What is the point of critical thinking?

Ask Questions - Search for causation and don't be mentally lazy.

Define Your Terms - Make your question as specific, concrete, and quantifiable as possible.

Examine the Evidence - Look at all available data, information and research.

Analyze Your Own Assumptions and Biases - Challenge your own biases, it will make them more apparent to yourself and test whether or not they are based in relevant fact.

Avoid Emotional Reasoning - When answering a question you should wonder whether the answer is based in the best evidence or if it is just what you feel most emotionally comfortable with.

Don't Oversimplify - Not all questions have simple answers, avoid two dimensional reasoning.

Consider Other Interpretations - Sometimes the same phenomenon can have multiple explanations; in examining these you can remove confounding factors from your own research.

Tolerate Uncertainty - Sometimes questions don't have a clear answer, deal with it.