• Jamie Carlin Watson & Robert Arp. Critical Thinking: An Introduction to Reasoning Well, 1st ed., Continuum, 2011. ISBN: 9780826439512

The student should master the critical thinking skills inherent in
informal logic. These skills should promote more careful, and
clearer, thinking among students taking the course. The general
course goal is to develop better thinkers who, more often than not,
make sound decisions in their everyday lives.

 Global Learning Outcomes:
I. CRITICAL THINKING: Students will evaluate the validity of their 
own and others' ideas through questioning, analyzing, and 
synthesizing results into the creative process. Some of these 
critical thinking skills will be developed through the following 
activities:
	A.  Collect, organize, classify, correlate, analyze, and 
present materials and data from variety of academic disciplines and 
sources, 	distinguishing between facts and opinions, judgments and 
inferences, and the objective and subjective. The student may learn 
to identify logical fallacies through text examples and class 
discussion of argument forms. Examples of weak and strong argument 
forms are analyzed.
	B.  Apply understanding and knowledge to define, analyze, 
and devise solutions for new and different problems and issues. The 
student may read lengthy arguments and write an analysis of each in 
essay form. Using the skills learned in distinguishing weak from 
strong arguments the student will test the arguments for cogency.
	C.  Consciously raise questions, suspending judgment and 
remaining open to new information, methods, cultural systems, values, 
and beliefs. The student will explain their analysis of an argument 
cogency and will listen while others present their analysis looking 
for points of argument and differences in rational discourse.

II.  	COMMUNICATION: Students will develop effective reading, 
writing, speaking and listening skills to communicate verbally and 
nonverbally on literal and figurative levels. Some of these 
communication skills will be developed through the following 
activities:
	A.  Listen actively, partaking in dialogue with civility 
and respect for opposing viewpoints. The student will practice 
listening to opposing viewpoints and discuss differences and 
agreement in the form of rational discourse.	
         C. Paraphrase ideas, distinguishing between fact and 
opinion. The student will analyze material for cogency and distinguish
between objective evidence and subjective statements of belief.
	D. Use reading as a source of lifelong learning and 
enjoyment. The student may compose cogent arguments in essay form.

VI.	SOCIAL SKILLS: Students will develop and use skills and 
attitudes that integrate the individual into society.  Some of these 
social skills will be developed through the following activities.
	A. Demonstrate appropriate social skills, language, and 
emotions in different situations, showing respect for others’ 
opinions. Students will discuss truth claims, their own and others 
recognizing a cogent argument is possible even though disagreement 
exists. 
	B. Develop insight into his/her own and others’ behaviors 
and mental processes, accepting responsibility for his/her own 
actions. The student will learn to give consideration to an opposing 
argument reasonably presented.
	D. Work both alone and with others, understanding the roles 
of leadership and teamwork, to achieve goals. The student may learn
that there is a difference between knowledge and belief and that 
a disagreement over evidence in a claim is not a personal assault.
             
              
              

Upon finishing the course, students should be able to recognize and
criticize weak arguments and develop strong, sound or cogent 
arguments. Specifically, the student should be able to spot the most
commonly committed fallacies (about 40 in number) and demonstrate 
their ability to compose a cogent argument (paper or other 
assignment). Additionally, students should emerge from the course 
with a basic understanding of epistemology.