Learning, thinking, and reasoning skills support us to complete a wide range of activities and represent a range of other skills, such as critical thinking, evaluation, problem solving, processing information and creative thinking. These skills allow us to think more deeply about a problem, break it down into parts and use our own research to discover solutions. They also allow us to think differently about information, how to ask questions and express our opinions. They allow us to solve problems more effectively, dig deeper into information and reach well-informed conclusions. We will use these skills heavily in our study, but they can also be applied to questions about our own surroundings and topics concerning our future.
To learn more about your skills in this category, you can evaluate your skills through the ‘Skills Discovery’ tool, via your CRSID.
Skills included in this area
- Ability to learn
- Ability to reflect
- Achievement orientation
- Active learning and learning strategies
- Adopting a different perspective
- Agile thinking
- Analytical thinking
- Applying appropriate learning strategies
- Asking the right questions
- Computational and algorithmic thinking
- Creativity and imagination
- Critical thinking
- Debate
- Deductive reasoning
- Emotional intelligence
- Entrepreneurial thinking
- Evaluation of arguments
- Environmental awareness
- Fluency of ideas
- Foreign language
- Grit and persistence
- Inference
- Information seeking
- Interpretation
- Learning to learn
- Logical reasoning
- Numeracy
- Originality
- Initiative
- Reasoning, problem solving and ideation
- Recognition of assumptions
- Research
- Seeking relevant information
- Structured problem solving
- Synthesizing messages
- Transferring knowledge to different contexts
- Understanding biases
Ideas to develop skills in this area
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Access the CamGuides which offer an outline of academic skills, including more information on skills in this section, such as Critical Reading and self-directed learning. You can access these for undergraduates, masters and PhD level study.
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You will practice learning, thinking and reasoning skills through industry projects, as part of your degree or through consulting projects across the university
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Administrative activities, such as making module choices, encourages you to think reflectively and strategically
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Taking part in academic supervisions will help you to deepen your thinking, reflect and share ideas with others
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Consider the various ways in which you engage with learning, such as through lectures, seminars, classes, field trips and practical sessions – reflect on how each of these environments changes your learning experience
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If you are undertaking lab work or any type of research involving the management of data, use of human or animal materials or confidential information you will need to manage ethical considerations
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Learning or developing a new language via The Language Centre
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Applying theory
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Testing procedures
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Taking part in debate or discussion on academic, political or social issues within debate groups, academic research groups or relevant clubs & societies
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Take part in the various consultancy projects that happen around Cambridge, such as iTeams, Cambridge Consulting Network, 180 Degrees Consulting, Bridges for Enterprise, CamStart and activities at Cambridge Zero – just to name a few.
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Use the Reflective Practice tool kit from the library to help you think reflectively about experiences and processes
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Access the ‘Self-reflection toolkit’ from the Careers Service, to enable you to think critically about your experiences and motivations
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Read through the academic study section to find out how to stretch and challenge your academic skills
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Think about using professional development activities to take academic skills into a professional/employment context
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Roles in societies & committees can support a more holistic approach to skills development, such as improving ‘emotional intelligence’, ‘ability to reflect’ ‘understanding biases’ and ‘recognition of assumptions’
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Access the ‘Thinking Creatively’ series from LinkedIn Learning
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Read through the academic study section to find out how to stretch and challenge your academic skills
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Think about using professional development activities to take academic skills into a professional/employment context
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Roles in societies & committees can support a more holistic approach to skills development, such as improving ‘emotional intelligence’, ‘ability to reflect’ ‘understanding biases’ and recognition of assumptions’
Other skills categories to explore
Digital, technology use and technical skills
Interpersonal, communication and social skills
Writing, analytical and reporting skills
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Skill |
Definition |
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Ability to learn |
The ability to acquire new knowledge and skills by engaging in both formal educational programmes and informal learning opportunities. |
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Ability to reflect |
The ability to engage in introspection, evaluate personal strengths and weaknesses, and seek feedback from others. |
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Achievement orientation |
The ability to concentrate on achieving one's goals and developing or modifying plans to achieve them. |
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Active learning and learning strategies |
The ability to utilise new knowledge and skills to meet present and future requirements, while choosing appropriate training methods to match the specific situation or goal. |
|
Adopting a different perspective |
The ability to consider a situation, idea, or problem from a new or alternative point of view. |
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Agile thinking |
The ability to understand, react and adapt quickly and effectively to changing circumstances. |
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Analytical thinking |
The ability to systematically gather and analyse data and then utilise that information to support decision-making and problem-solving. |
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Applying appropriate learning strategies |
The ability to identify the most efficient learning strategy (e.g., visual, multisensory, collaborative learning, etc.) to acquire and retain new skills or knowledge. |
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Asking the right questions |
The ability to ask insightful, relevant, and purposeful questions to obtain information, clarify a point, or explore difficulties other people may have. |
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Computational and algorithmic thinking |
The ability to analyse real-world problems by breaking them into smaller and logical steps and creating models that are easily executable by a computer. |
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Creativity and imagination |
The ability to generate ideas, products, or ways of working that are original, new, and valuable. |
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Critical thinking |
The ability to systematically and rationally evaluate information and situation to form an impartial judgement or option. |
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Debate |
The ability to analyse, justify, and articulate comprehensive arguments during a discussion with others while demonstrating respectable manners and engaging in a polite disagreement. |
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Deductive Reasoning |
The ability to use general and universal statements or facts to form a conclusion. |
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Emotional intelligence |
The ability to have awareness over and to control one's emotions and their expression in order to handle interpersonal relationships thoughtfully and empathetically. |
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Entrepreneurial thinking |
The ability to be self-motivated, innovative, and capable of developing a compelling vision while being aware of potential future risks and challenges. |
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Environmental awareness |
The ability to understand the interdependence between humans and nature and recognise the impact of human activity on the planet. |
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Evaluation of arguments |
The ability to critically assess the validity, coherence, and persuasiveness of presented claims and reasonings, based on supporting evidence. |
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Fluency of ideas |
The ability to brainstorm or quickly generate a large number of ideas, concepts, or possibilities within a topic or a context. |
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Foreign language |
The ability to learn and communicate in a foreign language through speaking, writing, listening, and reading. |
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Grit and persistence |
The ability to pursue a long-term task, mission, or journey in spite of obstacles and discouragements. |
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Inference |
The ability to make a guess or form an opinion on the basis of available information. |
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Information seeking |
The ability to identify missing information and assess the most efficient place or resources where to look for answers. |
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Initiative |
The ability to take a lead in a project or offer a fresh approach to something. |
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Interpretation |
The ability to uncover and determine, or attribute, significance or meaning to various information or situations. |
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Learning to learn |
The capacity to take personal responsibility for one's own learning; the ability to pursue and persist in learning, to organise one's own learning |
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Logical reasoning |
The ability to draw conclusions, make judgements, and accept or reject certain information based on logical evaluation of facts and arguments. |
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Numeracy |
The ability to understand, reason with, and apply simple mathematical concepts in everyday life. |
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Originality |
The ability to independently generate new or fresh ideas, methods or thoughts. |
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Reasoning, problem solving and ideation |
The ability to identify a problem and its causes and find opportunities or means of solving it. |
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Recognition of assumptions |
The ability to recognise beliefs or assumptions which may not be necessarily true. |
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Research |
The ability to conduct a systematic and detailed study to discover (new) information or (new) understanding of a subject. |
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Seeking relevant information |
The ability to identify missing and relevant information and the most effective resource or medium where to find it. |
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Structured problem solving |
The ability to solve complex problems by breaking them into parts, identifying the root causes of each issue, and applying analytical techniques to find solutions. |
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Synthesizing messages |
The ability to communicate a complex or large amount of information and data simply and insightfully. |
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Transferring knowledge to different contexts |
The ability to apply experience and skills from one area into other contexts to create ideas, understand new topics, or solve a problem. |
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Understanding biases |
The ability to recognise when pre-existing patterns affect one's thinking process or judgement, often in an unconscious or unfair way. |