Selling point: Offers the clearest step-by-step explanations availableSelling point: Provides students with a solid grounding in a wide range of critical thinking skills applicable to many kinds of claims, evidence, and argumentsSelling point: Incorporates hundreds of diverse exercises--including Field Problems, Integrative Exercises, Self-Assessment Quizzes, and Essay Questions--presented progressively, from simple to complex and elementary to more advanced, with selected answers at the back of the bookSelling point: Includes numerous photos with caption questions that encourage critical thinkingSelling point: Covers the evaluation of evidence, authority, and credibility, showing students how to assess the evidence and claims offered by scientists and other experts, the news media, advertising, and everyday experienceSelling point: Emphasizes writing throughout, with writing assignments in each chapter and an extensive appendix on argumentative writing that includes twenty-one essays for analysis.