Students

PHIX1037 – Critical Thinking

2023 – Session 2, Online-flexible

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Lecturer and Co-Convenor
Thomas Corbin
thomas-alexander.corbin@mq.edu.au
By arrangement
Co-Convenor
Jennifer Duke-Yonge
jennifer.duke-yonge@mq.edu.au
By arrangement
Details of other staff members, and information about consultation times, will be available in iLearn.
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit aims to teach the fundamentals of critical thinking and reasoning. Students will 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. All enrolment queries should be directed to Open Universities Australia (OUA): see www.open.edu.au

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 your own.
  • ULO5: Apply the skills of critical analysis to arguments from a variety of contexts and disciplines.

General Assessment Information

Detailed assessment information and rubrics

Detailed information about each of the assessments, including rubrics and submission instructions will be available in the Assessment block in  iLearn. Please make sure you read the assessment information carefully, watch the Guide to Assessment video, and post a message in the relevant Assessment forum if you have any questions. 

Special Consideration

Requests for extensions should be submitted via a Special Consideration request, which is available in the http://ask.mq.edu.au portal. Your request should be submitted no later than five days after the due date and should be accompanied by appropriate documentation. Please see https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/special-consideration for further details and instructions. Read this information closely as your request may be turned down if you have not followed procedure, or if you have not submitted a request in a timely manner. The Macquarie University Special Consideration Policy can be found at the end of this document.

Late Assessment Submission Penalty  

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue.    

This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessment (incl essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc). Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic. 

 

Academic Integrity

In Philosophy, academic honesty is taken very seriously, and a range of methods, including but not restricted to the use of Turnitin, are used to detect plagiarism. Misrepresenting someone else's work as your own may be grounds for referral to the Faculty Disciplinary Committee. If you have questions about how to properly cite work or how to credit sources, please ask the convenor for help and see also the  Academic Integrity Policy https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/academic-integrity

Note: All assignments in this unit are individual assignments. Collusion (unauthorised collaboration on individual assignments) is a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy. This includes sharing or making use of shared assignments, in person or online, including through file-sharing websites.  If in doubt, contact a member of teaching staff. 

A helpful resource if you would like to know more about referencing and avoiding plagiarism is  Macquarie's Academic Integrity Module, available here: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/skills-development. You will need to complete this Module before accessing the unit content, if you have not already done so. More information is available in iLearn. 

 

Policy on the use of ChatGTP and other Generative AI tools

Information about this unit's policy on the use of AI will be made available in the Assessment block in iLearn. Please check that information and contact the convenor if you have any questions.

 

Academic Writing and Study Support

Macquarie University offers a number of services to help with academic writing, referencing and study skills. For details, see: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/skills/assignments

For information about policies related to Assessment, see Policies and Procedures section below.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Online quizzes 15% No 11:55pm, Sunday 20/8/23
Personal Argument 25% No 11:55pm, Sunday 10/9/2023
Peer Review 10% No 11:55pm, Sunday 1/10/23
Final Scenario Report 35% No 11:55pm, Friday 3/11/23
Online engagement 15% No 11:55pm, Sunday 5/11/23

Online quizzes

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 11:55pm, Sunday 20/8/23
Weighting: 15%

 

Online multiple-choice quizzes you will take through the unit website

 
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.

Personal Argument

Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 11:55pm, Sunday 10/9/2023
Weighting: 25%

 

A short reflective task in which you will represent and reflect on a short argument 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 your 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: 11:55pm, Sunday 1/10/23
Weighting: 10%

 

You will review the anonymised arguments (from the Personal Argument assignment) of some 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 teaching staff.

 
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.

Final Scenario Report

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 11:55pm, Friday 3/11/23
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 arguments and providing guidance and material for a 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 your 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: 28 hours
Due: 11:55pm, Sunday 5/11/23
Weighting: 15%

 

Students will review their understanding of particular topics by participating in short online “self assessment” and engagement tasks.

 
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 your 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

Lectures 

Lectures will be delivered live on campus from 10-12 on Wednesday of each week in the Macquarie Theatre (21 Wally's Walk), and lectures will also be streamed and recorded for online students, and those unable to attend. You can access streamed and recorded lectures through the "Echo 360" block in iLearn. You will need watch the lectures before engaging in discussion and activities each week. Further instructions about accessing the lectures will be available in iLearn.

 

Online forums

OUA students and other 'Online flexible' students will discuss the unit content through weekly asychronous forums in iLearn, rather than in scheduled tutorials. Online flexible students will be allocated to a forum group with a member of staff as group leader at the beginning of semester. 

Course Texts

The Course Notes available through the PHIL/PHIX 1037 ilearn site constitute a text for the course. No other text is required. 

Teaching staff consultation times

Teaching staff will be available for regular consultation times throughout the week on Zoom. See iLearn for details. You are strongly encouraged to make use of these consultation times, if you are having any trouble or if you would like to discuss the unit content. If you can't make any of those times, please contact Jenny Duke-Yonge (jennifer.duke-yonge@mq.edu.au) to arrange an appointment. 

Unit Webpages and E-Resources

This unit is delivered online through iLearn (http://ilearn.mq.edu.au). PC 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. 

 

Unit Schedule

Week 1

(week beginning 24/7)

Introduction to Critical Thinking

 

Week 2

(w/b 31/7)

Building and Representing Arguments

 

Week 3

(w/b 7/8)

Deconstructing Arguments

 

Week 4

(w/b 14/8)

Types of arguments (I)

Online Quiz (worth 15%) open from Monday 14/8 to Sunday 20/8

Week 5

(w/b 21/8)

Types of arguments (II)

 

Week 6

(w/b 28/8)

Critical Thinking and the Human Mind

 

Week 7

(w/b 4/9)

The Impact of Cognitive Biases

Personal Argument Task (worth 25%) due Sunday 10/9

                                                 Mid-semester break: 11/9 - 24/9

Week 8

(w/b 25/9)

The Language We Use: the power to persuade

 

Peer Review Task (worth 10%) due Sunday 1/10

Week 9

(w/b 2/10)

The Language We Use: When words lead us astray

 

Week 10

(w/b 9/10)

The Rules of Engagement, and what happens when they're broken (fallacies and pseudo-reasoning)

 

Week 11

(w/b 16/10)

Thinking critically about AI;  Thinking critically using AI

 

Week 12

(w/b 23/10)

Putting it all together: An extended example

 

Week 13

(w/b 30/10)

No lectures: assignment writing week

Final Scenario Report (worth 35%) due Friday 3/11

Online engagement tasks (worth 15%)  due Sunday 5/11

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/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

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

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.

Unit information based on version 2023.03 of the Handbook