BEL+313


 * Code **: BEL 313
 * Course ** : INTRODUCTION TO CRITICAL THINKING
 * Level ** : PRE LAW
 * Credit Unit ** : 3
 * Contact Hours ﻿ **: 6 **﻿ **


 * Course Outcomes **

At the end of the course, the student should be able to: 1. Identify basic concepts and terminology in critical thinking 2. Recognize elements of language in texts that shape thought. 3. Evaluate arguments <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify;">4. Develop arguments and counter arguments


 * <span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Course Description **

<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';">This course is designed to develop the students’ ability to think clearly, logically and critically in a wide range of situations. It focuses on the basics of critical thinking and the key elements of argument. They will be taught how to evaluate information, establish facts, make assumptions and inference, form opinions and develop arguments.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Course Content **

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify;">1. Introduction to critical thinking <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify;">2. Basic concepts and terminology in arguments <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify;">3. Language and critical thinking <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify;">4. Arguments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Assessment **

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify;">On-Going Assessment 90% <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify;">Attendance and Assignments/ <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify;">Preparation/Homework 10% <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify;">Homework 5%
 * <span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">On-going assessment (100%) **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Assignment 1 20%
 * <span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Assignment 2 20%
 * <span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Forum 20%
 * <span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Test 30%
 * <span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Attendance & Punctuality 5%
 * <span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Assignments/Preparation/

**<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Prescribed Textbook: NONE **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Recommended Textbook: **

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify;">Cottrell, S. 2005. //Critical Thinking Skills//. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify;">Butterworth, J. and Thwaites, G. 2005. //Thinking Skills.// Cambridge University Press.

**<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">References **

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify;">Andolina, Michael. 2001. //Critical Thinking for Working Students//. Albany, NY: Delmar <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify;">Browne, M.N. & Keeley, S.M. 2004. //Asking the Right Questions//: //A Guide to Critical Thinking//. Upper Saddle river, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify;">Diestler, Sherry. 2005. //Becoming a Critical Thinker//: //A User Friendly Manual//. 4th ed. New Jersey, Pearson/Prentice Hall. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify;">Fisher, Alec. 2002. //Critical Thinking. An Introduction//. Cambridge, Cambridge <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify;">Lunsford, Ruskiewicz and Walters. 2004. //Everything’s An Argument//, Bedford St. Martins, Coursepak <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify;">Mayfield, Marlys. 2004. //Thinking for Yourself//. Boston: Thomson Heinle <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: justify;">University Press.

**<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Weekly schedule for the semester ** **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">BEL 313 – Introduction to Critical Thinking **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">At the end of this week, students will be able to:
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Learning Outcomes **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Week 1 **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Recognize/identify the basic principles of critical thinking
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Identify the basic features of an argument


 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Task/Activities ** ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Learning Outcomes: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Week 2 **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">At the end of this week, students will be able to:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Identify supporting reasons and conclusions in written texts
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Differentiate between contentions and objections in simple arguments

__<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Assignment I (Pair work) __
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Task/Activities **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">This assignment constitutes **__20%__** of the course assessment. **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Submission: Week 6 ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">At the end of this week, students will be able to:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Note: **
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Learning Outcomes: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Week 3 **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Identify linguistic elements that contribute to lexical and syntactic ambiguity
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Identify linguistic features used in persuasive texts
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Construct effective persuasive texts

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">At the end of this week, students will be able to:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Task/Activities ** ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Learning Outcomes: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Week 4 **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Analyse texts to identify arguments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Identify premises that support the conclusion in arguments

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">At the end of this week, students will be able to:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Task/Activities ** ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Learning Outcomes: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Week 5 **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Distinguish between facts and opinions in arguments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Identify elements of a fallacious argument

__<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Assignment II (Individual work) __
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Task/Activities **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">This assignment constitutes **__20%__** of the course assessment. Submission: Week 10 || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">At the end of this week, students will be able to:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Note: **
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Learning Outcomes: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Week 6-7 **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Distinguish between inductive and deductive reasoning
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Evaluate arguments by commenting on the strengths and weakness of the supporting premises
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Assess advertisements based on the usage of rhetorical ploys

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Assignment of task for forum in Week 7 ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Task/Activities **
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Learning Outcomes: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Week 8-9 **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">At the end of this week, students will be able to:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Apply the various concepts of arguments learnt so far to critically evaluate texts
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Review Assignment 1 with students providing adequate feedback (1 on 1 session with students)


 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Task/Activities ** ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Learning Outcomes: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Week 10 **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">At the end of this week, students will be able to:


 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Challenge an argument by identifying weaknesses and providing sound arguments to the contrary


 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Task/Activities ** ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Learning Outcomes: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Week 11 **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">At the end of this week, students will be able to:


 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Participate in a discussion by defending one’s stand on the issue being discussed

__<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Group Presentation (15-20 minutes) __
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Task/Activities **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">This presentation is a practice session for the oral presentation in Week 11-12. ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Note: **
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Learning Outcomes: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Week 12-13 **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">At the end of these weeks, students will be able to:


 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Advocate a particular stand on an issue and formulate arguments to support their stand
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Review Assignment 2 with students providing adequate feedback


 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Task/Activities **

__<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Group Presentation (15-20 minutes) __ ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Learning Outcomes: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Week 14 **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">At the end of this week, students will be able to:


 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">List the various concepts learnt in this course
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Evaluate texts critically and justify reasons for the stand taken

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Test ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">Task/Activities **


 * Downloads**

<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;">











Please download, answer and email back to me with the heading: Learning Styles mailto: ariftesl@gmail.com