Course Description

This course offers instruction and practice in methods of critical thinking and formal argument writing, emphasizing the following: the principles of classical argument structure and methods of reasoning; analysis and evaluation of rhetorical argument; identification of the assumptions underlying a given argument; identification and critique of fallacies in arguments; and analysis of language use and its implications in argument writing. Students in this course have the opportunity to practice critical thinking by writing substantive arguments, essays, and a documented research paper.