The Thinking Habit

Asking Questions about the Media - Moses Humphries -    Every day, we scroll through social media, watch YouTube, or read articles online. But how often do we stop and ask, “Is this information reliable?” Media is powerful. It can shape our beliefs, feelings, and actions. That’s why asking the right questions is important. 1. Who Created This? Always start by asking, “Who made this message?” Was it a journalist, a company, or just a random account? Knowing the source helps you understand their purpose. Example: If a sports drink ad claims it makes athletes stronger, remember that the company aims to sell you the drink, not provide unbiased health advice. 2. What Is the Purpose? Media is made for a reason—sometimes to inform, sometimes to entertain, and sometimes to persuade. Ask, “Why does this exist?” Example: A TikTok video might seem funny, but it could also be promoting a product without you realizing it. 3. What Techniques Are Being Used? Consider how the me...

 - How to use the SIFT Method - 28/08/2025 - Moses Humphries - Today, we are surrounded by news, posts, and videos online. However, not everything we encounter is true. Some information may be misleading or even fake. That’s where the SIFT Method comes in. SIFT is a straightforward strategy that helps us determine if online information is trustworthy. The letters stand for Stop, Investigate, Find, and Trace. 1. Stop The first step is to pause before you share, like, or believe something. Ask yourself, “Do I know if this source is reliable?” Example: If you see a shocking headline on Instagram, don’t just repost it immediately. Stop and think before you react. 2. Investigate the Source Next, check who is behind the information. Look at the author, website, or account. Are they experts? Do they have a reason to be biased? Example: If a random TikTok account claims, “Scientists proved chocolate cures cancer,” check if the account belongs to a real scientist or a health org...

What is Critical Thinking? - Moses Humphries - In school, teachers often tell us to “think critically.” Bu t what does that mean? Critical thinking isn’t just about being negative or criticizing things. It’s about looking at information closely, questioning it, and making smart decisions based on evidence and logic. 1. Asking Questions Critical thinking starts with curiosity. Instead of accepting things right away, you ask questions like: “Why is this true?” or “What evidence supports this?” Example: If someone says, “Video games make students lazy,” a critical thinker would ask, “Do all video games cause laziness, or just some? Where is the proof?” 2. Gathering Evidence A critical thinker doesn’t rely only on opinions. They look for facts, data, and examples to support or challenge an idea. Example: Instead of saying, “My friend plays games and gets bad grades,” you’d look at research studies on video games and student performance. 3. Analyzing Perspectives Critical thin...

Writing Using the Toulmin Method - Moses Humphries- St5 Critical Thinking When we write essays or arguments, we often want to convince people that our ideas make sense. But how do we achieve this without sounding like we’re just sharing opinions? One effective way is to use the Toulmin Method, which provides a structure for building strong arguments. Created by philosopher Stephen Toulmin, it divides an argument into six parts. 1. Claim The claim is your main point, what you are trying to prove. For example: “School uniforms s hould be mandatory in all high schools.” That’s the statement you want your audience to accept. 2. Grounds The grounds are your evidence or reasons that support your claim. They answer the question: Why should I believe you? Example: “Uniforms reduce bullying because everyone is dressed the same, making it harder for students to judge each other based on clothes.” 3. Warrant The warrant explains the hidden connection between your grounds and claim. It clari...

The importance of knowing true information Moses Humphries Knowing the truth is one of the most important things in life, because without it, we end up living in a world of guesses, myths, and assumptions. The Gapminder “You are probably wrong about the world” quizzes are a perfect example of this. These quizzes test people on facts about the world, things like global poverty, health, education, and the environment. Shockingly, most people score worse than chance. In other words, a monkey choosing answers at random often does better than humans who think they know the facts. This clearly shows why truth matters. If people believe the world is getting worse when in reality global health, education, and living standards have been improving, they may feel hopeless and powerless. But when we know the true information, we see that progress is possible and that human effort really does make a difference. For example, one Gapminder question asks how many girls in the world finish primary scho...

 Novak Djokovic is the greatest tennis player of all time 7/08/2025 - By Moses Humphries - THE greatest tennis player of all time is a huge argument for tennis fans, where everybody usually falls into a camp, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. But this article is going to about the true Greatest, Novak Djokovic. To be the greatest tennis player, you have to do a lot right. You have to be mentally strong, physically strong and powerful. Novak Djokovic is nothing short of these facts, according to  FD Tennis  Djokovic is the most mentally strong tennis player and we can see as to why. One example is in the 2019 Wimbledon Championships, stakes are high and the score is 40-15 Federer's championship point, only needs one more point to win Wimbledon for the 9th time, most players are done think there is no way they are coming back. But not for Novak Djokovic, he saves both championship points and comes back to win Wimbledon. This example clearly shows that Djokovic...