Critical Thinkng for Leaders
Student 2025
6.3Assignment.CaseStudy-CraftinganAnalyticalArgument.docxGetting Started
The LDR-260 Course Project provides an opportunity to demonstrate your critical thinking skills through the development of an Argument Analysis Template. This represents one more valuable tool to add to your leader toolkit! This key assignment begins with your selection of a reasonably complex topic for which there are at least two different perspectives/opinions. Feel free to choose whatever interests you; if you choose a political topic, however, be careful to avoid over-politicizing your points. Take advantage of what you have learned about bias in this course thus far to avoid making unsupported arguments.
No doubt, you’ve heard and/or read much about the lack of civility that seems to have become pervasive in our society these days. “Americans have reached a point where ignorance, especially of anything related to public policy, is an actual virtue,” the scholar Tom Nichols wrote in his book, The Death of Expertise (2017, p. 218). A 2018 New York Times review of the book, suggested that “this is part of a larger wave of anti-rationalism that has been accelerating for years — manifested in the growing ascendancy of emotion over reason in public debates, the blurring of lines among fact and opinion and lies, and denialism in the face of scientific findings…”
Can you think of examples of irrational thinking in our society, in our world, today?
Once you have decided upon a topic, use the following template (Halpern, 2014, pp. 260-261) to carefully work through an analysis of your argument. You may choose to present your analysis as a paper or a PowerPoint presentation. Be sure to address all eight points in the template. Then, rate the overall strength of your topic/argument. Note that the example given in the Analyzing Arguments Template(Word document) is to be replaced with the topic of your choosing.
Background Information
What does one believe these days? Do we base our decisions solely on our own personal experiences? If so, what about those issues with which we have little exposure or experience? Do we rely solely on “following the science?” Often, science is useful in decision-making, but science is limited only to that which is quantifiable. Some things in life may extend beyond that. And what do we make of science that becomes politicized? As leaders, a major responsibility we assume in that role is to make the best possible decisions based on the information available to us. That means that we cannot afford to rely solely on source of information or, if we do so, we must have a very solid reason for doing so. Few skills will be more useful to you than the ability to think critically in ways that enhance problem-solving and decision making.
Instructions
1. Review the assigned MIT Sloan article(new tab) .
2. Briefly review the Retraction Watch(new tab) website to gain perspective on the quality (or lack thereof) of some research.
3. Review the Paul and Elder text, as needed.
4. Using the Analyzing Arguments Template here, thoughtfully select a reasonably complex topic for which there are at least two different perspectives/opinions. Examples of topics chosen by past students: Should college athletes be paid? Should marijuana be legalized nationally? Should children attend school year-round? Caution: Avoid being overly political! Discourse must be civil and respectful.
5. Once you have decided upon a topic, respond to the questions posed (complete Item #1 last) in the template in writing or as a PowerPoint presentation by carefully working through an analysis of your argument. Be sure to address all eight points in the template, plus a concluding reflection as described.
6. Finally, rate the overall strength of your topic/argument in a paragraph or slide to conclude the assignment.
7. Since this assignment is reflective in nature, first-person voice may be used.
8. Prepare a separate title page/slide and reference page/slide.
9. Incorporate no less than six references as sources on which to build your submission. At least four of these must come from sources outside of assigned course readings/viewings.
10. Submit your assignment by the end of the workshop.
Getting Started
The LDR
-
260 Co
urse Project provides an opportunity to
demonstrate your critical thinking skills through the development
of an Argument Analysis Template. This represents one more
valuable tool to add to your leader toolkit! This key assignment
begins with your selection
of a reasonably complex topic for which
there are at least two different perspectives/opinions. Feel free to
choose whatever interests you; if you choose a political topic,
however, be careful to avoid over
-
politicizing your points. Take
advantage of what
you have learned about bias in this course thus
far to avoid making unsupported arguments.
No doubt, you’ve heard and/or read much about the lack of civility
that seems to have become pervasive in our society these days.
“Americans have reached a point wh
ere ignorance, especially of
anything related to public policy, is an actual virtue,” the scholar
Tom Nichols wrote in his book,
The Death of Expertise
(2017, p.
218). A 2018 New York Times review of the book, suggested that
“this is part of a larger wave
of anti
-
rationalism that has been
accelerating for years
—
manifested in the growing ascendancy of
emotion over reason in public debates, the blurring of lines among
fact and opinion and lies, and denialism in the face of scientific
findings…”
Can you thi
nk of examples of irrational thinking in our society, in
our world, today?
Once you have decided upon a topic, use the following template
(Halpern, 2014, pp. 260
-
261) to carefully work through an
analysis of your argument. You may choose to present your
an
alysis as a paper or a PowerPoint presentation. Be sure to
address all eight points in the template. Then, rate the overall
strength of your topic/argument. Note that the example given in
the
Analyzing Arguments Template
(Word document)
is to be
replaced with the topic of your choosing.
Background Information
What does one believe
these days? Do we base our decisions
solely on our own personal experiences? If so, what about those
issues with which we have little exposure or experience? Do we
rely solely on “following the science?” Often, science is useful in
Getting Started
The LDR-260 Course Project provides an opportunity to
demonstrate your critical thinking skills through the development
of an Argument Analysis Template. This represents one more
valuable tool to add to your leader toolkit! This key assignment
begins with your selection of a reasonably complex topic for which
there are at least two different perspectives/opinions. Feel free to
choose whatever interests you; if you choose a political topic,
however, be careful to avoid over-politicizing your points. Take
advantage of what you have learned about bias in this course thus
far to avoid making unsupported arguments.
No doubt, you’ve heard and/or read much about the lack of civility
that seems to have become pervasive in our society these days.
“Americans have reached a point where ignorance, especially of
anything related to public policy, is an actual virtue,” the scholar
Tom Nichols wrote in his book, The Death of Expertise (2017, p.
218). A 2018 New York Times review of the book, suggested that
“this is part of a larger wave of anti-rationalism that has been
accelerating for years — manifested in the growing ascendancy of
emotion over reason in public debates, the blurring of lines among
fact and opinion and lies, and denialism in the face of scientific
findings…”
Can you think of examples of irrational thinking in our society, in
our world, today?
Once you have decided upon a topic, use the following template
(Halpern, 2014, pp. 260-261) to carefully work through an
analysis of your argument. You may choose to present your
analysis as a paper or a PowerPoint presentation. Be sure to
address all eight points in the template. Then, rate the overall
strength of your topic/argument. Note that the example given in
the Analyzing Arguments Template(Word document) is to be
replaced with the topic of your choosing.
Background Information
What does one believe these days? Do we base our decisions
solely on our own personal experiences? If so, what about those
issues with which we have little exposure or experience? Do we
rely solely on “following the science?” Often, science is useful in
