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Critical Thinking Mastery self assessment checklist

Jun 12, 20253 min read

🧠 Critical Thinking Mastery – Self-Assessment Checklist

🧭 I. Foundational Literacy

🧩 1. What is Critical Thinking?

  • I can clearly define critical thinking and how it differs from intelligence or education.
  • I can recognize and challenge common myths about critical thinking.

🪞 2. Cognitive Biases & Heuristics

  • I can identify common cognitive biases in myself and others.
  • I regularly use debiasing strategies like base rates and “consider the opposite”.

⚖️ 3. System 1 vs. System 2 Thinking

  • I can notice when I’m using fast (System 1) vs slow (System 2) thinking.
  • I deliberately activate System 2 when accuracy matters.

🔍 II. Analytical Rigor

🪓 4. Argument Deconstruction

  • I can break arguments into claims, premises, and conclusions.
  • I can spot logical fallacies reliably.

♟️ 5. Logic & Reasoning

  • I understand and apply deductive, inductive, and abductive logic.
  • I can distinguish between a valid and a sound argument.

🔬 6. Evidence Evaluation

  • I can assess the reliability, relevance, and sufficiency of evidence.
  • I can identify cherry-picked or misleading data.

🎲 7. Probability & Uncertainty

  • I apply probabilistic thinking and understand basic statistical concepts.
  • I can tolerate and reason within uncertainty.

🧩 III. Strategic Framing

🧭 8. Problem Formulation

  • I take time to define and reframe problems before solving them.
  • I use root cause analysis and inversion techniques.

🌐 9. Perspective-Taking

  • I can steelman views I disagree with.
  • I recognize how different framings affect conclusions.

🎯 10. Outcome Thinking

  • I focus on long-term outcomes instead of short-term outputs.
  • I consider second-order effects in my decisions.

🔄 IV. Reflective & Iterative Thinking

🪞 11. Metacognition & Self-Awareness

  • I reflect regularly on how I think and make decisions.
  • I use journaling or other tools to improve self-awareness.

📦 12. Cognitive Load Management

  • I chunk information and scaffold my learning.
  • I use tools (like mind maps, spaced repetition) to manage complexity.

🧰 13. Mental Models & Heuristics Library

  • I apply models like first principles, inversion, and second-order thinking.
  • I’m building a mental toolbox for fast, flexible reasoning.

⚔️ V. Applied Critical Thinking

🧠 14. Strategic Decision-Making

  • I use decision matrices and expected value calculations.
  • I can recognize and avoid sunk cost fallacies.

💬 15. Critical Thinking in Dialogue

  • I use active listening and Socratic questioning in conversation.
  • I prioritize collaborative truth-seeking over winning arguments.

🏁 Overall Outcomes

  • I adapt and update my beliefs based on new evidence.
  • I remain calm and curious when confronted with uncertainty or disagreement.
  • I regularly reflect and refine how I think and decide.

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