Smart Thinking

 Smart Thinking is the capacity to identify issues and apply pertinent information to them. It is a method for efficiently presenting and processing information. Being successful at work and in daily life requires smart thinking.

The book "Smart Thinking: Skills for Critical Understanding and Writing" which is written by Matthew Allen is a practical step-by-step guide for developing analytical, critical thinking and the effective communication of arguments and explanations. The book combines a strong academic base with an approachable and plain manner. Instead of treating reasoning as a purely logical activity, the book views it as a component of communication. This book not only offers thorough guidance on how to hone analytical abilities, but it also includes examples of how these abilities are applied to writing and research. It focuses in particular on how to construct arguments that are consistent and take into consideration their audience and environment. 

It transpires that critical thinking is a talent. It's not only for the fortunate few. Consider it a talent that can be cultivated rather than something you either have or don't. You may develop your thinking. Over time, you can learn to think critically.

Everybody thinks at a different level. While some people think naturally, others have to work at it. We all think in various ways, with variable levels of efficacy.

Identifying Claims and Arguments

Arguments: 

An argument backed by instances is referred to as an argument by example. In surveys and well-designed tests, the majority of the findings reached are supported by examples and generalizations. Studies that examine previous speeches also derive results by using particular communication instances to generate broader implications.

Claims:

A claim is when you express your right to something that belongs to you, like your medical records or the deed to your home. When you make a claim or claim something, you're demanding it or saying it’s true. People claim dependents and deductions on their taxes. 

 Argument Vs. Explanation

An argument is a justification that offers evidence in support of a conclusion-based assertion.  Its goal is to offer evidence that supports the conclusion's veracity. An Argument answers the question "How do you know?" This is a request for evidence.

An explanation is a justification where the justification gives the source of a fact that the conclusion represents.  Its goal is to clarify how or why that fact occurs for us. An explanation answers the question "Why is that so?" this is a request for a cause.

Indicators

Words or phrases that provide a logical connection between two seemingly unrelated statements are known as indicators. Indicators make it obvious how an argument is put together. Indicators can be used in different places of a sentence to indicate a premise or a conclusion.

Premise Indicators

The fact that a premise supports a conclusion characterizes the premise. Because they provide grounds for accepting the conclusion, premises can also be referred to as reasons or evidence. There may already be a conclusion indication, the premises may be grouped together such that extra indicators would be unnecessary, or the logical link may simply be suggested, in which case the premises will not necessarily have a premise indicator.

        examples:  because, due to the fact that, inasmuch as, in view of the fact, being that, given that, since, for, as, seeing that

Conclusion indicators

The assertion that an author or speaker is attempting to prove is their conclusion. A claim is identified as a conclusion by conclusion indicators, also known as inference indicators. A conclusion indication, in other words, identifies the assertion the speaker or author is attempting to support. Conclusions may include (or even demand) a number of premises. But there is only one (final) conclusion to an argument. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that a given argument will contain no more than one conclusion indicator. There are, however, complicated arguments that must provide premises for subsequent conclusions that eventually act as sub-conclusions. Multiple conclusion indicators may be present in these intricate arguments.

        Examples: thus, therefore, it follows that, so, hence, ergo, it must be that, as a result, which implies that, we can conclude that