Lincoln University
COURSE SYLLABUS
Course: Critical Thinking
Department and number: English 75
Credit: 3 units
Course prerequisites: none
Semester: Summer 2011 – Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:30-1:45; 2:00-3:15
Instructor: Dr. Sylvia Y. Schoemaker Rippel
Course-related email for the semester: profsylvia@gmail.com
Office hours and location: T, Th 11:45-12:30 and by arrangement, room 307
Office phone: 510-628-8036
Instructional Materials and References
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Mayfield, M. (2010). Thinking for yourself. (8th Ed.). Boston: Cengage Learning: Wadsworth. (TFY)
ISBN: 13: 978-1-4282-3144-3
Daiek, D., &; Anter, N. (2004) Critical reading for college and beyond. New York: McGraw-Hill. (CRCB)
ISBN: 0072473762RECOMMENDED TEXT:
Harris, Robert. A. Creative Problem Solving. Los Angeles: Pyrczak Publishing, 2002. (CPS)
ISBN: 1-884585-43-4
COMPANION SITES
Note: Course and student blogs and wiki sites to be presented in class
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Critical thinking (E75) considers the cognitive skills and communicative strategies for defining, applying, analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating information. The course includes structural and operational approaches to task/mission analysis, decision-making, change forecasting, adaptation, and evaluation. Systems approach to analysis and solution of complex problems. Conceptual issues in problem definition, goal determination and measurement of effectiveness. (3 units)
OBJECTIVES
Students will develop their cognitive skills and enhance their communicative strategies for defining, applying, analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating information. Skills emphasized include ability to examine objectively various sides of issues and to effectively use the procedures involved in systematic problem solving. Additional skills targeted include increased ability to develop and apply academic and professional communication skills, including improved ability to interact appropriately with challenging materials at an increased level of communicative competence.
FORMAT
The course sessions will include presentation, discussion, and application modes.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Students are expected to attend class, to participate in individual and group work in a productive manner, to complete assignments according to schedule and at a level appropriate to university rubrics, and to take personal responsibility for meeting the objectives of the course.
TOPICAL OUTLINE
Topics covered include observation skills, appropriate language skills and encoding strategies, differentiating among fact, inference, judgment, recognizing fallacies of reasoning and evaluation, understanding viewpoint, analyzing character, logic, and emotion in persuasion.
For each of the units (as well as additional assignments given in class), students will do the following: |
Read assigned materials with care and understanding, |
Create a personalized, three-level outline for assigned readings, turning text headings into questions for the first level of the outline, and developing the second and third level with your main and more detailed answers to your formulated questions. |
Reflect on the assignments in writing (a brief paragraph or two), discussing your thoughts on the primary content; include points of personal interest. |
Email your assignments to me at profsylvia@gmail.com, with your outline and reflections attached or in the body of your email. Be sure to keep a copy of the email for yourself and add it to your ePortfolios/PowerPoint presentations for midterm and final submission and sharing. |
Assignments are due on the dates indicated on the schedule below. Revisions to the schedule will be announced in class as needed. Class attendance is mandatory for content, interactions, and presentations. Researched materials must be documented using a consistent style for both in-text and end-text citations of sources using the published standards of the most recent subject-appropriate style guide, such as APA (social sciences) or MLA (humanities), for example. |
SCHEDULE
Session | Unit | TFY Text Assignment | CRCB Text Assignment | ||
1 | Jun 7 | Tues | Introduction Where Do You Stand? | ||
2 | Jun 9 | Thurs | Observation | TFY C1, Observation | CRCB C1, Reading |
3 | Jun 14 | Tues | Language and Thought | TFY C2, Word Precision | CRCB C2, Vocabulary |
4 | Jun 16 | Thurs | Facts | TFY C3, Facts | CRCB C3, Memory |
5 | Jun 21 | Tues | Inferences | TFY C4, Inferences | CRCB C4, Time |
6 | Jun 23 | Thurs | Assumptions | TFY C5, Assumptions | CRCB C5, Main Ideas |
7 | Jun 28 | Tues | Opinions Evaluations | TFY C6, Opinions TFY C7, Evaluations | CRCB C6, Details CRCB C7, Inference |
8 | Jun 30 | Thurs | Midterm | ||
9 | Jul 5 | Tues | Points of View | TFY C8, Viewpoints | CRCB C8, Texts |
10 | Jul 7 | Thurs | Argument | TFY C9, Argument | CRCB C9, PSR Strategies |
11 | Jul 12 | Tues | Fallacies | TFY C10, Fallacies | CRCB C10, Marking |
12 | Jul 14 | Thurs | Induction | TFY C11, Inductive Reasoning | CRCB C11, Advanced Strategies |
13 | Jul 19 | Tues | Deduction | TFY C12, Deductive Reasoning | CRCB C12, Arguments |
14 | Jul 21 | Thurs | Final | ||
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA & METHOD OF EVALUATING STUDENTS
Students will demonstrate their level of achievement through appropriate and accurate application of critical thinking theory, including problem-solving, analysis, and decision-making criteria in approaching and solving text, classroom, and real-world exercises, individually and as group participants.
Grading Guidelines
100-95 | A |
94-90 | A- |
89-87 | B+ |
86-84 | B- |
83-80 | C+ |
79-77 | C+ |
76-74 | C |
73-70 | C- |
69-67 | D+ |
66-64 | D |
63-60 | D- |
59 or < | F |
Participation | 15% | ||
Quizzes | 10% | ||
Projects | 15% | ||
Term Paper | 30% | ||
Presentation | 10% | ||
Final Exam | 20% | ||
Total | 100% | ||
