Dr. Mary E. Martin                                                                                                          E-mail:  martinme@winthrop.edu

Bancroft 218                                                                                                                Website: http://faculty.winthrop.edu/martinme

Office Phone:  323-4554

Office Hours:  MW 1:00 – 2:00 and 5:00-6:00; F 1:00-2:00 and by appointment

 

Class Meeting:  MW CRTW 201-025, 3:30 – 4:45 PM, Owens 109

                             

 

Critical Reading, Thinking and Writing

CRTW 201-025,  3 credit hours

SPRING,  2015

 

Texts:                   1.  Nosich, Gerald.  Learning to Think Things Through.  4th ed.

                              2.  Harris, Muriel.  Prentice Hall Reference Guide to Grammar and Usage.  3rd ed., or Rules for Writers, 7th ed.

                              3.  Beckwith, Harry. Unthinking, Business Plus.

                               4.  One spiral notebook for in-class notes and reflection ( a medium sized notebook)

                              *You will also need one folder with pockets, any color but not plastic or vinyl.

 

Course Goals/     GOALS:

Outcomes:          

ü  To learn that the complex process of critical thinking is a part of all we do and that the prodce3ss relies on such skills as observing, speaking, listening, reading and writing.

ü  To use writing, reading, speaking, and critical thinking to foster general cognitive development and intellectual growth in an academic environment.

ü  To recognize critical thinking and problem solving strategies in different academic disciplines.

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

ü  To prepare for writing by carefully analyzing evidence.

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

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

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

ü  To improve oral communication skills through classroom discussions and small group activities.

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

 

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

ü  Identify and define the elements of reasoning

ü  Identify and define the standards of reasoning

ü  Identify and define the character traits of a critical thinker

ü  Identify and define filters, barriers, and impediments to critical thinking.

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

ü  Apply the elements of reasoning to analyze their own thinking and the thinking of others

ü  Apply the standards of reasoning to analyze their own thinking and the thinking of others

ü  Use critical reading strategies to analyze a variety of texts

ü  Plan, draft, and revise critical writing in a variety of rhetorical contexts and disciplines

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

ü  Integrate critical thinking character traits into their academic and personal lives.

ü  Recognize and appreciate the differences between critic al and noncritical thinking in both themselves and others.



 

TOUCHSTONE/GNED GOALS:  This course meets the following Touchstone goals:

 

               Goal One:     To communicate clearly and effectively in standard English.

               Goal Three:  To use critical thinking, problem-solving skills, ad a variety of research methods.

               Goal Four:    To recognize and appreciate human diversity (both past and present) as well as the diversity

                                     of ideas institutions, philosophies, moral codes, and ethical principles.

               Goal Seven:  To examine values, attitudes, beliefs, and habits which define the nature and quality of life.

 

               CRTW appears in the Touchstone Program as part of the “Writing and Critical Thinking” skill area.

 

Course

Requirements:                   Assignment                                                                                    % of Grade

                                             Paper 1, element analysis of decision                                       5%

                                             Paper 2, element  analysis/standards evaluation

                                            of argument                                                                                       10%

                                            

                                             Paper 3 Annotated Bibliography/Standards Evaluation

                                             of four sources for final researched argument                           15%

 

                                              Paper 4 (Research Argument, 8-10 pages)                                    25%

 

                                             Group Presentation on Chapters in Beckwith                               10%

                                             Notetaking/Reflection Notebook                                                      10%

 

                                             Thinking/reading responses, other informal writing,

                                             Impediment checks, and class participation                                 15%

 

                                             Final Exam                                                                                              10%

 

Final Exam

Schedule:                            Your final exam will be completed  Tuesday, May 5, at 3:00 PM.

 

Winthrop University policy requires that all classes meet during their final examination period.  Winthrop University policy specifies that personal conflicts such as travel plans and work schedules do not warrant a change in the examination time.     

Remember, in order to receive credit for this class, you must--

1.  Complete all assignments.

2.  Bring your books to class and engage critical reading strategies in order to understand what you are

     reading.

3.  Not miss more than four classes.

 

Grading Standards:            A description of letter grades for writing assignments is located at

http://www.winthrop.edu/english/rubric.htm.

 

Grades are based on the following scale:  94-100=A, 91-93= A-, 88-90=B+, 80-87=B, 81-83=B-, 78-80=C+, 74-77=C, 71-73=C-, 68-70=D+, 64-67=D, 61-63=D-, 0-60=F.

 

Plagiarism Policy:               Please review the English Department’s policy on the Correct Use of Borrowed Information at http://www.winthrop.edu/cas/english/default.aspx?=21084.  

                                               You are responsible for reviewing the Code of Student Conduct in your Student Handbook, the description of plagiarism in The Prentice-Hall Reference Guide to Grammar and Usage and handling source materials correctly. The University Judicial Policy on Plagiarism is explained at http://www.winthrop.edu/studentaffairs/Judicial/judcode.htm under section V, “Academic Misconduct.”

The offense of plagiarism will result in failure of the class.

 

Attendance Policy             Students are expected to attend class.  An absence for any reason will count as a class missed.  Students 

and Class Behavior            who arrives to class late must check with me at the end of the class.   More than four absences will result

Guidelines:                         in failure of the course.

                                            

Please turn off cell phones and keep them off your desk.  Anyone observed using his/her cell phone will receive an absence for the day.  Anyone caught sleeping in class will receive an absence for the day.

 

Be prepared to stay in class for the entirety of the class.  If you have an emergency and must leave, inform me before you leave.

Student Code of Conduct statement:  "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 at http://www2.winthrop.edu/studentaffairs/handbook/StudentHandbook.pdf.

Other Guidelines:              Paper Preparation:   All out of class papers, unless otherwise directed, should follow MLA style demonstrated in the Prentice Hall Guide.  Papers must be evenly double-spaced with a one-inch margin on all sides. Refer to page 449 in the current Prentice Hall for a template of the first page; no extra cover sheet is necessary.

Due Dates:  Hard copies of all assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date unless due dates fall on a Friday; then you have until 5:00 PM on Friday to drop the paper by my office.  Late papers will be penalized one letter grade for every class day late.  Please see me ahead of any due dates if you are having trouble completing the assignments.

Behavior:  I expect to see visible signs you are completing assigned work, such as annotations in your book, note taking in class, reading notes, etc.  Failure to complete assigned work will significantly lower your class participation grade.  Employing these visible signs can improve your success in the class.

Turnitin.com Policy:  We will be using www.turnitin.com this semester for all out of class papers. I will provide more information on that closer to the dates of those assignments.  Papers not submitted to Turnitin will not receive a grade.

Syllabus Change Policy:   The policy posted on my class web page is the most up-to-date and will be the one to resolve any questions or issues.  The calendar may change as the course progresses, so please check the current assignments frequently on my website.

Technology                         I conduct much of class business with students using e-mail.  If you do not have an e-mail account, go to

Requirements:                   15 Tillman immediately to set it up.  All class e-mail is 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.).  You must have a working Winthrop e-mail address by September 1, 2013.

 

Students with                    Winthrop University is dedicated to providing access to education.  If you have a disability and need

Disabilities:                         accommodations, please contact the Coordinator, Services for Students with Disabilities, at

323-3290, as soon as possible.  Once you have your Professor Notification Form, please tell me so that I am aware of your accommodations well before the first paper.