Cael Cohen, PhD

Office hours: Monday & Wednesday, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm

Room 447, South Ross Building

Email: cmcohen@yorku.ca

This skills-based course that teaches students how to read, write and think critically through: (1) a collection of critical skills, practices, techniques, attitudes and principles that can be used every day to systematically evaluate your own and others’ reasoning about morality and values; (2) an approach to ethical disagreements and controversial moral issues using rational standards and mindfulness awareness; (3) critical assessment and formulation of ethical beliefs, arguments, and concepts based on relevant, acceptable and sufficient grounds, rather than passive acceptance.

Required reading for this course includes the one book listed below and several supplementary readings posted to the Moodle course site. This course book is available for purchase from the York University Bookstore. Every week, students should check the weekly lecture schedule for the required readings. (See pages 5 – 19 of this course outline.)

Critical Thinking: Argument and Argumentation. 2014. 2nd Edition. Authors: Jean Saindon and Peter John Krek. ISBN: 978-0-17-666100-7. Publisher: Nelson Education.

• Mid-Term Exam 30%. Open book and written in class.
• Passage Analysis Assignment with Essay 35%.
• Homework in Modules 1 and 3, as follows: 10% in Module 1; 10% in Module 3; for a total of 20%.
• Participation 15%. Consists of weekly Lecture Participation Assignments (LPAs).

Mid-Term Exam—30%: Written in class. Wednesday, June 19, 8:30 am.  

Written in person, in class. Practice exams and grading criteria will be provided. Must be students’ own original, independent work. Collaboration is not permitted.

Passage Analysis Assignment with Essay—35%: Due Monday, July 29, 9:00 am, Session 24.

Select a passage from a set of provided passages. Analyze the passage following the techniques and steps taught in class. Includes 1000-1250 word written essay. Must follow the techniques, skills and model taught in lectures. Grading criteria provided. Must be students’ own original, independent work. Collaboration is not permitted. To be submitted to Moodle course site. Turnitin.com, a commercial, Internet-based plagiarism detection service, will be used from within the Moodle site.

Homework—20%. All homework will be submitted online to the Moodle course site. Homework assigned in a Monday session will be due before the following Thursday session, 9:00 am. Homework assigned in a Wednesday session will be due before the following Monday, 9:00 am.

Module 1 = 10%:

Seven homework assignments. Amount of marks of each homework assignment in Module 1 varies. Marks earned will be divided by the total number of possible marks for homework in Module 1 and converted into a homework mark out of 10%.

Module 3 = 10%:

Three homework assignments. Amount of marks of each homework assignment in Module 3 varies. Marks earned will be divided by the total number of possible marks for homework in Module 3 and converted into a homework mark out of 10%.

Late homework will NOT be accepted under ANY circumstances, including late enrollment and illness. Homework must be students’ own original, independent work. Collaboration is not permitted, unless specified by the course instructor.

Participation—15%

Lecture Participation Assignments (LPAs) are assigned almost every  lecture and are to be submitted to Moodle course site. Lecture Participation Assignments will NOT be accepted late and cannot be made up, under any circumstances, including late enrollment or illness.

• This course is skills-based, consequently, this course requires: (1) completion of homework to learn and practice the skills; (2) and completion of Lecture Participation Assignments (LPAs) to learn and practice the skills.
• All homework and assignments will be submitted electronically on Moodle for grading. However, LPAs will be submitted in class, in person, as paper copies. The professor will bring paper copies of the worksheets to classes for students. Students are not required to print out their own LPA worksheets.
• This is a condensed, accelerated, version of MODR1730. There are approximately 6 hours of lecture per week. You do NEED to keep up. Here’s why: this is a practical course. To become strong at any skill, practice is needed. Accordingly, there is an emphasis on continuous engagement in the course. If you anticipate missing classes or not viewing the lecture recordings due to conflicts with work, your other classes, or personal commitments, you are strongly urged to rethink whether you should enroll in this condensed, accelerated section of MODR1730. This course requires: (1) completion of homework to learn and practice the skills; (2) and completion of Lecture Participation Assignments (LPAs) to learn and practice the skills.
• Participation marks require that you attend lectures consistently to be able to successfully complete assignments. You cannot pass this course without attending lectures, doing the readings, completing homework and LPAs. You can review the Session Lecture Schedule below to see when participation work and other assignments are scheduled.
• General Education course.
• There are course credit exclusions on MODR1730, 1760, and 1770 as a set.  Students cannot take two Modes of Reasoning courses for credit.
• Turnitin.com, a commercial, Internet-based plagiarism detection service, will be used from within the Moodle site.