Fluent Essays

Write In your initial discussion forum post, Identify a major purchase or event in your life such as buying a car, selecting a college, completing a Do-It-Yourself project, creating a project at work, purchasing appliances, or planning an event. Reflect on the steps you went through when researching a major purchase or planning for an event. In your reflection, Explain how you applied the steps of the research process from Section 1.3 of the textbook as you conducted your inquiry. If you missed a step, explain why. Describe the connection between information literacy and the inquiry you conducted to support your decision-making process. Your initial post should be a minimum of 250 words. Next respond to two of your peers (50-60 words) POST 1 Hello Class,                For this discussion I will be talking about my research process when I selected a college back in 2012. Before I joined the military and started going to UAGC, I first went to Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). When I was a senior in high school and the ACTs were coming up, I knew it was time to start researching where I would like to go. My first step (step 1) was to figure out what I wanted to major in. In this case, I was going for a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) specializing in photography. Step 2 was to figure out what schools around me offered BFA’s and schools that also had a photography program. Step 3 I had narrowed down my choices to two schools in the state that I was interested in, Western Kentucky University (WKU) and EKU. EKU ended up being high on my priority list because it was closer to home than WKU was. Step 4 was to figure out what I needed to score on the ACT to attend these schools. Then step 5 was to schedule a tour of campus to see if I would like it there. Finally, I had made my decision to go to EKU and after one semester I dropped out because I knew I couldn’t make a living off an art degree. Three years later (2015) I decided to join the military.                According to Wincklemann & Garcia (2021), “Information literacy is the ability to recognize a need for information and address that need by finding, evaluating and using information ethically, and legally” (Chapter 1, section 1). I could see how when doing research for my school back then I was using information literacy, but I never knew that’s what it was.  I see now that in doing things everyday we are in some way using information literacy. Me being HR and working customer service, I am using information literacy like it is going out of style.                After learning about all six steps of the research process I do feel like it will help all of us in completing the week 5 assignment. I am confident that by using these steps it will make it easier to complete the final assignment. I do feel however that the only thing I will struggle on is finding what topic to research and write about. POST 2 Hi class, I chose to discuss the planning of my wedding. After reading the six steps of the research process, I learned that I have utilized the steps multiple times while choosing vendors. Now that I have read the descriptions of all the steps, I am much better informed to use the steps as I finish the planning. There are many vendors involved in weddings. I chose to focus this discussion on only one, the venue. Step One – Define the need and the audience (Winckelmann & Garcia, 2021). After much consideration, my fiancé and I decided to throw a whole wedding and invite our closest friends and family. This meant that there would be many children in attendance. Our main priority was making sure the venue was family-friendly and easily accessible to people from out of town. Step two – Gather background information (Winckelmann & Garcia, 2021). Once I knew that we needed a family-friendly venue, I started brainstorming areas I knew had potential. I then googled venues around downtown and searched for venues using theknot.com and weddingwire.com to help filter venues. This was when I learned how expensive venues are in San Diego. I learned some venues included perks like child playrooms or dangers like easy access to the outside where children can wander. Step three – Narrow the scope and define the research question (Winckelmann & Garcia, 2021). After creating a list of potential venues, my fiancé and I sat down and went through all the information accessible to us through the websites. We were then able to narrow the list down to five venues. I called each venue and scheduled a tour. During the tours, we were able to make real-time inquiries as they came. Step four – Locate and evaluate information (Winckelmann & Garcia, 2021). During the tours, we were able to make real-time inquiries as they came. Step five – Organize and synthesize Information (Winckelmann & Garcia, 2021). After we finished the tours, my fiancé and I had lunch and evaluated all the venues. We quickly ruled out three of them, as they did not feel like venue locations where we would want to have our wedding. We then looked at the final two we had on our list, and we knew out of the two which one we wanted to book. Step Six – Review and communicate information (Winckelmann & Garcia, 2021).  Once we decided which venue we wanted, we called them to notify our confirmation. We then had to call the other venues to state we would not book with them. I did not realize I was using the six steps. Honestly, we did not follow the steps linearly. Jumping between steps and much back and forth happened, but we went through all the steps. We ended up choosing the Museum of Natural History as our venue. When we tell our friends and family, the first thing they always say is, “that is so you guys.” We took the time to evaluate all options and found a venue that was fitting to he and I as a couple and catered to the families who will be in attendance. Now that I know all six steps, I am better prepared for the final vendors I must book. 10/22/2021 Print https://content.uagc.edu/print/Winckelman.6528.21.1?sections=ch01,ch01sec1.1,ch01sec1.2,ch01sec1.3,ch01sec1.4,ch01summary&content=all&clientToken=21801… 1/37 Learning Outcomes After reading this chapter, you should be able to 1.1 Define information literacy and defend the importance of becoming information literate. 1.2 Compare and contrast the four skill sets needed for information literacy. 1.3 Identify and discuss the six steps of the research process. 1.4 Explain how and why researchers use APA Style. Chapter 1 introduces you to the concept of information literacy and to the Association of College and Research Libraries’ information literacy framework. After defining information literacy, the chapter explains how improving 1Introduction to Information Literacy LuminaStock/iStock/Thinkstock 10/22/2021 Print https://content.uagc.edu/print/Winckelman.6528.21.1?sections=ch01,ch01sec1.1,ch01sec1.2,ch01sec1.3,ch01sec1.4,ch01summary&content=all&clientToken=21801… 2/37 your own information literacy can enrich your personal, professional, and academic life. The chapter also describes the skills needed to become information literate. It then provides an overview of the research process and, lastly, introduces a set of guidelines—called APA Style—that researchers commonly use to format their work. Review the videos in the following interactive to meet your Reading Coach and learn about two useful reading strategies. Next Final words rom your reading coach About active reading About SQ3R Meet your reading coach Welcome! Click on the options below or the next button to meet your reading coach and learn about helpul reading strategies. Reading CoachReading Coach 10/22/2021 Print https://content.uagc.edu/print/Winckelman.6528.21.1?sections=ch01,ch01sec1.1,ch01sec1.2,ch01sec1.3,ch01sec1.4,ch01summary&content=all&clientToken=21801… 3/37 Chainarong Prasertthai/iStock/Getty Images Plus Our level of digital informational literacy is determined by how we think about, evaluate, and utilize the information we encounter every day from channels such as email, social media messages, news on the Internet or television, or print ads. 1.1 What Is Information Literacy, and Why Does It Matter? Your Road Map to Success: Section 1.1 Learning Outcome 1.1: Define information literacy and defend the importance of becoming information literate. Why is this important? An ability to define information literacy will give you a critical foundation for academic success and help you understand information literacy in a way that is relevant and meaningful to you. As an example of this outcome’s importance, consider Marisa, a college freshman. When she first encountered the term “information literacy,” she guessed that it referred to an ability to locate and understand information, skills she was confident she already possessed. Now that she’s learned the complete definition of information literacy, however, she recognizes how the skills it encompasses can contribute to her success as a student, a professional in her field, a mother, and a community member. For example, becoming information literate has helped her discover new resources to assist her son, who has learning disabilities. She also got an A on her first quiz, which asked her to define information literacy! How does this relate to your success in this course? Mastering this learning outcome is essential to your success as a student; it is the foundation to your successful completion of discussions, assignments, and quizzes throughout this course. Beyond that, the application of this concept will directly impact how you locate, understand, and apply information in your academic, personal, and professional life. Before we begin, take a moment to think about the information you have encountered in just the past few hours. For example, you’ve likely come across nutrition labels as you prepared a meal. As you sat down to eat, you may have picked up a magazine filled with glossy advertisements and articles. Glancing at your smartphone, you might have seen a list of emails, each subject line vying for your attention. If you turned on the television, you may have watched several commercials and perhaps a local or national news report. The point of this brief exercise is for you to notice the amount and variety of information around you. Some of it may be in print, and much of it is likely digital. The way you understand, evaluate, and use the information around you determines your level of information literacy. Defining Information Literacy Information literacy is the ability to recognize a need for information and address that need by finding, evaluating, and using information ethically and legally. Notice that this is not the same as digital literacy, although there is often confusion between the two. Digital literacy is the fluent use of technology over a range of platforms. In contrast, information literacy is the fluent use of information over a range of environments. It’s quite possible you may be an 10/22/2021 Print https://content.uagc.edu/print/Winckelman.6528.21.1?sections=ch01,ch01sec1.1,ch01sec1.2,ch01sec1.3,ch01sec1.4,ch01summary&content=all&clientToken=21801… 4/37 expert in using computers and a novice in using information. Although a certain level of computer skill is mandatory for accessing information online, information literacy is a much broader competency. For this course we’ll primarily focus on information literacy regarding your research papers for school. However, information literacy is important in all aspects of life. Being information literate can help you research schools to find the one that’s best for your child, find the right sources to determine whether a folk remedy is a valid treatment for illness, and compare new or used cars to find the best value. Developing these skills will help you determine whether a political post on social media is false or misleading and know where to turn for accurate information on a candidate. Professionally, you will draw on these skills to develop a proposal that presents credible evidence and explores the issue from various angles. Finally, these skills will assist you in developing your own creative solutions to new and unexpected problems. Recently, the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), developed an information literacy framework that expands on this definition (Figure 1.1). Figure 1.1: Information literacy framework From Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, by Association of College and Research Libraries, 2014 (http://acrl.ala.org/ilstandards/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Framework- MW15-Board-Docs.pdf (http://acrl.ala.org/ilstandards/wp- content/uploads/2015/01/Framework-MW15-Board-Docs.pdf) ). The framework identifies six threshold concepts meant to guide you in becoming a lifelong learner through the acquisition of information literacy skills (ACRL, 2015). A threshold concept is a main idea within a specific subject that can transform your perception of that subject as it becomes integrated into your way of thinking (Booth & Mathews, 2012). The ACRL’s six threshold concepts are as follows. 1. Research as inquiry: The research process is all about asking questions. Curiosity and open-mindedness are central, as is the ability to adapt and remain flexible throughout the process. Good research questions are dynamic—researchers often change their question to reflect what they discover once their research is http://acrl.ala.org/ilstandards/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Framework-MW15-Board-Docs.pdf 10/22/2021 Print https://content.uagc.edu/print/Winckelman.6528.21.1?sections=ch01,ch01sec1.1,ch01sec1.2,ch01sec1.3,ch01sec1.4,ch01summary&content=all&clientToken=21801… 5/37 underway. You will explore this concept in more depth later in the chapter, where you will learn how to develop a research question and conduct background research. You will also explore the steps you will take to help answer your research question. 2. Searching as strategic exploration: The one perfect sou rce that answers all aspects of your research question most likely does not exist. Instead, you will need to gather bits and pieces of information from various types of sources in many different formats using a variety of search methods. This could mean, for example, changing your search terms or seeking out help from a librarian. Chapter 3 provides more information about this concept and introduces you to strategic searching in a digital library. 3. Information creation as a process: Information is presented in different formats—a textbook, for example, or a social media post—that reflect the purpose of its creation, such as to teach or to attract followers. Considering the creation process of information types and their purposes will help you select appropriate sources. Chapter 3 will reveal more about this concept and introduce you to various resource formats. 4. Authority is constructed and contextual: All information sources are not created equal. Reliable sources come from authors with experience and expertise, also known as authority, in the subject area they are writing about. Authority is also dependent on the context or situation, since an authority figure in one field may lack authority in another. It’s important that researchers—including student researchers—consider authority when selecting sources and remain open-minded to new and diverse ideas. This concept is further discussed in Chapter 2, which explores bias, and Chapter 4, which covers what gives an author the authority to write on a particular topic and introduces a set of criteria that you can use to evaluate sources. 5. Scholarship as conversation: Experts within a field communicate to share information, debate their ideas, and gain understanding through scholarly publications, such as journal articles, and academic and professional conferences. Most often, the conversation concerning a given topic is ongoing, with new research and interpretations emerging that call previous work into question. A first step in conducting research is to get a sense of the conversation surrounding a topic. Likewise, it’s useful to consider how you might contribute to the conversation. This concept will be discussed further in Chapters 3 and 4, where you will learn the differences between scholarly and popular sources and how—or whether—these sources are reviewed by experts. In Chapter 5 you will learn how to make your own contributions to the conversation. 6. Information has value: Information has value for various parties, including the author, the publisher, the field of study, and society. In many ways it can be considered a commodity; that is, it can have a monetary value, an educational value, and a transformation value, since new information can influence the way we see and interact with the world. Throughout each chapter of this text, we will explore the importance of correctly crediting your sources. We will also explore the meaning and importance of copyright in Chapter 5. As you master these six threshold concepts, your information literacy skills will improve, along with your effectiveness as a student and working professional. Review the ACRL framework and explore an example application in the following activity. 10/22/2021 Print https://content.uagc.edu/print/Winckelman.6528.21.1?sections=ch01,ch01sec1.1,ch01sec1.2,ch01sec1.3,ch01sec1.4,ch01summary&content=all&clientToken=21801… 6/37 The Importance of Information Literacy Information Literacy lies at the core of lifelong learning. It empowers people in all walks of life to seek, evaluate, use and create information effectively to achieve their personal, social, occupational and educational goals. It is a basic human right in a digital world and promotes social inclusion of all nations. (Breivik et al., 2006, p. 3) We often hear about “fake news.” And rightly so: Information literacy requires us to be skeptical about the information we encounter. But you might be surprised to learn that the question of accuracy and the dangers of misleading information were considered urgent more than 3 decades ago. In 1989 the ALA Presidential Committee on Information Literacy convened to define information literacy and develop models for teaching these skills in various settings. The committee observed the following: People are daily subjected to statistics about health, the economy, national defense, and countless products. One person arranges the information to prove his point, another arranges it to prove hers. One political party says the social indicators are encouraging, another calls them frightening. One drug company states most doctors prefer its product, another “proves” doctors favor its product. In such an environment, The ACRL’s Information Literacy Framework Start 10/22/2021 Print https://content.uagc.edu/print/Winckelman.6528.21.1?sections=ch01,ch01sec1.1,ch01sec1.2,ch01sec1.3,ch01sec1.4,ch01summary&content=all&clientToken=21801… 7/37 information literacy provides insight into the manifold ways in which people can all be deceived and misled. (ALA, 1989, para. 17) If you consider that the World Wide Web was only invented in 1989, you should be able to appreciate why now more than ever we are surrounded by information produced by various parties with competing and at times hidden interests, much of it without any verification or vetting process. The volume of this information contributes to our feelings of information overload and the need to make quick decisions about what sources of information to use. As the Presidential Committee on Information Literacy asserted: Information literacy, therefore, is a means of personal empowerment. It allows people to verify or refute expert opinion and to become independent seekers of truth. It provides them with the ability to build their own arguments and to experience the excitement of the search for knowledge. (ALA, 1989, para. 6) When you are information literate, you have the skills to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to efficiently locate this information. Once you’ve located the information, you are able to analyze, evaluate, and have confidence in your ability to use this information creatively, ethically, and effectively. Another benefit of developing information literacy is that it places you on the path toward becoming a lifelong learner. This is the deliberate act of choosing to learn new ideas and concepts throughout your life, an exciting prospect. Lifelong learners embrace the process and challenges associated with acquiring new knowledge. They have a growth mindset in that they seek out opportunities to learn new things and put forth the effort to do so. Reflect on the following quotation from the ALA (1989): Ultimately, information literate people are those who have learned how to learn. They know how to learn because they know how knowledge is organized, how to find information, and how to use information in such a way that others can learn from them. They are people prepared for lifelong learning, because they can always find the information needed for any task or decision at hand. (para. 3) Here are some additional benefits to developing your information literacy skills: knowing when information is needed and locating it efficiently and effectively critically evaluating whether the information you consume is reliable and accurate using advanced search techniques to find the most relevant information making informed opinions and judgments based on quality information organizing and presenting information in an effective way understanding the legal and ethical issues related to using information (ACRL, 2000) The World Economic Forum, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to understanding and predicting changes in the global economy, asserts that we are experiencing a fourth industrial revolution (Schwab, 2016). The rapid development of technologies is changing and reshaping how we do business, how we engage with our governments, and how we interact with each other. Klaus Schwab (2016), founder and executive chair of the World Economic Forum, points out that “the possibilities of billions of people connected by mobile devices, with unprecedented processing power, storage capacity, and access to knowledge, are unlimited” (para. 4). This instant access to information of all kinds requires that we rely on our information literacy skills so that we can understand and use the information we encounter effectively. Section 1.1 Knowledge Check Quiz 1. __________ is the fluent use of technology over a range of platforms. A. Information literacy 10/22/2021 Print https://content.uagc.edu/print/Winckelman.6528.21.1?sections=ch01,ch01sec1.1,ch01sec1.2,ch01sec1.3,ch01sec1.4,ch01summary&content=all&clientToken=21801… 8/37 B. Computer literacy C. Digital Literacy 2. Which of the following is a part of the ACRL’s information literacy framework? A. Knowledge is power. B. Information has value. C. Research as conversation. 3. Lifelong learners __________. A. go to school their whole lives B. study a lot C. have a growth mindset Answers 1 (C), 2 (B), 3 (C) 10/22/2021 Print https://content.uagc.edu/print/Winckelman.6528.21.1?sections=ch01,ch01sec1.1,ch01sec1.2,ch01sec1.3,ch01sec1.4,ch01summary&content=all&clientToken=21801… 9/37 1.2 What Skills Do I Need to Be Information Literate? Your Road Map to Success: Section 1.2 Learning Outcome 1.2: Compare and contrast the four skill sets needed for information literacy. Why is this important? Mastering this learning outcome will help you evaluate your own information literacy skills and identify your personal strengths and weaknesses. Consider James, for example. Without much talent for art or music, he never thought of himself as being very creative. He now understands that creative thinking (one of the skills needed for information literacy) involves having an open mind and exploring different possibilities in all situations. He sees himself as very creative when it comes to innovating work processes while on the job and coming up with ways to balance school and work. How does this relate to your success in this course? Mastering this learning outcome is essential to your success as a student; knowing how to apply these skill sets as you prepare for and complete your assignments will position you for greater success in your coursework and in your professional work beyond the classroom. To become information literate, you need to develop a certain set of skills, including critical thinking, creative thinking, reflective thinking, and problem solving. Once you’ve developed these skills, you’ll be able to apply them to many other areas of your life. Critical Thinking Individuals who are information literate use critical thinking skills to determine the value of an information source. This set of skills includes inference, analysis, evaluation, interpretation, and explanation. Given the amount of information we are exposed to on a daily basis, we need to be able to distinguish fact from fiction. This is where critical thinking comes in. Critical thinkers are skeptical and do not simply accept all the arguments and conclusions they encounter. Instead, they question these arguments and conclusions, seeking the evidence behind them (Facione, 2011). Let’s take a closer look at each of the critical thinking skills and see how Sherry, a business administration student and customer service associate with a car rental company, uses them to apply for a management internship with her employer. Inference Inference is the process of integrating new information with one’s existing knowledge to better understand the information and how it can be applied to a given problem. Given what we know so far, what conclusions can we draw? What can be ruled out? What additional information do we need in order to resolve this question? As part of her application for the management internship, Sherry must prepare a proposal that identifies her ideas for improving customer satisfaction and employee morale at a struggling branch. Sherry begins by considering what she already knows about this branch. She has heard rumors, and her boss has given her access to various reports, including customer satisfaction surveys and employee retention numbers. He has also suggested that she read 10/22/2021 Print https://content.uagc.edu/print/Winckelman.6528.21.1?sections=ch01,ch01sec1.1,ch01sec1.2,ch01sec1.3,ch01sec1.4,ch01summary&content=all&clientToken=2180… 10/37 Smolaw11/iStock/Getty Images Plus When analyzing and examining various pieces of information, be sure to ask yourself what arguments and conclusions each is making and whether you need more context before accepting those conclusions. customer reviews posted on the branch’s social media pages. After reviewing this information, Sherry decides that she still could use feedback from current customer service associates. She decides to interview some of them. Analysis Analysis is the process of examining pieces of information in parts and as a whole to determine the intended meaning of the information and what it represents in order to draw a conclusion. What are the arguments for and against? What components of each argument have led to each conclusion? What assumptions must we make to accept that conclusion? The reports Sherry’s boss provided reveal a pattern of customer dissatisfaction: Customers calling in to reserve a vehicle are often left on hold for too long. Walk-ins complain that associates are often flustered and helping several customers at a time. One suggestion might be to increase the number of representatives working the busiest shift, but several employees Sherry speaks to report that most associates dislike that shift because the manager is difficult. Various customer reviews on social media also complain about the manager’s short temper toward employees. Sherry realizes that she may need more information on leadership styles, and she studies articles on the subject from various academic journals. If she accepts that the shift manager might be contributing to the problem, various interventions and trainings might help improve working conditions. Evaluation Evaluation is the process of assessing a source’s credibility, argument, supporting evidence, and purpose to determine the legitimacy of the information being presented. How well is each claim supported by evidence? How comprehensively does the evidence represent the research? In other words, is it complete? What goal might underlie a bias or unfair assumption found within the source? Are there conflicts of interest? Sherry organizes her information, referring to the notes she took when she spoke to customer service associates, as well as the sections she highlighted from reports and journal articles. One journal article offers suggestions for improving employee morale but lacks real-world evidence, so she decides to leave it out. She also realizes that one employee expressed greater dissatisfaction with the manager than others. She revisits some of the customer reviews across social media platforms and notices that several of the most negative reviews about the manager repeat the associate’s criticisms and were all posted on the same day, calling their credibility into question. She soon discovers that the employee was recently turned down for a promotion. This employee’s potential lack of objectivity causes Sherry to reconsider the employee’s input, as well as the questionable social media reviews. Determining Credibility of Sources 10/22/2021 Print https://content.uagc.edu/print/Winckelman.6528.21.1?sections=ch01,ch01sec1.1,ch01sec1.2,ch01sec1.3,ch01sec1.4,ch01summary&content=all&clientToken=2180… 11/37 Critical-Thinking Questions 1. Which types of websites and authors should you look for while researching? 2. What are three types of non-credible sources? Interpretation Interpretation is the process of understanding the information and what it implies. It involves considering all of the information, even information that may be unfavorable in some way. Likewise, it involves noting any gaps in information. What does this information mean? How should we understand that information? In this context, what was intended by a statement or claim? Sherry considers what her recommendations would be for improving customer service in the branch with and without the input from the employee in conflict with the manager. She realizes that her recommended changes are nearly identical either way. To improve both customer satisfaction and employee morale, she recommends a variety of actions, confident that she’s weighed all of the information available to her and filled in all information gaps. Explanation Explanation is the process of restating and clarifying information so that it can be understood by anyone you are sharing it with. Key to explanation is understanding the audience and the information they may or may not need. Someone new to the topic may need definitions of technical terms, whereas experts in the field would not. Likewise, relaying all relevant information is essential. What were the specific findings of the investigation? How did you come to that interpretation? How did you conduct that analysis? Why do you think this was the right answer? With Sherry’s research complete, she is ready to apply for the internship. When she consults one of her professors for guidance, they ask Sherry to present her proposal to the class for credit. This means she’ll need to present her findings in two different ways: one to the director of internships and one to her classmates. Sherry expects the director will want concise and specific plans, whereas her classmates may need some background on the nature of the business and the struggling branch. Sherry’s ability to clearly explain her ideas while keeping her audience in mind is critical for making sure her presentation is understood and well received. Determining Credibility of Internet Sources From Title: Introduction to Information Literacy (https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx? wID=100753&xtid=116779)  0:000:00 / 5:12 / 5:12 1x1x https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=100753&xtid=116779 10/22/2021 Print https://content.uagc.edu/print/Winckelman.6528.21.1?sections=ch01,ch01sec1.1,ch01sec1.2,ch01sec1.3,ch01sec1.4,ch01summary&content=all&clientToken=2180… 12/37 Creative Thinking Creative thinking is a way of engaging with information imaginatively and coming up with ideas. It requires that you keep an open mind as you explore a range of possibilities. Creative thinking is associated with “thinking outside the box,” since it often prompts unexpected and perhaps unconventional ideas that break away from established rules and procedures. For example, a creative approach may consider a problem in one area, such as health care, by drawing on information from another area, such as philosophy. Although you may still employ evaluation, analysis, and other critical thinking skills, this openness to imaginative exploration invites innovation. Table 1.1 compares critical and creative thinking. When engaging in research, you will most likely move back and forth between thinking critically and creatively. Neither type of thinking occurs in isolation. Instead, these skills support each other. Table 1.1: Critical and creative thinking Critical thinking Creative thinking Analyzes ideas Generates ideas Tests a hypothesis Forms a hypothesis or several hypotheses Thinks in terms of what’s probable Thinks in terms of what’s possible Tends to think verbally, in terms of words Tends to think visually, in terms of images Thinks linearly, as in an outline Makes associations, as in a concept map Relies on logic Relies on intuition Identifies Imagines Describes Speculates Categorizes and classifies Tolerates ambiguity Makes judgments Suspends judgment Thinks in terms of the objective Thinks in terms of the subjective Considers the right answer Considers many possible answers Embraces standardized methods Rejects standardized methods Consider this example of creative thinking. The staff of a preschool needs to make better use of the current space, which is often disorganized, leaving students distracted and instructors overwhelmed. Monique, a lead instructor, recently read about a software development firm that improved productivity by eliminating its office cubicles and redesigning its space as a mini city. She raises the idea, which parents, instructors, and administrators all agree is risky but exciting. They believe that although children are not software developers, such an approach could inspire them and help them focus. After some creative brainstorming, instructors, administrators, and parents plan to redesign two of the largest classrooms, each of which currently is separated by large bookshelves, bulky bins, and student desks. The goal is to inspire students to engage with their environment rather than simply sit at their desks or flock to the carpet for reading time. To make this happen, the new design …