Critical Thinking Reflective Essay

One of the characteristics of an effective critical thinker is his or her ability to develop strategies for coping with adversity rather than giving up or becoming embittered. Think of a hardship—personal, academic, or financial—that you are facing. Develop a strategy for coping with or overcoming the hardship by integrating the following components in your 4 to 5-page reflective essay.

• Explain how a Stage 1* approach in Cognitive Development applies here and identify its limitations.

o (*Note: Stage 1, Dualism: There are right and wrong answers. Authorities know the right answers.)

• Identify at least 3 characteristics of a good critical thinker to help you overcome your hardship.

• Identify at least 3 of the more common barriers that most apply to you and how to best overcome them.

• Discuss the role of emotion in your approach to your hardship, identifying both negative and positive emotions and their impact on your strategy.

• Discuss whether or not faith or spirituality plays any role in your strategy and how its presence, or lack of it, is key to your success.