Having a twofold purpose, this booklet serves as an instructional guide for teachers and as a text for junior high students. Emphasis is upon students learning to think reflectively about major issues facing a Democratic society and to analyze various claims that they read and hear everyday in the world around them. An objective of the study is to help students understand the complicated task of being an intelligent, alert, and informed citizen. New vocabulary, ideas, and ways of applying the ideas help students learn to use critical thinking skills in clarifying issues. Chapter topics are: Describing the World Around Us; Testable Statements; Proof Process; Value Judgment; and Argumentation. The first three chapters focus upon identifying and naming different kinds of statements according to definitions, specific claims, generalizations, statistics, explanations, hypotheses, and evidence. Chapter four discusses value judgment, decisions, statements of preferences, loaded statements, and dilemmas. The last chapter relates the way in which different kinds of statements are put together in an argument. A glossary and subject index are provided. (SJM)