RESOLVING ILL-DEFINED PROBLEMS:
CRITICAL THINKING AND INNOVATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

OTS Topic

a)  Many problems in the AF are "ill-defined";  therefore, traditional problem solving methods are ineffective.

b) Training in critical thinking is necessary for the success of our dynamic military force.

May 2011

Compiled by Bibliography Branch
Muir S. Fairchild Research Information Center
Maxwell AFB, AL

Contents

The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Air Force of the Web site or the information, products, or services contained therein.  For other than authorized activities such as military exchanges and morale, welfare and recreation sites, the U.S. Air Force does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations.  Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this DoD Web site.

Some materials listed below require access to subscription databases.  If you cannot gain access, contact your local library for availability.  AU students and faculty can contact AUL's Web Maintainer for a password.

If a file does not open by clicking on the link, right click and select "copy the shortcut" then paste it into the browser's address bar.

All sites listed were last accessed April 13, 2011.

Internet Resources

AWC Gateway to the Internet: Creativity & Thinking Skills. 
Available online at: http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/awc-thkg.htm
Many links to articles and resources on critical thinking, decision making, and problem solving.

Bradley, Wray E.  Ability and Performance on Ill-Structured Problems: The Substitution Effect of Inductive Reasoning Ability.  Behavioral Research in Accounting 21:19-35 2009. 
Available online at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=39231057&site=ehost-live

Critical Thinking Community. 
Available online at: http://www.criticalthinking.org/index.cfm

Critical Thinking for the Military Professional.
Available online at: http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/cc/guillot.html
Article by W. Michael Guillot posted June 2004 in Air & Space Power Chronicles.

CogNexus Institute. 
Available online at: http://cognexus.org/id47.htm
Articles, papers and books on "wicked problems".

Dike, Shelley E. and others.  Exploring Conceptions of Critical Thinking Held by Military Educators in Higher Education Settings.  International Journal of Leadership in Education 9:45-60 January-March 2006.
Available online at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=19761733&site=ehost-live

Facione, Peter A.  Critical Thinking: What It Is and Why It Counts.  Millbrae, CA, Measured Reasons and The California Academic Press, 2011.  28 p.
Available online at: http://www.insightassessment.com/pdf_files/What&Why2010.pdf

Jonassen, David H.  Learning to Solve Problems: An Instructional Design Guide.  San Francisco, Pfeiffer, 2004.  1 vol.
Available online at: http://www.netlibrary.com/urlapi.asp?action=summary&v=1&bookid=111559
Available through MSFRIC subscription database Netlibrary to AU students.  Individual account must be created to access.

Paul, Richard and Elder, Linda.  Critical Thinking: The Nature of Critical and Creative Thought.   Journal of Developmental Education 30:34-35 Winter 2006.
Available online at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=23830680&site=ehost-live
Part I of II.

Paul, Richard and Elder, Linda.  Critical Thinking: The Nature of Critical and Creative Thought, Part II.   Journal of Developmental Education 30:36-37 Spring 2007.
Available online at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=25122573&site=ehost-live
Part II of II.

Thayer-Bacon, Barbara J.  Transforming Critical Thinking: Thinking Constructively.  New York, Teachers College Press, 2000.  199 p.
Available online at: http://www.netlibrary.com/urlapi.asp?action=summary&v=1&bookid=53687
Available through MSFRIC subscription database Netlibrary to AU students.  Individual account must be created to access.

Thomson, Anne.  Critical Reasoning: A Practical Introduction.  New York, Routledge, 2002.  209 p.
Available online at: http://www.netlibrary.com/urlapi.asp?action=summary&v=1&bookid=74779
Available through MSFRIC subscription database Netlibrary to AU students.  Individual account must be created to access.

VanVactor, Jerry D. and Gill, Tony.  Comparing Military and Civilian Critical Thinking and Information Processes in Operational Risk Management: What Are the Lessons?  Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning 4:97-112 March 2010.
Available online at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=50937778&site=ehost-live

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Books

Browne, M. Neil and Keeley, Stuart.  Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking.  6th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ, Prentice Hall, 2001.  221 p.
Book call no.: 153.42 B883a

Capaldi, Nicholas and Smit, Miles.  The Art of Deception: An Introduction to Critical Thinking.  Amherst, NY, Prometheus Books, 2007.  277 p.
Book call no.: 165 C236a 2007

Critical Thinking and Learning, edited by Mark Mason.  Malden, MA, Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 2008.  134 p.
Book call no.: 370.152 C9341

Moore, David T.  Critical Thinking and Intelligence Analysis.  Washington, Center for Strategic Intelligence Research, Joint Military Intelligence College, 2006.  134 p.
Book call no.: 355.34320973 M821c

Paul, Richard and Elder, Linda.  Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Professional and Personal Life.  Upper Saddle River, NJ, Prentice Hall, 2002.  358 p.
Book call no.: 153.42 P324c

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Documents

Irandoust, Hengameh and Boury-Bisset, Anne-Claire.  Supporting Critical Thinking with Critiquing Systems in Military C2 Environments: Decision Making and Cognitive Analysis.  Val-Bélair, Québec, Canada, Defence Research and Development Canada - Valcartier, 2005.  1 vol.
Also available online at: http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA464027
Doc. call no.: M-U 42764-433a

Documents (Student Research)

Albrecht, Joseph H.  Understanding and Developing Adaptive Leadership During Pre-Commissioning.  Fort Leavenworth, KS, School of Advanced Military Studies, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, 2010.  88 p.
"In complex operational environments marked by uncertainty, lethal threats, and long-term commitments, the Army's junior officers shoulder a burden that requires critical thinking and a willingness to exercise initiative and make decisions."--Abstract.
Also available online at: http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA522704
Doc. call no.: M-U 42022-2 A341u

Clarke, Frederick S.  Changing Army Culture: Creating Adaptive and Critical Thinking Officer Corps.  Carlisle Barracks, PA, U.S. Army War College, 2007.  28 p.
Also available online at: http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA478309
Doc. call no.: M-U 39080-537 C5972c

Doyle, Brian James.  Integrating Critical Thinking in the Curriculum of the Command and General Staff College.  Fort Leavenworth, KS, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, 2008.  75 p.
Also available online at: http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA483011
Doc. call no.: M-U 42022 D7541i

Emilio, George A.  Promoting Critical Thinking in Professional Military Education.  Maxwell AFB, AL, Air Command and Staff College, 2000.  34 p.
Also available online at: http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA394086
Doc. call no.: M-U 43122 E532p

Foldes, Hannah and others.  Assessing Judgment Proficiency in Army Personnel.  Arlington, VA, U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences, 2010.  46 p.
Also available online at: http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA514851
Doc. call no.: M-U 31716-11 no.1917

Gwilliam, Jeffrey L.  Critical Thinking: A Strategic Competency.  Carlisle Barracks, PA, U.S. Army War College, 2002.  40 p.
Also available online at: http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA401001
Doc. call no.: M-U 39080-537 G994c

Luckey, David S. and Schultz, Kevin P.  Defining and Coping with Wicked Problems: The Case of Fort Ord Building Removal.  Monterey, CA, Naval Postgraduate School, 2001.  108 p.
Also available online at: http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA391566
Doc. call no.: M-U 42525 L941d

Scott, Brett G.  Transformation at the United States Air Force Academy: Producing Critical and Systems Thinkers for the Complexity of the 21st Century Military.  Maxwell AFB, AL, Air Command and Staff College, 2006.  49 p.
Doc. call no.: M-U 43122 S4252t

Snow, William H.  Prospects for Strategic Thinking and Innovation: A Survey of War College Students.  Carlisle Barracks, PA, U.S. Army War College, 2006.  23 p.
Also available online at: http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA449001
Doc. call no.: M-U 39080-537 S6741p

Tipton, Robert A.  Professional Military Education for the "Pentathlete" of the Future.  Carlisle Barracks, PA, U.S. Army War College, 2006.  20 p.
" . . . competencies that teach officers 'how to think' vice 'what to think' need to be introduced early during the pre-commissioning process and then reinforced through a Continuing Officer Education System (COES) that supports leadership development at formalized schools within the institutional domain and while serving in unit assignments within the operational and self development domains throughout an officer’s career, thus enabling life long learning."--Abstract.
Also available online at: http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA449139
Doc. call no.: M-U 39080-537 T595p

Usry, Floyd J., Jr.  How Critical Thinking Shapes the Military Decision Making Process.  Newport, RI, Naval War College, 2004.  22 p.
Also available online at: http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA425924
Doc. call no.: M-U 41662 U861h

Willey, Debra A.  Innovative Problem Solving in USAF Officer PME Curriculum.  Maxwell AFB, AL, Air Command and Staff College, April 2001.  35 p.
Also available online at: http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA407136
Doc. call no.: M-U 43122 W714i

Young, William E.  JFACC as Architect: Using Systemic Design to Create Options in a World of Wicked Problems.  Maxwell AFB, AL, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, 2006.  157 p.
Also available online at: https://www.afresearch.org
Doc. call no.: M-U 43998-1 Y78j

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Periodicals

Allen, Charles D. and Gerras, Stephen J.  Developing Creative and Critical Thinkers.  Military Review 89:77-83 November-December 2009.
Also available online at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&AN=48955051&site=ehost-live

Greenwood, T. C. and Hammes, T. X.  War Planning for Wicked Problems: Where Joint Doctrine Fails.  Armed Forces Journal 147:18-22+ December 1, 2009.
Also available online at: Newsbank

Griffin, Sean D.  Critical Thinking: A Weapon for All Wars.  Marine Corps Gazette 89:44-45 June 2005.
Also available online at: http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=852158401&sid=2&Fmt=4&clientId=417&RQT=309&VName=PQD

Hobaugh, Carol F.  Critical Thinking Skills: Do We Have Any?  Critical Thinking Skills of Faculty Teaching Medical Subjects in a Military Environment.  U.S. Army Medical Department Journal, pp 48-62, October-December 2010.
Also available online at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mth&AN=56544548&site=ehost-live

Marzano, Robert J.  Teaching Inference.  Educational Leadership 67:80-81 April 2010.
Also available online at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&AN=48972516&site=ehost-live

Mitroff, Ian and others.  Crises as Ill-Structured Messes.  International Studies Review 6:175-182 March 2004.
Also available online at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eoah&AN=5994222&site=ehost-live
Scroll down to page 175.

Paparone, Christopher R.  Learning to Swim in the Ocean: Creativity as a Zone of Analogy.  Defense AT&L 39:64-67 July-August 2010.
"The article discusses the implication of creative thinking to the U.S. military personnel."--Abstract.
Also available online at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&AN=54369895&site=ehost-live

Schott Karr, Susan.  Critical Thinking: A Critical Strategy For Financial Executives.  Financial Executive 25:58-61 December 2009.
"The article discusses the importance to executives and organizations of critical-thinking skills."--Abstract.
Also available online at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=46712091&site=ehost-live

Tucker, Aaron A.  Leadership By the Socratic Method.  Air & Space Power Journal 21:80-87 Summer 2007.
Also available online at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=25372118&site=ehost-live

Van Echo, Matthew.  Good Decisionmakers Are Not Enough: We Need to Train Beyond the Physical Level of War.  Marine Corps Gazette 93:36-40 May 2009.
Also available online at: http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1701050491&sid=3&Fmt=4&clientId=417&RQT=309&VName=PQD

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This page was last updated on 05/09/2011 01:09 PM

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