Guided by the survey of literature, definitions of abstract thinking and critical processing skills have evolved and combined into a holistic approach to the critical thinking process.
Critical writing is the ability to effectively express oneself in written language by arranging ideas in meaningful relationships with each other. Then, when accuracy and truth are at issue, the critical thinker understands the written thesis, how it can be supported, how it can be elaborated to make it intelligible to another, what objections can be raised to it from other points of view, what the limitations are to this point of view, and so forth (Bandman & Bandman, 1995). An example in nursing would be the disciplined writing necessary to document patient care, evaluate outcomes, publish scholarly papers, etc. (Miller & Babcock, 1996).
Critical speaking is the active process of verbally expressing a point of view, or ideas and thoughts, to help another attain an in-depth understanding of the speaker's personal perspective.
Critical reading is the active, intellectually engaging process in which the reader participates in an inner dialogue with the writer. To accurately and fairly interpret written text, a critical reader evaluates assumptions, key concepts and ideas, reasons and justifications, supporting examples, parallel experiences, implications and consequences presented by the writer (Paul, 1990).
