USING SWOT ANALYSIS TO DEVELOP ANALYTICAL THINKING, CRITICAL THINKING, AND ARGUMENTATION SKILLS IN GEOGRAPHY
Mariana-Doina CÎINEANU 
Nicolae Bălcescu National College, Brăila, Brăila County, ROMANIA
Email: officeroseromania@gmail.com
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4120-5617
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this research is to analyze the effect of information organization on students’ performance in conducting a SWOT analysis in Geography. The study aims to compare the results obtained by students who completed the SWOT analysis using a tabular structure (GE1) with those of students who completed the same analysis in a narrative text format (EG2), as well as to investigate students’ perceptions regarding the usefulness and attractiveness of using SWOT analysis. A total of 107 ninth-grade students participated in the study and were divided into two experimental groups (GE1 = 54 students; GE2 = 53 students). The students were assigned the task of conducting a SWOT analysis of the Mamaia seaside resort. They were asked to identify two strengths and two weaknesses of the resort, as well as two opportunities and two threats originating from outside the resort. In addition, each strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat had to be supported by an argument. Students in GE1 were provided with a table in which to record their responses. Students in GE2 were asked to present the SWOT analysis in the form of a written text. During a subsequent week, the students completed a questionnaire. The results indicate that completing a SWOT analysis in a tabular format, preceded by the use of pre-structured tree-type graphic organizers, produces more accurate results than completing a SWOT analysis in narrative text form. The study highlights the necessity for students to possess a substantial body of geographical knowledge in their long-term memory, enabling them to establish connections with new information, make comparisons, conduct evaluations, and engage in reasoning.
KEYWORDS:
geographical thinking, critical thinking, high school education, competence, opportunities, argumentation
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Cite this article as:
Cîineanu, M.-D. (2026). Using SWOT Analysis to Develop Analytical Thinking, Critical Thinking, and Argumentation Skills in Geography. Romanian Review of Geographical Education, 15(2), 5-20. http://doi.org/10.24193/RRGE20266
