psychology 47

PART A

WEEK 9

QUESTION 1. ?Who Do You Ask What?? Read through all of the scenarios listed below.

Students will respond to the following:

o For one (1) of the scenarios, identify the components in the problem.

o Determine the questions that you would ask each component in the scenario in

order to gather enough information to start working on a solution to the problem.

(Note: You don‘t have to offer potential solutions to the problem; at this point,

you simply want to gather information.)

o Explain from where and how you would get more information if you needed it.

1. The president of the campus Alumni Association (who has held the one-year position for

the past four years) has been having a difficult time getting enough alumni to attend the

annual meetings so elections can be held and a new president elected, and she really

wants to step down as president. (Kirby & Goodpaster, 2007. The instructor’s manual for

thinking.)

2. You have been appointed to the County Planning Commission. One of the growing small

towns in the county needs a highway bypass to decrease traffic through its business

district, but the only logical and most direct proposed bypass route takes it through one of

the more affluent residential areas. The threat of increased traffic, congestion, and

pollution has the residents of the neighborhood in an uproar, and the County Treasurer is

also complaining that the proposed route might lead to a decrease in revenue for the

county, since it would cause a decrease in property values in this affluent neighborhood.

(Kirby & Goodpaster, 2007. The instructor’s manual for thinking.)

3. Marcus and Arishonne both work to maintain the standard of living that this couple

desires, but they are unable to meet the time demands of both work and domestic life.

Their job demands do not leave enough time for even the most basic things, like cleaning

the house, taking care of the yard, and generally maintaining their home. They have no

children, and their closest relatives are over 600 miles away. (Kirby & Goodpaster,

2007. The instructor’s manual for thinking.)

4. Although everything was fine five minutes ago, a secretary cannot get her computer to

send a document to the printer. The document must be printed for the meeting her boss

has scheduled to begin in fifteen minutes. (Kirby & Goodpaster, 2007. The instructor’s

manual for thinking.)

QUESTION 2. ?Slowest Horse.? Consider this scenario: Mr. Brown and Mr. Green have

argued several times about which one of them has the slowest horse. They have swapped

stories, each telling of the races his horse has lost, but each man also has failed to

convince the other that his horse was the slowest. Students will respond to the following:

o Create the best solution for solving the problem of who owns the slowest horse.

o Explain your reasons for why you believe your solution would solve the two

men‘s problem.

o Describe a dilemma of your own with a problem similar to the one in the

?Slowest Horse? scenario.

o Provide a possible solution for at least two (2) other students‘ dilemmas.

WEEK 10

QUESTION 1. ?Quality Thinking.? Students will respond to the following:

o Identify at least one (1) factor which is necessary for evaluating the quality of

your thinking.

o Explain why it is significant for an accurate evaluation of your own critical

thinking.

o Explain whether it is easier to evaluate other people‘s thinking than it is to

evaluate your own. Why or why not?

QUESTION 2. ?Saddling Up.? John Wayne once said, ?Courage is being scared to death,

but saddling up anyway.? Making a decision sometimes truly feels like an act of courage!

Students will respond to the following:

o Describe a decision you need to make that you have been putting off.

o Identify some of the factors causing you to delay making you decision.

o Explain whether you need more information before you decide. If so, what do you

need to know? How can you get this information?

o Evaluate the consequences of deciding wrongly, of delaying, and of not deciding

at all.

o Determine if you can think through the process and make a decision using an

internal monologue.

o Evaluate whether it would help you to dialogue with others about this decision.

o Review at least two (2) other students‘ comments and thoughtfully contribute

ideas which you believe might assist them in making their decisions.

WEEK 11

QUESTION 1

Make It Real.? You‘ve spent a whole quarter learning how to think more

critically, and now it is time to reflect back over the course. Students will respond to the

following:

o Identify two (2) or three (3) key concepts or skills you have learned from this

course that you think will be helpful to you in your current or future positions.

o Explain why you believe these concepts or skills will be beneficial to you.

 PART B.

ASSIGNMENT 1

Assignment 4: Critical Thinking Paper — Draft and Self-evaluation 2

Once you have completed a draft which presents and defends your position for your chosen

topic, look at your paper and pay careful attention to any arguments that you are using to support

your position. (Note: If there are no arguments, then you have not written an argumentative

paper!)

Self-evaluation

1. On a separate sheet (not part of the paper), identify the premises and conclusion of each

of the arguments in your paper. Most papers will have one overriding argument and then

several smaller arguments which ?prove? the truth of the premises you are making in the

larger argument.

2. Look at each of the arguments you have located in your paper. Carefully study them to

see if there are any informal fallacies. If there are any fallacies, note the name of the

fallacy beneath your identified arguments. Explain why each is a fallacy.

3. Carefully examine each of your arguments again. Even if there isn‘t an informal fallacy

present, is each of the individual arguments valid? Do the premises provide enough

evidence to support the conclusion? If you are not sure, try rewriting each argument as

categorical syllogism and then test for validity. Under each argument, identify whether it

is valid or invalid.

4. Explain to your instructor how you intend to change these arguments in your paper in

order to be certain that they are free from fallacies and are perfectly valid.

5. Once you have completed these tasks, continue editing and revising your paper in order

to eliminate the problems that you have just noted and to make it more persuasive.

The self-evaluation should be at least one (1) page, 250 words minimum. The evaluation should

be typed. APA format is not required for the assignment. Include your name and date.

Your self-evaluation will be assessed based on development and completeness in response to the questions.

 

ASSIGNMENT 2.

Assignment 5: Critical Thinking Paper: Revised

Your paper should present a reasoned, convincing argument for a position on a selected topic.

Write a 4-6 page paper in which you:

1. Follow the five steps of persuasion: establishing credibility, acknowledging the

audience‘s position, constructing a rationale, transplanting root elements, and asking for a

response.

2. Clearly define your position and supporting evidence, including the results of your

survey.

3. Include all the necessary ?evidence? for the reader to reach the expected conclusion in

each argument in the paper (whether the overriding argument or one contained in an

individual paragraph)

4. Ensure that each argument in the paper (whether the overriding argument or one

contained in an individual paragraph) is valid and free from both formal and informal

fallacies.

5. Include at least four (4) references (sources). At least one (1) of your sources must be

obtained from the collection of databases accessible from the Learning Resources Center

Web page.

 

 

NOTE: FOR ALL THE ASSIGNMENT,  paper should follow guidelines for clear and effectively organized writing:

? The paper is well-organized, and every explanation is both complete and easy to

understand.

? Include an introductory paragraph and concluding paragraph for the paper.

? Main ideas should be addressed in body paragraphs with a topic sentence and supporting

sentences.

? Adhere to standard rules of English grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.

? The paper should be checked for spelling and grammatical errors.

Your assignment must:

? Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins

on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check

with your professor for any additional instructions.

? Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student‘s name, the

professor‘s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are

 

not included in the required assignment page length