WEEK |
DATE |
ASSIGNMENT*** to
be completed before class on the day listed |
CRITICAL QUESTIONS Prepare written answers to these questions BEFORE CLASS. |
1 |
Sep 4 |
|
- What is IS1111 about?
- What does the title
of the article refer to?
- What is the TMODMP?
- What is Shermer's
main point?
- What examples does Shermer use to illustrate his
point?
|
2 |
Sep 9 |
|
- What do the authors mean when they talk about
good whys?
- What do you think the authors would say about the following
statement: All weird things are false.
- What does the following
statement (from page 13 of our textbook) mean? Unfortunately, our
educational system spends much more time teaching people what to think
rather than how to think.
- Do the paranormal profile on page
11.
|
Sep 11 |
- Read The Educated Person (which was handed out in
class)
- Write a 2-3 page paper that answers the following question:
What qualities does an educated person have? Be sure your paper has
an introduction, three or four main points and a conclusion.
|
- What qualities does Jones (the author
of The Educated Person) suggest an educated person
possesses?
- Do you agree with Jones? Why or why not?
|
3 |
Sep 16 |
- Read the General Education section
(pages 64-69) of Plymouth
State University's 2008-09 Academic Catalog
|
- What is general education?
- What
words would you use to describe PSU's general education program?
- What would Thomas Jones (the author of The Educated
Person) say about PSU's general education program?
- What
would the authors of our textbook say about PSU's general
education program?
|
Sep 18 |
|
- Answer the study questions on page 31 of the
textbook.
|
4 |
Sep 23 |
- Read the first part of Chapter 5 (pages
101-120--stop at the section called Remembering: Why you can't always
trust what you recall but read the entire sidebar called False
Memory Syndrome)
|
- How might the constructive nature of
your perceptions play a role in what you experience while you're
walking at night through a graveyard said to be visited by
spirits of the dead?
- Is the following a legitimate principle? Why or
why not? The only way to tell whether something is real is to see if it
works for you.
- Read Passage 4 on pages 158-159.
- What is the speaker's evidence for claiming to see the Loch Ness
monster?
- Is her claim justified? Why or why not?
- Are there any
reasons for doubting the evidence of her personal experience? If so, what
are they?
- Do you find her argument convincing? Why or why
not?
|
Sep 25 |
- Read the second half of Chapter 5 (pages
121-156)
- Write a 2-3 page paper that answers the following
question: Are eyewitness reports good evidence for the existence
of Big Foot? Why or why not? Be sure your paper has an
introduction, three or four main points (with evidence to back them
up) and a conclusion.
|
- Answer study questions 2-12 on page
157
|
5 |
Sep 30 |
- Read Chapters 1-7 of the Online Library
Materials (which can be found here.
- Choose
the group that you will work with on the semester portfolio project by
today. Each group must have 2 or 3 students in it.
|
- Be sure you understand the answers to the
review questions at the end of chapters 3-7.
|
Oct 2 |
VISIT LIBRARY |
NONE |
6 |
Oct 7 |
- Read the Academic Integrity section
(pages 42-44) of Plymouth State University's 2008-09 Academic Catalog
- Bring your completed materials from Library visit
- Your group must
have your portfolio topic approved by me by today
|
- What is academic integrity?
- What is the
procedure that will be followed in cases of academic integrity violations?
- What are some examples of violations of PSU's academic integrity
policy?
|
Oct 9 |
VISIT LIBRARY |
NONE |
7 |
Oct 14 |
- Read Chapter 3
- Bring completed
materials from Library visit
|
- Evaluate the 10 claims on pages 58-59
of the textbook. Are they reasonable? Why or why not?
|
Oct 16 |
- Continue discussion of Chapter 3
|
NONE |
8 |
Oct 21 |
LIBRARY EXAM |
NONE |
Oct 23 |
|
- Answer study questions on page 96.
- Evaluate claims 1-5 on page 96.
|
9 |
Oct 28 |
- Read the first half of Chapter 6 (pages
164-190--stop at the section called Creationism, Evolution, and
Criteria of Adequacy)
|
- Evaluate claims 1-5 on page 221
|
Oct 30 |
|
- Is there good evidence for the existence of
Bigfoot?
|
10 |
Nov 4 |
- Read the first part of Chapter 7
(pages 228-235--stop at the section called Homeopathy)
- Your portfolio annotated bibliography is due today.
|
- What is the SEARCH formula?
- Choose two of
the six claims on pages 301-302. Evaluate them using the SEARCH formula.
|
Nov 6 |
- NO CLASS: I will be at a
conference. The paper is due by 9:30am. Send it to me via
email.
- Write a 2-3 page paper that answers the following question: Do
you think Bigfoot exists? Why or why not? Be sure your paper has an
introduction, three or four main points (with evidence to back them up)
and a conclusion.
|
You do not have to prepare written
responses to these questions. Simply think about them.
- What kinds of information will be on the critical thinking exam?
- What have we learned so far this semester?
- Is there anything that
you would like to go over again?
|
11 |
Nov 11 |
NO CLASS--VETERAN'S DAY |
NONE |
Nov 13 |
CRITICAL THINKING EXAM |
NONE |
12 |
Nov 18 |
- We will view and discuss a documentary about an
alien autopsy.
|
NONE |
Nov 20 |
- Your first reflective paper for the portfolio
project is due today.
|
NONE |
13 |
Nov 25 |
- Write a 2-3 page paper that answers the
following question: Is the alien autopsy film real or is it a hoax?
Be sure your paper has an introduction, three or four main points (with
evidence to back them up) and a conclusion. You must be in class today
for me to accept this paper.
- These two articles (here and here)will help
you in writing your paper.
|
NONE |
Nov 27 |
NO CLASS--THANKSGIVING |
NONE |
14 |
Dec 2 |
- Read How
Not to Test Mediums. Note that this is a difficult article. You
should print it out and bring it with you to class for our
discussion.
|
- What are Hyman's criticisms of the design
of Schwartz's experiments?
|
Dec 4 |
- The second reflective paper for your portfolio
assignment is due today
|
NONE |
15 |
Dec 9 |
|
- What are Schwartz's objections to Hyman's
review of his book?
- How does Hyman respond to these objections?
|
Dec 11 |
- Your group portfolio (including your group
paper) is due today.
|
NONE |
16 |
Tue Dec 16 - 8am-10:30am |
FINAL EXAM Each group will do a presentation of their
research during the final exam period.
|
NONE |