Paul-Elder Critical Thinking Framework Critical thinking is that mode of thinking – about any
subject, content, or problem — in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking
by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and imposing intellectual
standards upon them. (Paul and Elder, 2001). The Paul-Elder framework has three components:
1. The elements of thought (reasoning)
2. The intellectual standards that should be applied to the elements of reasoning
3. The intellectual traits associated with a cultivated critical thinker that result from the
consistent and disciplined application of the intellectual standards to the elements of
thought
According to Paul and Elder (1997), there are two essential dimensions of thinking that students
need to master in order to learn how to upgrade their thinking. They need to be able to identify
the "parts" of their thinking, and they need to be able to assess their use of these parts of
thinking.
Elements of Thought (reasoning) The "parts" or elements of thinking are as follows:
1. All reasoning has a purpose
2. All reasoning is an attempt to figure something out, to settle some question, to solve
some problem
3. All reasoning is based on assumptions
4. All reasoning is done from some point of view
5. All reasoning is based on data, information and evidence
6. All reasoning is expressed through, and shaped by, concepts and ideas
7. All reasoning contains inferences or interpretations by which we draw conclusions and
give meaning to data
8. All reasoning leads somewhere or has implications and consequences
Universal Intellectual Standards The intellectual standards that are to these elements are used
to determine the quality of reasoning. Good critical thinking requires having a command of
these standards. According to Paul and Elder (1997 ,2006), the goal is for the standards of
reasoning to become infused in all thinking to become the guide to better and better reasoning.
The intellectual standards include:
Clarity Accuracy
Could you elaborate? How could we check on that?
Could you illustrate what you mean? How could we find out if that is true?
Could you give me an example? How could we verify or test that?
Precision Significance
Could you be more specific? Is this the most important problem to consider?
Could you give me more details? Is this the central idea to focus on?
Could you be more exact? Which of these facts are most important?
Relevance Fairness
How does that relate to the problem? Is my thinking justifiable in context?
How does that bear on the question? Am I considering the thinking of others?
How does that help us with the issue? Am I using my concepts in keeping with
educated usage, or am I distorting them to get
what I want?
Depth
What factors make this difficult?
What are some of the complexities of this question?
What are some of the difficulties we need to deal with?
Intellectual Traits Consistent application of the standards of thinking to the elements of thinking result in
the development of intellectual traits of:
• Intellectual Humility
• Intellectual Courage
• Intellectual Empathy
• Intellectual Autonomy
• Intellectual Integrity
• Intellectual Perseverance
• Confidence in Reason
• Fair-mindedness
Characteristics of a Well-Cultivated Critical Thinker
Habitual utilization of the intellectual traits produce a well-cultivated critical thinker who is able
to:
1. Raise vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely
2. Gather and assess relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively
3. Come to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria
and standards;
4. Think open-mindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing,
as need be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences; and
5. Communicate effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems
