Critical Analysis Worksheet - Common Core and the Lost Opportunity of the Common Core Standards

University of Phoenix Material                

Critical Analysis Worksheet

Read “Common Core” and “The Lost Opportunity of the Common Core Standards.”

Perform a critical analysis of each reading using critical thinking techniques from this week’s readings.

Respond to the following based on your critical thinking analysis of the “Common Core” and “The Lost Opportunity of the Common Core State Standards” readings.

1. Define the term conclusion.

The Critical Thinking Community website defines conclude/conclusion as “to decide by reasoning, to infer, to deduce; the last step in a reasoning process; a judgment, decision, or belief formed after investigation or reasoning” (criticalthinking.org, 2013). Our text says that the conclusion of an argument is “stating a position on an issue” (Moore, & Parker, 2012). I would define conclusion as part of the reasoning process whereby the position on an issue is determined and stated.

1. What is the conclusion of each article?

The conclusion of the article Common Core is that the Common Core standards are good for the Alabama educational system but it is the beginning of federal involvement in the school systems. The Lost Opportunity of the Common Core State Standards (LOCCSS) conclusion is that the Common Core standards are good but will not be successful.

1. Define the term premises.

The Critical Thinking Community website defines premise as “A proposition upon which an argument is based or from which a conclusion is drawn. A starting point of reasoning” (criticalthinking.org, 2013). Our text says that premises are the reasons for taking a position on an issue or the conclusion of an argument (Moore, & Parker, 2012).I would define premise as the part of the reasoning process whereby reasons are given in supporting the position of the conclusion.

1. What premises support the conclusions in each article?

I do not think that the author of the Common Core supported the conclusion in the article. Instead there were discussions on the complaints against the Common Core, what the Common Core would mean to the students, business in the states, and providing recruitment to the state. The LOCCSS does support its conclusion with the premise that if previous standards were not successful no matter how good or great the Common Core is it will not be successful too.

1. How convincing is the conclusion of each article? Explain your answer.

I thought the conclusion of Common Core to not be convincing because I do not feel that the conclusion was supported by the premise, I think the author started out with an idea but got sidetracked and discussed other things. The conclusion for LOCCSS was convincing even if the reading was more difficult unless you had a better understanding of the issues and the way that the standards are used.