Critical thinking studies are a broad term that can refer to a variety of situations or data in a given situation. These studies have several subcategories, including conceptualization, application, and analysis, as well as information synthesis and evaluation. Depending on the situation, critical thinking studies may employ all of these techniques or only a few. Furthermore, not everyone has the necessary skills or training to conduct certain studies using critical thinking. Many studies have been done to define these skills — and others — in order to better understand how to use critical thinking.
In critical thinking studies, information conceptualization refers to the creation or development of specific ideas. This does not imply that one has come up with an entirely new line of thought or a completely original thought; rather, it implies that one has put previous information together into a focused thought. After conceptualization, the next step is application, which entails putting one’s ideas into action if necessary. Again, not all conceptualized ideas are put into practice; only those ideas or studies that require action advance to the application stage.
In critical thinking studies, analysis and synthesis are linked, just as conceptualization and application of information are. The term “analysis” simply refers to the examination of data or information that has already been prepared by another party. Rifling through a variety of ideas or thoughts can aid in the reduction of large amounts of data to their most basic form or most important components. To synthesize data, one groups it or reorganizes large groups of data that have never been organized before. When an individual needs to analyze information and then synthesize it into a useful report or study, the connection between these two concepts in critical thinking studies occurs once again.
Information evaluation is frequently linked to other types of critical thinking research. A final evaluation may be required after an individual creates reports, either through conceptualization and application or analysis and synthesis. This assessment can be made for almost any reason or purpose, and it is based on the information or additional data uncovered during the critical thinking research process. An evaluation of the data may come from an outside source in some cases, which can verify the information. Outside suggestions can help strengthen a final report or provide direction on how to create better critical thinking studies in the future.