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Phil 1000 – Critical Thinking CRN 82308

Social Sciences – Cuyahoga Community College Pre-req: Eligibility for ENG 1010

Western Campus Fall Semester 2018 Credit Hours: 3 credits

Instructor: Mr. Kondik Office Phone: (216) 987-0287

Class Time: Online Office Location: WLA B-146

Class Location: Online

Office Hours -- FALL 2018
Day	Time	Room
M	10:00 AM -2:00 PM	B-146
T	10:45 AM -11:45 AM	B-146
W	10:00 AM -2:00 PM Virtual Hours – Email me	B-146
R	10:45 AM -11:45 AM	B-146

Email: [email protected] (This is my preferred means of communication; contact me via your Tri-C email)

Required Textbook: Boss, J. A. (2017). Think: critical thinking and logic skills for everyday life. New York: McGraw-Hill. Fourth Edition.

CATALOG DESCRIPTION: Principles of critical and creative thinking with emphasis on practical applications using theories to improve the quality of mindfulness. Incorporation of skillful analysis, assessment and communication in the problem-solving process.

I. ACADEMIC CREDIT

Academic Credit According to the Ohio Department of Higher Education, one (1) semester hour of college credit will be awarded for each lecture hour. Students will be expected to work on out-of-class assignments on a regular basis which, over the length of the course, would normally average two hours of out-of-class study for each hour of formal class activity. For laboratory hours, one (1) credit shall be awarded for a minimum of three laboratory hours in a standard week for which little or no out-of-class study is required since three hours will be in the lab (i.e. Laboratory 03 hours). Whereas, one (1) credit shall be awarded for a minimum of two laboratory hours in a standard week, if supplemented by out-of-class assignments which would normally average one hour of out-of class study preparing for or following up the laboratory experience (i.e. Laboratory 02 hours). Credit is also awarded for other hours such as directed practice, practicum, cooperative work experience, and field experience. The number of hours required to receive credit is listed under Other Hours on the syllabus. The number of credit hours for lecture, lab and other hours are listed at the beginning of the syllabus. Make sure you can prioritize your time accordingly. Proper planning, prioritization and dedication will enhance your success in this course. The standard expectation for an online course is that you will spend 3 hours per week for each credit hour.

II. ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT

If you need any special course adaptations or accommodations because of a documented disability, please notify your instructor within a reasonable length of time, preferably the first week of the term with formal notice of that need (i.e. an official letter from the Student Accessibility Services (SAS) office). Accommodations will not be made retroactively. For specific information pertaining to ADA accommodation, please contact your campus SAS office or visit online at http://www.tri-c.edu/accessprograms . Blackboard accessibility information is available at http://access.blackboard.com . Eastern (216) 987-2052 - Voice Metropolitan (216) 987-4344 -Voice Western (216) 987-5079 - Voice Westshore (216) 987-5079 - Voice Brunswick (216) 987-5079 - Voice Off-Site (216) 987-5079 - Voice

III. ATTENDANCE TRACKING

Regular class attendance is expected. Tri-C is required by law to verify the enrollment of students who participate in federal Title IV student aid programs and/or who receive educational benefits through other funding sources. Eligibility for federal student financial aid is, in part, based on your enrollment status. Students who do not attend classes for the entire term are required to withdraw from the course(s). Additionally, students who withdraw from a course or stop attending class without officially withdrawing may be required to return all or a portion of the financial aid based on the date of last attendance. Students who do not attend the full session are responsible for withdrawing from the course(s). Tri-C is responsible for identifying students who have not attended a course, before financial aid funds can be applied to students’ accounts. Therefore, attendance will be recorded in the following ways: For in-person courses, students are required to attend the course by the 15th day of the semester, or equivalent for terms shorter than 5-weeks, to be considered attending. Students who have not met all attendance requirements for an in-person course, as described herein, within the first two weeks of the semester, or equivalent, will be considered not attending and will be reported for non-attendance and dropped from the course. For blended-learning courses, students are required to attend the course by the 15th day of the semester, or equivalent for terms shorter than 5-weeks, or submit an assignment, to be considered attending. Students who have not met all attendance requirements for a blended-learning courses, as described herein, within the first two weeks of the semester, or equivalent, will be considered not attending and will be reported for non-attendance and dropped from the course. For online courses, students are required to login in at least two (2) times per week and submit one (1) assignment per week for the first two (2) weeks of the semester, or equivalent to the 15th day of the term. Students who have not met all attendance requirements for an online course, as described herein, within the first two weeks of the semester, or equivalent, will be considered not attending and will be reported for non-attendance and dropped from the course. At the conclusion of the first two weeks of a semester, or equivalent, instructors report any registered students who have “Never Attended” a course. Those students will be administratively withdrawn from that course. However, after the time period in the previous paragraphs, if a student stops attending a class, wants or needs to withdraw, for any reason, it is the student's responsibility to take action to withdraw from the course. Students must complete and submit the appropriate Tri-C form by the established withdrawal deadline. Tri-C is required to ensure that students receive financial aid only for courses that they attend and complete. Students reported for not attending at least one of their registered courses will have all financial aid funds held until confirmation of attendance in registered courses has been verified. Students who fail to complete at least one course may be required to repay all or a portion of their federal financial aid funds and may be ineligible to receive future federal financial aid awards. Students who withdraw from classes prior to completing more than 60 percent of their enrolled class time may be subject to the required federal refund policy. If illness or emergency should necessitate a brief absence from class, students should confer with instructors upon their return. Students having problems with class work because of a prolonged absence should confer with the instructor or a counselor.

IV. CONCEALED CARRY STATEMENT

College policy prohibits the possession of weapons in the classroom by students, faculty and staff, unless specifically approved in advance as a job-related requirement (i.e., Tri-C campus police officers). This policy applies to all students, faculty and staff without regard to any concealed handgun license or permit an individual may possess. As a Tri-C student, your behavior on campus must comply with the student code of conduct which is available within the Tri-C student handbook, available at http://www.tri-c.edu/handbook . You must also comply with the College’s Zero Tolerance for Violence on College Property Policy available at http://www.tri-c.edu/policies-and-procedures/documents/3354-1-20-10-zero-tolerance-for-violence-policy.pdf

Outcomes

Course Outcome(s):

Acquire the tools of critical thinking for the deployment of skillful analysis, assessment and communication in the problem solving process.

Essential Learning Outcome Mapping:

Critical/Creative Thinking: Analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information in order to consider problems/ideas and transform them in innovative or imaginative ways.

Objective(s):

1. Develop the paradigmatic characteristics of a critical thinker. 2. Recognize and discuss barriers to critical thinking caused by personal biases and by misuses of language. 3. List common types of meaning and definitions and apply them to rational arguments. 4. Determine the difference between reason and emotion and explain how that distinction impacts the ability to think critically. 5. Identify common errors that occur when evaluating knowledge and evidence. 6. Criticize arguments by applying the knowledge of various informal fallacies of ambiguity, relevance and unwarranted assumptions. 7. Determine if an argument is inductive or deductive. 8. Analyze arguments by being able to identify premises and conclusion(s). 9. Identify major deductive argument forms and ascertain the validity and soundness of major deductive argument forms. 10. Identify and utilize inductive arguments forms such as arguments from analogy, generalizations and causal arguments.

Course Outcome(s):

Apply critical and creative thinking skills to analyze, criticize, and develop arguments and provide supporting evidence for one's conclusions.

Essential Learning Outcome Mapping:

Critical/Creative Thinking: Analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information in order to consider problems/ideas and transform them in innovative or imaginative ways.

Objective(s):

1. Assess the reliability of the information provided that governs the strength of an inductive inference. 2. Identify and utilize major ethical theories to defend one's well-argued position on a controversial issue. 3. Utilize the skills of critical thinking as exemplified through evaluating information from various sources/media and developing one’s own arguments which demonstrate cogent reasoning. 4. Criticize arguments by applying the knowledge of various informal fallacies of ambiguity, relevance and unwarranted assumptions. 5. Identify major deductive argument forms and ascertain the validity and soundness of major deductive argument forms. 6. Identify and utilize inductive arguments forms such as arguments from analogy, generalizations and causal arguments.

Course Outcome(s):

Utilize the tools of critical thinking to argue for well-reasoned positions on contemporary topic issues that are supported by relevant argumentation.

Essential Learning Outcome Mapping:

Civic Responsibility: Analyze the results of actions and inactions with the likely effects on the larger local and/or global communities.

Objective(s):

1. Identify and utilize major ethical theories to defend one's well-argued position on a controversial issue. 2. Utilize the skills of critical thinking as exemplified through evaluating information from various sources/media and developing one’s own arguments which demonstrate cogent reasoning.

Course Outcome(s):

Utilize the tools of critical thinking to discern the quality of research sources.

Essential Learning Outcome Mapping:

Information Literacy: Acquire, evaluate, and use information from credible sources in order to meet information needs for a specific research purpose.

Objective(s):

1. Utilize the skills of critical thinking as exemplified through evaluating information from various sources/media and developing one’s own arguments which demonstrate cogent reasoning. 2. List and describe fallacious forms of reasoning that are present in research and media sources.

Drop Date: The last day to withdraw from this course with no W on your permanent record is November 5’th. Remember if you drop below full time hours (12 credits) you may lose some or all of your financial aid eligibility.

Withdrawal: The last day to withdraw with a W on your permanent record is November 30’th. You cannot withdraw from the course with a W after that date.

Incomplete: Incompletes will only be granted upon student request along with the permission of the instructor. Do not assume that I will grant an incomplete, it will be granted only in extenuating circumstances. A student must complete all course requirements no later than the end of the sixth week of the academic term following the semester in which the “I” was noted.

Campus Security and Student Safety

Campus Police and Security Services are dedicated to protecting life and property, while detecting and preventing crime. The department includes police officers, detective bureau, K-9 patrol, security officers, dispatchers, administrative staff, and student patrols.

FOR ASSISTANCE OR TO REPORT A CRIME CALL: Non-emergencies: 216-987-4325 Emergencies: 216-987-4911

Technical Checklist:

· Please be certain to navigate through all of the links on the opening page for web students in Blackboard.

· If you have not already done so, click on the link to set proper settings and download add-ons to make your computer ready for Blackboard. If you are new to web-based courses in Blackboard, go to the interactive Web Sample course and follow all of the links to learn how to navigate through the Blackboard keys and functions.

· If you encounter technical difficulty for any reason or are unable to enter your course, contact the eLearning and Innovation Department at (216)987-4257 for technical assistance. They can help you better than I can for a technical problem.

Technology and Technology Skills Requirements

The office of eLearning and Innovation offers Blackboard Student Orientations during the beginning of every semester. Orientations are conducted both in-person at each campus and virtually via the internet. Visit http://dlc.tri-c.edu/learnbb for registration information. If you lack basic computer skills or need a refresher I highly recommend these courses so your progress in the course is not hampered by a lack of technical knowledge.

1. You must have basic computer skills. You should be comfortable using a word processing program, browsing for files, copying and pasting between programs. You need to be able to attach documents as well. Documents pasted into the body of an email will result in a point deduction.

2. You must have access to a computer that connects to the Internet. The course materials are accessible through Blackboard. Your student ID number and password are required for access. If you do not own a computer OR if your computer malfunctions during the semester, you will be expected to use the Tri-C Technology Learning Centers (TLC) at one of the campuses or go to a public library.

3. Computer hardware and software specifications for Blackboard can be found at: http://dlc.tri-c.edu

4. Complete the Browser Check on the Distance Learning Website.

In short, if you are concerned about your computer or phone’s system requirements make it a habit to use the computers in the TLC. All of them are equipped properly to handle the specifications required by Blackboard.

Technical Help

Because all quizzes and exams are open for one full week, computer problems are not an excuse for missed or late work. If you experience a technical problem, you should call the 24/7 Helpdesk at 216-987-HELP to receive technical support. There are computers available for student use at each Campus Technology Learning Center (TLC) and your local public library. These resources should be used to keep up with your coursework while you work to resolve a computer problem at home.

Netiquette – Policy on Online Communications Be advised the rules for student conduct apply in the online environment. Any use of electronic communication for flaming or other kinds of harassment may be treated as a student conduct violation. Refer to the Cuyahoga Community College Student Handbook, Student Conduct and Academic Honor Code.

Standard Disciplinary Procedure

The first action in any series disciplinary situation is to block the student from access to the class site. This is a safety mechanism to prevent escalation. This block will remain until such time as the situation is resolved. The next action consists of contacting the student or students involved by e-mail and phone to explain the instructor’s decision and attempt to solve the situation. In serious cases where an apology or basic sanction cannot resolve the problem, the incident will be reported to the Dean of Student Affairs to consult with them for a solution, which is sometimes a disciplinary hearing. Refer to the Student Conduct Code 3354:1-30-03.5 and Student Judicial System 3354:1-30-03.6 for more information about violations and College disciplinary procedures. You can view the Student Conduct Codes by clicking on the College Life tab in My Tri-C Space. Scroll down to College Guidelines and select Tri-C’s Policies and Procedures.

Discussion Boards: There will be 10 discussion boards (including the introductions) worth 15 points each. You must either directly cite the text or reference the article we are discussing for full credit. Remember many of these issues are controversial and please respect your peers. Your initial post will be worth up to 5 points and you need to reply to two different classmates’ posts for an additional 5 points for each post. Your initial posts are generally due on Friday and the replies are due on Sunday during the week they are assigned. Late discussion posts and replies all lose 1 point per day.

· As a guideline you should aim for around 300 words in your substantive response and 150 words in each reply. In addition you must directly or indirectly reference at least one key point that is being presented in each article. Failure to show direct evidence of engaging the article will result in lost points.

· The first due date listed on the schedule is for the response and the second date is for the replies

Quizzes: There will be 4 quizzes worth 25 points each and one worth 20 points. You can expect 10 multiple choice and true/false questions. There may also be a short answer question (3-4 sentences) depending on the quiz. Quizzes will be timed and you will lose points for every minute over the limit. Generally quizzes will have time limits of 20 minutes so you will not have an abundance of time to look up answers. Quizzes are generally due on Sunday night on the week they are assigned.

Exams: There are two exams worth 100 points each and a final exam worth 200 points. All exams will be conducted online. You can expect around 30-40 multiple choice and true/false questions with 4-6 short answers. The short answers are expected to be around 3-4 sentences or less depending on the question. There is a 60 minute time limit on all exams. Exams are generally due on Sunday night of the week they are assigned. Plagiarism on the short answer sections on any quiz or exam will result in a zero on the entire assignment with no exceptions.

Paper pre-writing: There will be a 50 point pre-writing assignment where you will describe your topic in detail. I will give you a rubric in advance of the assignment with more details.

Final Paper: There will be a final paper in this course worth 100 points along with the pre-writing assignment worth 50 points. This will be a research paper that is expected to be around 5 pages in length. Also, you must utilize at least 3 sources in addition to our text. I will provide the details for the assignment when I announce the paper pre-writing. As above, plagiarized papers will yield a 0/100 along with a trip to the Dean of Student Affairs for additional discipline.

Late Assignments: Since this is an online course and you will have an entire week or more to complete your assignments late work will not be accepted. Contact me ASAP if you have extenuating circumstances. You must have a documented excuse for late work.

Student Conduct and Academic Honor Code

Any student found to have committed or to have attempted to commit any act of dishonesty, including cheating, plagiarism, or other forms of academic dishonesty, is subject to the disciplinary sanctions outlined in the Student Judicial System. Plagiarism in any form will not be tolerated in this course. All take home assignments will be checked via SafeAssign software against the internet. All work submitted in the course (including the discussion boards) will be checked for plagiarism.

Refer to the Student Conduct Code 3354:1-30-03.5 and Student Judicial System 3354:1-30-03.6 for more information about violations and College disciplinary procedures. The Student Conduct and Academic Honor code can be accessed via My Tri-C Space on the Student Services tab. The policies are located in the College Guidelines channel located near the bottom of the page.

· Penalties for Academic Dishonesty are defined in the Student Judicial System 3354:1-30-03.6 - (D) Sanctions.

· Plagiarism as Academic Dishonesty is defined in Tri-C Student Handbook via My Tri-C Space on the Student Services tab under College Guidelines.

Point Distribution / Grading Scale

EVALUATION METHOD	Points
Discussion Boards 10@15 each	150
Quizzes 4@25 each 1@ 20	120
Exams 2@ 100 each	200
Paper Pre-Writing	50
Final Paper	100
Final Exam	200
Total Points	820

GRADING	SCALE
A	90 -100%
B	80 - 89%
C	70 -79%
D	60 - 69%
F	Under 60%

Tentative Schedule – I reserve the right to change this schedule (including exam dates).

Week of:

Topics

Assignments

Due Date

( before midnight on this day)

10/22

Day One Notes

Chapter 1

Why is Critical Thinking Important?

Introductory Discussion Board

Discussion Board 1: Affirmative Action

Quiz 1: Day One Notes + Ch 1

10/26 & 10/28

10/28

10/29

Chapter 2

Reason & Emotion

Discussion Board 2: The Existence of God

Exam 1: Intro Notes + Ch 1 & Ch 2

11/2 & 11/4

11/4

11/5

Chapter 3

Language & Communication

Chapter 4

Knowledge, Evidence & Errors in Thinking

Discussion Board 3: Free Speech

Discussion Board 4: Abortion

Quiz 2: Chapter 3 & 4

11/9 & 11/11

11/11

11/12

Chapter 9

Ethics & Moral Reasoning

Chapter 5

Informal Fallacies

Discussion Board 5 – Gun Control

Exam 2: Chapter 3,4 & 9

11/16 & 11/18

11/18

11/19

Chapter 5

Informal Fallacies

Discussion Board 6 – Fallacy Share

Quiz 3: Chapter 5

Paper pre-writing due

11/23 & 11/25

11/25

11/26

Chapter 6

Recognizing & Constructing Arguments

Chapter 7

Inductive Arguments

Discussion Board 7 – Talk about your paper topics

Quiz 4: Chapter 6 & 7

11/30 & 12/2

12/2

12/3

Chapter 8

Deductive Arguments

Chapter 10

Marketing & Advertising

Discussion Board 8 – Marijuana

Discussion Board 9 – Food Marketing

Quiz 5: Chapter 8 & 10

12/7 & 12/9

12/9

12/10

Chapter 11

Mass Media

Final Paper Due (No late papers)

Final Exam (5,6,7,8,10, 11 + cumulative)

Friday 12/14