Earth Sciences Department

Critical Thinking Policy

(adopted November 12, 1997)

The major role of education in America is to produce an individual who can contribute to society as a well-informed member of a democracy. Competence in critical thinking empowers the college student with the ability to distinguish opinion from fact and belief from knowledge. Evaluative skills learned through elementary inductive and deductive reasoning have applications in problem solving in all aspects of everyday existence. Therefore, all examinations, assignments and activities at Palomar College should reflect academic rigor by requiring critical thinking on the part of the student.