PHIL 110: Critical Thinking and Composition
Fall 2015
Schedule # 22657
Section 5
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
11-11:50 AM
Hepner Hall 206
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
Wednesday and Friday 1:15-2:15 PM
24 August – 17 December
This syllabus is intended as a guide. Circumstances may 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:
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2.
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6.
7.
Five homework assignments (from A Workbook for Arguments)
Six quizzes
One short (2-3 page) essay
Exam 1
One longer (3-5 page) essay
Exam 2
A final exam
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.
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.
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Organization
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Classes are held Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11-11:50 AM in Hepner Hall
206.
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.
This course has pop quizzes. These are not usually announced in advance. If you must
miss class on a certain day, please let me know ahead of time.
On some days, you will be expected to complete in-class assignments that count toward
your participation grade. These may or may not be announced beforehand. Again, if you
must miss class on a certain day, please let me know ahead of time.
You should bring your book to class every day.
Grades
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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8.
Participation
Homework Assignments
Quizzes
Essay 1
Exam 1
Essay 2
Exam 2
Final Exam 10%
5%
10%
15%
10%
10%
20%
20%
1. Participation (5%): Participation is an important part of this class. Participation includes
attendance, but it is not limited to this. Active engagement (e.g. paying attention, asking
questions, taking notes, etc.) is also necessary in order to do well in this category.
Sometimes this will include participating in in-class assignments. It is important to note
that if you fail to show up to class regularly, this will hurt more than your participation
grade. It is difficult to do well in this course without good attendance.
2. Homework Assignments (10%): There will be five credit/no credit homework
assignments throughout the semester. Each assignment is worth two percent of your
grade. Neither late nor emailed homework is accepted, except under special
circumstances (e.g. personal illness or emergencies).
3. Quizzes (15%): There will be six pop quizzes throughout the semester. Each of these is
worth 3% of your grade (the lowest grade is dropped). There will be no make-up quizzes,
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unless you have some sort of legitimate and documented excuse for missing class (e.g. a
doctor’s note).
4. Essay 1 (10%): 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 your topic must be
approved at least one week before the paper is due. Late papers are accepted, but each
day that a paper is late will result in the loss of one letter grade. Emailed papers are not
accepted, except under special circumstances (e.g. personal illness or emergencies).
5. Exam 1 (10%): This is, essentially, a midterm exam. It will have multiple choice and
true or false questions, as well as one short answer question. Review materials will be
provided one week in advance. There will be no make-up exams, unless you have some
sort of legitimate and documented excuse for missing class (e.g. a doctor’s note).
Scantron form 882-E is mandatory.
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. Late papers are accepted, but each day that a paper is late will result in the loss of
one letter grade. Emailed papers are not accepted, except under special circumstances
(e.g. illness or emergencies).
7. Exam 2 (20%): This is a cumulative exam toward the end of the semester. It will have
multiple choice and true or false questions, as well as one short answer question. Review
materials will be provided one week in advance. There will be no make-up exams, unless
you have some sort of legitimate and documented excuse for missing class (e.g. a
doctor’s note). Scantron form 882-E is mandatory.
8. Final Exam (10%): For the final exam, you will be required to respond to a prompt. You
must complete this assignment in class during the scheduled exam time. A bluebook is
mandatory.
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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.
It is essential that you read the following rubric carefully. The criteria listed for each grade is
important—do not simply look at the criteria for A and B grades. Doing so may result in a much
lower grade than you wish to receive.
To Earn an F, you do nothing or your paper does not fulfill any of the conditions listed below.
To earn higher than D, your paper meets all of these conditions:
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Your name or other form of identification is on each page.
Your paper is stapled or securely fastened.
You identify your main point (thesis statement) in some way.
You offer some reasoning—though, perhaps, not so good or not so clearly—to support
your thesis.
To earn a C or higher, your paper must meet all of these conditions:
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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.
You use language that is appropriate for formal writing.
To earn a B or higher, your paper must fulfill all of these conditions:
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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.
To earn an A, your paper meets at least one of these conditions:
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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 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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Students With 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 the necessary
accommodations may be made.
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
Please refrain from using cell phones, tablets, and laptops during class. While these can be useful
in the classroom, they can also be very distracting—both for you and those around you. If you do
need to use an electronic device (such as 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.)
Attendance
By university policy, students who must miss a class meeting due to a scheduled religious
holiday and/or participation in an SDSU sponsored event must inform the instructor within the
first 2 weeks of classes so that any necessary accommodations may be made. Failure to notify
the instructor before September 4th alleviates the instructor’s obligation to provide any
accommodation.
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Course Schedule
Date
Topic
Readings and Assignments
M 8/24
Introduction
Class syllabus
W 8/26
Rule 1: identify premises and
Pages 3-8
conclusion
F 8/28
Rule 2: develop your ideas in a
Pages 8-14
natural order (premise-andconclusion form)
M 8/31
W 9/2
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
overtone
Rule 6: use consistent terms
F 9/4
Rules 1-6: review
M 9/7
LABOR DAY
CAMPUS CLOSED
W 9/9
Rule 7: use more than one example
Pages 38-48
Rule 8: use representative examples
F 9/11
Rule 9: background rates may be
Pages 48-60
crucial
Rule 10: statistics need a critical eye
M 9/14
W 9/16
Rule 11: consider counter examples
Pages 60-71
Overview of rules 7-11
Exercise Sets 2.3-2.4 due
Rule 12: analogies require relevantly
Pages 72-86
similar examples
F 9/18
Rule 13: cite your sources
Pages 87-90
Rule 14: seek informed sources
Citation styles
M 9/21
Rule 15: seek impartial sources
Rule 16: cross–check sources
Pages 90-105
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Rule 17: use the web with care
How to avoid plagiarism
W 9/23
Rule 18: causal arguments start with
Pages 106-111
correlations
Rule 19: correlations may have
alternative explanations
F 9/25
Rule 20: work toward the most likely
Pages 111-115
explanation
Rule 21: expect complexity
M 9/28
W 9/30
Rule 22: modus ponens
Pages 124-126
Rule 23: modus tollens
Exercise Set 5.3 due
Rule 24: hypothetical syllogism
Pages 126-128
Rule 25: disjunctive syllogism
F 10/2
Rule 26: dilemma
Pages 128-141
Overview of rules 22-26
M 10/5
Rule 27: reductio ad absurdum
Pages 141-142
Exercise Sets 6.1-6.3 due
W 10/7
Rule 28: deductive arguments in
Pages 148-151
several steps
F 10/9
Rules 22-28: review
M 10/12
Rule 29: explore the issue
Pages 156-165
Rule 30: spell out basic ideas as
arguments
W 10/14
Rule 31: defend basic premises with
Pages 165-175
arguments of their own
Rule 32: consider objections
F 10/16
Rule 33: consider alternatives
Pages 175-187
Rule 34: jump right in
M 10/19
Rule 35: make a definite claim or
proposal
Pages 188-193
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Rule 36: your argument is your
outline
W 10/21
Rule 37: detail objections and meet
Essay 1 due
them
Pages 194-203
Rule 38: get feedback and use it
Rule 39: modesty, please!
F 10/23
Midterm review
M 10/26
Exam 1
Scantron form 882-E required
W 10/28
Rule D1: when terms are unclear, get
Pages 250-261
specific
Rule D2: when terms are contested,
work from the clear cases
Rule D3: definitions don’t replace
arguments
F 10/30
Finding definitions
M 11/2
Rule 40: reach out to your audience
Pages 204-211
Rule 41: be fully present
Rule 42: signpost your argument
W 11/4
Rule 43: offer something positive
Pages 211-219
Rule 44: use visual aids sparingly
Rule 45: end in style
F 11/6
Practicing Oral Arguments
Pages 204-219
M 11/9
Some common fallacies
Pages 222-234
W 11/11
VETERANS DAY
CAMPUS CLOSED
F 11/13
Some common fallacies
Pages 222-243
M 11/16
Argument mapping
262-277
Exercise Sets 10.1 and 10.3 due
W 11/18
Argument mapping
F 11/20
Grammar day
Pages 262-277
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M 11/23
Review: major fallacies
Pages 222-249
W 11/25
NO CLASS
CAMPUS CLOSED
F 11/27
THANKSGIVING BREAK
CAMPUS CLOSED
M 11/30
Review: TBD
W 12/2
Essay workshop
F 12/4
Review: TBD
M12/7
Exam 2
Scantron form 882-E required
W 12/9
LAST DAY OF CLASS
ESSAY 2 DUE
Final Exam Review
M 12/14
FINAL EXAM
10:30AM-12:30PM
Bluebook required