PHILOSOPHY 110 - CRITICAL THINKING - COURSE DESCRIPTION

  1. Instructor: Robert Mutti (Office: HUM 445, [x3138])
  2. Required Reading: Making Up Your Mind (a textbook in Critical Thinking) by Robert Mutti.
  3. Attendance: In general, attendance is not mandatory. However, students who come to class are expected to arrive on time, ready to work for the whole class period. Students should not leave early without getting the instructor's consent before class starts.
  4. Course Format: The course will emphasize reading and writing skills, which will be explained during lectures, practiced in exercises, and tested on in-class quizzes, written assignments, and an in-class final exam. The quizzes and final exam are open-book and open-note.
  5. Grades: Grades are based on the number of points earned. There are four quizzes, worth 15 points each, and a final exam, worth 150 points. The first two written assignments are worth 20 points each, and the final written assignment is a 4 to 6 page outline worth 100 points. (The grading scale for the course [in part] is as follows: 300 = A-,275 = B, 250 = C+, 225 = C-, 200 = D, [out of 350 total].)

    Late work is NOT accepted without a medical excuse. If a quiz is missed (or if it receives a relatively low grade), it will be given 10% of the final exam grade. (In the same way, 20% of the grade on the final written assignment may be given for either of the first two written assignments.)

    If a student takes the final exam, but does not turn in the final written assignment, a grade of "I" will result. (An "I" usually turns to an "F" if the work is not completed.) If a student misses the final exam, and has not arranged for a grade of "W" or "I", a grade of "F" will result!

  6. Instructions For Written Assignments: Written assignments must be done in outline form (see Chapter Seven), on 8-1/2 by 11 in. paper, stapled at the upper left hand corner (no covers, please). Typewritten work preferred. The final written assignment may be turned in (once) before it is due for a grade estimate, to help students control this part of their grade.

    Note: You must do your own work! Evidence of copying on any graded assignment will result in a grade of "0"! (A student who receives a "0" on the final written assignment probably will receive an "F" in the course!)

  7. Course Schedule: For each meeting, read the material before class. Then listen to the lecture, work on the exercises, ask questions, and complete the exercises. Finally, re-read the material and review the exercises. (Note: each "week" listed below takes about three class "hours", of about 50 minutes each, to cover.)

Week 1: Intro. (Review Questions)
Chap. One (Ex. 1-1, 1-2)

Week 2: Chap. Two (Ex. 2-1, 2-2),
Chap. Three (Ex. 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 3-4)

Week 3: Chap. Four (Ex. 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, 4-4, 4-5)

Week 4: Chap. Four (Ex. 4-6, 4-7)
Chap. Five (Ex. 5-1, 5-2, 5-3)

Week 5: Quiz #1:
Chap. Six (Ex. 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4)

Week 6: Chap. Six (Ex. 6-5)
Chap. Seven (Ex. 7-1, 7-2)

Week 7: Chap. Seven (Read First Written Exercise)
Chap. Eight (Ex. 8-1, 8-2, 8-3)

Week 8: First Written Exercise Due:
Chap. Eight (Ex. 8-4)
Quiz #2:

Week 9: Chap. Nine (Ex. 9-1, 9-2, 9-3)
Chap. Ten (Ex. 10-1, 10-2)

Week 10: Chap. Eleven (Ex. 11-1, 11-2)

Week 11: Chap. Twelve (Ex. 12-1)
Quiz #3:

Week 12: Draft of Part I and Part II
of Second Written Exercise Due:
Chap. Thirteen (Ex. 13-1)
Chap. Fourteen (Ex. 14-1)

Week 13: Chap. Fourteen (Ex. 14-2)

Week 14: Chap. Fifteen (Ex. 15-1, 15-2)
Quiz #4:

Week 15: REVIEW
Final Exam:
All of Second Written
Exercise Due:

Back to the homepage