Summary

Smart Thinking: Skills for Critical Understanding and Writing is a practical, step-by-step guide to improving skills in analysis, critical thinking, and the effective communication of arguments and explanations. Accessible and straightforward in its style and goals, Smart Thinking is nevertheless based on strong epistemological foundations. It treats reasoning as an aspect of communication, rather than as an abstract exercise in logic, combining practical advice and theoretical rigour in a way that facilitates a deeper understanding of the processes of smart thinking without being confusing. The book not only provides detailed advice on how to practise better analytical skills, but also demonstrates how these skills can be used in research and writing. In particular, it stresses the vital importance of developing arguments and explanations that are internally coherent, and that take account of their audience and context. Divided into short, easily managed sections, the book is designed to meet the needs of undergraduate students. It contains exercises and detailed answers to assist in self-learning, and includes an extensive glossary of concepts.