Understand basic Critical Thinking elements. This course will better equip those who need to make decisions, those who analyse data and those who need to construct sound arguments.

To describe and explain the four basic types of reasoning used in this field and to provide practice in various
techniques to encourage creative thought.

Course Aims

To equip investigators and fraud specialists with an understanding of basic Critical Thinking elements. This course will better equip those who need to make decisions, those who analyse fraud and criminal data and those who need to construct sound arguments.

Who Should Attend

Management and operational staff engaged in investigation or intelligence gathering into any fraud or criminal matter who wish to increase their analytic and creative thinking abilities to produce better reasoned arguments and reports.

Learning Outcomes

• Define Critical Thinking
• List the seven factors within critical thinking
• Appraise the difference between arguments and claims
• Explain the meaning of empirical and analytic statements
• Distinguish between vague and ambiguous sentences
• Construct a good argument
• Identify strong and weak arguments
• Demonstrate the difference between Inductive, Deductive and Abductive Logic
• Select the most appropriate method for individual analysis and argument
• Analyse source reliability
• Evaluate media as a source
• Describe over 20 fallacies within arguments including:
  - Formal and Informal Fallacies
  - Equivocation
  - Begging the question
  - Reasoning by analogy
  - Hypothesis contrary to fact
  - False Dilemma
  - Straw man
  - Incrementalism
• Discuss Probability
• Define base rate fallacy
• Relate the rules for Mind Mapping
• Construct effective Mind Maps
• List the four rules for brainstorming
• Conduct an effective brainstorming session