why,” and “how” can lead to deeper insights and uncover hidden assumptions or biases.

3. Seek evidence-based reasoning

Make sure your conclusions are based on sound evidence and reasoning rather than just personal opinions or beliefs. Use reliable sources and data to support your analysis and conclusions.

4. Practice active listening

Listening actively and attentively to others can help you better understand their perspectives and identify potential biases or assumptions that may be affecting their thinking. Pay attention to nonverbal cues and ask clarifying questions to ensure that you understand their perspective.

5. Engage in self-reflection

Take time to reflect on your own thinking and decision-making processes. Identify any biases or assumptions that may be influencing your thinking, and consider how you can overcome them.

6. Participate in critical thinking exercises

There are many exercises and activities that can help develop critical thinking skills, including puzzles, brain teasers, and debate. Seek out opportunities to engage in these exercises regularly.

Applying these strategies can develop critical thinking skills and enhance problem-solving and decision-making abilities.

The Power of Thought-Provoking Questions

Thought-provoking questions stimulate critical thinking, challenge assumptions, and promote creative problem-solving. Engaging with these questions encourages deeper reflection and can yield new insights into complex issues or situations.

Regularly engaging with thought-provoking questions can benefit individuals in various ways. For instance, it can help individuals become better at analyzing information from multiple perspectives, enhance their decision-making abilities, and foster cognitive flexibility.

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” – Albert Einstein

By challenging assumptions and asking probing questions, individuals become better at evaluating evidence and reasoning. This skill set can be particularly useful when navigating complex issues that require careful consideration and thoughtful analysis.

Regularly engaging with thought-provoking questions can help individuals develop their critical thinking abilities over time. By exercising their critical thinking, they can become better equipped to tackle challenges requiring logical reasoning and problem-solving skills.

Whether you want to improve your critical thinking skills or simply enjoy challenging your thinking, thought-provoking questions are a powerful tool to help you achieve your goals.

9 Critical Thinking Questions Challenge Your Mind

Developing critical thinking skills is crucial for personal and intellectual growth. Engaging with critical thinking questions is an effective way to improve these skills. Here are nine challenging questions to get you started:

• What is society’s most significant challenge, and how can we tackle it?

This question prompts you to consider the most pressing issue affecting society and think critically about potential solutions.

2. If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be, and why?

This question encourages you to reflect on the world’s problems and consider what you would prioritize changing.

3. Is having a broad knowledge base or specialized expertise better?

This question prompts you to consider the pros and cons of having a broad knowledge base versus specialized expertise in a particular field.

4. What is the best way to make an important decision?

This question challenges you to think about decision-making processes critically and consider various factors, such as the importance of the decision, the available information, and potential consequences.

5. What would you do differently if you knew you would never fail?

This question encourages you to think about how fear of failure influences decision-making and what you might do differently if you removed that fear.

6. What are the ethical implications of artificial intelligence?

This question prompts you to consider the ethical considerations surrounding the development and use of artificial intelligence.

7. How could we redesign our education system to better prepare students for the future?

This question encourages you to think about the current education system’s shortcomings and consider ways to improve it.

8. What are the pros and cons of social media?

This question challenges you to think about the impact of social media on individuals and society as a whole.

9. What is the best way to measure success?

This question prompts you to think critically about how we define and measure success in various contexts, such as personal, professional, and societal.

These critical thinking questions are just a starting point. By engaging with them regularly and challenging your thinking, you’ll develop your critical thinking skills and be better equipped to tackle complex problems.

How to Approach Critical Thinking Questions

Critical thinking questions can be challenging, but they are an effective way to develop your critical thinking skills. To get the most out of these questions, it’s important to approach them with a systematic process.

Break Down the Question

When you encounter a critical thinking question, your first step should be to break it down into component parts. Identify the keywords and phrases that define the question and determine what you are being asked to do.

For example, if the question asks you to evaluate an argument, you will need to identify the premises, the conclusion, and the reasoning that connects them.

Identify Underlying Assumptions

Next, you will need to identify any underlying assumptions that are implicit in the question. Look for any unstated beliefs or values that are being taken for granted.

For example, if a question asks you to evaluate a policy proposal, you will need to identify any assumptions about the goals of the policy, the values that are being prioritized, and the potential consequences of the policy.

Evaluate Evidence

Once you have identified the key components of the question and any underlying assumptions, you will need to evaluate the evidence that is being presented. Look for any gaps or weaknesses in the evidence and consider alternative sources of information that might be relevant.

For example, if the question asks you to evaluate the effectiveness of a particular treatment, you will need to consider the quality and quantity of the evidence that is being presented.

Challenge Your Thinking

Finally, it’s important to challenge your own thinking throughout the process. Be open to considering alternative perspectives and be willing to revise your beliefs and assumptions in light of new information.

Critical thinking questions are designed to challenge your thinking and encourage you to engage in a systematic thought process. By approaching these questions with a structured approach, you can develop your critical thinking skills and become a more effective problem-solver.

Benefits of Regularly Engaging with Critical Thinking Questions

Regularly practicing critical thinking exercises and engaging with thought-provoking questions has numerous benefits for developing critical thinking skills and enhancing intellect.

Improved problem-solving skills: Challenging questions help to develop analytical and creative thinking abilities, allowing individuals to approach problems from various angles and devise effective solutions.

Enhanced decision-making abilities: Regularly engaging with critical thinking questions promotes more informed and thoughtful decision-making, reducing the likelihood of impulsive choices based on emotions or biases.

Increased cognitive flexibility: Engaging with thought-provoking questions encourages individuals to think outside of their comfort zone and consider alternative perspectives, leading to increased adaptability and cognitive flexibility.

Opportunities for personal and professional growth : Developing critical thinking skills offers numerous benefits beyond intellect improvement, including advancing in a career and navigating personal relationships more effectively.

Incorporate regular critical thinking exercises and activities into daily life to continue developing critical thinking skills. Seek out additional resources and opportunities for ongoing practice, such as attending workshops or participating in group discussions.

• Engage in conversations with individuals of different backgrounds and perspectives to challenge assumptions and expand thinking.
• Take the time to analyze news sources for credibility and accuracy. Evaluate evidence-based reasoning and weigh different viewpoints to form an informed opinion.
• Regularly ask yourself challenging questions that force you to evaluate evidence critically.

By incorporating critical thinking into everyday life, individuals can continue to develop and improve their critical thinking skills, leading to enhanced problem-solving abilities and overall intellectual growth.

Incorporating Critical Thinking into Daily Life

Developing critical thinking skills requires more than just answering thought-provoking questions. It involves applying those skills in various real-life situations. Here are some suggestions for incorporating critical thinking into your daily life:

• Analyze news sources: Practice critical thinking skills by analyzing news sources from multiple perspectives. Examine the sources cited and the evidence presented to form an informed opinion.
• Evaluate arguments: When presented with an argument, evaluate it critically. Identify the claims being made, the evidence being presented, and the reasoning behind it.
• Ask questions: Develop critical thinking skills by asking questions in your daily interactions. Be curious and explore multiple perspectives to gain a deeper understanding of the topic at hand.
• Make informed decisions: Practice critical thinking skills by making informed decisions in your personal and professional life. Evaluate the options available, consider the consequences, and weigh the pros and cons.

There are many other ways to incorporate critical thinking into your daily life. Consider seeking out critical thinking exercises or activities to continue developing your skills. The more you practice, the more natural critical thinking becomes, and soon it will become a lifelong habit.

Strategies for Overcoming Critical Thinking Challenges

Developing critical thinking skills is not always easy, and various challenges can arise along the way. However, these obstacles can be overcome with the right strategies. Here are some useful tips for improving your critical thinking skills:

• Acknowledge your biases: We all have biases that influence our thinking. Being aware of them helps us evaluate situations more objectively.
• Consider other perspectives: Avoid jumping to conclusions and take the time to explore other points of view. This helps us gain a more complete understanding of the situation.
• Use evidence-based reasoning: Evaluate the evidence presented and make informed decisions based on facts rather than emotions.
• Ask questions: Asking questions helps us better understand the situation and identify any underlying assumptions.
• Challenge your assumptions: Be open to the possibility that your assumptions may not be accurate or complete. This helps us avoid making rash decisions based on incomplete information.
• Seek out new information: Stay curious and seek new information that may challenge or expand your existing knowledge.

These strategies can help you overcome critical thinking challenges and develop your skills further. Engaging in regular critical thinking exercises and activities can also help you build and refine these skills over time.

Applying Critical Thinking in Real-Life Situations

Critical thinking is not just a theoretical exercise but a practical skill that can be applied to various real-life situations. By developing critical thinking skills, you can make more informed decisions, solve problems more effectively, and navigate complex scenarios with greater ease.

One way to apply critical thinking is to evaluate news sources and information presented to us. By analyzing the credibility and reliability of a news source, we can make more informed decisions and avoid spreading misinformation.

Critical thinking can also be applied in analyzing arguments and making logical deductions. By identifying assumptions, biases, and fallacies, we can make better decisions and avoid being misled by faulty reasoning.

Another way to apply critical thinking skills is to make informed decisions about our health and well-being. By evaluating medical information and treatment options, we can make choices that are best for our individual needs and circumstances.

Developing critical thinking skills can also help us personally and professionally. By analyzing problems from multiple perspectives and considering various solutions, we can make more effective decisions and solve problems more efficiently.

To continue developing critical thinking skills in real-life situations, practicing regularly and seeking opportunities for ongoing learning and development is important. We can cultivate this important skill as a lifelong habit by incorporating critical thinking exercises and activities into our daily lives.

Building a Lifelong Habit of Critical Thinking

Developing critical thinking skills is not a one-time event but an ongoing process that requires regular practice and engagement. To build a lifelong habit of critical thinking, consider incorporating these activities and exercises into your daily routine:

• Ask Questions: Practice asking open-ended questions to encourage critical thinking and a deeper understanding of a topic.
• Challenge Assumptions: Identify and question underlying assumptions and biases in your own thinking and the information presented to you.
• Seek Evidence: Look for evidence-based reasoning, and evaluate the credibility of sources to make informed decisions.
• Engage in Debates: Participate in respectful debates and discussions, and practice defending your ideas with sound reasoning and evidence.
• Practice Problem-Solving: Tackle complex problems using logical reasoning and creative thinking to find solutions.

To further develop your critical thinking skills, consider participating in critical thinking exercises and activities such as:

• Critical Analysis: Analyze and evaluate arguments and claims presented in various media, such as news articles, advertisements, and social media posts.
• Brainstorming: Use brainstorming techniques to generate creative solutions to problems or challenges.
• Role-Playing: Participate in role-playing scenarios to practice decision-making and problem-solving skills in realistic situations.
• Logic Puzzles: Solve logic puzzles, such as Sudoku or crossword puzzles, to enhance analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

By incorporating critical thinking into your daily life through ongoing engagement and practice, you can continue to develop your skills and enhance your intellectual abilities for years to come.

Developing critical thinking skills is essential for personal and intellectual growth. Regularly engaging with thought-provoking questions can challenge our assumptions, sharpen our problem-solving abilities, and enhance our decision-making skills. The 9 critical thinking questions provided in this article offer a starting point for readers to develop their critical thinking skills.

Applying critical thinking skills in daily life requires effort and practice. We can cultivate critical thinking as a lifelong habit by incorporating critical thinking into our daily routines, such as evaluating news sources or analyzing arguments. It’s important to remember that critical thinking is not just a theoretical exercise but a practical skill that can be applied in real-life situations.

This article has provided practical tips and strategies for developing and incorporating critical thinking skills into daily life. We encourage readers to continue seeking resources and opportunities for ongoing critical thinking practice and apply the knowledge gained from this article to enhance their intellect and problem-solving capabilities.

Why are critical thinking skills important?

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85 Fun Critical Thinking Questions for Kids & Teens

Have you ever thought about using fun questions to practice critical thinking?

Students may need a little guidance to think their way through questions that lack straightforward answers.

But it is that process that is important!

How the Right Questions Encourage Critical Thinking

Every parent knows how natural it is for children to ask questions. 

It should be encouraged. After all, asking questions helps with critical thinking.

As they grow older, however, training them to answer questions can be equally beneficial.

Posing questions that encourage kids to analyze, compare, and evaluate information can help them develop their ability to think critically about tough topics in the future. 

Of course, critical thinking questions for kids need to be age-appropriate—even better if you can mix a little fun into it!

That’s what I hope to help you with today. I’ve organized the questions below into three different ages groups:

• Upper elementary
• Middle school
• High school 

Get a Question-Based Critical Thinking Exercise—Free!

Introduce critical thinking gently & easily with thought-provoking exercises.

Upper Elementary

Students in upper elementary grades can be reluctant to put themselves out there, especially with answers that seem weird. 

In some cases, such hesitancy is actually fear of differing from their peers (and a barrier to critical thinking ). 

But that’s exactly why it’s important to practice answering ambiguous questions. 

We want our children to stand firm for their beliefs—not cave to peer pressure. 

Additionally, students may feel uneasy about answering serious questions, uncertain of tackling “big” problems. 

However, with careful use of creative questions for kids, it’s possible to engage even the most reluctant children in this age group. 

The idea is to simply get them interested in the conversation and questions asked.

If you have an especially reserved student, try starting with the funny critical thinking questions. 

Humor is a natural icebreaker that can make critical thinking questions more lighthearted and enjoyable. 

Of course, most younger kids just like to be silly, so playing upon that can keep them active and engaged.

With that said, here are some great questions to get you started:

1. Someone gives you a penguin. You can’t sell it or give it away. What do you do with it?

2. What would it be like if people could fly?

3. If animals could talk, what question would you ask? 

4. If you were ice cream, what kind would you be and why?

5. Do you want to travel back in time? If yes, how far back would you go? If no, why not?

6. What could you invent that would help your family? 

7. If you could stay up all night, what would you do?

8. What does the man on the moon do during the day?

9. What makes something weird or normal? 

10. Can you describe the tastes “salty” and “sweet” without using those words?

11. What does it feel like to ride a rollercoaster?

12. What makes a joke funny?

13. What two items would you take if you knew you would be stranded on an island and why?

14. Do you have a favorite way of laughing?

15. What noise makes you cringe and cover your ears? Why?

16. If you could be the parent for the day, what would you do?

17. If you could jump into your favorite movie and change the outcome, which one would you pick and why?

18. If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do?

19. What makes a day “perfect”?

20. If you owned a store, what kind of products would you sell?

21. If your parents were your age, would you be friends with them?

22. Would you still like your favorite food if it tasted the same as always, but now had an awful smell?

23. What would you do if you forgot to put your shoes on before leaving home?

24. Who would you be if you were a cartoon character?

25. How many hot dogs do you think you could eat in one sitting?

26. If you could breathe under water, what would you explore?

27. At what age do you think you stop being a kid?

28. If you had springs in your legs, what would you be able to do?

29. Can you describe the color blue to someone if they’re blind?

Middle School

At this point, students start to acquire more complex skills and are able to form their own conclusions based on the information they’re given. 

However, we can’t expect deep philosophical debates with 12 and 13 year olds. 

That said, as parent-teachers, we can certainly begin using more challenging questions to help them examine and rationalize their thought processes. 

Browse the fun critical thinking questions below for students in this age range. 

You might be surprised to see how receptive middle school kids can be to such thought-provoking (yet still fun) questions .

30. What would happen if it really did rain cats and dogs?

31. What does it mean to be lucky?

32. If you woke up in the middle of a dream, where would you be?

33. Is it ever okay to lie? Why or why not?

34. If you were solely responsible for creating laws, what one law would you make?

35. What makes a person a good friend?

36. What do you think is the most important skill you can take into adulthood?

37. If you had to give up lunch or dinner, which would you choose? Why?

38. How much money would you need to be considered rich?

39. If you knew you wouldn’t get caught, would you cheat on a test?

40. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be?

41. What is your greatest strength? How is that an asset?

42. If you had an opportunity to visit the International Space Station, would you do it?

43. Is it better to keep the peace or speak your mind?

44. Imagine yourself as your favorite animal. How would you spend your day?

45. Would you be friends with someone who didn’t have the same values as you?

46. How much screen time do you think is too much?

47. Can you describe your favorite color without naming it?

48. If you suddenly became blind, would you see things differently?

49. Would you ever go skydiving?

50. Describe the time you were the happiest in your life. Why did this make you happy?

51. If you had a million dollars, what would you do?

52. If you had to move to a new city, would you change how you present yourself to others?

53. What do you need to do in order to be famous?

54. If you could rewrite the ending of your favorite book or movie, what changes would you make?

55. How would you tackle a huge goal?

56. How would you sell ice to an eskimo in Alaska successfully?

57. What makes you unique?

High School

Critical thinking takes on an entirely different role once students reach high school. 

At this age, they have a greater sense of right and wrong (and what makes things so) as well as a better understanding of the world’s challenges.

Guiding teens to delve deeper and contemplate such things is an important part of developing their reasoning and critical thinking skills. 

Whether it’s fun questions about hypothetical superpowers or tough critical thinking questions about life, older teens typically have what it takes to think their way to a logical conclusion . 

Of course, use your discernment as you choose discussion topics, but here are some questions to help get you started:

58. How can you avoid [common problem] in the future?

59. Do you think it’s okay to take a life in order to save 5, 10, 20 or more people?

60. If you could go back and give your younger self advice, what would it be?

61. Is it better to give or receive a gift?

62. How important is it to be financially secure? Why?

63. If it was up to you, what one rule would you change in your family?

64. What would you do if a group of friends wanted to do something that you thought was a bad idea?

65. How do you know that something is a fact rather than an opinion?

66. What would it take to get you to change your mind?

67. What’s the most important thing in your life?

68. If money were of no concern, what job would you choose and why?

69. How do you know if you’re happy?

70. Do you think euthanasia is moral?

71. What is something you can do today that you weren’t able to do a year ago?

72. Is social media a good thing or not?

73. Is it right to keep animals in a zoo?

74. How does your attitude affect your abilities?

75. What would you do if you found out a friend was doing something dangerous?

76. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Why?

77. What will life on Earth look like in 50 years?

78. Which is more important, ending world hunger or global warming?

79. Is it a good idea to lower the voting age to 16? Why or why not?

80. If the electrical power went out today, how would you cook if using wood wasn’t an option?

81. If you could magically transport yourself to any other place, where would that be and why?

82. When should teenagers be able to stay out all night?

83. Does the number zero actually exist?

84. What defines a generous person?

85. Does an influential person influence everyone?

Feel free to print out these fun critical thinking questions and incorporate them into your homeschool week!

will your children recognize truth?

About the author.

Jordan Mitchell

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Critical Thinking Is About Asking Better Questions

• John Coleman

Six practices to sharpen your inquiry.

Critical thinking is the ability to analyze and effectively break down an issue in order to make a decision or find a solution. At the heart of critical thinking is the ability to formulate deep, different, and effective questions. For effective questioning, start by holding your hypotheses loosely. Be willing to fundamentally reconsider your initial conclusions — and do so without defensiveness. Second, listen more than you talk through active listening. Third, leave your queries open-ended, and avoid yes-or-no questions. Fourth, consider the counterintuitive to avoid falling into groupthink. Fifth, take the time to stew in a problem, rather than making decisions unnecessarily quickly. Last, ask thoughtful, even difficult, follow-ups.

Are you tackling a new and difficult problem at work? Recently promoted and trying to both understand your new role and bring a fresh perspective? Or are you new to the workforce and seeking ways to meaningfully contribute alongside your more experienced colleagues? If so, critical thinking — the ability to analyze and effectively break down an issue in order to make a decision or find a solution — will be core to your success. And at the heart of critical thinking is the ability to formulate deep, different, and effective questions.

• JC John Coleman is the author of the HBR Guide to Crafting Your Purpose . Subscribe to his free newsletter, On Purpose , or contact him at johnwilliamcoleman.com . johnwcoleman

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How to build critical thinking skills for better decision-making

It’s simple in theory, but tougher in practice – here are five tips to get you started.

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Have you heard the riddle about two coins that equal thirty cents, but one of them is not a nickel? What about the one where a surgeon says they can’t operate on their own son?

Those brain teasers tap into your critical thinking skills. But your ability to think critically isn’t just helpful for solving those random puzzles – it plays a big role in your career. 

An impressive 81% of employers say critical thinking carries a lot of weight when they’re evaluating job candidates. It ranks as the top competency companies consider when hiring recent graduates (even ahead of communication ). Plus, once you’re hired, several studies show that critical thinking skills are highly correlated with better job performance.

So what exactly are critical thinking skills? And even more importantly, how do you build and improve them? 

What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking is the ability to evaluate facts and information, remain objective, and make a sound decision about how to move forward.

Does that sound like how you approach every decision or problem? Not so fast. Critical thinking seems simple in theory but is much tougher in practice, which helps explain why 65% of employers say their organization has a need for more critical thinking. 

In reality, critical thinking doesn’t come naturally to a lot of us. In order to do it well, you need to:

• Remain open-minded and inquisitive, rather than relying on assumptions or jumping to conclusions
• Ask questions and dig deep, rather than accepting information at face value
• Keep your own biases and perceptions in check to stay as objective as possible
• Rely on your emotional intelligence to fill in the blanks and gain a more well-rounded understanding of a situation

So, critical thinking isn’t just being intelligent or analytical. In many ways, it requires you to step outside of yourself, let go of your own preconceived notions, and approach a problem or situation with curiosity and fairness.

It’s a challenge, but it’s well worth it. Critical thinking skills will help you connect ideas, make reasonable decisions, and solve complex problems.

7 critical thinking skills to help you dig deeper

Critical thinking is often labeled as a skill itself (you’ll see it bulleted as a desired trait in a variety of job descriptions). But it’s better to think of critical thinking less as a distinct skill and more as a collection or category of skills. 

To think critically, you’ll need to tap into a bunch of your other soft skills. Here are seven of the most important. 

Open-mindedness

It’s important to kick off the critical thinking process with the idea that anything is possible. The more you’re able to set aside your own suspicions, beliefs, and agenda, the better prepared you are to approach the situation with the level of inquisitiveness you need. 

That means not closing yourself off to any possibilities and allowing yourself the space to pull on every thread – yes, even the ones that seem totally implausible.

As Christopher Dwyer, Ph.D. writes in a piece for Psychology Today , “Even if an idea appears foolish, sometimes its consideration can lead to an intelligent, critically considered conclusion.” He goes on to compare the critical thinking process to brainstorming . Sometimes the “bad” ideas are what lay the foundation for the good ones. 

Open-mindedness is challenging because it requires more effort and mental bandwidth than sticking with your own perceptions. Approaching problems or situations with true impartiality often means:

• Practicing self-regulation : Giving yourself a pause between when you feel something and when you actually react or take action.
• Challenging your own biases: Acknowledging your biases and seeking feedback are two powerful ways to get a broader understanding. 

Critical thinking example

In a team meeting, your boss mentioned that your company newsletter signups have been decreasing and she wants to figure out why.

At first, you feel offended and defensive – it feels like she’s blaming you for the dip in subscribers. You recognize and rationalize that emotion before thinking about potential causes. You have a hunch about what’s happening, but you will explore all possibilities and contributions from your team members.

Observation

Observation is, of course, your ability to notice and process the details all around you (even the subtle or seemingly inconsequential ones). Critical thinking demands that you’re flexible and willing to go beyond surface-level information, and solid observation skills help you do that.

Your observations help you pick up on clues from a variety of sources and experiences, all of which help you draw a final conclusion. After all, sometimes it’s the most minuscule realization that leads you to the strongest conclusion.

Over the next week or so, you keep a close eye on your company’s website and newsletter analytics to see if numbers are in fact declining or if your boss’s concerns were just a fluke. 

Critical thinking hinges on objectivity. And, to be objective, you need to base your judgments on the facts – which you collect through research. You’ll lean on your research skills to gather as much information as possible that’s relevant to your problem or situation. 

Keep in mind that this isn’t just about the quantity of information – quality matters too. You want to find data and details from a variety of trusted sources to drill past the surface and build a deeper understanding of what’s happening. 

You dig into your email and website analytics to identify trends in bounce rates, time on page, conversions, and more. You also review recent newsletters and email promotions to understand what customers have received, look through current customer feedback, and connect with your customer support team to learn what they’re hearing in their conversations with customers.

The critical thinking process is sort of like a treasure hunt – you’ll find some nuggets that are fundamental for your final conclusion and some that might be interesting but aren’t pertinent to the problem at hand.

That’s why you need analytical skills. They’re what help you separate the wheat from the chaff, prioritize information, identify trends or themes, and draw conclusions based on the most relevant and influential facts. 

It’s easy to confuse analytical thinking with critical thinking itself, and it’s true there is a lot of overlap between the two. But analytical thinking is just a piece of critical thinking. It focuses strictly on the facts and data, while critical thinking incorporates other factors like emotions, opinions, and experiences. 

As you analyze your research, you notice that one specific webpage has contributed to a significant decline in newsletter signups. While all of the other sources have stayed fairly steady with regard to conversions, that one has sharply decreased.

You decide to move on from your other hypotheses about newsletter quality and dig deeper into the analytics. 

One of the traps of critical thinking is that it’s easy to feel like you’re never done. There’s always more information you could collect and more rabbit holes you could fall down.

But at some point, you need to accept that you’ve done your due diligence and make a decision about how to move forward. That’s where inference comes in. It’s your ability to look at the evidence and facts available to you and draw an informed conclusion based on those. 

When you’re so focused on staying objective and pursuing all possibilities, inference can feel like the antithesis of critical thinking. But ultimately, it’s your inference skills that allow you to move out of the thinking process and onto the action steps. 

You dig deeper into the analytics for the page that hasn’t been converting and notice that the sharp drop-off happened around the same time you switched email providers.

After looking more into the backend, you realize that the signup form on that page isn’t correctly connected to your newsletter platform. It seems like anybody who has signed up on that page hasn’t been fed to your email list. 

Communication

3 ways to improve your communication skills at work

If and when you identify a solution or answer, you can’t keep it close to the vest. You’ll need to use your communication skills to share your findings with the relevant stakeholders – like your boss, team members, or anybody who needs to be involved in the next steps.

Your analysis skills will come in handy here too, as they’ll help you determine what information other people need to know so you can avoid bogging them down with unnecessary details. 

In your next team meeting, you pull up the analytics and show your team the sharp drop-off as well as the missing connection between that page and your email platform. You ask the web team to reinstall and double-check that connection and you also ask a member of the marketing team to draft an apology email to the subscribers who were missed. 

Problem-solving

Critical thinking and problem-solving are two more terms that are frequently confused. After all, when you think critically, you’re often doing so with the objective of solving a problem.

The best way to understand how problem-solving and critical thinking differ is to think of problem-solving as much more narrow. You’re focused on finding a solution.

In contrast, you can use critical thinking for a variety of use cases beyond solving a problem – like answering questions or identifying opportunities for improvement. Even so, within the critical thinking process, you’ll flex your problem-solving skills when it comes time to take action. 

Once the fix is implemented, you monitor the analytics to see if subscribers continue to increase. If not (or if they increase at a slower rate than you anticipated), you’ll roll out some other tests like changing the CTA language or the placement of the subscribe form on the page.

5 ways to improve your critical thinking skills

Beyond the buzzwords: Why interpersonal skills matter at work

Think critically about critical thinking and you’ll quickly realize that it’s not as instinctive as you’d like it to be. Fortunately, your critical thinking skills are learned competencies and not inherent gifts – and that means you can improve them. Here’s how:

• Practice active listening: Active listening helps you process and understand what other people share. That’s crucial as you aim to be open-minded and inquisitive.
• Ask open-ended questions: If your critical thinking process involves collecting feedback and opinions from others, ask open-ended questions (meaning, questions that can’t be answered with “yes” or “no”). Doing so will give you more valuable information and also prevent your own biases from influencing people’s input.
• Scrutinize your sources: Figuring out what to trust and prioritize is crucial for critical thinking. Boosting your media literacy and asking more questions will help you be more discerning about what to factor in. It’s hard to strike a balance between skepticism and open-mindedness, but approaching information with questions (rather than unquestioning trust) will help you draw better conclusions. 
• Play a game: Remember those riddles we mentioned at the beginning? As trivial as they might seem, games and exercises like those can help you boost your critical thinking skills. There are plenty of critical thinking exercises you can do individually or as a team . 
• Give yourself time: Research shows that rushed decisions are often regrettable ones. That’s likely because critical thinking takes time – you can’t do it under the wire. So, for big decisions or hairy problems, give yourself enough time and breathing room to work through the process. It’s hard enough to think critically without a countdown ticking in your brain. 

Critical thinking really is critical

The ability to think critically is important, but it doesn’t come naturally to most of us. It’s just easier to stick with biases, assumptions, and surface-level information. 

But that route often leads you to rash judgments, shaky conclusions, and disappointing decisions. So here’s a conclusion we can draw without any more noodling: Even if it is more demanding on your mental resources, critical thinking is well worth the effort.

Advice, stories, and expertise about work life today.

17 Types of Questions for Teachers in the Classroom

Questions are the foundation of almost any class, but knowing when to ask the right ones may require some pre-planning. Educators can use different types of questions in teaching to check on a student’s understanding, spark discussion, or help others learn from their peers.

Of course, you may have the perfect list of questions to ask, but keeping students engaged and talking can become another hurdle. We’ll go over different strategies for designing effective questions and how to handle various situations, such as incorrect answers or silence. Plus, we’ll show you how tech like Poll Everywhere can help you engage your students with interactive presentations and questions .

How to design effective and engaging questions (and get students to respond)

Keeping students engaged while you ask questions designed to measure their level of understanding is an art. Here are some steps you can take to thoughtfully craft different types of questions for your classroom:

Planning what types of questions to ask

• Choose a goal for asking questions: This helps you decide which types of questions used in teaching are best for your needs.
• Decide what course material to base questions on: It’s better to choose content you feel is important to the overall learning objectives noted in your lesson plan.
• Plan critical questions ahead of time: While it’s okay to formulate questions as the class progresses, it’s important to plan questions you deem essential to gauging students’ learning or prompting critical thinking ahead of time.
• Adapt questions to students’ knowledge levels: Make sure your questions challenge your students' understanding of newly presented topics or assess their foundational knowledge—using a diagnostic assessment before and after the semester can help gauge current knowledge.
• Use a variety of question types: Using a variety of question types—even for the same concept—can help students better grasp the course material by prompting them to think about their answers in different ways. Using Bloom’s Taxonomy to develop multiple levels of questions for the same topic is helpful.
• Anticipate possible answers: This helps you ensure the phrasing of your question isn’t too vague or misleading, as well as whether the questions match your learning objectives.

Asking questions

• Phrase questions clearly: Ensure your questions are unambiguous and are phrased logically so students don’t misunderstand or end up more confused.
• Allow time to process the question: Don’t be afraid of silence—it likely means your students are contemplating the question and thinking through their responses. You should always wait a moment for students to process the question before rephrasing or assuming they don’t understand.
• Avoid including the answer in your questions: If you’re assessing students’ comprehension, including the answer in your question defeats the purpose and likely won’t encourage engagement.
• Vary the types of questions you ask: By varying the questions you use in your teaching, you can prompt students to think about the material in different ways.

Assessing student responses

• Follow student responses with reflection: A reflective statement (e.g., “It sounds like…” or “What did you mean when you said…?”) helps you show you’re listening and double-check your understanding of the response.
• Ask students to elaborate: Similar to making a reflective statement, you can outright request that a student elaborate on their response. This can help you really dig into their level of comprehension and may also help other students who are listening in by giving them insight into their peers’ thinking processes.
• Know how you’ll handle incorrect answers: Have a game plan in place in case students answer incorrectly. This not only reduces the chance of confusion but also helps you confidently guide the discussion so students can come to the correct answer and understand why their original answer was incorrect.
• Encourage other students to chime in: Turn a one-way conversation into a discussion by inviting others to offer their opinions or state if they agree or disagree (and why).
• Use positive reinforcement: Make students feel confident and glad they responded by smiling, using positive statements, nodding, and making eye contact. This positive reinforcement can help students feel safe when responding—or when asking questions.
• Keep track of who’s responded: While some students are eager to offer their two cents, others may be more reluctant. You can create a more inclusive and inviting discussion by allowing a variety of students to share. If you teach a hybrid class, be sure to include both in-person and remote students as well.

3 strategies for addressing incorrect answers or surface-level understanding

If your students don’t respond with a satisfactory answer, you can take advantage of that time to help students understand what they got wrong and what the correct answer is. Three different strategies for guiding students to a better understanding of the topic include probing, redirecting, and refocusing.

• Probing: The probing strategy encourages students to use critical thinking to analyze their answers. This may involve uncovering relationships by comparing and contrasting different concepts, or instructors can ask students to clarify their ideas by providing examples. Additionally, educators can help students pinpoint assumptions used to justify their answers.
• Redirecting: By using redirection carefully, you can invite other students to correct a peer’s incorrect answers. This strategy also encourages more students to participate in the discussion by asking if they agree with the answer or if they can provide an example to support the answer. Just be sure to lay out ground rules before opening up a discussion based on one student’s thoughts to avoid unnecessary conflict.
• Refocusing: Instructors can refocus students if their answer doesn’t quite fit with the content being discussed. For example, let’s say you ask, “What’s one way our modern food system is making people sick?” and a student responds with, “Doesn’t it encourage us to overeat?”—you might refocus the discussion to discuss how not all calories are nutritionally equal by asking, “Yes, but what if we’re talking about not just caloric intake but nutritional intake as well?”

How to use Bloom’s Taxonomy to craft engaging questions

Bloom’s Taxonomy is a framework intended to define different levels of learning and help teachers assess student progress. You can use this concept to develop questions that assess students’ levels of understanding. According to Bloom’s Taxonomy, there are six different levels of understanding: remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create.

Remember, understand, and apply questions are typically used to assess learners’ comprehension to see whether anyone needs additional assistance grasping the course content. Analyze, evaluate, and create questions are more often used to encourage deeper critical thinking and problem-solving, or to spark discussions.

If you start with higher-level questions associated with the analyze, evaluate, and create levels and students aren’t sure of the answer, asking a follow-up question related to the lower levels of remember, understand, and apply can help you judge whether your learners understand the course material or not.

Here are some examples to help you craft your own questions based on Bloom’s Taxonomy:

• Can you describe ____?
• When did ____ happen?
• Which is true/false, ____ or ____?
• What does ____ mean?
• How would you show ____?
• How would you compare/contrast ____?
• What’s the main idea of ____?
• What would happen if ____?
• How would you state ____ in your own words?
• Which statements support ____?
• Do you know of another instance where ____?
• What examples can you think of to support ____?
• How would you use ____?
• How would you solve ____ using what you’ve learned?
• What questions would you ask to better understand ____?
• Why do you think ____?
• What conclusions can you draw about ____?
• Why did ____ changes occur?
• What’s the theme of ____?
• How is ____ similar to ____?
• What’s your opinion of ____ and why?
• How would you handle ____?
• Is there a better solution to ____?
• What information would you use to support the view of ____?
• Why was ____ better than ____?
• Can you see a possible solution for ____?
• What alternative can you propose for ____?
• How would you test ____?
• What would you predict is the outcome of ____?
• What new/unique uses can you come up with for ____?

What to do if students don’t respond to questions

Possibly one of the worst nightmares any instructor can have is asking a question and being met with silence. But with a few simple strategies you can turn silence into learning opportunities:

• Rephrase the question: Chances are your students don’t understand the question or aren’t sure what you’re looking for. In this case, rephrasing the question to clarify could help clear up the confusion. For example, let’s say you ask your students, “How would you define a project?” You can reword the question by asking, “In what ways are projects different from processes?”
• Prompt with information: You might be able to jog students’ memories or thinking by providing information or context. For example, if students cannot answer “How do you calculate the circumference of a circle?” you could break the question down by asking “How do you calculate the radius of a circle?”

Why is it important to use engaging questions while teaching?

At a minimum, crafting thoughtful questions can help you judge whether your class comprehends the concepts presented in the course. Additionally, strategically designing questions can improve students’ learning comprehension by helping them think critically and creatively as well as encouraging them to engage with the course content.

Questions, credibility, and feedback are all aspects of communication that can improve student engagement. A 2021 study published in the Frontiers in Psychology journal found a “strong dynamic between the aspects of academic engagement and teacher caring, credibility, feedback, and communication style.” Additionally, one study participant noted that an instructor’s credibility actually improves if they don’t always know the answers to all questions.

17 effective types of questions in teaching

Planning out your questions for each lesson also involves considering what types of questions you’ll ask. There are numerous question types and each one may elicit a different response from students. Here are some more effective types of questions to use in teaching that encourage critical thinking and creativity:

A type of rhetorical question, display questions help educators check on students’ ability to retrieve information.

• How much of the body’s oxygen consumption does the brain account for?
• Who wrote “The Faerie Queene?”

2. Referential

A referential question is used when the person asking the question doesn’t know the answer. These types of questions may be helpful to instructors when gathering student feedback about course materials and activities—or to create personal connections by checking in on how students are doing.

• Overall, do you feel this class was beneficial?
• How was your weekend?

Factual questions, also called explicit questions, call on students to answer using information pulled directly from reading assignments. Educators can use factual questions to understand whether students understand the concepts presented in the readings.

Factual questions are an essential starting point for students to expand on the information they’ve learned with critical thinking.

• Which art movement is Salvador Dali associated with?
• Who designed the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain?

4. Convergent

These types of questions ask students to pull together ideas and information from different sources and synthesize them to create a logical answer. Convergent questions are ideal for problem-solving activities.

• What was the common theme in last week’s reading?
• How would you describe this current event in one word?

5. Divergent

The opposite of convergent questions, divergent questions don’t have a single answer. These types of questions are best used to inspire creative responses and encourage students to consider different points of view, ideas, and scenarios.

• How do you think Edgar Allen Poe would have ended “The Tell-Tale Heart” if his main character didn’t confess?
• How do you think the US might be different if the assassination of John F. Kennedy never took place?

6. Evaluative

An evaluative question requires students to think of a response based on their opinion. These questions can prompt students to think critically about readings or discussions and draw connections to their own experiences or ideals.

• What do you think about Captain Ahab’s mission to find the white whale?
• Do you agree with what the author said in this paper about animal rights?

Open-ended questions are essential to prompt students to think critically about their answers. Open questions can’t be answered with a simple “Yes” or “No,” making them a powerful tool for inspiring discussion.

• What is the main purpose of the United Nations?
• What’s one major breakthrough we’ve had in science over the last 10 years?

Learn more: Marquise McGraw, Ph.D., a professional lecturer at American University, gets students involved in discussions using Poll Everywhere. Find out his personal strategies for engaging everyone —even students who are normally too shy to share—in classroom discussions.

If instructors are trying to get a student to provide more information about their answer, they can use probing questions to prompt students to clarify, justify, or elaborate on their thoughts.

• What information helped you come to that conclusion?
• Who might disagree with your answer?

9. Multiple choice

One of the most common types of questions, multiple-choice questions provide options for students to choose from when answering. Usually, multiple-choice questions have one correct answer, but alternatives include prompting students to choose the option that’s wrong out of a list of correct options or offering an “All of the above” option.

Multiple-choice questions can improve student participation by making it easier for them to respond. Tech like Poll Everywhere further enhances this accessibility by allowing students to answer using their cell phones—or answer anonymously if the instructor chooses to set up the question that way.

• Which project document includes the description, owner, source, priority, and status of product requirements? a) The project charter b) The requirements traceability matrix c) The scope management plan d) The work breakdown structure
• How are tertiary colors created? a) Mixing equal amounts of two secondary colors b) Mixing unequal amounts of two primary colors c) Mixing three primary colors d) All of the above

Focal questions encourage students to pick a side and support their position with logical reasoning. These can be helpful in inspiring students to consider alternative points of view or schools of thought.

• Do you think all US citizens should have to sign up for the draft? Why or why not?
• Do you believe it was within the right of the US Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade? Why or why not?

Physicist Enrico Fermi is the namesake of the Fermi question, which requires students to estimate an answer based on limited information. You may recognize this type of question from articles covering Google’s unconventional approach to interviewing potential new employees, as Fermi questions require creative thinking and the ability to work through a problem.

• Why are manhole covers round?
• How would you explain how the internet works to a seven-year-old?

Thunk questions are intended to encourage students to pause and look at what might normally be a common, benign concept in a different light. (Fun fact: The term “thunk” is based on the irregular form of the verb “think.”)

• If your pet could talk, what would it say about you?
• What’s the difference between knowing and believing?

13. Hypothetical

Hypothetical questions use the good old “What if…” structure to prompt students to consider a scenario and how they would react or feel. Hypothetical questions inspire creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

• What if Europeans never reached North or South America, how would the world be different?
• What do you think life would be like if dinosaurs never went extinct?

14. Ethical

Educators can present students with moral dilemmas using ethical questions. These types of questions don’t have a right or wrong answer but do require students to think critically about why they believe their answer is correct. Ethical questions are excellent discussion starters.

• Do you think countries should be able to claim other planets as their own?
• Should we take care of workers whose jobs are replaced by AI?

15. Application

Instructors can use application questions to encourage students to apply newly gained knowledge related to the course. By using information they’ve learned in class and applying it to real-world situations, students can achieve a higher level of comprehension.

• What are some examples of media bias you’ve seen recently?
• How would you demonstrate Newton’s first law using objects on your desk or in the classroom?
• Using what you know about cognitive bias, how would you design a website landing page that converts leads?

16. Affective

You can encourage students to engage with course content on a more personal level by using affective questions. These types of questions ask students about their feelings toward a topic and how it relates to their values.

Poll Everywhere’s numeric rating scale allows educators to present affective questions in a friendly way. Ask students to rate how they feel about an issue using a scale from one to five, then ask if anyone wants to chime in with the reasoning behind their rating to kick the discussion off.

• How do you feel about the author’s portrayal of Lenny?
• Is the use of imagination in art important to you?

These types of questions are used to gauge your students’ understanding of a topic all at the same time. By using hinge questions, you can decide whether the day’s class should continue going over the topic or if you can move on to the next lesson.

• Which of the following examples represents an allegory?
• Which of the following is an example of soft news?

3 types of ineffective questions to avoid (or use carefully)

Along with the 17 types of effective questions above, there are three more types of questions that can become problematic if not used carefully.

• Binary: Also called a closed question, a binary question is usually answered with “Yes” or No” or variations thereof. These questions typically force students to choose a side and are more effective if there’s no right or wrong answer or if you probe for additional information.
• Leading: Leading questions are problematic because they suggest the correct or desired answer. An example of a leading question is, “How satisfied were you with the class?”
• Loaded: These types of questions include an implicit assumption about the respondent. An example of a loaded question is, “How many times did you cheat on your exams during the semester?”

Poll Everywhere makes gauging student understanding effective and engaging

Getting students to participate in discussions or even ask their own questions is challenging. Designing effective questions based on your desired outcomes or learning objectives keeps you one step ahead of in-class conversations. However, you should also be ready to guide discussions back on topic if students take off on tangents or a respectful debate becomes a heated argument.

Tech like Poll Everywhere can help you present your questions in an engaging format that invites all students to participate. With the ability to ask and share any type of question using Poll Everywhere, including multiple-choice, you can quickly and easily inspire and guide discussions that all students are excited to participate in.

Related articles

67 Thought Provoking Questions to Challenge Your Mind

Are you looking for a way to challenge your thinking and spark creativity? Thought-provoking questions can help you do just that. These types of questions encourage introspection, imagination, and critical thinking, and can help you learn more about yourself and others. In this article, we have compiled 67 thought provoking questions that will challenge your mind and inspire you to think deeply.

Table of Contents

What are thought-provoking questions.

Thought-provoking questions are questions that challenge your thinking and stimulate your mind. These types of questions encourage you to explore new ideas, perspectives, and concepts. They are often open-ended and require you to think deeply and critically. Thought-provoking questions can be used in many different contexts, such as social gatherings, classrooms, or personal reflection .

Why should you ask thought-provoking questions?

Asking thought-provoking questions can have several benefits, including:

• Encouraging creativity and innovation
• Helping you learn more about yourself and others
• Stimulating critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Promoting empathy and understanding
• Encouraging deeper and more meaningful conversations
• Increasing self-awareness and personal growth

How to ask thought-provoking questions?

When asking thought-provoking questions, it is important to be open-minded and curious. Avoid judgment and allow the conversation to flow naturally. Here are some tips to help you ask thought-provoking questions:

• Walt Disney: “If You Can Dream It You Can Do It” – What Does It Really Mean?
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• Start with an open-ended question
• Avoid yes or no questions
• Ask follow-up questions to deepen the conversation
• Listen actively and engage with the person you are talking to
• Be respectful and non-judgmental

67 thought-provoking questions to challenge your mind

Questions to spark creativity.

• What if you could go back in time and change one decision you made?
• If you had unlimited resources, what would you create?
• How would the world be different if everyone had the same perspective?
• What would you do differently if you knew you could not fail?
• What would happen if there were no rules?

Questions to encourage introspection

• What is the most important lesson you have learned in life so far?
• What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses?
• What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?
• What is your biggest fear?
• What is your definition of success?

Questions to stimulate critical thinking

• If you could only save three things in a fire, what would they be and why?
• How do you define intelligence?
• What would happen if everyone thought the same way?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of social media?
• What are the ethical implications of artificial intelligence?

Questions to inspire empathy

• What is the biggest problem facing society today?
• What is something that you have in common with someone from a different culture?
• How do you think your life would be different if you were born in a different country?
• What is the most important lesson you have learned from someone who is different from you?
• What is the most meaningful act of kindness you have ever witnessed?

Questions to ignite imagination

• What would the world look like if humans had wings?
• What would happen if you woke up one day with superpowers?
• If you could live in any fictional world, which one would it be and why?
• How would the world be different if technology never existed?
• What would happen if humans discovered extraterrestrial life?

Questions to explore values

• What is the most important thing in life?
• How do you define love?
• What do you believe is the purpose of life?
• What is the most important quality a person can have?
• How do you determine right from wrong?

Questions to challenge assumptions

• What is something you have always believed to be true, but might not be?
• How would you feel if someone challenged your beliefs?
• What is something you used to believe that you no longer do?
• How do you know if something is true or false?
• What assumptions do people often make about you that are incorrect?

Questions to encourage self-improvement

• What is one habit you would like to break?
• What is one skill you would like to develop?
• What is something you have been putting off that you should do today?
• How do you handle failure?
• What is one thing you can do today to improve your life?

Questions to stimulate curiosity

• What is something you have always wanted to learn but haven’t had the opportunity to?
• What is the most fascinating thing you have learned recently?
• What is something that always makes you curious?
• What is something that you have always wondered about?
• What is something you wish you knew more about?

Questions to encourage reflection

• What is something you wish you had done differently?
• What is something you are grateful for?
• What is something you take for granted?
• What is something you have accomplished that you are proud of?
• What is something that always makes you happy?

Questions to inspire action

• What is something you can do to make the world a better place?
• How can you use your skills to help others?
• What is one thing you can do to make someone’s day better?
• What is one small change you can make to improve your life?
• What is one thing you can do today to achieve your goals ?

Questions to promote positivity

• What is something positive that happened to you today?
• What is something you love about yourself?
• What is something you love about your life?
• What is something you are looking forward to?
• What is something that always makes you smile?

Questions to encourage imagination

• What would happen if the world was made of candy?
• If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?
• What would you do if you won the lottery?
• What would happen if you could talk to animals?
• If you could live in any era, which one would it be and why?

Questions to promote gratitude

• What is something you are grateful for today?
• What is one thing that has made a positive impact on your life?

Asking thought-provoking questions is an excellent way to stimulate your mind, challenge your thinking, and learn more about yourself and others. These 67 questions can help you explore new ideas, spark creativity, encourage introspection, stimulate critical thinking, inspire empathy, and ignite imagination. Use them to start meaningful conversations, improve self-awareness, and promote personal growth.

• What are thought-provoking questions? Thought-provoking questions are questions that challenge your thinking, stimulate your curiosity, and encourage introspection. They often prompt you to examine your assumptions, explore new ideas, and consider different perspectives.
• Why should you ask thought-provoking questions? Asking thought-provoking questions can help you expand your knowledge, improve your critical thinking skills, and gain new insights into yourself and others. They can also foster deeper connections with those around you and encourage personal growth.
• How can thought-provoking questions help with personal growth? Thought-provoking questions can help you become more self-aware, improve your communication skills, and develop a better understanding of your values and beliefs. By challenging your assumptions and encouraging reflection, they can also help you identify areas for personal improvement and promote growth.
• Can thought-provoking questions be used in group settings? Yes, thought-provoking questions can be a great way to promote meaningful discussions and encourage group participation. They can help break down barriers and foster a sense of community, while also challenging individuals to consider different perspectives and explore new ideas.
• Are there any potential downsides to asking thought-provoking questions? While asking thought-provoking questions can be a powerful tool for personal growth and introspection, it’s important to approach the process with sensitivity and respect. Some questions may be more difficult or triggering for certain individuals, so it’s important to consider the audience and the potential impact of your words. Additionally, it’s important to create a safe and non-judgmental environment for discussion to ensure that everyone feels comfortable participating.

Long Le is a passionate and driven artist with a talent for building successful online businesses. He's always eager to learn and improve his skills, enjoys sipping on Vietnamese coffee , spending his free time gaming and with his family.

3 Habits for Effective Goal Setting

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