syllabus page1
CRITICAL THINKING IN PSYCHOLOGY
(PSYC 103)
Instructor: Doug Stenstrom
Term: Spring 2008
Room: Classroom Building 106
Class Number: 49034
Office: SS-30 (basement)
Office Hours: Wed 6:00-7:00pm
Phone: (213) 422-0909
E-mail: dstenstrom@cerritos.edu
Class website is located at http://www.psychwiki.com/wiki/Critical_Thinking_PYSC103
Course Description:
This course covers the nature of critical thinking from a psychological perspective. Focusing on the nature
of thinking, the course emphasizes the development of critical thinking applied to scientific inquiry.
Through an interactive classroom environment that includes lecture/discussion, debate, and writing
exercises, critical thinking skills such as problem solving, determining cause and effect relationships,
analyzing arguments, fallacies in thinking, comparing facts with opinion, and understanding probabilities
are developed. There will be an emphasis on the application of critical thinking skills to everyday issues.
Textbooks:
• Ruscio, J. (2006). Critical thinking in psychology: Separating sense from nonsense. (2nd Ed.).
Pacific Grove, CA: Wadsworth-Thomson.
• Smith, R. (2002). Challenging your preconceptions: Thinking critically about psychology. (2nd Ed.).
Pacific Grove, CA: Wadsworth-Thomson.
Weekly Topics & Readings
This is a tentative schedule and is subject to change. If the schedule or topics change, I will notify you
ahead of time. You are expected to complete the assigned readings prior to class.
Week
1. January
9
Topic
Introduction to Critical Thinking
2.
16
Pseudoscience and Paranormal
3.
23
Evaluating Claims
4.
30
Popular Media
5. February
6
Statistics and Research Methods
Readings
Ruscio: Preface (xv-xxi)
Smith: Chapter 1
Ruscio: Chapter 1
Chapter 4
Ruscio: Chapter 2
Ruscio: Preface (xxiii-xxix)
Chapter 9
Smith: Chapter 2
Ruscio: Chapter 8
Smith: Chapter 3
Ruscio: Chapter 3
6.
13
Language
7.
20
Testimonials and Plausibility
8.
27
Perceptions
Ruscio: Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Smith: Chapter 5
9. March
5
Schemes and Review
Ruscio: Chapter 11
10.
12
Midterm
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11.
12.
19
26
(spring break)
Power of the Situation
13. April
2
Power of the Situation (cont.)
14
9
Social Influence and Control
15.
16
Memory and Bias
16.
23
Hypnosis and Self-help
17.
30
Decision Making
18. May
7
Ethics and Review
19.
14
Final Exam (8:00-10:00pm)
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:
Administrative Events
Last day to Add
Last day to Drop with Refund
Last day to Drop without “W”
Last day to Drop with a “W”
Holidays
Spring Recess
Ruscio: Chapter 5
Ruscio: Chapter 12
Smith: Chapter 13
Ruscio: Chapter 10
Smith: Chapter 8
Smith: Chapter 6
Chapter 12
Ruscio: Chapter 14
Ruscio: Chapter 15
Chapter 16
January 20
January 20
February 10
April 18
March 17-23
Grading Categories
Category
Writing Exercises
Reading Questions
Term Paper
Exams
Class Attendance
(6 total, 50 points each)
(15 total, 10 points each)
(Rough and Final, 100 points each)
(Midterm and Final, 100 points each)
(15 total, 10 points each)
Total Possible Points
Points
% of grade
300
150
200
200
150
30%
15%
20%
20%
15%
1000
Grading Calculations
Grade
Total Points
Percent of total points possible
A
900-1000
800-899
700-799
600-699
Less than 599
90-100%
80-89%
70-79%
60-69%
Less than 59%
B
C
D
F
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Writing Exercises
Writing Exercises will be given for the topics covered in the course, and are designed to give students more
experience with critical thinking. Each Writing Exercise is worth 50 points. There will be 7 total Writing
Exercises and I will drop your lowest score. Writing Exercises will be assigned during class, and the due date
for each Writing Exercise will be announced at that time.
Reading Questions:
For each chapter there will be “Reading Questions” to help you more actively understand the material in the
textbooks. Each Reading Question is worth 10 points. There will be 15 total Reading Questions, for a total of
150 points. See the “Reading Questions” handout for more information about the due dates. The Reading
Questions revolve around applying the concepts in each chapter to your own lives and different situations,
and form the basis for in-class discussions about the material. In this way, the Reading Questions can help
you actively think about the material, and will help you come to class ready for active in-class discussions.
Term Paper
A Term Paper is required for this class. The rough draft of the Term Paper is worth 100 points, and the final
version of the Term Paper is worth an additional 100 points. More detailed information about the Term Paper
will be handed out in class later.
Midterm and Final
The Midterm and Final are in-class exams consisting of short-answer essays, multiple choice questions, and
fill-in-the-blank questions. Each exam is worth 100 points. The final exam is scheduled for May 14th from
8:00-10:00pm.
Class Attendance & Participation
I will take attendance at every class. You will receive 10 points per class for your participation, for a total of
150 points. There are no participation points for the first week. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of
class so please arrive on time. Questions, comments, and discussion are not only welcome during class but
are encouraged.
Late Policy
Please make sure that your homework assignments are turned in on the due date and at the beginning of the
class meeting. Assignments turned in late will be counted down 10% for each day that the assignment is late.
There are NO MAKE-UP’s for the assignments, midterm, or final.
Extra Credit
There are opportunities to earn extra credit points during the course of the semester. Opportunities to earn
extra credit points will be announced during class.
“Question of the Day”
At the beginning of each class I will write one question on the board related to the material for that day.
Among the things we cover during class will be the answer to that question. And, each of the “Question of
the Day” questions will be on the exam as either one of the short-answer essays, multiple choice, or fill-inthe-blanks. Thus, if you attend class, you will already know the questions and answers to many of the
questions on the midterm/final. I have found this “Question of the Day” helpful to students because it can
also help you actively read the textbooks. For example, I highly encourage students to re-read the day’s
assigned readings after each class. Since you now know the “Question of the Day”, you can re-read the
textbook for more information about the question, and start preparing how you would answer that question
on the exams.
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ACADEMIC HONESTY/DISHONESTY POLICY
Your instructors are eager to help you succeed in your studies at Cerritos College. But success means more than just
receiving a passing grade in a course. Success means that you have mastered the course content so that you may use
that knowledge in the future, either to be successful on a job, or to continue on with your education in advanced
classes.
Your success depends on a combination of the skill and knowledge of your instructors, and your own hard work. You
will reach your future goals only if you gain new knowledge from every course you take. That knowledge becomes
yours, and can be used by you, only if it is gained through your own personal efforts. Receiving a grade in a course,
without acquiring the knowledge that goes with it, diminishes your chances for future success.
While in college, you are also shaping the principles which will guide you throughout the rest of your life. Ethical
behavior and integrity are a vital part of those principles. A reputation for honesty says more about you, and is more
highly prized, than simply your academic skills.
For that reason, academic honesty is taken very seriously by the Cerritos College faculty. The following guidelines
have been prepared so that you will understand what is expected of you in maintaining academic honesty. Academic
Dishonesty is normally to be dealt with as an academic action by the instructor, reflected in the student’s grade in the
particular course, rather than through college disciplinary procedures.
Academic Dishonesty is defined as the act of obtaining or attempting to obtain credit for work by the use of any
dishonest, deceptive or fraudulent means. Examples of academic dishonesty would include, but not be limited to the
following:
• Copying, either in part or in whole, from another’s test or examination;
• Discussion of answers or ideas relating to the answers on examination or test when the instructor prohibits
such discussion;
• Obtaining copies of an exam without the permission of the instructor;
• Using notes, “Cheat sheets,” or otherwise utilizing information or devices not considered appropriate under
the prescribed test conditions;
• Altering a grade or interfering with the grading procedures in any course;
• Allowing someone other than the officially enrolled student to represent the same;
• Plagiarism, which is defined as the act of taking the ideas, words or specific substantive material of another
and offering them as one’s own without giving credit to the source.
The faculty member may take options to the extent that the faculty member considers the cheating or plagiarism to
manifest the student’s lack of scholarship or to reflect on the student’s lack of academic performance in the course.
One or more of the following actions are available to the faculty member who suspects a student has been cheating or
plagiarizing:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Review-no action.
An oral reprimand with emphasis on counseling toward prevention of further occurrences.
A requirement that work be repeated.
A reduction of the grade earned on the specific work in question, including the possibility of no credit for
the work.
5. A reduction of the course grade as a result of item 4 above, including the possibility of a failing grade for
the course.
6. Referral to the Office of Judicial Affairs for further administrative action, such as suspension or expulsion.
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