PHL 137 Unit Guide

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PHL 137Critical Thinking

3 Credit points

Unit GuideSemester 1, 2012

Department of Philosophy


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Undergraduate Unit Guide

Department of Philosophy

PHL 137: Critical Thinking, Credit Point Value: 3pts

Semester 1, 2012

Students in this unit should read this unit guide carefully at the start ofsemester. It contains important information about the unit. If anything in it isunclear, please consult one of the teaching staff in the unit.

TEACHING STAFF

Unit Convenor & Lecturer Name: Dr Albert Atkin

Phone: 9850 6880Email: [email protected]: W6A 727Consultation hours: Tuesday 11-12 & Thursday 9-10

Lecturer

Name: Dr Jennifer Duke-YongePhone: 9850 8826Email: [email protected]: W6A 722

Consultation hours: TBA

Tutors Name: Richard Heersmink Name: Tereza HendlovaName: Onni Hirvonen Name: Bruce LongName: Neil McDonnell Name: Tim Smartt


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General enquiries (Departmental Administrator) Name: Clara WongPhone: 9850 8837Email: [email protected]: W6A 739

CLASSES

For lecture times and classrooms please consult the MQ Timetable website:http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au . This website will display up-to-dateinformation on your classes and classroom locations.

Lecture 1: Tuesday 12pm 1pm. W6D Lotus TheatreLecture 2: Friday 12pm 1pm. W6D Lotus Theatre

Workshops: (Internal and Composite-Mode Students must attend one of thefollowing)

Workshop 1: Wednesday 12pm 1pm E7B T4Workshop 2: Thursday 10am 11am E7B T3Workshop 3: Friday 1pm 2pm E7B T2

On-Campus Sessions: (External Students must attend both of the following

on-campus sessions)

On-Campus 1: Saturday March 24 th 10am 4pm (location to be confirmed)On-Campus 2: Saturday May 5 th 10am 4pm (location to be confirmed)

Changes made to previous offerings of the unit

(i) Changes to assessment(ii) Changes to the tutorial/workshop system


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ABOUT THIS UNIT

This unit aims to teach the fundamentals of critical thinking and reasoning.Students learn how to construct, analyse and critically evaluate arguments;how to detect common fallacies in reasoning; and how to think logically andcreatively. We teach these skills by developing practical techniques for theevaluation of reasoning, and applying them to arguments from business, law,science, politics, philosophy and the media. Critical thinking skills areinvaluable across all disciplines, and will benefit students in academiccontexts and in life beyond university.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

All academic programmes at Macquarie seek to develop graduate capabilities.These are:

COGNITIVE CAPABILITIES

1. Discipline Specific Knowledge and SkillsOur graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth andbreadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content intheir chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject orprofession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professionaltechnical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able toarticulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adaptdiscipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contributefrom their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

2. Critical, Analytical and Integrative ThinkingWe want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning andanalysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from arange of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints,assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently andsystemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in theworld. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technologyliteracy.

3. Problem Solving and Research CapabilityOur graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, andinterpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawingconnections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relatetheir knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order todiagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to takethe initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.


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4. Creative and InnovativeOur graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creatingknowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable ofinnovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged inapplying their critical, creative thinking.

INTERPERSONAL OR SOCIAL CAPABILITIES

5. Effective CommunicationWe want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and conveytheir views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduatesto take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluateinformation resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speakeffectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologiesas appropriate.

6. Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizensAs local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and ofthe nations historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges ofcontemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduatesto have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others andinclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should havea level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantageand social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser andbetter society.

7. Socially and Environmentally Active and ResponsibleWe want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others;to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have asense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of

mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participantsin moving society towards sustainability.

PERSONAL CAPABILITIES

8. Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and InitiativeWe want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and soundinterpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense intheir professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative asneeded. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handleambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse andchanging environments.

9. Commitment to Continuous LearningOur graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity, which willlead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursuelearning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will becapable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others andthe environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionallyand socially.


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Note : The numbers listed at the end of each Learning Outcome indicate howit is aligned with the Graduate Capabilities.

The learning outcomes of this unit are: (Link to graduate capabilities in brackets):

A. To learn how to recognise the structure of arguments, and how to representthat structure in a clear, standardised form. (1, 2, 5)

B. To learn about different types of reasoning, such as deductive and inductivereasoning and the methods of evaluation appropriate to each. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

C. To learn to apply your critical analysis skills to real arguments from a varietyof contexts, and to recognise the generalisability of these skills, and theirapplicability to other disciplines. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 ,9)

D. To develop critical analysis skills. (1, 2, 3)E. To develop problem-solving skills. (1, 2, 3)F. To develop creative-thinking skills. (1, 2, 3, 4)

U NIT REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS

To complete this unit students must complete all assessments a detailedbelow. Part of the assessment is attendance and participations at either aweekly workshop (for internal and composite students) or two on-campussessions (for external and Gifted and Talented students).

Assessment tasks

Assessment Summary: Internal Students

Task Task Name % Due Date1 On-Line Quiz One 10% Week 4 (week commencing 19/3)2 In-Class Test 25% Lecture One of Week 6 (3/4)3 On-Line Quiz Two 10% Week 9 (week commencing 7/5)4 On-line Quiz Three 10% Week 12 (week commencing 28/5)5 Written Assignment 30% 4pm 12/66 Workshop Participation 15% Ongoing attendance at workshops

Total: 100%

Task 1 Weight Due date Linked unitoutcomes

Linked graduatecapabilities

On-line Quiz 1 10% w/c 19/3 A,C 1,2

Description:

Available 9am on Monday 19/3/12 to 9pm on Friday 23/3/12 (Week 4). The firstquiz is a 30 minute multiple-choice quiz which you will take through the unit website.It will test your understanding of important concepts introduced in weeks 1 to 3, andprovides early feedback on your progress.


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Task 2 Weight Due date Linked unitoutcomesLinked graduate

capabilitiesIn-Class Test 25% 3/4 A-F 1-9

Description:

A 50-minute written test, which will take place during the Tuesday Lecture of Week6. The questions will concern material covered during Weeks 1-5 of the course.



On-line Quiz 2 10% w/c 7/5 A-F 1-9

Description:

Available 9am on Monday 07/5/12 to 9pm on Friday 11/5/12 (Week 9). The secondquiz is a 30 minute multiple-choice quiz which you will take through the unit website.It will test your understanding of important concepts introduced in weeks 7 and 8.




Description:

Available 9am on Monday 28/5/12 to 9pm on Friday 1/6/12 (Week 12). The thirdquiz is a 30 minute multiple-choice quiz which you will take through the unit website.It will test your understanding of important concepts introduced in weeks 9 to 11.



Final WrittenAssignment

30% 4pm 12/6 A-F 1-9

Description:

The written assignment requires you evaluate a piece of written text, using all theskills you have been developing in the unit. It will require a broad standardisationand 1200-1500 words of evaluation. The assignment will be made availablethrough the unit website in week 10.


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capabilitiesWorkshop

Participation15% Weeks 2-12 A-F 1-9

Description:

Workshop participation will be assessed in this unit. Your mark will be based on bothattendance and engagement in your workshops.

Assessment Summary: Composite Students

Task Task Name % Due Date1 On-Line Quiz One 10% Week 4 (week commencing 19/3)2 On-Line Test 25% Week 6 (commencing 2/4)3 On-Line Quiz Two 10% Week 9 (week commencing 7/5)4 On-line Quiz Three 10% Week 12 (week commencing 28/5)5 Written Assignment 30% 4pm 12/66 Workshop Participation 15% Ongoing attendance at workshops

Total: 100%




Description:



capabilities

On-Line Test 25% W/C 2/4 A-F 1-9

Description:

A 50-minute timed online test, covering weeks 1-5, requiring short answers andargument standardisations. It is not multiple-choice and is similar in structure to thein-class test. It is available from 9am Monday 2/4/12 to 9pm Friday 6/4/12 (week6), but can only be attempted once.


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Description:



capabilitiesOn-line Quiz 3 10% w/c 28/5 A-F 1-9

Description:




Final WrittenAssignment

30% 4pm 12/6 A-F 1-9

Description:




WorkshopParticipation

15% Weeks 2-12 A-F 1-9

Description:

Workshop participation will be assessed in this unit. Your mark will be based on bothattendance and engagement in your workshops.


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Assessment Summary: External Students (including Gifted andTalented Students)

Task Task Name % Due Date1 On-Line Quiz One 10% Week 4 (week commencing 19/3)2 On-Line Test 25% Week 6 (week commencing 2/4)3 On-Line Quiz Two 10% Week 9 (week commencing 7/5)4 On-line Quiz Three 10% Week 12 (week commencing 28/5)5 Written Assignment 30% 4pm 12/66 On-Campus Participation 15% Attendance at on-campus sessions on

24/3 and 5/5Total: 100%

Task 1 Weight Due dateLinked unitoutcomes



Description:


Task 2 Weight Due date Linked unit

outcomes

Linked graduate

capabilitiesOn-line Test 25% w/c 2/4 A-F 1-9

Description: A 50-minute timed online test, covering weeks 1-5, requiring short answers andargument standardisations. It is not multiple-choice and is similar in structure to thein-class test. It is available from 9am Monday 2/4/12 to 9pm Friday 6/4/12 (week6), but can only be attempted once.


capabilities


Description:



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capabilitiesOn-line Quiz 3 10% w/c 28/5 A-F 1-9

Description:



capabilitiesFinal WrittenAssignment

30% 4pm 12/6 A-F 1-9

Description:




On-CampusParticipation

15% 24/3 & 5/5 A-F 1-9

Description:

On-Campus participation will be assessed in this unit. Your mark will be based onboth attendance and engagement in these two on-campus sessions.

Assignment submission

Hard Copy SubmissionsWritten work must be submitted through the Arts Student Centre (via theappropriate assignment box) on Level 1, W6A (for internal students) or viaCOE (for external students). Internal students must print and attach acompleted coversheet to all submitted work. A personalised assignmentcoversheet is generated from the student section of the Faculty of Artswebsite at:


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http://www.arts.mq.edu.au/current_students/undergraduate/admin_central/coversheet .

Please provide your student details and click the Get my assignmentcoversheet button to generate your personalised assignment cover sheet. Noother coversheets will be provided by the Faculty.

Return of marked work

Marked work will be returned to internal and composite students viaworkshops. Residuals will be available for collection from the Arts StudentCentre (W6A Foyer).External and Composite students assignments will be returned through theCOE.

Examination

There will be no examination for this unit.

Extensions and special consideration

All requests for extensions should be directed to the Unit Convenor,Albert Atkin, at [email protected]. Requests for extensions should bemade before the due date, and will normally only be granted in extremecases of illness or misadventure. Other study and work commitments arenot considered grounds for an extension.

Students who miss an in-class or online test must contact the Unit Convenoras soon as possible. A medical certificate or other appropriate documentationwill be required to support a request for a supplementary test, and withoutevidence, no supplementary test will be granted.

Special Consideration Policyhttp://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/special_consideration/policy.html

Applying for Special ConsiderationStudents applying for Special Consideration circumstances of three (3)consecutive days duration, within a study period, and/or prevent completionof a formal examination must submit an on-line application with the Facultyof Arts. For an application to be valid, it must include a completed Applicationfor Special Consideration form and all supporting documentation.

The online Special Consideration application is found at:http://www.arts.mq.edu.au/current_students/undergraduate/admin_central/special_consideration .


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U NIVERSITY POLICY ON GRADING

University Grading Policy

http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

The grade a student receives will signify their overall performance in meetingthe learning outcomes of a unit of study. Grades will not be awarded byreference to the achievement of other students nor allocated to fit apredetermined distribution. In determining a grade, due weight will be givento the learning outcomes and level of a unit (ie 100, 200, 300, 800 etc).Graded units will use the following grades:

HD High Distinction 85-100D Distinction 75-84Cr Credit 65-74P Pass 50-64F Fail 0-49

R EQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED TEXTS AND / OR MATERIALS

The Course Notes available through the PHL 137 ilearn site constitute a textfor the course. No other text is required.

If you wish to have an additional text, the ones we recommend are Thinking

Clearly by Jill LeBlanc and Understanding Arguments by Robert J Fogelinand Walter Sinnott-Armstrong. Both these books are on reserve in theLibrary, and available from the Co-op Bookshop.

UNIT WEBPAGE AND TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED

Online units can be accessed at: http://ilearn.mq.edu.au/ .

PC and Internet access are required. Basic computer skills (e.g., internet

browsing) and skills in word processing are also a requirement.Please consult teaching staff for any further, more specific requirements.


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ACADEMIC HONESTY

Academic honesty is an integral part of the core values and principlescontained in the Macquarie University Ethics Statement:

http://www.mq.edu.au/ethics/ethic-statement-final.html .

Its fundamental principle is that all staff and students act with integrity in thecreation, development, application and use of ideas and information. Thismeans that:

All academic work claimed as original is the work of the author makingthe claim.

All academic collaborations are acknowledged. Academic work is not falsified in any way When the ideas of others are used, these ideas are acknowledged

appropriately.

The link below has more details about the policy, procedure and schedule ofpenalties that will apply to breaches of the Academic Honesty Policy whichcan be viewed at:

http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

S TUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

Macquarie University provides a range of Student Support Services. Details ofthese services can be accessed at:http://www.deanofstudents.mq.edu.au/ orhttp://www.campuslife.mq.edu.au/campuswellbeing

Another useful support service is provided by the Learning Skills unit whichyou can find at: http://www.mq.edu.au/learningskills/ .

Arts Student Centre

Phone: +61 2 9850 6783 Email: [email protected] Office: W6A/Foyer

Centre staff are there to smooth the way into university life; answerquestions; give informed advice; provide a sympathetic ear; de-mystify uniways and procedures.

The Faculty Assessment Coversheet and Arts online submissions for SpecialApproval, Special Consideration, Grade Review and Grade Appeal are locatedat: www.arts.mq.edu.au/current_students/undergraduate .


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W EEKLY LECTURE SCHEDULE :

Week 128/2 &2/3

Introduction; Arguments

Week 26/3 & 9/3 Standardisation of Arguments

Week 313/3 &

16/3 Counterarguments; Necessary and sufficient conditions

Week 420/3 &

23/3 Conditional arguments; Validity and Invalidity

Week 527/3 &

30/3 Inductive and Statistical Generalisation

Week 63/4 Test Week

Week 724/4 &

27/4 Inference to the best explanation and causal arguments

Week 81/5 & 4/5 Analogical arguments

Week 98/5 &11/5

Clarifying arguments; Language

Week 1015/5 &

18/5 Broad Standardisation; Evaluating Inferences

Week 11

22/5 &25/5 Evaluating long arguments

Week 1229/5 &

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Using these skills in the construction of your ownarguments

PHL 137 Unit Guide

Documents

Transcript of PHL 137 Unit Guide