HUM 101: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

MWF 9am-9:50am                                    209 Surprenant Hall

Faculty Information______________________________________________________

Professor Anderson

Phone: 508-854-7431                                      Mail Box: 305

Email: kanderson@qcc.mass.edu                      Office Hours (265A): MWF 8am

                                                                                                             T 11am

Required Texts and Supplies ______________________________________________

Some of the readings will come from handouts I give in class.  While you can find these texts in the QCC bookstore, free to buy them through Amazon or wherever you can get the best price.  You will, however, need these editions and translations.

Descartes         Discourse on Method Hackett Publishing

Engel                With Good Reason Bedford St. Martins

Zamyatin          We Penguin Books

Other readings will come in the form of class handouts

Ø      It is up to you to get the needed supplies to save all work.  Technical problems (e.g. computer crashing, lack of ink or paper, etc.) are not legitimate excuses.  If there is a case of work missing, it is up to the student to submit a new copy. 

Course Description (from QCC catalog) ______________________________________

This course focuses on the development of reasoning and problem solving skills by analyzing controversial public issues and practical everyday problems. Students explore problem solving strategies, argumentation, cultural differences in reasoning, inductive and deductive logic, cause and effect reasoning and the role of perception in thinking. Other topics include studying the scientific method, propaganda, manipulation of language in advertising and political speeches, and the use of emotional appeals in public discourse. Students write argumentative essays to explore different facets of the course topics.  Corequisite: ENG 100 or appropriate placement score

Workload and Classroom Behavior_____________________________________

This course is primarily reading/discussion based; therefore it is imperative that you keep up with the reading.  As you can see from the list above, the works are long and dense; expect about 10 hours of reading each week.  When I grade any assignment, I am assuming it is the product of the student putting in the appropriate amount of time.  What you do with your outside time is largely up to you, but some examples of proper study habits are:

Ø      Reading and re-reading course material

Ø      Looking up unknown information (words, concepts, biographical info, etc.)

Ø      Reviewing notes and annotations

Ø      Library research

I cannot assign everything you need to do as a student.  For instance, I will assume you will look up all words you don’t understand. You should come to every class on time and with the assignments completed.  Students who are not prepared or disruptive in any way will be marked absent for that day.  Students who are habitually late and/or disruptive will fail the class.  The classroom is an adult environment; therefore it is not possible to bring children to class with you. 

Instructional Objectives and Teaching Procedures__________________________

The course is run in a seminar style with students and instructor engaged in conversation.  There will be occasional lectures to highlight important information, but for the most part the students and instructor will discuss the readings of each class.  At the end of the course you should be able to:

Ø      Devise a plan for problem solving

Ø      Understand the language of logic and reasoning

Ø      Identify sound and unsound reasoning

Ø      Identify, evaluate, and construct inductive and deductive arguments in spoken and written forms

Ø      Grasp concepts located in our reading list

Ø      Appreciate the importance of looking at an issue from a variety of points of view

Assessment_____________________________________________________________

Short, objective quizzes may be given at the beginning of each class to monitor reading.

Participation/in-class work        10%

Quizzes                                    20%

4-page essay                            20%

Comprehensive Final Exam       50%

Late work_____________________________________________________

Assignments are due in class on the assigned due date. Work handed in late will be deducted one letter grade for each day the work is late (e.g. a B+ assignment due on Wednesday, but handed in Thursday becomes a C+).  Please note:  I WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE OR ACCEPT ASSIGNMENTS THROUGH EMAIL, unless you have arranged special permission with me ahead of time. I will simply delete emails with attached assignments. 

Evaluating Student Performance______________________________________

The quizzes will be short, objective questions based on the readings.  Short assignments will be your initial responses to the readings and class discussions.  I will be looking to see if you are able to connect the issues we discuss in class with points in the readings. We will go over these points in class.  The student-led discussion will be an individual project based on a point raised in class and by the readings.  The grade will be based on the student’s ability to integrate points in the readings into class discussion. Explanation and examples of the discussion will be given in class.

Attendance______________________________________________________________

There are no excused absences.  Your final grade will go down depending on the number of absences you have at the end of the semester.  See me in an office hour to discuss serious attendance issues.  The point of this policy is to stress the connection between coming to class prepared and success in the course.  Active participation may help you recover from points lost from absence, but serial absences and tardiness almost guarantees failure. 

In many ways, being late for class is worse than not being there at all.  Coming in late is very disruptive and disrespectful to the instructor and the class.  I will deduct a ½ letter grade for each late day after the 2^nd (you get 2 “lates” with no penalty).  “Late” is defined as coming to class after I’ve taken attendance.  If you know yourself to be a consistent late-comer, then you should not take this course.

Plagiarism Statement ________________________________________________

Plagiarism means taking someone else’s ideas or words and presenting them as one’s own.  The offence can take many forms including cheating on a test, passing in a paper taken from the Internet or from another student, or failing to properly use and credit sources in an essay.  In every instance, plagiarism means cheating both oneself and the owner of the source. Consequences range from no credit for the assignment to failure for the course and possible expulsion from the college.

Special Needs and Course Help_________________________________________

Every effort will be made to meet the individual needs and varied learning styles of the students in this course.  It is of the utmost importance that the student inform the instructor at the beginning of the term of his or her needs.  If the student has concerns about the course, please see the instructor.  If the student has concerns about a possible learning disability he/she should make an appointment with the Learning Assistance Center.  All such information is, of course, strictly confidential.

If you need extra help with course material, schedule a visit with me during an office hour (or another time that is convenient for both of us).  You can also visit the Communication Skills Center in the HLC http://www.qcc.mass.edu/csc/index.html for help with written work.

 Format for Written Work_____________________________________________

I deduct points off of papers that do not follow this format. I do not accept papers that are not stapled (no paper clips or twisted corners).   Make your work look professional!

Ø      12 point font                            

Ø      Times New Roman or similar

Ø      Your original title centered (if needed)

Ø      Double Spaced

Ø      1-inch margins

Ø      No cover pages, binders or folders—just staple pages at top left

Ø      Starting on page 2: Your last name/page #

Ø      Top left of page 1

                        Name

Course

Professor

Due Date

Tentative Schedule___________________________________________________

Be sure to take good notes in class as the schedule may change due to unforeseen circumstances (i.e. snow days).  We will cover all of the material, but I reserve the right to alter lessons as need arises. This is another reminder to have email address and phone numbers of classmates. I do check my phone and email messages but only during office hours.  It is up to you to get missed course notes.  I do not repeat class lectures for students who miss class. “Text” refers to With Good Reason.

The syllabus is a contract between student and instructor.  The policies in this document apply to every student.  You need to decide if you can handle the requirements and responsibilities outlined in this document.  I do not alter policies to suit individual needs and circumstances.  I do, however, reserve the right to alter grading and assignments as need arises.  The class will be informed of any changes and such changes will apply equally to all students enrolled.