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Habits of Mind

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Habits of Mind
Habits of Mind I think of habits of mind as a special thought process in which people use to make decisions, help decide what is right and wrong, and what is the better choice. As Greene and Lidinsky state it is, "patterns of thought that lead them to question assumptions, explore alternatives, anticipate opposing arguments, compare experiences, and identify the causes and consequences of ideas and events" (12). By this I believe they are saying that habits of mind are how the brain works to seek answers and come to conclusions. Habits of mind plays a large role in society because people encounter situations multiple times in a day and people constantly have to make decisions in order to come to a final conclusion. All the possible outcomes and alternatives have to be scanned and played out and habits of mind would be what to use. Not only are habits of mind used in the outside world, but often writers use them too. When I write some pieces, I often have to choose a side, or create an argument and back it up with examples supporting the argument. Arguments always have two sides and habits of mind are used to choose what side is the best choice based on experiences prior to writing the piece, and thinking of possible outcomes for the argument. One of the best examples of using habits of mind is a persuasive essay. When writing a persuasive essay, there is an argument and you must use facts, evidence, personal experience, and logic to choose what side of the argument you would like to be on. It is important to first think about both sides of the argument and determine the outcomes of both sides. Often you will have positives and negatives on both sides, but will go with the side you have more positives for. Before choosing the side however, it is important to be able to support your side with strong reasons. State things that people usually assume, and prove them wrong with reasoning and supply them with evidence of why they wrong. Something else that


Cited: Greene, Stuart, April Lidinsky. From Inquiry to Academic Writing: A Practical Guide. Boston: Bedford, 2008, Print.

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