PHASES OF CRITICAL THINKING

1. Trigger Event An unexpected happening that prompts a sense of inter-discomfort and perplexity

2. Appraisal A period of self scrutinizing to identify and clarify the concern.

3. Exploration Search for ways to explain discrepancy of to live with them

4. Developing alternative perspectives. Select those assumptions and activities that seem the most satisfactory and congruent.

5. Integration Becoming comfortable with, and acting, on new ideas assumption and new ways of thinking

From <http://www.umich.edu/~elements/probsolv/strategy/phases.htm>