R. Paul’s Eight Elements
of Thought / Paul’s
Wheel of Reasoning
A useful critical thinking
tool to question claims,
ideas, perspectives
READING & ANALYSING ARTICLES USING
PAUL’S WHEEL OF ANALYSIS*
QUESTION
AT ISSUE
PURPOSE
What is the text type?
What is the main
What do you think is the
issue of the
purpose of the article?
article?
What are the
related sec.
issues?
What inferences can be
made from the article?
INFERENCES
What can you infer about the
tone and attitude of the writer?
IMPLICATIONS/
CONSEQUENCES
What are the possible implications/
consequences of the issues
inherent in the article?
CONCEPTS
What are the p.i.c.s
What concepts/
of the article?
abstract ideas
are present in the
article?
Why did the
writer write this?
EVIDENCE/
DATA
What evidence does
the writer use to support
his point? Does he quote
sources?
ASSUMPTIONS
What are the writer’s
assumptions on the issue?
What are the writer’s
P.O.V.
assumptions of his
readers?
Whose point of view
is presented?
Which interest group does the
writer represent?
8 Possible Points of Entry (P.O.E.)
*Based on Joyce Van Tasselbaska’s modification of Paul’s Reasoning Model
TWP/ENGLISH/T1WK502
READING & ANALYSING ARTICLES USING
PAUL’S WHEEL OF ANALYSIS* TEMPLATE
Title of article : _____________________
Writer : ______________________
Article taken from __________________
Issue : _______________________
QUESTION
AT ISSUE
PURPOSE
EVIDENCE/
DATA
INFERENCES
ASSUMPTIONS
IMPLICATIONS/
CONSEQUENCES
CONCEPTS
P.O.V.
*Based on Joyce Van Tasselbaska’s modification of Paul’s Reasoning Model
TWP/ENGLISH/T1WK502
Question at Issue
• When we attempt to reason,
there must be a question at
issue or a problem to be
solved
• We should be able to
formulate the question to be
answered or the issue to be
addressed when we reason
• Likewise, we should be able
to identify the question at
hand in articles when we read.
Evidence / Data
• We must be able to support
our point of view with reasons
or evidence.
• The presence of evidence
distinguishes mere opinions
from reasoned judgment.
• We can evaluate the strength
of an argument by examining
the supporting data / evidence.
Assumptions
• We need to be aware of the
assumptions we make as well
as the assumptions of others
• Does our audience share our
point of view?
• Do we share the point of view
of the writer?
• Are claims made simply
assumptions or supported by
evidence?
Point of View
• As we take on an issue, we
are influenced by our own
POV and experiences.
• E.g. $100 for a shirt might be
cheap to some, but
ridiculously expensive to
others
• We need to identify the POV
of the writer and his frames of
reference.
Concepts
• What are the key ideas /
theories presented?
• Are they logical?
• Are they significantly
subscribed to in the academic
community?
Implications
• What are the consequences of
the course of path we support?
• What are, for example, the
implications of writing an
essay portraying Adolf Hitler
as a great, moral leader?
Inferences
• Are we making reasoned and
logical inferences /
conclusions based on the raw
data that we have?