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FAS 1220 CRITICAL THINKING AND ANALYSIS SKILLS

SYLLABUS
FALL 2020

Instructor Section Office/ Bldg Office Hours Phone E-mail

Dr. Awatif 02/05 01/ 10 M/W: 2-5 pm 2482 a.boudihaj@
Boudihaj T/TR: 3.30- 5.00 pm aui.ma

DESCRIPTION
This course enables students to develop an understanding of the critical thinking process, with a view
to improving their own reasoning skills. Students will be introduced to key concepts used in critical
thinking, shown how to examine the evidence for a claim, and trained to analyze different types of
evidence, including personal experience, appeal to authority, and statistical arguments. In the first part
of the course, students will be introduced to the principles of knowledge, reasoning, and evidence and
asked to respond in writing to the issues raised in the readings. In the second part, students learn how
to work effectively in teams. They select a topic relevant to the course theme and evaluate their own
work and the work of their peers. In so doing, they will capitalize on the skills learned in FAS0210,
such as choosing and narrowing a topic, locating books and periodical articles pertinent to their
research, and integrating sources properly using APA style.

TEXTS
Critical Thinking skills, Stella Cottrell 

PREREQUISITES
Students must have successfully completed FAS0210 before enrolling in this course.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
The major objectives of the course are as follows:

 introduce students to key concepts used in critical thinking

 help students understand the value of questioning
 introduce students to features of critical, analytical writing
 train students in using APA style to document sources
 make students aware of the benefits and challenges of teamwork

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

After completing this course, students should be able to:

 understand the importance of critical thinking in their academic and professional life
 identify the difference between an argument, a pseudo-argument, and a non-argument
 recognize underlying assumptions and implicit arguments
 understand the difference between inductive and deductive reasoning
 identify logical fallacies in an argument
 find and evaluate sources of evidence
 understand features of critical, analytical writing

 use APA style for in-text citations

 use APA style to format reference lists

 identify a topic worthy of academic research

 find, evaluate, and make notes from a variety of academic sources
 write a critical, analytical research paper

 plan and carry out effective teamwork, both cooperatively and collaboratively
 be familiar with some of the common problems experienced by teams—and writing teams in
particular—and be able to anticipate ways of resolving them
 prepare and deliver an oral debate/argument/presentation
 2

GRADING SCHEME
5% Attendance
10% Assignments/Participation
15% Three/four Quizzes
25% Midterm Examination
15% Critical Thinking individual activity (SWOT Tool)
20% Final Project (Six Hat Tool)
10% Reflection: Critical Evaluation of the Critical Thinking Tools used in this class

ATTENDANCE POLICY
Your instructors are required by the university to enter every absence into the university database
regardless of whether it is excused or unexcused.  Absences will have the following impact on your
attendance score: 

1 Absence -     1 point will be deducted from attendance score

2 Absences-   2 points will be deducted from attendance score
3 Absences-   3 points will be deducted from attendance score
4 Absences- 4 points will be deducted from attendance score
5 Absences- 5 points will be deducted from attendance score
6 Absences- Withdrawal from the course

This can make the difference between an "A" and a "B", or a "B" and a "C."

LATENESS POLICY
Students who are late will be marked “late” in the attendance roster, and 2 latenesses will count as
one absence. If you come to class more than 4 minutes late, you will be marked as absent.

ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSION
All homework assignments must be submitted on time on the dates stated in the course calendar.
Timely submission means submitting the assignment at the beginning of class time or before, not
after. Therefore, if you do not plan to attend class for whatever reason, you need to make
arrangements with your instructor to make sure that (s)he receives your work by the due date. There
will be a 10% deduction for every day an assignment is handed in late. Homework assignments will
not be accepted four days after they were due. Quizzes/exams may not be made up unless
prearranged (before the quiz/exam takes place) with the instructor. Finally, if an assignment is not
submitted to turn-it in by 11.59 p.m on the same day that the hardcopy is due, this will result in a 40%
deduction from the final score you received on that assignment.