Final answer:
In an academic sense, being critical means analyzing and evaluating information, forming judgments based on evidence, and not accepting information without questioning or scrutiny.
Step-by-step explanation:
In an academic sense, being critical means analyzing and evaluating information, forming judgments based on evidence, and not accepting information without questioning or scrutiny. It involves the ability to look beneath the surface of words and images to analyze, interpret, and evaluate. Critical thinking is a crucial skill for students to develop in order to examine all sides of a topic, evaluate the validity of those sides, and make sound judgments.