CRTW 201 (section 027): Critical Reading, Thinking, and Writing

(3 credit hours. Prerequisites: WRIT 101 and HMXP 102 with grades of C- or better in both.)

Fall 2016: Dr. Leslie Bickford

Office: Bancroft 234

Office Phone: 323-4564

Email: bickfordl@winthrop.edu

Web: http://faculty.winthrop.edu/bickfordl

Office Hours: MW 11:00- 12:00 & by appointment

Texts

Nosich, Gerald. Learning to Think Things Through 4^th  ed. Prentice Hall

Harris, Muriel, ed. Prentice Hall Reference Guide to Grammar and Usage. 3^rd custom ed. Prentice Hall

Beckwirth, Harry. Unthinking : The Surprising Forces Behind What We Buy  Hachette Book Group

Course Description: CRTW 201 focuses on critical reading, critical thinking, and deliberative/argumentative writing.  The class builds on skills acquired in WRIT 101 and refined in HMXP 102. Successful critical thinking employs both inductive and deductive reasoning, draws upon primary and secondary resources for evidence and support, evaluates multiple viewpoints and methods, considers

both the immediate and the long-term consequences of actions, avoids errors in logic and

method, and recognizes the limitations that cultural experiences and individual temperaments

place on our perceptions. In this course, students will develop and strengthen their critical

thinking skills through the analysis of extended works of mature prose and demonstrate those

improved skills through substantive writing and speaking assignments.

Course Goals   

1.  To learn that the complex process of critical thinking is a part of all we do and that the process relies on such skills as observing, listening, reading, and writing.

2.    To use writing, reading, speaking, and critical thinking to foster intellectual growth in an academic environment.

3.    To recognize critical thinking and problem solving strategies in different academic disciplines and for different audiences.

4.   To evaluate arguments, evidence, and the contexts in which they appear.

5.   To prepare for writing by carefully analyzing evidence.

6.   To plan, organize, and develop essays based on introspection, general observation, deliberation, research, and the critical reading of mature prose texts drawn from varied disciplines.

7.   To learn to revise effectively by completely rethinking, restructuring, and rewriting essays.

8.   To recognize individual writing voices and learn how those voices can be adapted to fit different audiences and rhetorical situations.

9.   To improve oral communications skills through class discussions and small group activities.

See a complete listing of course goals for the Department of English at http://www.winthrop.edu/english/goals/index.htm.

University Level Competencies

This course meets the following University Level Competencies:

Competency 1: Winthrop graduates think critically and solve problems.  Winthrop University graduates reason logically, evaluate and use evidence, and solve problems.  They seek out and assess relevant information from multiple viewpoints to form well-reasoned conclusions.  Winthrop graduates consider the full context and consequences of their decisions and continually reexamine their own critical thinking process, including the strengths and weaknesses of their arguments.

Competency 2: Winthrop graduates are personally and socially responsible.  Winthrop University graduates value integrity, perceive moral dimensions, and achieve excellence.  They take seriously the perspectives of others, practice ethical reasoning, and reflect on experiences.  Winthrop graduates have a sense of responsibility to the broader community and contribute to the greater good.

Competency 3: Winthrop graduates understand the interconnected nature of the world in which they live.  Winthrop University graduates comprehend the historical, social, and global contexts of their disciplines and their lives.  They also recognize how their chosen area of study is inextricably linked to other fields.  Winthrop graduates collaborate with members of diverse academic, professional, and cultural communities as informed and engaged citizens.

Competency 4:  Winthrop graduates communicate effectively.  Winthrop University graduates communicate in a manner appropriate to the subject, occasion, and audience.  They create texts—including but not limited to written, oral, and visual presentations—that convey content effectively.  Mindful of their voice and the impact of their communication, Winthrop graduates successfully express and exchange ideas.

Student Learning Outcomes 

1.          Knowledge:  By the end of the semester, students will be able to

•              identify and define the elements of reasoning

•              identify and define the standards of reasoning

•              identify and define filters, barriers, and impediments to critical 

•              thinking

•              identify and define the character traits of a critical thinker

•  

2.         Skills:  By the end of the semester, students will be able to

•             apply the elements of reasoning to analyze their own thinking and the thinking of others

•              apply the standards of  reasoning to analyze their own thinking and the thinking of others   

•              effectively discuss their thinking and the thinking of others in a variety of oral forms (e.g. discussions, group presentations, etc.)

•              use critical reading strategies to analyze a variety of texts

•                              plan, draft, and revise critical writing in a variety of rhetorical contexts and disciplines.

•  

3.          Attitudes:  By the end of the semester, students will be able to 

•              recognize and appreciate the differences between critical and noncritical thinking in both themselves and others

•              integrate critical thinking character traits into their academic and personal lives

Course Requirements

Paper 1& 3 in class                                            15% each

Paper 2                                                       15%

Researched Argument                                          20%

Class participation & Reading Journals                           20%

Final Exam                                                  15%

Grading Standards

I will be using plus/minus grading in this course.  Grades will be assigned using the following schedule:

94-100: A, 90-93: A-,  87-89:B+,  84-86: B,  80-83:B-,  etc. A description of letter grades for writing assignments can be found at http://www.winthrop.edu/english/rubric.htm.

Plagiarism Policy

Please review the English Department’s policy on Using Borrowed Information at http://www.winthrop.edu/english/plagiarism.htm. You are responsible for reviewing the Code of Student Conduct in your Student Handbook and the description of plagiarism in The Prentice-Hall Reference Guide to Grammar and Usage and handling source materials correctly. If you turn in plagiarized work, I reserve the right to assign you a failing grade for the course. The University Policy on Plagiarism is explained at http://www.winthrop.edu/studentaffairs/Judicial/judcode.htm under section V, “Academic Misconduct.”

Documentation

All work in this class that uses outside sources must be documented correctly using MLA documentation style.

Turnitin.com Policy

We will be using www.turnitin.com this semester.  Outside of class papers not submitted to www.turnitin.com will not be graded.  All Reading Journal assignments will be submitted through turnitin.com.  The Class ID and Password for turnitin are

Class: ID: 13289745

Password: CRTW201F16

Attendance Policy

Students are expected to attend class.  An absence for any reason will count as a class missed; please let me know If you travel routinely with the University.  Students who arrive to class late must check with me at the end of the class.   I reserve the right to instate a tardy policy should the need arise. The absence policy is as follows: four absences will lower the student’s final grade by 5%.  Five absences will lower the student’s final grade by 10%.  More than six absences will result in failure of the course.

Late Paper & Assignment Policies

Papers are due at the beginning of class on the dates indicated on your course calendar.  Late papers will be penalized a letter grade for every day late.  Papers over one week late will not be accepted.  You will be using turnitin.com to turn in your papers; should you ever have trouble with turnitin, you must email me your paper or bring it in hardcopy to class to avoid the late penalty.  If you do not receive a receipt from turnitin, bring a hardcopy to class to avoid the late penalty. I will grade only those papers that appear in turnitin.com.

Reading Journals

Reading Journals will be assigned on Tuesdays (see the dates indicated on your reading calendar) and due through turnitin.com by 8:00 AM the following Friday.  A late Reading Journal will not earn more than ½ credit and must be in by the Monday after it is assigned or it will earn a zero.

Accommodations for Access:

Winthrop University is committed to providing access to education.  If you have a condition which may adversely impact your ability to access academics and/or campus life, and you require specific accommodations to complete this course, contact the Office of Accessibility (OA) at 803-323-3290, or, accessibility@winthrop.edu. Please inform me as early as possible, once you have your official notice of accommodations from the Office of Accessibility.

Technology Requirements 

I conduct most of my business with students using e-mail. If you do not have an e-mail account, go to 15 Tillman immediately to set it up. All class e-mail will be sent to your campus e-mail address, so make sure you set it to forward to any off-campus account you use (e.g. Comporium, AOL, Yahoo!, etc.) All students must subscribe to the class listserv.  If you have added the class late, please speak to me about how to subscribe to the class listserv. 

In addition, please put away all cell phones before class beings.

Student Code of Conduct

As noted in the Student Conduct Code, “Responsibility for good conduct rests with students as adult individuals.” The policy on student academic misconduct is outlined in the “Student Conduct Code Academic Misconduct Policy” online: http://www.winthrop.edu/uploadedFiles/studentconduct/StudentHandbook.pdf

The Writing Center

The Writing Center, located in 242 Bancroft Hall, provides a free writing consultation service. The Writing Center's purpose is to help writers at all levels learn more about their writing through tutoring sessions. Although operating hours may vary from semester to semester, the Writing Center is open at least five days a week. Scheduling an appointment ensures that a tutor will be available.  You can call the Center at 803-323-2138 to schedule an appointment, or you can create a MyWCOnline account. Once you have an account, you can access the Center's schedule and make appointments on your own. To create an account, go here: https://winthrop.mywconline.com/

Academic Success Center (ASC) 

Winthrop’s Academic Success Center is a free resource for all undergraduate students seeking to perform their best academically.  The ASC offers a variety of personalized and structured resources that help students become effective and efficient learners. The services available to students are as follows: peer tutoring, academic skill development (test taking strategies, time management counseling, and study techniques), group and individual study spaces, and academic coaching.  The ASC is located in University College on the first floor of Dinkins Hall, Suite 106.  Please contact the ASC at 803-323-3929 or success@winthrop.edu.  For more information on ASC services, please visit www.winthrop.edu/success.

Syllabus Change Policy

The terms of this syllabus will not change.  If the course calendar changes, it will be to the benefit of the students (to slow us down or put off a paper due date).