1. When I looked it up, I found that “Intellectual Skills” are defined as Active Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening, Problem Solving, Exercising Control, Judging.

2. Another site indicated that students develop their critical thinking by *reading* and writing arguments, which involves:

* evaluating the elements of the argument, including the claim as well as the data (reasons and evidence), seeking and testing both stated and unstated premises

* identifying the backing and justification for the premises and warrants

* understanding guidelines for a classical argument, an opposition/refutation argument, and a Rogerian argument

3. A third site stated that: (summarized to keep it short)

Active reading means reading with a view to understand and relate the information to other readings, ideas and themes from lectures, and to the goals of your course and your learning. It includes checking your understanding, monitoring for difficulties, and checking for ways to correct difficulties. It should be clear from these aspects of active reading that active reading is brain intensive; that is, it involves thinking as you read and directing that thinking to achieve certain reading goals. An active approach to reading also involves selecting information relevant to a purpose, using strategies or approaches to texts to meet certain goals. Active reading can also apply to that time just after a reading has been done, during which time we should be asking analytical and critical questions about what we have read.

Hope that helps! Best wishes to you!