By remaining enrolled in this class
you indicate you have read, understood and accepted this syllabus. There are no
exceptions to the policies set in this syllabus.
Course
Description : Critical
Inquiry is designed to introduce students to methods of reasoning, including
causal reasoning, fallacy avoidance, and
the practical application of critical thinking methods in their personal and
private lives. Specifically, students familiarize themselves with a variety of
methods of reasoning, including causal reasoning, general inductive reasoning,
deductive logic, and methods and principles of explanation.
Required
Text: 9th
(2009) edition of Critical Thinking
by Brooke Noel Moore and Richard Parker.
Generic teaching
competencies and skills addressed: Tests and written assignments in which the
students develop and exercise the relevant skills and knowledge; provides
exposure to diverse points, to present concepts and principles at different
levels of complexity so they are meaningful to all students; represents
concepts through a variety of methods, such as analogies, metaphors, models,
and concrete materials; utilizes appropriate learning media, computer
applications, and other technology to address learning objectives; selects
activities that support the critical thinking processes; demonstrates knowledge
of applications of computer technology to the teaching of critical inquiry;
demonstrates knowledge of methods, concepts and vocabulary; and develops
critical philosophic skills.
Specific
behavioral objectives: The student will define terms, read the text; prepare written
assignments, take exams and quizzes; react to class discussion, and learn
critical philosophic skills.
Teaching Methods: The class combines elements of traditional lecture with active
class participation. Traditional teaching methods are supplemented with email
support and web based course material as well as interactive, computer based
tutorials.
|
Part
1 |
Part
III |
|
1: Critical Thinking Basics |
2: Two Kinds of Reasoning |
|
3: Clear Thinking, Critical Thinking, and
Clear Writing |
10: Three Kinds of Inductive Arguments |
|
4: Credibility |
11: Causal Explanation |
|
Part
II |
Part
IV |
|
5: Persuasion through Rhetoric |
8: Categorical Logic |
|
6: More Rhetorical Devices |
9: Truth-Functional Logic (partial) |
|
7: More Fallacies |
|
|
Category |
Counted/Total |
Points
Each |
%
of Grade |
|
Exams |
3/4 |
32 (88-final) |
40% (Equal weight) |
|
Weekly Quizzes |
10/15+ |
5 |
30% (Equal weight) |
|
Weekly Assignments |
10/25+ |
5 |
30% (equal weight) |
Exams: The best three count. Make-ups are permitted
with the obvious exception of the final. The exams are weighted equally.
Quizzes: There will be
approximately fifteen quizzes. The best ten count. The others are used as “make
up” or “extra” quizzes. Except in the case of extensive absences there are no
additional make-ups for quizzes. Each quiz weighs equally.
Assignments:
There will be approximately twenty five assignments. The best ten count. The
other assignments are used as “make up” or “extra” assignments. There are no
additional make-ups for assignments. Assignments are due at the start of the
class and late assignments will not be accepted. If you suspect you will be
late either 1) turn in the assignment early or 2) type or photocopy your
assignment and turn it in as soon as you arrive and prior to the end of class
in which it is due. Assignments are NOT
accepted via email. The assignments have equal weight.
|
Grade |
% |
Grade |
% |
Grade |
% |
Grade |
% |
Grade |
% |
|
A |
90-100 |
B |
80-89 |
C |
70-79 |
D |
60-69 |
F |
0-59 |
|
Office |
Pod #5 Room 300 |
Phone |
(850)
561-2839 |
Email |
Ontologist@aol.com |
Support is available during office hours, via
email and via the instructor’s web page, www.opifexphoenix.com/phil/ .
Office Hours- Tuesday: 3:25-5:35 Wednesday: 11:00-3:45 Thursday: 3:25-4:30
Additional
Course Material: Notes, supplementary material and
computer-based tutorials are available at http://www.opifexphoenix.com/phil/index.html
You can also bring an unused HD 3.5 floppy disk or blank CD-R/CD-RW to my office hours.
Academic Honor Policy: This class complies with
the university academic honor policy.
Attendance:
Attendance is mandatory. Students are fully responsible for
any work, notes, announcements, or other information from missed classes.
Behavior: Behavior that disrupts
the class or interferes with the learning process will not be tolerated.
Cancelled Classes: If a class is cancelled (for
any reason) any scheduled exam or any work due will be rescheduled for the next
class. If classes are cancelled for an extended period of
time, then special arrangements will be made.
Changed Class
Room or Time: If the class room or
time is changed by the Registrar or another FAMU official, it is your
responsibility to learn the new location. First, look for a sign listing the
new room or, if there is another class there, ask the instructor. Second, check
my office door or the web site for the new room. Third, call me during my
office hours or email me. If you missed a test/quiz/assignment or did not turn
in a paper “because” of the room change, the following policy applies: For
quizzes and assignments the "make-ups" are built in -hence there is
no special make-up for them. If the test date was the first class in the new
room, you have until my next office hours to make it up. If a paper was due in
the first class in the new room, you have until my next office hours to turn
the paper in without a late penalty. Otherwise the normal rules apply.
Cheating: Cheating, in any form, will not be
tolerated. Anyone caught cheating will be treated accordingly.
Children
in the Class: I have been informed that it is against state
law for students to bring children to class. Students are required to comply
with this law.
Compliance: The University’s
Americans with Disabilities ACT Policy Statement and the University’s
Non-Discrimination Policy Statement can be viewed at www.famu.edu. This class is taught in
compliance with these policies.
Enrollment:
Students who are not enrolled in the class will not receive
a grade. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure he/she is properly
enrolled in the class. If you expect to be reinstated do not simply stop
attending class-contact me as soon as possible
Excuses:
I only accept
legitimate, official excuses, such as those from coaches and Deans’ offices. Unofficial excuses (such as doctor’s notes, letters
from relatives or employers) and photocopies are not acceptable. You only need
an excuse if you miss a test. Students are required to acquire the excuses
within ten (10) days of the last day of the absence.
Extensive
absences: A student who has an extensive number of excused absences and elects to not
withdraw from the class must meet with me to discuss the situation within one
week of the student’s return to class. Failure to do so
results in a non-negotiable “O” on all missed work. Any extensive makeup
work takes place entirely at my discretion.
Email: Be sure that your email
address is up to date on iRattler/OurFAMU. That
address will be used should I need to contact you.
Grade
Discussion: I will not discuss individual grades during
class time. Such discussions take place during my office hours. A grade
discussion can never result in a lowered grade (unless the discussion reveals that
cheating or plagiarism has taken place).
Grade Information: Grades cannot be given by
phone or posted in public. Grade reports can be sent via SASE, email, or given
in person. Grades are also posted on a secure web site. Use the “check your
grades” link on the class web site. You will need to get your ID and password
from me. You are expected to check your grades regularly online. You are
required to check your grades on the website or during my office hours at least
twice-once during the midterm week and once in the last week of classes prior
to my last office hours. You are required to report any discrepancies
immediately and supply the relevant evidence. If you fail to inform me of a
discrepancy and provide the supporting evidence by the time I turn in my grades
for the semester, the grade(s) will not
be changed.
Grade
Averages: The averages shown on the grade reports are not
accurate until all the grades have been entered. This is because I have set the
software to drop the lowest scores (see above) and this will result in an
inaccurate average until all the grades are entered. For example, if three
tests have been given, but you only took two and scored 70% on both, then your
average would be listed as 70%. However,
your real average would be 46.7%, since the 0 would be dropped when the average
was calculated.. Be sure that you know your correct
average before making decisions relating to the course (such as deciding not to
take a test).
Incompletes:
Requirements: 1) At least half the course
work has been completed. 2) The
minimum requirements have not been completed.
3) The student has at least a “C”
average for the completed work. 4) The
failure to complete the work is not the student’s fault. 5) Valid, signed excuses from his/her dean’s
office must be provided. 6) The student must make the request no latter than
one week prior to my last office hours. 7)The student
must complete the incomplete form and have it approved by me no latter than the
end of my last officer hours. You must meet all these requirements to qualify
for an incomplete.
Make-ups:
Requirements: 1) A valid excuse covering the relevant date must be provided
when the make up is taken. 2) The make up for a test must be completed by the
date of the next test. 3) The make up
must be taken during my office hours.
Failure to meet the conditions will result in a non-negotiable grade of
“0” for the work. There are no make ups for quizzes or assignments. Papers are
either late or on time (see below). In no case will make up work be permitted
after the end of the semester.
Mercy:
Each student has one nontransferable “Mercy.” The mercy can be used once and
only once, but may be used in one of three ways: an excuse, the Mercy Quiz, or
the Mercy Assignment. To use your “Mercy” as an excuse
simply tell me you are doing so when you arrive to make up the exam. If you do
not use the Mercy, it is automatically scored as either a quiz or assignment (but not
both) based on whichever gives you the better grade.
Mobile
Phones & Other Devices: Please
put your mobile phone and other communication devices on silent ring. If you
must take a call during class, please leave the room quietly and go far enough
away that your conversation does not distract others. You can use a PDA or
laptop during normal class (not during exams), provided that your activity is
not distracting or annoying.
Returned
Work: You are expected to pick up your work when it
is returned. Quizzes and assignments that are not picked up
when they are returned will be discarded. Unclaimed exams will be kept in my
office for one year. If you wish to dispute a grade, you are required to
present the work in question.
Test
Policy: During exams you must clear your desktop of all
items except your pen or pencil. Mobile phones and other communication devices
are to be turned off unless you are legitimately required to be in constant
contact (for example, you are a police officer). If you use a mobile phone or
other communication device during an exam, then this will be considered
cheating and you will receive a grade of zero (0) on the exam (unless you are
legitimately required to be in constant contact, the call is one you are
legitimately obligated to take and you have supplied legitimate documentation
prior to the exam).
The
Last Day: All class related business (except the final)
must be completed by the end of my office hours on the last day I hold my
regular office hours. This will be in the last week of classes, not finals
week. I do not hold office hours during finals week.
Two
Point Adjustment: Each student enrolled in Critical
Thinking will receive an adjustment of +1 to one scoring quiz and +1 to one
scoring assignment as a minor means of compensating for the lack of +/- on the
grading scale (yes, it can actually make a difference).
Unusual
Circumstances: Reasonable accommodations will be made for all
legitimate circumstances. It is the student’s responsibility to make me aware
of such relevant circumstances as soon as possible, preferably at the start of
the semester. It is the student’s responsibility
to make me aware of such relevant circumstances as soon as possible. Do not wait until the end of the semester!
Critical Inquiry Schedule
(subject
to revision)
|
Tuesday,
January 26 |
Exam
#1 |
Thursday,
April 22 |
Last
Office Hours. Deadline for everything but the final. |
|
Tuesday,
February 23 |
Exam
#2 |
Wednesday,
April 28 3:00-5:00 pm |
Exam
#4 (Final) |
|
Tuesday,
March 30 |
Exam
#3 |
|
|
Academic Learning Compact
Academic Learning Compact
Students will refer to the ALC
page for additional information. http://www.famu.edu/assessment/
In accord with the ALC
students enrolled in critical inquiry will:
1. Demonstrate proficiency in
written communication. Implementation and evaluation will be via the written
assignments.
2. Demonstrate competence in
critical thinking. The entire course focuses on critical thinking. Evaluation
will take place via assignments, tests and quizzes.
3. Demonstrate familiarity
with the critical concepts and methods of Philosophy and/or Religion. Students will be exposed to these concepts
via instruction and will be assessed via assignments, tests and quizzes.
4. Demonstrate understanding
of diverse cultures and/or world views. Students will be exposed to role of
diversity in critical thinking and assessed via tests and quizzes.
Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP): “Enhancing Performance in Critical Thinking”. This
class enhances quality by including extensive material on critical thinking. In
fact, the entire class is about critical thinking. Really.