PHIL 110: Critical Thinking and Composition
Fall 2013
Schedule # 22365
Section 4
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
11:00-11:50 A.M.
Montezuma Classrooms North 109
Course Description
This course is an introduction to critical thinking and writing. It is about argumentative writing
and everything that should accompany argumentative writing: the evaluation and development of
correct reasoning, effective style and organization, correct deductive and inductive reasoning,
fallacies, the critical appraisal of evidence, and the construction of rebuttals and counterarguments.
Instructor
Emily Holguin
eholguin@rohan.sdsu.edu
Office Hours
Arts and Letters 430
Mondays 12:30 PM-1:30 PM (or by appointment)
This syllabus is intended as a guide. Circumstances can change, and it is possible that this
syllabus might too. You will be given fair notice of any changes that occur.
General Education
This course satisfies the Intermediate Composition and Critical Thinking requirement for general
education. You may find more information regarding this requirement in the San Diego State
University general catalog, under the Communication and Critical Thinking requirements. See
http://arweb.sdsu.edu/es/catalog/2013-14/086-098_GradReq.pdf.
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Outcomes and Assessments
This course is about thinking critically and arguing well. Students will learn how to do the
following:
1. Outline arguments in premise-and-conclusion form
2. Distinguish between reliable and unreliable premises
3. Properly use evidence and examples
4. Properly use analogies
5. Define important terms
6. Properly cite sources
7. Develop causal arguments
8. Identify and use the different types of deductive arguments
9. Identify the major fallacies
10. Argue for and against common positions
Students will be assessed of these outcomes through various exercises:
1. Ten homework assignments (the majority of these are from A Workbook for Arguments)
2. Five quizzes
3. Five in-class group exercises
4. One short (1-2 page) writing exercise
5. One short (2-3 page) essay
6. One longer (3-5 page) essay
Required Texts
Morrow, David, and Anthony Weston. A Workbook for Arguments: A Complete Course in
Critical Thinking. Indianapolis: Hackett, 2011.
Email
The best way to reach me, outside of class and office hours, is through email.
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You will receive emails from me through Blackboard. To ensure that you receive emails from
Blackboard, please check that the email you have provided the university is correct. As some
email systems block Blackboard emails as spam, it is pertinent that you either remedy this or get
a SDSU email account. To get an SDSU email account, go to http://wwwrohan.sdsu.edu/newstudacct.shtml.
Organization

Classes are held Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11:00-11:50 AM in MCN 109.

On some days, you will be expected to complete homework assignments and/or readings
from the textbook. Please see the course calendar for specific dates.

When readings are assigned, these should be completed before class.

Some class sessions will be interactive. On these days, please expect to present your work
to the class—as a group, of course.

You should bring your book to class every day.
Grades
1. Participation
10%
2. Homework Assignments
20%
3. Quizzes
25%
4. Writing Exercise
10%
5. Essay 1
15%
6. Essay 2
20%
1. Participation (10%): Five class sessions will require your participation! You will be
asked to work with two or three of your classmates and present your work to the class.
Please see the course calendar for these dates; each is worth two percent of your grade. If
you must miss class on one of these days, please let me know ahead of time.
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2. Homework Assignments (20%): There will be ten credit/no credit homework
assignments throughout the semester (these are usually exercises from the book). Each
assignment is worth two percent of your grade.
3. Quizzes (25%): There will be five pop quizzes throughout the semester. Each of these is
worth 5% of your grade (the lowest grade is dropped). There will be no make-up quizzes,
unless you have some sort of legitimate and documented excuse for missing class (i.e., a
doctor’s note).
4. Writing Exercise (10%): The first writing assignment of the semester, this short 1-2
page paper is meant as a “practice run” for the essays that follow. Essay topics will be
posted two weeks before the writing exercise is due.
5. Essay 1 (15%): In this 2-3 page paper, you will take a stance on an issue and use
strategies from the book to argue your case effectively. A list of possible topics, along
with an in-depth description of the assignment, will be provided two weeks before the
essay is due. You may choose a subject that is not on the list, but I must approve the topic
at least one week before the paper is due.
6. Essay 2 (20%): In this 3-5 page paper, you will argue the opposite of whatever stance
you took in the first essay. For instance, if your first essay is about why green is better
than blue, then your second essay should maintain that blue is better than green. This
assignment might prove to be difficult, but the ability to see both sides of an issue is a
strength that you should learn. This essay will be due at the beginning of the last class
session.
Grading Criteria for Essays:
Your goal is to address the prompt by taking a position for or against some claim. You want to
identify your position and to explain why your position makes sense.
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To Earn an F, you do nothing or your paper does not fulfill any of the conditions listed below.
To earn higher than a D, your paper meets all of these conditions:

Your name or other form of identification is on each page.

You identify your main point (thesis statement), though not so clearly.

You offer some reasoning—though not so good or not so clearly—to support this thesis
(whether or not it’s stated).
To earn a C or higher, your paper must meet all of these conditions:

You clearly define special and/or new terms.

You use appropriate terms to identify concepts and ideas in context.

Your thesis statement is clearly and identifiably expressed.

You offer some sort of evidence and/or reasons to support your thesis.

Your writing is relatively free from spelling and grammatical errors.
To earn a B or higher, your paper must fulfill all of these conditions:

Your position is well supported by valid or strong argumentation.

You use at least one original example (your own) to illustrate points that are either your
own or someone else’s (if ideas are someone else’s, you must give them credit).

You acknowledge some alternative position to your own.

You follow an acceptable style guide like Chicago, MLA, or APA (Essay 2 only).
To earn an A, your paper meets at least one of these conditions:

Your work is interesting to read (e.g., your style is easy to follow or humorous or you use
very original or new examples to support your point)

Your work either suggests a new idea and/or it applies concepts in a novel way.

You support your thesis with solid argumentation.

You state an alternative position and state why your position is stronger.
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Learning Disabilities
All students with special needs due to a documented medical condition should avail themselves
of the resources of the Student Disability Services: Suite 3101, Capulli Center (across the street
from the Gateway Center). Student Disability Services may be reached by telephone at (619)
594-6243.
If you think that something might prevent you from doing well in this course, please meet with
me outside of class time (during office hours or by appointment) so that I may make the
necessary accommodations.
Academic Misconduct: Cheating and Plagiarism
You should be familiar with—and follow—all SDSU rules regarding academic integrity and
plagiarism. Please see: http://senate.sdsu.edu/policy/pfacademics.html.
Classroom Etiquette
As there is no way for me to ensure that you are using your electronic devices for purposes
relating to the class, I ask that you refrain from using these during class time. In other words,
please do not use cell phones, iPads, computers, etc. during class! If you do need to use an
electronic device (like recording equipment) because of a disability, please let me know. This is
always okay.
You should arrive to class on time and stay for the whole session. (Please keep in mind that
quizzes are not always given at the beginning of class.)
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Course Schedule
Date
Topic
M 8/26
Introduction
W 8/28
Rule 1: identify premises and
Readings and Assignments
Pages 3-8
conclusion
F 8/30
Rule 2: develop your ideas in a
Pages 8-14
natural order (premise-and-
Exercise Sets 1.1-1.2
conclusion form)
M 9/2
LABOR DAY
CAMPUS CLOSED
W 9/4
Rule 3: start from reliable premises
Exercise Sets 1.1-1.2 due
Rule 4: be concrete and concise
Pages 16-25
Rule 5: build on substance, not
Pages 25-32
F 9/6
overtone
Rule 6: use consistent terms
M 9/9
Rules 1-6: putting it all together!
Participation Assignment 1
W 9/11
Rule 7: use more than one example
Pages 38-48
Rule 8: use representative examples
F 9/13
Rule 9: background rates may be
Pages 48-60
crucial
Rule 10: statistics need a critical eye
M 9/16
W 9/18
Rule 11: consider counter examples
Pages 60-71
Overview of rules 7-11
Exercise Sets 2.6-2.7
Rule 12: analogies require relevantly
Exercise Sets 2.6-2.7 due
similar examples
Pages 72-86
Writing Exercise topics posted on
Blackboard
F 9/20
Rule 13: cite your sources
Pages 87-90
Rule 14: seek informed sources
M 9/23
Rule 15: seek impartial sources
Pages 90-105
Rule 16: cross–check sources
Exercise Sets 4.3-4.4
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Rule 17: use the web with care
W 9/25
Rule 18: causal arguments start with
Exercise Sets 4.3-4.4 due
correlations
Pages 106-111
Rule 19: correlations may have
alternative explanations
F 9/27
Rule 20: work toward the most likely
Pages 111-115
explanation
Rule 21: expect complexity
M 9/30
Rule 22: modus ponens
Pages 124-126
Rule 23: modus tollens
W 10/2
F 10/4
M 10/7
Rule 24: hypothetical syllogism
Writing Exercise due
Rule 25: disjunctive syllogism
Pages 126-128
Rule 26: dilemma
Pages 128-141
Overview of rules 22-26
Participation Assignment 2
Rule 27: reductio ad absurdum
Pages 141-155
Rule 28: deductive arguments in
several steps
W 10/9
Rule 29: explore the issue
Pages 156-165
Rule 30: spell out basic ideas as
Exercise Sets 7.1-7.3
arguments
F 10/11
Rule 31: defend basic premises with
Pages 165-175
arguments of their own
Exercise Sets 7.1-7.3
Rule 32: consider objections
M 10/14
Rule 33: consider alternatives
Exercise Sets 7.1-7.3 due
Rule 34: jump right in
Pages 175-187
Homework Assignment 5: improving a
sample paper (pages 441-444)
W 10/16
Rule 35: make a definite claim or
Pages 188-193
proposal
Homework Assignment 5: improving a
Rule 36: your argument is your
sample paper (pages 441-444)
outline
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F 10/18
Rule 37: detail objections and meet
Pages 194-203
them
Homework Assignment 5: improving a
Rule 38: get feedback and use it
sample paper (pages 441-444)
Rule 39: modesty, please!
M 10/21
Rule 40: reach out to your audience
Pages 204-208
Rule 41: be fully present
Homework Assignment 5: improving a
sample paper due
W 10/23
Rule 42: signpost your argument
Pages 208-217
Rule 43: offer something positive
F 10/25
Rule 44: use visual aids sparingly
Pages 217-221
Rule 45: end in style
M 10/28
Some common fallacies
Pages 222-234
Participation Assignment 3
Exercise Sets 10.1-10.2
W 10/30
Some common fallacies
Exercise Sets 10.1-10.2 due
Pages 222-243
Essay 1 topics posted on Blackboard
Exercise Sets 10.3-10.4
F 11/1
Rule D1: when terms are unclear, get
Exercise Sets 10.3-10.4 due
specific
Pages 250-261
Rule D2: when terms are contested,
work from the clear cases
Rule D3: definitions don’t replace
arguments
M 11/4
Argument mapping
Pages 262-277
W 11/6
In-class debates
Essay topics not on the list must be
approved by today
Pages 451-455
Participation Assignment 4
F 11/8
Essay workshop
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M 11/11
VETERANS DAY
CAMPUS CLOSED
W 11/13
Formatting: style guides
Essay 1 due
Review: sources
Homework Assignment 8: practice proper
formatting
F 11/15
Grammar day
M 11/18
In-class debates: arguing the other
Homework Assignment 8 due
side
Participation Assignment 5
W 11/20
Review: extended arguments
156-181
F11/22
Review: major fallacies
Pages 222-249
Exercise Set 10.6
M 11/25
Review: premise-and-conclusion
Pages 8-21
form
Exercise Set 10.6
Review: reliable and unreliable
premises
W 11/27
Review: generalizations
Exercise 10.6 due
F 11/29
THANKSGIVING RECESS
CAMPUS CLOSED
M 12/2
Review: deductive arguments
Pages 124-155
Exercise Set 6.4
W 12/4
Review: argumentative essays
Pages 182-203
Exercise Set 6.4
F 12/6
Essay workshop
M12/9
Essay workshop
W 12/11
LAST DAY OF CLASSES
ESSAY 2 DUE
12/12-
FINAL EXAMS
NO CLASS
12/18
Exercise Set 6.4 due