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Book Review: Thinking for Yourself

By Kyle Cushman, Vermont College of Union Institute and University

Title: Thinking for Yourself: Developing Critical Thinking Skills Through Reading and Writing, 6th Edition
Author: Marlys Mayfield
Publisher: Heinle
Copyright: 2004
Number of Pages: 389

Critical thinking is one of the most challenging study skills for students to master and teachers to teach. Showing a student how to do a citation is a fairly concrete endeavor, while explaining to a student how to think is venturing into the realm of the abstract. Marlys Mayfield’s book Thinking for Yourself is an excellent tool for helping students to improve critical thinking skills.

Mayfield begins her exploration of the aspects of critical thinking on a fundamental level and proceeds to an advanced level as students develop their skills through guided exercises, essays, and discussions. She uses a lot of visual prompts in the form of photographs or cartoons, and she delves into interesting facets of thinking such as “unconscious viewpoints.” The essays provide great jumping off points for discussion, such as “Look at Your Fish” by Samuel H. Scudder, which is an amusing endorsement of the benefits of careful observation. Students can also benefit from seeing examples of student essays.

Teachers or tutors who would like to use this book can either work through the book step by step, or pull out specific chapters to look at problem topics, such observation skills or being able to tell fact from opinion. I have used her chapters on inferences, assumptions, opinions, evaluations (judgments), and viewpoints in my critical thinking workshops. I divide the students into five groups and give them each a chapter to study and learn. Then each group takes a turn to teach the rest of the class the specifics of their critical thinking topic. (Some teachers call this technique a “jigsaw.”)

I recommend Thinking for Yourself for teachers, learning support personnel, and students because of Mayfield’s clear, engaging approach to critical thinking. She is able to break down a complex, abstract process into understandable pieces. Students who have looked at her chapters with me often report that they are much more aware of what is going on in their minds (biases, judgments, assumptions) as they encounter new or controversial material. This book could be a handy resource in any learning support center.

Questions or comments? Contact the author at kyle.cushman@tui.edu.

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