Critical Thinking Assignment Examples
Example # 1
CRITICAL THINKING ACTIVITY:
Evaluate the Virtues of Free Trade (100 Points)
In the article “Is Free Trade Passé?” Paul Krugman summarizes and explains research that challenges, and presents
alternatives to, the assumptions of classical trade theory based on comparative advantage.
Directions:

Discuss the positions that challenge the assumptions of constant returns and perfect competition
(keeping in mind that empirical validation of trade theory requires only reasonable approximations to
these conditions).

Discuss the implications for classical trade optimism (the argument that free trade is always "a good
thing") and for trade policy and practice.

Support your positions with at least four scholarly references from the CSU-Global Library.

Your paper should be well written, three to four pages long, and formatted according to CSU-Global
guidelines for APA Style. You are being graded in part on your adherence to good writing mechanics. If
you need help, examine the Tools for Effective Writing in the CSU-Global Library.
Example #2
CRITICAL THINKING ACTIVITY:
Logos, Pathos, and Ethos (125 Points)
Directions:
-Select one of the full-text speeches found in the Sample Speeches PDF.
-Analyze the speech for its use of logos, pathos, and ethos.
-Identify examples in which the speech makes appeals to the audience’s needs and attitudes, and state what
behavior or set of actions (if any) the speaker wants the audience to engage in.
-Estimate the extent to which you could attend fully to this speech without being distracted by the characteristics
or qualities of the speaker.
-Note anything the speaker says that works to enhance the speaker/audience relationship, and state whether it
promotes perceptions of the speaker’s expertise, trustworthiness, similarity, or attractiveness.
Critical Thinking Assignment Examples
In a two- to three-page paper, summarize your responses to the questions above. Be sure to cite specific portions
of the speech you are referencing per CSU-Global specifications for APA style.
Example #3:
CRITICAL THINKING ACTIVITY:
Review a Research Study (50 pts)
This assignment is designed to familiarize you with the writing and structure/components (as indicated by the
subheadings) of scientific studies published in peer-reviewed journals.
Write a review of the research study Forcible, drug-facilitated, and incapacitated rape and sexual assault among
undergraduate women (one of the required readings for this week). The abstract of a research article normally
provides three kinds of information: 1) The research problem/objectives, 2) data collection methods, and 3)
primary finding(s). Your review should include the following information:
--What are the objectives of the study (e.g., the questions that the study was intended to answer)?
--What was the focus of the writing before it moved to Methods? What method did the authors use to collect data
in order to answer their research questions (e.g., Experimentation, Sample survey, Self-Report, Secondary data
analysis, or Content analysis)? Give a brief description. Do NOT describe sampling issues.
--What variables did the authors study? Which variable is the dependent variable? Explain how you decided which
variable is the dependent variable.
--What makes the writing of this research report different from articles you read in news magazines such
as Time and Newsweek?
Your paper should be well written, three- to 4-pages long, and formatted according to CSU-Global guidelines for
APA Style. You are being graded in part on your adherence to good writing mechanics. If you need help, examine
the Tools for Effective Writing in CSU-Global Library.
Example #4:
CRITICAL THINKING ACTIVITY:
Assessments: Creating a Rubric (75 points)
As you have read in the final Portfolio Project description, you will be creating discussion topics for each of the
lessons you are creating in your Canvas course. For this Critical Thinking assignment, create a rubric for assessing
student performance in one of your discussion forums. Consider the following questions as you create your rubric:
Critical Thinking Assignment Examples
--How many posts per week will be required?
--How will the quality of each post be measured?
--Will the time between posts be important?
--What learning outcomes do you want to assess?
--How will you assess those as part of the class-participation component?
Included with your rubric should be a summary detailing the evidence that justifies each of the following:
--The relationship between learning outcomes and the assessment rubric you have created
--The degree to which the learners have achieved the required learning outcomes
--Weight/accounting toward final course grade
--Quality of formative feedback that students provide to their peers participating in the discussion
Your paper should be well written, 3 to 4 pages long, and formatted according to CSU-Global guidelines for APA
Style. You are being graded in part on your adherence to good writing mechanics. If you need help, examine
the Tools for Effective Writing in CSU-Global Library.
Example #5:
For quantitative or skills courses, CT Activities can comprise problems or problem sets instead of, or in addition to,
writing assignments.
For non-essay assignments, be sure to specify precisely what students are to submit.
CRITICAL THINKING ACTIVITY:
Supply and Demand exercise (75 Points)
The table and graph shown below illustrate the demand and supply schedules for television sets in Venezuela, a
"small" nation that is unable to affect world prices.
Critical Thinking Assignment Examples
For each item below, identify your response using the letter value, provide the numerical answer, and describe in a
few sentences how you solved each part of the problem. (This will allow the instructor to assign partial credit.)
a.
Suppose Venezuela imports TV sets at a price of $150 each. Under free trade, how many sets does
Venezuela produce, consume, and import?
b.
Assume that Venezuela imposes a quota that limits imports to 300 TV sets. Determine the quota-induced
price increase and the resulting decrease in consumer surplus.
c.
Calculate the quota's redistributive effect, consumption effect, protective effect, and revenue effect.
d.
Assuming that Venezuelan import companies organize as buyers and bargain favorably with competitive
foreign exporters, what is the overall welfare loss to Venezuela as a result of the quota?
Example #6: A Slide Presentation
CRITICAL THINKING ACTIVITY:
Scene Investigation (100 points)
You are a Crime Scene Investigator asked to give a presentation to the honor students of Lincoln High School. The
students learned about serology and DNA and would like to learn about the application of DNA in criminal
investigations.
Develop a PowerPoint presentation of 10-15 slides providing the following information:
-Define DNA
-Explain the sources for DNA
-List where to find DNA at a crime scene
-Explain how to collect DNA evidence
-Define a buccal swab
-Briefly explain the different methods of developing a DNA profile
Your presentation must include at least three different research sources (use credible sources such as peerreviewed articles, expert blogs, and the textbook, for example). CSU-Global Library is a good place to find these
resources. Give credit to images and sourced data using CSU-Global APA requirements in a final slide at the end of
your presentation.
Example #7: Lab Simulation
CRITICAL THINKING ACTIVITY:
Manage Certificates (50 Points)
Critical Thinking Assignment Examples
http://cselabs.umn.edu/sites/all/files/iticc/instruct_computing/2004/Physics04.html
Complete the following LabSim lab simulation:
3.4.3 – Manage Certificates
The lab simulation will be graded automatically on a percent basis (100 possible points), which your instructor will
convert to 50 points for the assignment.
Note that you can re-work each graded lab simulation as many times as you like, so if you repeat each simulation
until you get a score of 100%, you can earn a perfect score on every Critical Thinking assignment.
Lab simulations, or LabSims, are created through the LabSim software on the instructor’s computer using the web
client through a web browser.
CSU-Global sends the instructor an email message that contains the instructor's information, which the instructor
uses to log in to LabSim. If you want to use a LabSim, you can view video tutorials explaining how to set up and use
LabSim at the following URLs:

The web client login can be found at http://labsim.testout.com. LabSim Getting
Started: http://content2.testout.com/web/GettingStarted/GettingStarted.htm

Setting up Accounts in
LabSim: http://content2.testout.com/web/SettingLabSimAccounts/SettingLabSimAccounts.htm
Critical Thinking Assignment Examples

Managing Student and Class
Information: http://content2.testout.com/web/ManageStudentClassInfo/ManageStudentClassInfo.htm
Students do not purchase a license. This is included as a fee in the cost of their tuition. CSU-Global sends a course
roster for each LabSim course to TestOut, which in turn creates an account for each student and emails access
information and credentials to them on the first day of class.