ASP108 - Critical Thinking

Unit details

Note: You are seeing the 2023 view of this unit information. These details may no longer be current. [Go to the current version]
Year:

2023 unit information

Enrolment modes:Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Online
Credit point(s):1
EFTSL value:0.125
Unit Chair:Trimester 1: Cathy Legg
Cohort rule:Nil
Prerequisite:

Nil

Corequisite:Nil
Incompatible with: ASP208
Scheduled learning activities - campus:

1 x 1-hour class per week and 1 x 1-hour seminar per week

Scheduled learning activities - online:

1 x 1-hour class per week (recordings provided) and 1 x 1-hour online seminar per week

Content

The ability to construct sound arguments - and logically evaluate the arguments of others - is an invaluable skill across numerous academic disciplines (including philosophy, politics, science, law, business and media), as well as a broad range of professional contexts beyond the University. This unit provides an introduction to the principles of critical thinking which underlie such skills.

Students will learn how to identify the structure of an argument in a 'logical outline', detect common reasoning errors and fallacies, and construct sound arguments of their own. The course features numerous examples of arguments taken from public discussions that are 'live' at the time of teaching, and students will have a chance to reflect on some of the particular challenges to critical thinking presented by social media and other aspects of 'online life'. This unit teaches valuable foundational skills for a wide range of academic pathways, as well as forming a key foundation for further study in philosophy.

ULO These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes
ULO1

Understand and explain the structure of arguments - distinguishing conclusions from premises and identifying a range of different roles that those premises play - by means of a logical outline

GLO1: Discipline specific

GLO2: Communication

GLO4: Critical thinking

ULO2

Evaluate arguments in terms of the extent to which the evidence or reasons given logically support the conclusions drawn

GLO1: Discipline specific

GLO2: Communication

GLO4: Critical thinking

ULO3

Construct logically sound arguments for conclusions of students' own choosing

GLO2: Communication

GLO4: Critical thinking

ULO4

Critically evaluate the likely reliability of sources of evidence and argument from a variety of contexts (both academic and non-academic)

GLO3: Digital literacy

GLO4: Critical thinking

ULO5

Reflect on the question: "Why by logical?", with reference to their own experience

GLO4: Critical thinking

GLO6: Self management

GLO8: Global citizenship

These Unit Learning Outcomes are applicable for all teaching periods throughout the year.

Assessment

Assessment Description Student output Grading and weighting
(% total mark for unit)
Indicative due week
Assessment 1 - Online Quizzes 800 words
or equivalent
20% Ongoing until week 9
Assessment 2 - Written Assignments 1200 words
or equivalent (2 x 600 words)
30% Weeks 6 and 11
Assessment 3 - End-of-unit assessment  Test, 2000 words or equivalent 50% End-of-unit assessment period

The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.

Learning Resource

The texts and reading list for the unit can be found on the University Library via the link ASP108
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.

Unit Fee Information

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