Critical Thinking

The three quotes concerning critical thinking that I believe are relevant to the composition of hypertexts are those of Paul, Binker, Adamson, and Martin, Stahl and Stahl, and the MCC General Education Initiatives.

1. Paul, Binker, Adamson, and Martin: The idea that one can think about thinking seems to be a mind-bending concept that can only lead to a headache. The way that it is presented in this quote though, relates directly to my process of hypertext writing. Hypertext composition requires a large amount of planning (and therefore thinking) about the direction of the hypertext. "...more clear, more accurate, or more defensible" is how the authors describe critical thinking. What struck me about this quote is the third point, "more defensible". I have realized that as I write my hypertext, I continuously look at it from a viewer's point of view, searching for faults or miscommunication. I feel the need to defend my hypertext with solid work and firm information that is rooted in the facts.

2. MCC General Education Initiatives: This definition is basically a comprehensive overview of the entire process of making a hypertext. It depicts opposing forces such as facts and feelings, the objective and the subjective. These differing points of view are some that I definitely encountered in the hypertext process, especially when it came to being factual yet able to relate to. "Suspending beliefs and remaining open to new information" is something that I think is quite necessary for the formation of a hypertext. ON several occasions, I have had to take a step back from what I would personally like to say about the subject, and instead provide an accurate depiction of a view that I would have otherwise passed by. By stepping out of my boundaries of knowledge and being open to other's ideas that might be a little more eccentric or outside the lines, I have learned valuable information about my topics as well as my creative process.

3. Stahl and Stahl: Here, the authors focus on the point of patterns. I think that in hypertext it is extremely important to look for patterns in the work, so that the most accurate and powerful connections can be made. When designing my hypertext, I have found it very helpful to map out the pages and content on a piece of paper, so that I can more readily identify the patterns of my thinking process.