Investigating Critical Thinking Skills in Argumentative Essays of Indonesian University Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65575/ppel.v1i1.15Parole chiave:
HOTS, Essays, Argumentative, Critical ThingkingAbstract
The growing emphasis on 21st-century skills in Indonesian education underscores the importance of fostering critical thinking among university students. While curriculum reforms have been implemented, concerns remain about the effectiveness of these changes in developing students' critical thinking abilities, particularly in the context of argumentative writing. This study investigated the level of critical thinking demonstrated by 33 fourth-semester English Education students at UIN Raden Intan Lampung in their argumentative essays. Employing a descriptive-quantitative research design with content analysis, the study utilized the Marguerite and Ennis (1993) rubric to assess students' performance across six aspects of critical thinking: focus, supporting reasons, reasoning, organization, conventions, and integration. Findings revealed that students generally performed well in focus, supporting reasons, organization, and conventions, exhibiting well-developed proficiency in these areas. However, reasoning emerged as a significant area of weakness, with a substantial portion of students demonstrating only developing-level skills. The overall average score indicated a well-developed level of critical thinking, yet the persistent challenges in reasoning highlight the need for targeted pedagogical interventions that specifically address this crucial aspect. This study provides valuable insights for educators seeking to enhance critical thinking instruction and assessment within Indonesian universities, emphasizing the importance of fostering not only technical writing skills but also the deeper cognitive processes that underpin genuine critical inquiry.
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