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Becoming a Strategic Thinker: Developing Skills for Success
W. James Potter, University of California, Santa Barbara

ISBN-10: 0131179837
ISBN-13: 9780131179837

Publisher: Prentice Hall
Copyright: 2005
Format: Paper; 216 pp
Published: 10/01/2004

Suggested retail price: $34.67
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For courses in Critical Thinking, Freshman Experience, College Orientation, Study Skills, and Information Literacy.

 

This book addresses the biggest challenges facing students today: (1) dealing with the flood of information in all courses and from society at large; and (2) learning how to discern good information from bad. By addressing these challenges, this book shows students how to become a Strategic Thinker and thereby be more efficient in making decisions about what information to access and then what to do with this information in their courses and their lives.

  • Goes beyond other critical thinking texts. (pg. xi-xiii).

    • Shows students in a much more detailed way how to think for themselves.

  • A focus on eight generic skills—Includes detailed chapters on 1) analysis; 2) evaluation; 3) induction; 4) deduction; 5) grouping; 6) synthesis; 7) abstracting; and 8) persuasive expression. (pg. iii).

    • Builds students' skills that are essential in all departments in all colleges.

  • Learning objectives—Begins each chapter with a set of learning objectives, alerting students to focus on competencies and understandings. (pg. 1).

    • Allows students to keep the “big picture” in mind as they read through the chapter.

  • Running glossary—Contained in the margins next to text; provides short, clear definitions for each key term where they are introduced. (pg. 54; 57; 60).

    • Gives students easy access to all definitions as they read through the text, enhancing understanding.

  • Exercises in each chapter. (pg. 125-127).

    • Provides students with lots of opportunities to practice the ideas and skills that are presented in the text.

  • A personal tone.

    • Gives students a text that seems as if the author is talking with them rather than to them.

  • Knowledge Styles Diagnostic Inventory (KSDI). (pg. 34-35; pg. 49-50).

    • Allows students to the KSDI on their own to identify their own style for approaching and using information.



 1. The Challenges.


 2. Strategic Thinking.


 3. Knowledge Styles.


 4. Skill 1: Analysis.


 5. Skill 2: Evaluation.


 6. Skill 3: Induction.


 7. Skill 4: Deduction.


 8. Skill 5: Grouping.


 9. Skill 6: Synthesis.


10. Skill 7: Abstracting.


11. Skill 8: Persuasive Expression.


12. Conclusion.

In a thought-provoking manner, Potter—an expert on media literacy—lays out eight essential skills that will empower students to become insightful, independent learners. Through these eight skills, the book takes the concept of critical thinking beyond the traditional focus on one or two skills, yielding a positive, more constructive approach.

Features include:
  • Learning objectives
  • Running glossary in the margins
  • Knowledge Styles Diagnostic Inventory

Written in a personal, engaging style, Becoming a Strategic Thinker guides readers through the hurdles of filtering information to get the most value from it, generating useful and accurate knowledge structures, and communicating that knowledge to others in a powerfully persuasive way.

View a Sample Chapter PDF:

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