Critical Thinking for Research Purposes

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Critical Thinking for Research Purposes

Workshop hosted by Department of Research Capacity Development, NMMU

8 May 2008

Presenter: Andrea Hurst, Philosophy, NMMU. E-mail:

This workshop takes a critical, philosophical look at both the research process in general, and the specific interests and passions that motivate researchers. Critical thinking for research purposes must entail reflection upon precisely what it might mean to say that critical thinking itself is quintessentially re-search; that is, an endless repetition of the search for wisdom. In this workshop we will first work towards gaining theoretical insight into the nature of research with the aid of Plato's cave-myth and Heidegger’s notion of “care.” We will also investigate the complex nature of the object of research, namely “wisdom.” It should become clear from this that research is never essentially dis-interested or value neutral. Not only philosophical presuppositions, but specific cognitive interests and personal passions lie behind every research project. We will therefore turn our attention towards developing and applying a complex critical framework of cognitive interests and personal passions in order to understand what motivates specific researchers. All of this is intended to sharpen our critical faculties so that we no longer approach research, including our own, in a naïve or innocent way.

Critical Reading for Research Purposes

Workshop hosted by Department of Research Capacity Development, NMMU

9 May, 2008

Presenter: Andrea Hurst, Philosophy, NMMU. E-mail:

This workshop focuses particularly on the practice, rather than the theory, of critical reading. While certain basic guidelines for critical reading will be offered and discussed, the workshop will for the most part involve the hermeneutic activity of finding and critically interpreting arguments. First, we will work together through a guided process of critical reading, using a text selected for this purpose. Next, working in pairs, we will apply critical reading skills, particularly the skill of finding and interpreting arguments, to our own texts. Finally, you can be the most astute thinker on earth, the most subtle interpreter or reader, but if you cannot translate your thoughts into words and set them down on paper in a coherent way, then you remain isolated in your own solipsistic world, where nobody, in turn, can read you. For this reason, the skill of forming arguments (critical writing) forms the logical counterpart of critical reading. The final activity of this workshop, then, will involve the task of forming and re-forming arguments based on the critical assessment of texts in the previous activities.

Workshop Material

• Very basic guidelines for critical reading
• Sample text for first critical reading activity, selected by presenter and handed out in the workshop
• PLEASE NOTE: for this workshop you should bring with you a text to analyze, preferably your own, of roughly 600 words. These will form the texts to be worked through during the critical reading and critical writing activities. These texts can be, for example, abstracts for articles, introductions to chapters and essays, or parts of research proposals.

• Differentiate 'assertive' and aggressive behavior
• Appreciate the benefits of being assertive
• Apply assertiveness skills in 'real-life' situations
• Maximise personal impact when communicating with others
• Listen, appreciate and understand the behavior of others
• Use precision communication tools to deal with generalisations
• Enhance self-confidence in challenging situations
• Achieve genuine 'win-win' outcomes from discussions
• Become aware of personal blocks to being assertive
• Persuade others ethically whilst being assertive
• Plan a schedule for developing your new assertiveness skills

• Examine the personal and organisational impact of change
• Identify the best methods of planning for and managing change
• Effectively communicate change to colleagues
• Support colleagues through the emotional turmoil change can bring
• Help reduce stress levels within teams during change
• Manage teams effectively through complex change programmes
• Measure the 'success' of change programmes
• Design successful change programmes and avoid common pitfalls
• Develop structured action plans to monitor progress

• The nature of crisis (Risk Areas)
• Work*
• Home
• Personal
• Reactions to crisis
• Help options during a crisis
• Colleagues
• Family
• Experts
• Self-management options
• Prepared for crisis?

• Explain the concept - Facilitation
• Explain the concept - Group Dynamics
• Group Development
• Elements of Group Dynamics
• Group Structure
• Power & Influence
• Performance
• Leadership & motivation
• The environment

• Understand the value of the 'psychological contract'
• Why people perform like they do - however positive or negative
• Use coaching as a tool to enhance personal and team performance
• Deal with poor performance quickly, effectively and ethically
• Improve their emotional intelligence and connection with colleagues
• Understand problems from different viewpoints and generate solutions
• Develop credibility based on good management rather than job title
• Increase personal productivity and focus on 'added value' tasks
• Enhance teamwork and shared ownership of performance and results
• Deliver positive praise and reprimand communication

• What are the meanings of diversity and inclusion
• What are the benefits of diversity and costs of not managing diversity
• What are examples of approaches to diversity management
• How do I identify the relevant dimensions of diversity in my organization

• Generating leadership commitment and involvement
• Recruiting and retaining diverse talent
• Leveraging high involvement work systems
• Managing external stakeholder diversity

• How is value created and delivered in organizations
• What is the diversity value proposition
• Identification of how diversity links to my organization's business goals and HR strategy

• How is diversity performance evaluated
• What are examples of diversity measurement and accountability systems
• Creating a diversity scorecard

• Define evidence in context
• Principles that apply to evidence
• Requirements of an assessment portfolio
• Identify and gather evidence for the portfolio
• Ascertain characteristics and requirements of defined contexts
• Select appropriate media, format, scale and mode of presentation for portfolios within defined contexts
• Compile a portfolio of evidence

• List barriers to successful time management.
• Understand and demonstrate the use of to-do lists and the ABC prioritization technique.
• Explain the benefits and drawbacks of various calendar systems.
• Manage voicemail to reduce time spent checking messages.
• Write SMART goals and explain their benefit.
• Demonstrate how to say “no.”
• Delegate tasks and assignments.
• Develop an action plan for better use of time.
• Begin implementing goals created during the session.

• Physiology of stress
• Psychology of stress
• Causes of stress
• Self-management and stress reduction / management