CQUniversity MGMT 20135: Article Review on Critical Thinking Skills

This report presents an in-depth review of a research article focused on the significance of critical thinking skills for business school graduates. The analysis begins with an introduction that outlines the research's purpose, scope, and structure. The discussion section explores the background of the research, its objectives, and the core research questions, emphasizing their importance. The methodology employed, including content analysis and quantitative data, is examined, followed by a detailed presentation of the findings. The significance of these findings is then assessed, highlighting the need for improved teaching standards and project evaluation. The critical evaluation delves into the author's viewpoint, strengths, and weaknesses of the article, and the overall value of the contribution. The research paper's contribution is shown by how it impacts the recruitment process for a business. It also shows the role of educational institutes in installing the concept and skills of critical thinking approach in business graduates. The report concludes with a concise summary, drawing together all aspects of the review and highlighting the implications of the research for future studies and management practices.

Running head: MANAGEMENT
Management
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note

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Table of Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................2
Discussion......................................................................................................................2
Background of the Research......................................................................................2
Research Objectives...................................................................................................3
Research Questions....................................................................................................3
Methodology for the Research...................................................................................4
Findings......................................................................................................................4
Significance of Findings............................................................................................5
Critical Evaluation.....................................................................................................5
Reference........................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
The main purpose of this research is to understand why critical thinking skills should
be present in a business school graduates and how they tend to make difference. A research
paper would be showing survey results of colleges and results would be demonstrated how
employers prefer graduates who have critical thinking ability. The assessment would be
showing background of the research and its research objectives. In addition to this, strengths
and weaknesses of the research article would be analysed (McPeck, 2016). In addition to this,
the findings of the research paper which are presented in the form of charts are also to be
review for justifying the results obtained. The overall contribution for the research paper
would also be analysed and presented in the assessment. The analysis of the research paper
would also be showing the relevant strengths and weaknesses which is associated with the
research paper and the overall contribution o the same in the analysis.
Discussion
Background of the Research
The research paper which is considered is associated with development of critical
thinking ability among business graduates and why they are preferred by organizations
(Jackson, 2015). The research paper considered would be showing whether business
professors understand the concept of critical thinking and whether they take proper steps for
teaching the same to students. Critical Thinking as a process can be traced back to the ages of
great philosophers like Socrates and Plato. The paper shows the importance of critical
thinking as a process for enhancing the efficiency level for a business. The paper also how
shows how critical thinking has developed over the years and how the same is used to solve
numerous problems and construct efficient theories.

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Research Objectives
The objectives of the research paper are to investigate the understandings of business
professors of the concept of Critical Thinking concept and how the same are taught to the
business students. The research paper shows why critical thinking is preferred by business
recruiters and a proper survey is conducted to reveal such results (Yang & Chang, 2013). The
research paper also aims to provide recommendations in order to improve the situation and
develop critical thinking ability among students.
Research Questions
The core research questions which are covered in the research paper over critical
thinking are discussed below in details:
 Are the business school professors aware of the concept of critical thinking and
whether they are able to teach such a concept to the students?
 How important is it to develop critical thinking ability for a student from the
perspective of a business?
 Whether the students develop critical thinking ability from educational institutes or
already have skills for such a concept?
The research questions are important to be addressed as the same forms a vital part of the
research paper and the questions helps to accomplish the findings of the research and also
form recommendations on the basis of the same. The research paper on the basis of the
research questions uncovers whether business graduates require critical thinking abilities for
getting a job for big companies.

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Methodology for the Research
The methodology which was used by the researcher in the article is content analysis
and the same would be support by open end questions for ensuring that appropriate results
can be obtained from the research. Content analysis is an effective research technique which
allows the research to make comparisons and inference so that proper analysis can be
conducted. The methodology would also be using quantitative data for properly justifying the
results which are obtained from the research paper. Some of the quantitative analysis which
can be identified is sample data analysis (Cottrell, 2017). In addition to this, the analysis
would also be including graphical representations which can help in better analysis of the
research.
Findings
The findings of the project are that 47% of the respondents have mentioned that the
graduating students must lay more attention to the problem statement of the question. 34% of
the respondents have responded that more attention must be put into the analysis part of the
project. 22% of the respondents have said that the students must apply their skills to solve the
project. A similar 22% of the respondents have responded that the students must lay more
attention to the calculation part of the project. 22% of the respondents have said that more
attention must be put on analysing the information. 19% of the respondents have said that the
projects must be informative. 19% of the respondents have said that the calculation part of the
project must be done. 19% of the respondents have said that the students must lay more
attention to infer the significance of the project. 16% of the respondents have responded that
the concept of the project must be given clearly understood. 13% of the respondents think
that the conclusion of the project must be given. 6% of the respondents think that the

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assumptions of the project must be clear. 3% of the respondents have responded to the
observation and the integration part each.
Significance of Findings
The research findings appropriately are appropriately presented with the help of a
graph and properly correlate the research objectives. The significance of the findings is that
there is a need for improving the standard of teaching and the measurement of the standard of
the project must also be given importance.
Critical Evaluation
Viewpoint on the Article
The analysis of the research paper properly shows that critical thinking is important
for ensuring that a business is able to achieve success in the operations of the business. I
agree with the research paper that critical thinking ability needs to be developed by the
students at the early stage and the same is also considered to be important by business
recruiters while searching for suitable candidates for the operations of the business. The
research paper also shows the importance of the professors to understand the concept of
critical thinking (Dwyer, Hogan & Stewart, 2014). The findings of the research shows that
the most of the professors does not have a clear concept of critical thinking and therefore the
same impacts the ability of the educational institutes to teach the students regarding critical
thinking approach.
This article discusses about the presence of a uncertainty associated with the
definition of CT along with its major concepts where the teachers do not know exactly what
is CT and what its components are; and the findings of this research have well supported this
notion. For example, Figure 1 of CT elements shows the presence of a major difference in the
views of the instructors on CT where minority portion of instructors have identified five or

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more elements of CT and others have identified less number of elements which indicates
towards the presence of a major gap in the understanding of CT. Presence of this same
disparity can be seen in the perception of the instructor’s on the CT skills. All these help in
agreeing the fact that the instructor’s perception on CT is not clear.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Article
The main strength of this article can be seen in assessing the gap or disparity between
the perception and view of the instructors on different components of CT for developing CT
skills in the students. Another major strength of this article can be seen in providing the
necessary recommendations on how to merge the understanding and formulation of CT
through understanding what forms the CT skills. Since, this article has not stated the present
status of CT in the business schools, it needs to be considered as a weakness as this
eliminates the scope of applying the recommendations in the present state of CT.
Contribution of the Article
The article appropriately contributes to the aspects of development of critical thinking
in an organization and how the same can influence the recruitment process for a business. In
addition to this, the article shows the role of educational institutes or installing the concept
and skills of critical thinking approach in business graduates (Hughes & Lavery, 2015).
Further, the article shows origination of critical thinking approach and different approaches
are also explained in the literature review part of the assessment. In an overall analysis, it can
be said that critical thinking can significantly impact the operational process for a business
and affect the activities of the business if properly the same is used. It is quite consistent with
problem solving ability which is very useful in a business environment.
This article has largely contributed towards assessing the need of understanding the
concept and components of CT in the business school graduates as demanded by the

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employers. This article points out the areas where the instructors need to enhance their
understanding and perception on CT which ensures the business graduates receive proper
teaching on how to develop CT. Moreover, the provided recommendations by the authors are
of large use as they show how to develop a common comprehension on the components that
form CT skills.

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Reference
Cottrell, S. (2017). Critical thinking skills: Effective analysis, argument and reflection.
Macmillan International Higher Education.
Dwyer, C. P., Hogan, M. J., & Stewart, I. (2014). An integrated critical thinking framework
for the 21st century. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 12, 43-52.
Hughes, W., & Lavery, J. (2015). Critical Thinking: An Introduction to the Basic Skills-
Canadian Seventh Edition. Broadview Press.
Jackson, S. L. (2015). Research methods and statistics: A critical thinking approach.
Cengage Learning.
McPeck, J. E. (2016). Critical thinking and education. Routledge.
Yang, Y. T. C., & Chang, C. H. (2013). Empowering students through digital game
authorship: Enhancing concentration, critical thinking, and academic
achievement. Computers & Education, 68, 334-344.