reading or thinking critically. woo hooo!

First of all let me start off by defining what critical thinking is to me based on its actual definition. By definition critical thinking is “the thought process used to evaluate information and the practice of using such conclusions to guide behavior. While the process of critical thinking is associated with accuracy, logic, depth, fairness, credibility, and intellectual clarity” (yourdictionary.com). My definition of critical thinking or how I would execute this act would be when I read or research a topic I would question what is being said as well as check how legitimate the sources are. If it is a reliable source or a firsthand account then I could possible believe it more than anything else. Stories that are written, published or told in magazines, newspapers are all open for interpretation. I was always taught to question everything so no matter what it is so that is what I have a habit of doing. When I read something I always have a tendency to, whether it is a simple little thing or an outrageous happening, question the legitamacy of the story. Questiong always makes for a more interesting thought process. Thinking about a topic more in depth makes it more believable and processing the thought in different ways helps to make it stick in my mind. When reading critically, in my opinion, one should have an open mind until theyre done so that it sticks and makes sense. Then you should go back and break it down and question the happenings. It is good to take notes while reading, either the first or second time, and mrak anything that seems somewhat interesting. If your reading critically to help with answering questions it is good to know what the questions are before hand or know what they are about so while you read you can mark information that seems like it would be consistant to or dierectly pertains to a specific question or topic of a question. When I read critically I also think critically, while I take notes and mark on the text anything that seems to have some importance or some relevance to the topic or question. There are even times when I use study notes cards with the questions written on them so when I read I can have questions on hand and highlight in the book or article what seems to be involved and write down the page number on the card in order to know and be able to refer back to it quicker than having to reread everything. I use these techniques of reading and thinking critically whenever I do homework, write essays, do research or just anything that has to do with or is for school. When it comes to other things like politics I tend to not do it as much because politics are so twisted and crroked anyways thinking or reading about it would only give me a headache. And most politicans are insane, in one way or another, or old anyways so it seems a little pointless. The media is bias because they only show one side of the news never show both sides of the stories. They like to amplify the bad side or the side they think would get more attention. Hopefully by the end of this class I can change my simple ways of thinking and view the broad side or things. There is always room for improvement and changing for the better is fun so I can only hope this will help