| 12/27/2024 4:06:37 AM |
| Changed Course |
| CATALOG INFORMATION
|
| Discipline and Nbr:
PHIL 5 | Title:
CRITICAL THINK/WRITE |
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| Full Title:
Critical Thinking/Writing |
| Last Reviewed:1/23/2023 |
| Units | Course Hours per Week | | Nbr of Weeks | Course Hours Total |
| Maximum | 3.00 | Lecture Scheduled | 3.00 | 17.5 max. | Lecture Scheduled | 52.50 |
| Minimum | 3.00 | Lab Scheduled | 0 | 6 min. | Lab Scheduled | 0 |
| | Contact DHR | 0 | | Contact DHR | 0 |
| | Contact Total | 3.00 | | Contact Total | 52.50 |
| |
| | Non-contact DHR | 0 | | Non-contact DHR Total | 0 |
| | Total Out of Class Hours: 105.00 | Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50 | |
Title 5 Category:
AA Degree Applicable
Grading:
Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:
00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As:
Formerly:
Catalog Description:
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This course covers the application of principles of critical thinking to the writing and analysis of extended, argumentative essays.
Prerequisites/Corequisites:
Completion of ENGL 1A (OR ESL 10) or higher (V8) or appropriate placement based on AB 705 mandates
Recommended Preparation:
Limits on Enrollment:
Schedule of Classes Information
Description:
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This course covers the application of principles of critical thinking to the writing and analysis of extended, argumentative essays.
(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:Completion of ENGL 1A (OR ESL 10) or higher (V8) or appropriate placement based on AB 705 mandates
Recommended:
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;UC.
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION
| Associate Degree: | Effective: | Spring 1991
| Inactive: | |
| Area: | B
| Communication and Analytical Thinking
|
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| CSU GE: | Transfer Area | | Effective: | Inactive: |
| | A3 | Critical Thinking | Fall 1991 | |
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| IGETC: | Transfer Area | | Effective: | Inactive: |
| | 1B | Critical Thinking - English Composition | Fall 1981 | |
| |
| CSU Transfer: | Transferable | Effective: | Spring 1991 | Inactive: | |
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| UC Transfer: | Transferable | Effective: | Spring 1991 | Inactive: | |
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| C-ID: |
Certificate/Major Applicable:
Major Applicable Course
COURSE CONTENT
Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:
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1. Analyze extended arguments to identify and explain their claims and premises.
2. Evaluate extended arguments to determine whether their claims are adequately supported.
3. Compose cogent written argumentative essays.
Objectives:
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Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
1. Identify and describe the main conclusion or thesis of an argument and demonstrate an understanding of its significance.
2. Identify and paraphrase the main supporting premises for a conclusion and the arguments in support of those premises.
3. Identify vagueness, ambiguity, emotive language and other rhetorical elements of an argument.
4. Make explicit any unstated premises and/or conclusions in an argument.
5. Employ the correct techniques for evaluating the deductive and/or inductive structures of a component argument within the larger argument.
6. Determine and discuss the relevance of premises to conclusions.
7. Detect and describe logical fallacies that may occur in an argument.
8. Evaluate the acceptability of any unsupported statements of fact or opinion in an argument.
9. Perform a summary evaluation of an overall argument.
10. Select an appropriate topic for an argumentative essay and formulate a clear and defensible conclusion.
11. Conduct library research to support an argument and provide the appropriate documentation.
12. Develop strong arguments that are based upon sound inferences from clear and acceptable premises.
13. Anticipate and critique the strongest counter-arguments.
14. Express ideas clearly, precisely and unambiguously.
15. Organize essays, paragraphs and sentences logically and coherently.
Topics and Scope
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Topics and sequences vary but a typical course involves the following:
I. The concept of "argument" and its various components (e.g. issue, conclusion, premise, assumption)
II. Clarity in language use
A. how to recognize unclear language
B. how to improve the clarity of one's own writing
III. Rhetorical features of argument evaluation
A. ambiguity, connotation, denotation, euphemism, slanting, etc.
B. identifying rhetorical features in critical essays
IV. Types of argument
A. deductive, inductive, syllogism, generalization, analogy, causal argument, etc.
B. identifying types in critical essays
V. Methods for evaluating arguments (e.g. validity, soundness, cogency, relevance, logical fallacy)
VI. Determining the acceptability of claims of fact, value, opinion, etc.
VII. Selecting argumentative essay topics and conclusions
VIII. Developing and presenting relevant support for a conclusion
IX. Identifying and responding to the strongest objections to a position
X. Organizing an argumentative essay clearly, logically, and coherently by the appropriate use of essay components
A. introduction
B. transitions
C. conclusions
D. summaries
E. logical relationships between sentences in a paragraph and between paragraphs in an essay
XI. Library research and documentation, as pertaining to argument essays
XII. Revision techniques to improve clarity, coherence, accuracy, cogency and logical progression
Assignments:
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1. Regular reading assignments from course text and supplementary materials (25-50 pages/week). Diversity of perspective and culture will be reflected in the selection of these arguments.
2. Description and written application of methods for evaluating different types of arguments.
3. Discussion and written application of methods for selecting argumentative essay topics and conclusions and developing and presenting relevant support for a conclusion.
4. Writing assignments of at least 6000 words total, divided into at least five essays.
5. Library research and documentation.
6. Practice in revising essays to improve its clarity, coherence, accuracy, cogency and logical progression.
7. 1-2 exams.
8. Participation in class discussions.
Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.
| Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing. | Writing
70 - 90% |
| Argument essays; written applications | |
| Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills. | Problem Solving
5 - 20% |
| Written applications of methods | |
| Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams. | Skill Demonstrations
0 - 0% |
| None | |
| Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams. | Exams
5 - 25% |
| 1-2 exams: multiple choice, essay | |
| Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories. | Other Category
0 - 0% |
| None | |
Representative Textbooks and Materials:
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Critical Thinking, 5th edition. Bassham, Gregory. McGraw Hill: 2012
Critical Thinking, Reading and Writing, 8th edition. Barnett, Sylvan and Bedau, Hugo. St. Martins: 2013
Elements of Style. White, E. B. and Strunk, William. WLC Books: 2009 (Classic)
Instructor prepared materials
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