Course Outline

Faculty of Education & Arts

Course Number: CRTH 1014

Course Title: Critical Thinking

Course Instructor: Mrs. Lisa Ramirez

Sections: Section OS3

Semester: 2024-1

Meeting Time: M/W 9:30 – 10:45 a.m. (online)

Meeting Link: https://ub-edu-bz.zoom.us/j/88540320340?pwd=OCAiEO6OEQKicNrQmwvxuMI5xh3DZN.1

Pre-requisite: None

Co-requisite: None

Office Location: FEA RM 106

Telephone: Office: 243-4010

E-Mail Address: [email protected]

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COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is designed to develop critical thinking and reading skills that complement writing in all disciplines. It focuses on dissecting the
components of an argument and encourages students to apply the processes and methods of logical reasoning such as deductive logic, the
basic elements of statistical inference, and causal reasoning, as well as examining common fallacies to analyze, and synthesize and evaluate
the quality of arguments.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Distinguish fact from opinion

2. Differentiate between reasoning and other kinds of thinking
3. Detect hidden or implicit premises
4. Analyze the processes of logical reasoning to interpret arguments
5. Evaluate the quality of reasoning behind arguments
6. Recognize fallacies in argument
7. Interpret evidence and findings, especially those that represent opposing viewpoints
8. Recognize personal biases by examining multiple perspectives on an issue
9. Evaluate personal positions or conclusions by reflecting on individual perspectives
10. Judge the validity of inferences
11. Arrive at logical conclusions

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This is only a tentative schedule and is subject to future changes.

CLASS SCHEDULE

Date Topics/Sub-topics Teaching Strategies & Activities Readings Assignments & Due
Dates
12/08/24 Course Overview/Expectations ▪ Overview of the course and Assignment due dates
Critical Thinking course expectations. will be posted on
▪ What is Critical Thinking? Moodle with specific
labels.

Quizzes and other

14/08/24 Critical Thinking ▪ Critical Thinking Tradition Chapter 1: What is assessments will be
▪ How it can be improved Critical Thinking and announced on Moodle.
▪ Skills/Competencies, how to improve it
Dispositions, and Values of the (available in Module
Critical Thinker 1 on Moodle).
▪ Benefits of Critical Thinking

19/08/24 Critical Thinking Standards Critical Thinking Standards: Introduction to

✓ Clarity Critical Thinking
✓ Precision (Chapter 1: p. 1-7 in
✓ Accuracy Critical Thinking: A
✓ Relevance Student’s
✓ Consistency Introduction)
✓ Logical Correctness
✓ Completeness
✓ Fairness

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 Date Topics/Sub-topics Teaching Strategies & Activities Readings Assignments & Due
Dates
21/08/24 ▪ Critical Thinking in the Introduction to
Workplace Critical Thinking
▪ Critical Thinking in Life (Chapter 1: p. 7-20 in
▪ Barriers to Critical Thinking Critical Thinking: A
Student’s
Introduction)
26/08/24 Fact and Opinion ▪ What is a fact? p. 32 (Critical Pre-Test (Available
▪ What is an opinion Thinking: A Student’s on Moodle) This is a
▪ What is an assumption? Introduction) diagnostic test and
▪ Statements: Ex. 2.1 p. 36-39 the grade will not be
True/False/Controversial calculated into the
final average.

28/08/24 Fact and Opinion Contd. ▪ Importance of clarifying ideas and p. 29 - 31

expressions (Critical Thinking: A
▪ Statements and Non-Statements Student’s
▪ Non-statements that can be used in Introduction)
arguments

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 Date Topics/Sub-topics Teaching Strategies & Activities Readings Assignments & Due
Dates
02/09/24 Clarifying Ideas and ▪ The power of words to frame Ch. 7 p. 275 Journal 1 Due
Expressions: The Power of arguments (Becoming a Critical
Language ▪ How words influence perception Thinker: A User
▪ Vagueness, ambiguity, Friendly Manual)
doublespeak, and weasel words

04/09/24 Clarifying Ideas and ▪ Biases: Confirmation Bias

Expressions: The Power of ▪ Halo effect
Language ▪ Self-serving bias
▪ Belief bias and how it alters our
perceptions of arguments

09/09/24 Identifying Premises and ▪ Premise indicator p. 33-36

Conclusions ▪ Conclusion Indicator (Critical Thinking: A
▪ How to find the conclusion of an Student’s
argument? Introduction)

11/09/24 Arguments vs Non-Arguments What is NOT an argument? p. 40 – 43

Distinguishing Arguments from ▪ reports (Critical Thinking: A
Explanations ▪ unsupported assertions Student’s
▪ conditional statements Introduction)
▪ illustrations
▪ explanations

4 Basic Tests: Argument vs Explanation p. 44 -47

(Critical Thinking: A
Student’s
Introduction)

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 Date Topics/Sub-topics Teaching Strategies & Activities Readings Assignments & Due
Dates
16/09/24 Assumptions ▪ detecting assumptions p. 74 -87 Journal 2 Due
▪ implicit assumptions (Becoming a Critical
▪ importance of examining Thinker: A User-
assumptions Friendly Manual)
▪ challenging assumptions

18/09/24 Basic Logical Concepts ▪ Key Differences between Chapter 3 p. 53 – 62

Inductive vs Deductive Inductive and Deductive (Critical Thinking: A
Arguments Arguments Student’s
Determining deduction: Introduction)
▪ the indicator word test
▪ the strict necessity test
▪ the common pattern test
▪ the principle of charity test

23/09/24 Inductive Reasoning ▪ What is Inductive Reasoning? p. 67 – 71 and

Types of Inductive Reasoning ▪ Inductive Reasoning: p. 285 - 292 (Critical
▪ inductive generalization Thinking: A Student’s
▪ predictive argument Introduction) and
▪ argument from authority
▪ causal argument
▪ statistical argument
▪ argument from analogy
25/09/24 Statistical ▪ A Field Guide to Lies: p.120 – 140
Inferences/Generalizations ▪ Mathematical Plausibility (Becoming a Critical
▪ Problems with Averages Thinker: A User-
▪ Infographics Friendly Manual)
▪ Apples vs Oranges Error Lecture: A Field of
▪ Reporting and Sampling Bias Lies

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 Date Topics/Sub-topics Teaching Strategies & Activities Readings Assignments & Due
Dates
▪ Probability
▪ Statistical Literacy
▪ Assuming Variables are
Independent

30/09/24 Correlation is not Causation ▪ Positive correlation

▪ Negative correlation
▪ Investigation p. 141 – 153
▪ Challenges in determining (Becoming a Critical
causation Thinker: A User-
Friendly Manual)

02/10/24 Controlled Studies and ▪ The use of controlled studies in p. 171 – 186 Journal 3 due
Argument from Analogy arguments (Becoming a Critical
The Conspiracy Theory Project ▪ The criteria for credibility of Thinker: A User-
controlled studies Friendly Manual)
▪ The use and misuse of expert
testimony in supporting
conclusions
▪ The use of analogies in inductive
reasoning
▪ Strong vs Weak Inductive
Arguments
▪ Conspiracy Theory Project: An
Exercise in Inductive Reasoning

07/09/24 Deductive Reasoning ▪ Common Patterns of Deductive p. 62 – 67 and 88 - 95

Reasoning (Becoming a Critical
▪ hypothetical syllogism Thinker: A User-
▪ categorical syllogism Friendly Manual)
▪ argument by elimination

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 Date Topics/Sub-topics Teaching Strategies & Activities Readings Assignments & Due
Dates
▪ argument based on
mathematics

09/10/24 Deductive Reasoning ▪ Categorical Statements p. 73- 77

▪ Translating into Standard Form (Critical Thinking: A
▪ Deductive Validity Student’s
▪ Sound and Unsound arguments Introduction)

14/10/24 Recognizing Fallacies/Errors in ▪ Fallacies of Relevance p. 225-239

Reasoning (Becoming a Critical
Thinker: A User-
Friendly Manual); p.
119 – 132 (Critical
Thinking: A Student’s
Introduction)

16/10/24 Recognizing Fallacies/Errors in ▪ Fallacies of Insufficient Evidence p. 240 – 255

Reasoning (Becoming a Critical
Thinker: A User-
Friendly Manual);
p. 140 – 154 (Critical
Thinking: A Student’s
Introduction)

21/10/24 Evaluating Arguments and ▪ Argument: Good or Bad? p. 195 – 203 (Critical Journal 4 due
Truth Claims ▪ Premise: Thinking: A Student’s
Acceptable/Unacceptable Introduction)
▪ Refutation

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 Date Topics/Sub-topics Teaching Strategies & Activities Readings Assignments & Due
Dates
23/10/24 Evaluating Arguments contd. ▪ Argument: Good or Bad?
▪ Premise:
Acceptable/Unacceptable
▪ Refutation

28/10/24 Pre-empting Objections ▪ In class mini-debates in which

✓ Making objections to small groups can anticipate
opponent’s argument objections to an argument. Each
group come up with an argument;
objection to someone’s argument.
Paired off and find objections;
bring another argument.
▪ Find objections to your own
argument. (two different topics)
gets slightly more challenging

30/10/24 Pre-empting Objections ▪ In class mini-debates in which

✓ Making objections to small groups can anticipate
opponent’s argument objections to an argument. Each
group come up with an argument;
objection to someone’s argument.
Paired off and find objections;
bring another argument.
Find objections to your own
argument. (two different topics)
gets slightly more challenging
04/11/24 Drawing Inferences ▪ Students will be presented with
Arriving at Logical short texts containing a set of
Conclusions facts they should consider as true.
They will examine consequent
statements that could be inferred

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 Date Topics/Sub-topics Teaching Strategies & Activities Readings Assignments & Due
Dates
from the text. They will, then, be
required to make a judgment on
whether this statement is valid or
not, based on what they have
read.

06/11/24 Drawing Inferences ▪ Students will be presented with

Arriving at Logical short texts containing a set of
Conclusions facts they should consider as true.
They will examine consequent
statements that could be inferred
from the text. They will, then, be
required to make a judgment on
whether this statement is valid or
not, based on what they have
read.

11/11/24 Analyzing Arguments ▪ Diagramming Short Arguments p. 164 – 185 (Critical

▪ Mapping the Logical Relationship Thinking: A Student’s
between Premises and Conclusion Introduction)
▪ Summarizing Longer Arguments

13/11/24 Analyzing Arguments ▪ Diagramming Short Arguments

▪ Mapping the Logical Relationship
between Premises and Conclusion
▪ Summarizing Longer Arguments

18/11/24 Final Exam Review ▪ Mock Exam Practice and Review

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 Date Topics/Sub-topics Teaching Strategies & Activities Readings Assignments & Due
Dates

20/11/24 Final Exam Review ▪ Mock Exam Practice and Review

25/11/24 – STUDY DAYS

27/11/24

28/11/24 - FINAL EXAM

06/12/24

ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY

Plagiarism is copying or using the language, structure, ideas and/or thoughts of another and adopting same as one’s own original work. Be
aware that the writing you do for this and all courses must be your own work and, primarily, your words. It is okay to incorporate the words of
others from articles, essays, interviews, etc. as evidence in support of your ideas, but when you do so, you must be sure to cite each source
appropriately. Other forms of academic dishonesty involve using, without my approval, one of your own papers, or parts of it that you’ve
already submitted for another class. Penalties for plagiarism and academic dishonesty are severe. If you are found guilty of intentional
plagiarism or any other form of academic dishonesty, you will receive a zero for the paper or an outright “F” for the course, and a report will
be forwarded to the Administration. Be sure to see me if you have any questions about plagiarism before you turn in an assignment. We will
discuss proper documentation of sources and how to avoid plagiarism throughout the semester. (This paragraph has been adapted from East
Carolina University’s ENGL 1200 spring 2011 Course Outline and is in line with the UB Academic Honesty Policy.)

The University of Belize Academic Honesty Policy, which is described in the Student Handbook, outlines the university’s expectations for
the integrity of students’ academic work, the procedures for resolving alleged violations of those expectations, and the rights and
responsibilities of students and faculty throughout the process. All students are expected to conform to the Academic Honesty Policy.
Students wishing to dispute a charge of academic dishonesty or a sanction against them may do so by appealing to the Dean of Student
Affairs to invoke the Discipline Appeals Process as detailed in the Student Handbook. The Handbook can be found at
http://www.ub.edu.bz/student_affairs/ student_handbook.php.

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CLASS POLICIES

1. You are expected to attend all virtual sessions and participate in online forums and complete all assignments in a timely fashion in
order to gain the maximum benefits from this class. Because class participation is imperative for success, each student’s final grade
will be positively or negatively affected based on the number of class sessions he or she attends. If you are unable to attend the live
virtual sessions you are responsible for reviewing all class notes, handouts, and activities, as well as any other pertinent information.
2. If you are unable to submit an assignment by the deadline you will be given an extension or make-up opportunity only if you
provide credible documentary evidence (such as a doctor’s certificate) that your absence was due to illness or a family
emergency. Please do not email or phone to ask for work you missed in class unless you are able to provide such evidence. If prior
approval for late submission of an assignment is not granted by the instructor, 10% of the grade for that assignment will be deducted
for each day the assignment is late, unless you provide credible documentary evidence that your inability to turn in your work on
time is due to illness or a family emergency. NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
3. Whenever readings are assigned, you are expected to complete them thoroughly and be able to respond critically to all related
content.

GRADING SCALE
The final grade will be assigned in adherence with the University of Belize’s Grade Policy. Thus, final grades will be computed using a
combination of semester grades (including homework assignments), essays, tests and quizzes, portfolios etc., and a final examination. The
final letter grade will be assigned using the following University Grading Scale:

95-100 A 80-84 B 65-69 D+

90-94 A- 75-79 C+ 60-64 D
85-89 B+ 70-74 C 0-59 F

ASSESSMENT:

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 Assessment: Points Allotted Points Earned
Quizzes (4 @ 15) 60
Journals (4 @15 each) 60
Conspiracy Theory Project 50
Mini-Debates (2 @ 15 each) 30
Pre-Test (not factored into final Grade) 100
Post-Test 100
Total 300
ALL STUDENTS WHETHER TAKING AN ONLINE OR FACE TO FACE CLASS WILL SIT THE FINAL EXAM
FACE TO FACE.

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