An Content Analysis of the Definition of Critical Thinking

Based on 64 definitions of critical thinking in the recent study, it can be concluded that scholars take judgment, argument, questioning, information processing, problem solving, meta-cognition, skill and disposition as the nature of critical thinking. Scholar’s disciplinary background directly affect their opinions of critical thinking, interdisciplinary research should be paid more attention to promote the development of critical thinking.


Introduction
Although most scholars agree that the improvement of the critical thinking is an important educational objective, they often disagree on exactly what critical thinking is (Bensley, 2011).The thought of critical thinking came from the Greek philosopher Socrates (469-399 B. C.), developing a special kind of dialogue that used reasoning to examine opinions, because he emphasized reflection on the quality of the belief and thinking (Ennis, 1987;Paul, 1993).In fact, this is scholar's inference.In all the works, Socrates didn't refer to the term "critical thinking".Goodwin Watson and E. M. Glaser did it in 1941, published the Watson-Glaser Tests of Critical Thinking.They try to product a definition of critical thinking.After more than three decades of discussions about the critical thinking, scholars paid too much attention to critical thinking.As of July 4, 2014, google scholar lists some 3330, 000 titles and Amazon.comlists 47, 434 titles on critical thinking.It is a truth that critical thinking is an unquestionable good for university, college student, even every a citizen.Although we all agree that critical thinking is an important element of Western thought, even traceable to Socrates, scholars have battled over whether the Left or Right critical thinking, based on their understanding.
Almost every famous scholar has a definition of critical thinking (e.g. , Beyer, 1995;Chance, 1986;Dong, 2012;Ennis, 1987;Facial, 2008;Fisher, 2001;Alpenhorn, 1998;Johnson, 1993;Kurfiss, 1988;Lipman, 1991;Paul, 1999Paul, , 2006;;Scriven, 2000;Zhang, 1989;Zhu, 2002).Glaser thought critical thinking invovled certain attuides (Glaser, 1941); Robert Ennis defined critical thinking as "reasonable, reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do " (Ennis, 1987), it was thought of following up Dewey who introduced the term "reflective thinking"; APA Delphi Panel acknowledged that critical thinking is related to problem solving, decision making and creative thinking (Facione, 1990).As every coin has both sides, an abundance of research makes a better understanding of the critical thinking; at the same time, because of persistent complaints from those working in various disciplines about the need to refine its conceptualization (e.g.Bensely, 2009;Cody, 2006;Johnson, 1992;Petris, 2004;Riddell, 2007;Williams & Worth, 2001), disagreements about the nature of critical thinking continue.As the review above suggest, critical thinking remains a construct in transition, in need of future integration of concepts from philosophy, psychology, education and other disciplines (Bensely, 2011).

Method
Content analysis is classified statistics with using the quantitative and descriptive explanation according to these categories of digital.Content analysis was employed in this study.So, firstly, 64 classic and typical definitions of critical thinking were collected by in Chinese and English dictionary, academic journal, report, dissertation and so on.Secondly, according to nature of every definition, discipline, the time of appearance, these definitions were encoded and classified.The nature of critical thinking was divided into seven items, they were judgment, argument, questioning, problem solving, information processing, meta-cognitive, skill and disposition; according to Chinese discipline-standard, we have thirteen disciplines; the time of appearance was from 1941 to 2013.In 1941, the f to every it charts.For

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The last one, but the most important one is interdisciplinary research of nature of critical thinking.Scholars from different disciplines often have the same topic of the nature of critical thinking, but the difference is that they employed different perspectives or methods, and they have different conclusions.The most obvious example is APA Delphi panel, composed mostly of philosophers, thought that critical thinking is related to problem solving, decision making, and creative thinking like Halpern (Facione, 1990) Philophers and educators usually recommend students, especially college students follow certain principles and rules to produce thinking that meet prescribed standards while psychologists take a descriptive approach when scientifically studying how people think, sometimes investigating how well people can use the rules of reasoning and documenting their thinking errors in relation to norms (Galotti, 1989).It concluded that philosophers and educators pay more attention to what people will follow when they think and psychologists emphasized on how people think.These selective definitions of critical thinking show that most of the authorities agree that critical thinking involves certain skills, especially skills for reasoning well.In a word, many philosophers, educators and psychologists agree that acquiring critical thinking skill is important to the definition of critical thinking, but disagreements multiply when those definitions of critical thinking seek to identify specific skills that should be part of a critical thinker's skill set (Bailin, 1999).
Although the number of the research of critical thinking is so tremendous, the critical thinking especially is still paid more and more attention and the present study has come out with a number of recommendations.
First, the nature of critical thinking should be thought as the most important and at the heart of all the research.
Second, setting up an organization of interdisciplinary research of critical thinking and recruiting the scholars who has multi-disciplinary background to research in critical thinking.They should do interdisciplinary research of the nature of critical thinking and others.
Third, the organization of interdisciplinary research should provide help in promoting the research of critical thinking in different countries all over the world.

Conclusion
The tremendous number of critical thinking has confused students, teachers and instructors.So, it is an eager need to study the nature by the definition of critical thinking.Based on 64 definitions of critical thinking in the recent study, it can be concluded that scholars take judgment, argument, questioning, information processing, problem solving, meta-cognition, skill and disposition as the nature of critical thinking.Scholar's disciplinary background directly affect their opinions of critical thinking, interdisciplinary research should be paid more attention to promote the development of critical thinking.
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