Asking the Right Questions, A Guide to Critical Thinking, 8th Ed

What Are the Reasons? 33
Critical Thinking and Your Own Writing and Speaking
When you are writing or speaking, you will want to keep your audience foremost
in your plans. They need to be clear about what you conclude and why
you are concluding it. Do not hide your conclusion and reasons; display them
openly. Give the audience a clear opportunity to see what you intend. Thus,
your task is to use words, sentences, paragraphs, and indicator words to illuminate
the logical relationships in your argument.
Practice Exercises
(J) Critical Question: What are the reasons?
First survey the passage and highlight its conclusion. Then ask the question,
"Why?" and locate the reasons. Use indicator words to help. Keep the conclusions
and the reasons separate. Try to paraphrase the reason; putting the reasons
in your own words helps clarify their meaning and function.
Passage 1
Public swimming pools can be a health hazard. Many public pools are not able to
obey the sanitation regulations and therefore allow for the contraction of waterborne
bacteria. Studies have shown that only 60 percent of public pools are able
to maintain the proper amount of chlorine in the water, allowing for those who
use the pool to be infected. Many pool users have become ill after the use of a
public swimming pool.
Passage 2
Schools all around the nation are forming community service programs. Should
students be required to do community service? There are many drawbacks to
requiring such service.
Students will not be able to understand the concept of charity and benevolence
if it is something they have to do. Forced charity seems contradictory to the concept
of charity. If this concept loses value for the students because the service was
not a choice, they will then resent the idea of community service and not volunteer
to do so at a later time in life.
Furthermore, because this community service would be coerced, the students
may not perform at a high level. They may feel they will do the bare minimum of
what is required. The students may also be resentful or rude to the people they
are helping, which would also hamper the progress of the community service.