Students
PHIL1037 – Critical Thinking
2020 – Session 3, Fully online/virtual
Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
General Information
Download as PDF
| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor
Alexander Gillett
Via appointment
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit aims to teach the fundamentals of critical thinking and reasoning. Students learn how to construct, analyse and critically evaluate arguments; how to detect common fallacies in reasoning; and how to think logically and creatively. We teach these skills by developing practical techniques for the evaluation of reasoning, and applying them to arguments from business, law, science, politics, philosophy and the media. Critical thinking skills are invaluable across all disciplines, and will benefit students in academic contexts and in life beyond university.
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Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: Recognise the structure of arguments, and represent that structure in a clear standardised form.
- ULO2: Differentiate between types of reasoning and the methods of evaluation appropriate to each.
- ULO3: Appraise the arguments of others and represent them in a clear and standardised form.
- ULO4: Construct well-reasoned arguments of their own.
- ULO5: Apply the skills of critical analysis to arguments from a variety of contexts and disciplines.
General Assessment Information
Unless a Disruption to Studies request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online Quiz One | 10% | No | Week 3 |
| Personal Argument | 25% | No | 4/1/2021 |
| Peer Review | 10% | No | 17/1/2021 |
| Online Quiz Two | 10% | No | Week 6 |
| Final Scenario Report | 35% | No | 22/1/2021 |
| Online Engagement | 10% | No | Throughout |
Online Quiz One
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Week 3
Weighting: 10%
An online multiple-choice quiz which you will take through the unit website. You should be able to complete the quiz in around 30 minutes, but an hour is allocated to accommodate those who may need extra time for whatever reason.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Recognise the structure of arguments, and represent that structure in a clear standardised form.
- Differentiate between types of reasoning and the methods of evaluation appropriate to each.
- Apply the skills of critical analysis to arguments from a variety of contexts and disciplines.
Personal Argument
Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 4/1/2021
Weighting: 25%
A short piece of reflective writing which you will use to standardise a short argument representing your own views on a socially significant issue.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Recognise the structure of arguments, and represent that structure in a clear standardised form.
- Differentiate between types of reasoning and the methods of evaluation appropriate to each.
- Construct well-reasoned arguments of their own.
- Apply the skills of critical analysis to arguments from a variety of contexts and disciplines.
Peer Review
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 4 hours
Due: 17/1/2021
Weighting: 10%
You will review the anonymised arguments (from the Personal Argument assignment) of five of your fellow students. You will answer a series of multiple choice questions about each of these arguments, and give a short comment on each paper. Your mark will be determined by how well you review fits with those of your peers and online tutors.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Appraise the arguments of others and represent them in a clear and standardised form.
- Apply the skills of critical analysis to arguments from a variety of contexts and disciplines.
Online Quiz Two
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Week 6
Weighting: 10%
An online multiple-choice quiz which you will take through the unit website. You should be able to complete the quiz in around 30 minutes, but an hour is allocated to accommodate those who may need extra time for whatever reason.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Differentiate between types of reasoning and the methods of evaluation appropriate to each.
- Construct well-reasoned arguments of their own.
Final Scenario Report
Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 22/1/2021
Weighting: 35%
The Final Scenario Report assignment requires you use all the skills you have acquired throughout the course from Topics 1-12 to write a report analysing an argument and providing guidance and material for a counter-response.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Recognise the structure of arguments, and represent that structure in a clear standardised form.
- Differentiate between types of reasoning and the methods of evaluation appropriate to each.
- Appraise the arguments of others and represent them in a clear and standardised form.
- Construct well-reasoned arguments of their own.
- Apply the skills of critical analysis to arguments from a variety of contexts and disciplines.
Online Engagement
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 18 hours
Due: Throughout
Weighting: 10%
Students will review their understanding of particular topics by taking short online “self assessment” tasks. When students have reached a sufficient level of understanding on these tasks they will gain access to an online podcast which they should listen to, and engage with through comment and discussion in a related online forum.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Recognise the structure of arguments, and represent that structure in a clear standardised form.
- Differentiate between types of reasoning and the methods of evaluation appropriate to each.
- Appraise the arguments of others and represent them in a clear and standardised form.
- Construct well-reasoned arguments of their own.
- Apply the skills of critical analysis to arguments from a variety of contexts and disciplines.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
PHIL1037/PHIX1037 is run as an integrated unit for students enrolled directly through Macquarie University (PHIL1037) and students enrolled through Open Universities Australia (PHIX1037). It is fully online, and is delivered through the unit iLearn site, which contains a wide range of resources including lectures, course notes, exercises with solutions, online discussion facilities and so on. You do not have to buy any textbook related to this course.
A PC/laptop and Internet access are required. Basic computer skills (e.g., internet browsing) and skills in word processing are also a requirement. Please consult teaching staff for any further, more specific requirements.
You are expected to keep up with the unit material on a weekly basis, making use of the facilities available, and are strongly encouraged to seek help from your tutor or convenor if you are having any problems. Many of you will be taking this as one of your first units, and we are keen to support you to make it as useful and enjoyable an experience as possible.
All students are encouraged to make use of the discussion facilities within the iLearn site to discuss course material. The discussion forum will be monitored by your tutor, who will try to answer questions as needed, but we encourage you all to help each other out on the board as well.
You are expected to complete all assessment tasks, as detailed above.
NOTE: This is an intensive unit
Please remember that as the Session 3 unit is run intensively, you will need to allow at least twice as much time to work on it as you would for an ordinary unit. In most weeks, two ordinary weeks of content are covered in one week. If you find you are having trouble, please contact one of the teaching staff.
Unit Schedule
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WEEK |
DATES |
TOPICS |
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Week 1 |
30/11/20 - 6/12/20 |
Introduction to Critical Thinking; Building and Representing Arguments; Deconstructing Arguments (Topics 1, 2 and 3) |
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Week 2 |
7/12/20 – 13/12 |
Argument types: Deductive and Inductive Reasoning (Topics 4 and 5) |
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Week 3 |
14/12/20 – 20/12/20 |
Critical Thinking and the Human Mind; and The Impact of Cognitive Biases (Topics 6 and 7) |
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2 week mid-semester break (21/12/2020 – 3/1/2021) |
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Week 4 |
4/1/21 – 10/1/21 |
The Language We Use: The Power to Persuade; and When words lead us astray (Topics 8 and 9) |
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Week 5 |
11/1 – 17/1 |
Pseudo-Reasoning and Fallacies; Rules of Engagement; and Putting it all Together (Topics 10, 11, and 12) |
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Week 6 |
18/1 – 24/1 |
Assessment-writing week. There is no new content this week. |
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy (Note: The Special Consideration Policy is effective from 4 December 2017 and replaces the Disruption to Studies Policy.)
Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.