Critical Thinking Resources

Denyer, G. (2000). Strategies for building criticism skills in undergraduate biochemists. ACCESS THROUGH ILL OR UBORROW

Describes a method for empowering biochemistry students to think critically about research data.Encourages students to formulate their own opinions by removing the usual dominant expert commentary

Flynn, A. B. (2011). Developing problem-solving skills through retrosynthetic analysis and clickers in organic chemistry. Journal of Chemical Education, 88(11), 1496-1500. DOI: 10.1021/ed200143k

Utilizes retrosynthetic analysis in an introductory organic chemistry class by starting with real and complex synthetic targets and breaking them down through critical thinking.

Jones-Wilson, M. T. (2005). Teaching problem-solving skills without sacrificing course content: Marrying traditional lecture and active learning in an organic chemistry class. Journal of College Science Teaching, 35(1), 42.

Discusses the problems that arise from teachers believing that students will implicitly acquire and use critical thinking to connect seemingly disjointed information, without teaching them how to do so.

Mahan, E. J., & Nading, M. A. (2006). Developing critical thinking skills: The "sabotaged" synthesis of methyl p-bromobenzoate. Journal of Chemical Education, 83(11), 1652-1653. DOI: 10.1021/ed083p1652

Designed to improve students’ critical thinking skills, which are required to analyze and discuss the results of an organic chemistry experiment in an effective manner.

Oliver-Hoyo, M. T. (2003). Designing a written assignment to promote the use of critical thinking skills in an introductory chemistry course. DOI: 10.1021/ed080p899

Describes an exercise to foster critical thinking skills in a freshman chemistry course by emphasizing practical issues involved in the use and implementation of a critical thinking rubric.