Introduction
My research paper argues that introducing the humanities in the school curriculum should be supported and promoted at the government level since it helps develop critical thinking in students. One of the sources related to the topic is “Creating Meaning. The Importance of Arts, Humanities, and Culture for Critical Thinking Development“ by Daniela Dumitru published in 2019 in the Studies in Higher Education. This study is part of the ‘Critical Thinking Across the European Higher Education Curricula – CRITHINKEDU’ project, which analyzes the impact of studying the humanities on developing critical thinking among young people.
Credibility
Authenticity and Reliability
The source is reliable because the content is unbiased and up-to-date. The author focuses on the relationship between critical and creative thinking and the influence of art and culture on them. However, some parts of the article contain unconfirmed information that cannot be used for my thesis statement.
The article has sufficient theoretical justification, and some of the author’s statements are credible. Based on previous research, Dumitru (2019) claims that critical thinking will make students “more competent in their domains” (p. 871). Nevertheless, the key thesis of the article is the concept of ‘creating meaning,’ which consists of the ability to assess the situation critically and create something new out of it. Therefore, according to the author, art as a creation process can help understand humanitarian and business problems.
In her statements, Dumitru relies heavily on previous research in this field. Hence, her conclusions have a theoretical and scientific basis. The author does not conduct her own research, and the article primarily reviews literature related to the topic. Dumitru (2019) uses surveys based on the California Critical Thinking Dispositions Inventory (CCTDI) and other researchers’ experimental studies to argue for art’s influence on forming critical thinking skills. That adds credibility, justification, and theoretical foundations to the source.
Trustworthiness
However, I have identified some problems with the source’s trustworthiness. In the section ‘Employability and critical thinking’, the author states that “intellectual exercises will make a person a better thinker, and that can lead to being recruited and performing well in a job” (Dumitru, 2019, p. 876). This statement sounds more like the author’s opinion, which does not have sufficient evidence, such as statistical data or confirmation by other researchers. Moreover, many sources based on the author’s statements were published more than ten years ago. Even though Dumitru provides a new interpretation of the present, this fact reduces the source’s credibility.
Usefulness
The article may be helpful as a literature review, as it contains detailed information about previous research on the influence of the humanities, art, and culture on people’s thinking. The author’s observations about how studying the humanities affects a person’s ability to develop something new and find non-standard solutions to problems are practical to back up my argument. Moreover, the article contains valuable information about how studying the humanities improves other areas, particularly business and economics. However, not all information in the source can be considered reliable, so it is necessary to conduct fact-checking.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this source is valid but partially credible. The article can be used as a reference for a future essay, in particular, because of the theoretical justification given by the author. For example, a source can help argue for the need for the humanities for critical thinking and their impact in other areas. However, I will not consider those parts of the article that contain only the author’s opinion and are not supported by facts.
Reference
Dumitru, D. (2019). Creating Meaning. The Importance of Arts, Humanities and Culture for Critical Thinking Development. Studies in Higher Education, 44(5), 870-879. Web.