|
Tentative Course Schedule
(Click on linked headings to view weekly
Activity Plans and Discussion Notes)
Week One (2/4 -2/9): Introduction to Course
- Orientation to course / personal introductions
- Homework: verify email address, take RU Online
101 (on your orientation CD-ROM), and procure textbook
Week Two (2/11 - 2/16): Critical Thinking and the
News
Week Three (2/18 - 2/23): Critical Thinking and
Reading Strategies
- Letter to the Editor due (Fri. 2/22)
- Read Barnet and Bedau (BB), chapters 1 and 2 (pp.
27-42)
- Discuss casebook on the value of tests (ch. 1)
- Review summarizing vs. paraphrasing (ch. 2)
Week Four (2/25 - 3/2): Analyzing
Arguments
- Read BB, chapter 4 (pp. 133-146 and the Joseph,
Jacoby, and Taylor essays)
- Review guidelines for Critique Essay (due in 2 weeks)
Week Five ( 3/4 - 3/9): In-Depth
Critical Reading
- Read BB, chapter 3 (pp. 59-73 and the Wilson, Levin,
and Brady essays)
- Definitions, assumptions, and logical reasoning
Week Six (3/11 - 3/16): In-Depth
Critical Reading, Cont.
- Critique Essay due (Fri. 3/15)
- Read BB, chapter 3 (pp. 73-87 and the Takaki essay)
- Discuss categories of evidence and the use/misuse of
statistics
- Check out this website
on statistics for non-mathematicians
Week Seven (3/18 - 3/23): Spring
Break
- Review guidelines for Source Analysis assignment; start
hunting for a suitable web source using the 302 Links page
- Stay tuned for Baby Bryson news! (Estimated due
date: March 24th)
Week Eight (3/25 - 3/30): Finding, Analyzing
and Evaluating Sources
- Read BB, chapter 6 (pp. 218-227)
- Discuss criteria for evaluating print and web sources;
check out Alexander
and Tate's website on analyzing web pages
- Work through Roosevelt Library's tutorial
on using the library
Week Nine (4/1 - 4/6): The Art of Argumentation
- Source Analysis due (Fri. 4/5)
- Read BB, chapter 5 (pp. 187-210) as
well as the student essay "The Role of Spirituality and Religion
in Mental Health" (pp. 277-285) and Thomas Jefferson's "The
Declaration of Independence" (486-489)
Week Ten (4/8 - 4/13): Argumentation,
cont. / Documenting Sources
- Topic choice for argument paper due (Fri. 4/12)
- Read BB, chapter 6 (pp. 228-254, 259-276)
- Discuss documentation conventions, ethical use of
sources, sample student paper on televised trials
Week Eleven (4/15 - 4/20): A
Lawyer's View of Argument
- Read BB, chapter 10 (read class selected court
decision at end of chapter: Roe v. Wade))
Week Twelve (4/22 - 4/27): Writing Workshop
- Exchange drafts of argument paper for peer review
(see BB, p. 210)
- Draft of argument paper due (Fri. 4/26)
Week Thirteen (4/29 - 5/4): Work Week
- Work on revising argument paper
- Optional revisions of previous essays due
Week Fourteen (5/6-5/10): Last week of class
|
|
Mike Bryson
Associate Professor
University College
Roosevelt University
Assignments
Links
Schedule
Texts
302 Home
Mike Bryson's
Home Page
Last updated 04/21/02
|