Adam Robinson, What Smart Students Know: Maximum Grades. Optimum Learning. Minimum Time, Three Rivers Press, New York, ISBN

Transcription

1 Critical Thinking 10 Cyber Campus Golden Gate University Spring 2007 Instructor: Donald Felipe Associate Professor Office Address: Division of General Education, 536 Mission, San Francisco Telephone Number: (415) E- mail: Office Hours: 536 Mission Street, San Francisco, Room 4339, Thursday, 12:30-3:00. Course Description and Objectives In this course students will develop a variety of techniques and skills for effective study as well as knowledge of rules, strategies and techniques relating to how to analyze and evaluate arguments, concepts and uses of language. The development of study skills and techniques include effective learning attitudes, how to take notes, how to organize class materials, and how to read actively with good comprehension. Students will also learn about the structure and evaluation of arguments, deductive and inductive argument techniques, informal fallacies and crucial aspects of languages that relate to effective argument and persuasion. The course aims to prepare students to engage complex reading and lecture materials in higher education, the workplace, and in life with developed critical skills, awareness, and mature purpose. Required Text s Adam Robinson, What Smart Students Know: Maximum Grades. Optimum Learning. Minimum Time, Three Rivers Press, New York, ISBN Sherry Diestler, Becoming A Critical Thinker; A User Friendly Manual, 4th Edition, Prentice Hall, New Jersey, ISBN Handouts by Donald Felipe, The Wisdom Handbook, unpublished manuscript, All Rights Reserved. (Links to the excerpts will be provided in Sessions of the online course). GGU BookStore: To purchase course books and materials from efollett, GGU's official online bookstore, go to University Library Find the GGU Library Home Page at /

2 There are several databases available through the Golden Gate University Library for students to conduct research on various topics. Remote (off campus) access to the databases requires your last name and student ID# (located on the front of your ID card). Be sure to type in ALL 7 digits, including the starting 0. Example: Course Requirements Quizzes : 20% (total) Exercises: 50% Final Exam: 30% Grading 100%- 93%= A; 92.9%- 90%= A- 89.9%- 88%= B+; 87.9%- 82%= B; 81.9%- 80%= B- 79.9%- 78%= C+; 77.9%- 72%= C; 71.9%- 70%= C %= D+; %= D; %= D- Below 60%= F Evaluation of Discussion and Exercises Discussion and Exercises will be provided in the individual Sessions. Many assignments require written contributions. Specific criteria for evaluating written contributions will be provided with the assignment. General criteria include: grammar and clarity of language coherence of sentences and ideas relevance of comments to topics and questions

3 quality of explanations quality of reasoning understanding of content (text, concepts, rules, strategies, ideas) Written contributions are not penalized for spelling and grammar errors per se. However, grammar errors in particular normally distort the ideas that one is trying to express. Try to write clear, grammatical, expressive sentences. If you need help with a contribution, try to complete well in advance and use the Online Writing Center. Note On Plagiarism READ CAREFULLY: Plagiarism is citing or quoting another source without reference in order to pass it on as original work. In this course, ALL QUOTATIONS FROM THE TEXTBOOK, LECTURES OR OTHER SOURCES MUST HAVE QUOTATION MARKS. If no quotation marks are present, technically, the answer commits plagiarism and will be heavily penalized. Try to explain. Put things in your own words. Demonstrate understanding and knowledge of the subject matter. Be creative. And learn. (NOTE: I use plagiarism software and keep all past essays and papers in electronic archives that can easily be searched for matching text. THE PENALTY FOR REPRODUCING PAST STUDENT PAPERS WILL BE AN AUTOMATIC 'F' FOR THE COURSE) Academic Integrity Policy GGU's Policy on Student Academic Integrity is in effect at all GGU teaching locations, including regional classroom sites, corporate sites, and distance courses delivered in any medium. This policy applies to all business, taxation, and technology students at Golden Gate University. Academic integrity means doing academic work in a manner that strives to achieve the learning objectives your courses have set out for you. It means that you follow the rules and procedures prescribed by your instructors so that you acquire the skills and knowledge your courses are designed to give you. It means that you engage in ethical practices in taking tests and doing assignments and that you respect intellectual property rights by fully disclosing sources of information that appear in your papers and presentations.

4 GGU provides many resources and services that assist you in learning the required research and documentation skills. Please read GGU s Policy on Student Academic Integrity: w w w.ggu.edu/student_services/student_life/ griffin_student_handbook/polic y_academic_honesty Incompletes and Late Assignments Policy on Incompletes Grades of Incomplete will be given only if: 1) the student has participated in the course completing assignments in a timely fashion, and 2) the student has a compelling justification for why course final requirements cannot be completed on time. Late Assignments Assignments handed in late (no more than 10 days) will be penalized 25%. Assignments handed in 10 days past due will be penalized 50%. Students may receive extensions of no more than 14 days by request. Extensions for assignments are granted only if 1) requests for extensions are submitted prior to due date and 2) grounds for the extension are reasonable. Cyber Help CyberCampus Help The University advises that you may contact the Cyberhelp administration for any additional technical assistance you may require in utilizing this CyberCampus "platform" or system, as follows: 1-800/GGU- 4YOU (option 4, then option 1) helpdesk@ggucybercampus.org How To Complete Assignments Quizzes Quizzes can be taken online. Instructions and recommendations for taking quizzes are in the respective online Sessions. Here are the locations of the quizzes (due dates will be forthcoming):

5 Quiz #1. Reading Comprehension Quiz on Robinson, What Smart Students Known. LOCATION: Session 2. Quiz #2: Reading Comprehension Quiz on Robinson, What Smart Students Know. LOCATION: Session 4. Quiz #3: Quiz on Becoming A Critical Thinker, LOCATION: Session 7. Quiz #4: Quiz on Becoming A Critical Thinker, LOCATION: Session 9. Exercises Students will be required to complete several exercises. Assignments for the exercises are found in the Sessions. LOCATION: Sessions 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, Due dates are posted in LESSON of these Sessions. Proctored Final Exam You may take the proctored final exam anytime during the last two weeks of the course. You must make arrangements with Cyber Campus to take the exam. Information is also available at: / w ww.ggu.edu/cybercampus/examinformation. Policy on Incompletes Grades of Incomplete will be given only if: 1) the student has participated in the course completing assignments in a timely fashion, and 2) the student has a reasonable justification for why course final requirements cannot be completed on time. Course Outline Session I Effective Attitudes and Learning Skills Session II

6 Active Reading and Note Taking Skills I Session III Active Reading and Note Taking II Session IV Reading, Note Taking and Developing Memory Session V Rules For Critical Living and Introduction to Argument Session VI Assumptions and Context Session VII (Two Weeks) Deductive Argument Session VIII (Two Weeks) Inductive Argument Session IX (Two Weeks) Fallacies

7 Session X Language, Persuasion and Argument Session XI (One Week Review; Two Weeks to Take Final) Review and Final Exam