Area A3: Critical Thinking

Goal 1: Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze reasoning.

Outcome 1A: Students will recognize the difference between argumentative discourse and other kinds of discourse (e/g/, explanations, descriptions, and assertions).
Outcome 1B. Students will analyze the structure of reasoning, identifying conclusions and their supporting premises.
Outcome 1C. Students will distinguish inductive from deductive reasoning.

Goal 2: Students will demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate argumentative discourse.

Outcome 2A. Students will evaluate deductive arguments.
Outcome 2B.  Students will evaluate inductive arguments.
Outcome 2C. Students will detect fallacies and articulate how these mistakes in reasoning are in error.

Goal 3: Students will demonstrate critical thinking in order to reach well-founded conclusions.

Outcome 3A. Students will utilize sufficient relevant information, avoid fallacies, and articulate their reasoning to arrive at well-founded conclusions. 

  1. The course must be lower division and its only prerequisite shall be satisfaction of Area A2 (Written Communication).
  2. The course is graded on an A/B/C/NC basis (contingent on Senate approval).
  3. At least 80% of the course grade must be based on assignments related to critical thinking.
  4. The course will introduce students to the themes: (a) Quality of Life, (b) Revolutionary Ideas and Innovations, and (c) Sustainability and Justice, by linking assignments, in-class activities, or other student projects to one or more of theme related events.
  5. The course syllabus must include the university-approved student learning outcomes for critical thinking and link them to activities and/or assignments that students complete to demonstrate they have met the outcomes.
  6. Instructors must give timely developmental feedback to students on their critical thinking skills.
  7. Rubrics used to evaluate critical thinking will be made available to students and incorporate the essential dimensions identified by GECCo.

Critical Thinking Reinforcement

Goal 1: Students will demonstrate critical reasoning and problem solving.

Outcome 1A. Students will demonstrate critical reasoning and problem solving by building on the following skills: argument analysis, argument evaluation, and/or argument construction.

  1. The course must have satisfaction of A3 as a prerequisite
  2. Assignments intended to reinforce the foundational skills (collectively, if more than one) must account for at least 30% of the course grade.
  3. The course syllabus must include the university-approved student learning outcomes for reinforcing critical thinking and link them to activities and/or assignments that students complete to demonstrate they have met the outcomes.
  4. Instructors must give timely developmental feedback to students on their critical thinking skills.
  5. Rubrics used to evaluate critical thinking will be made available to students and incorporate the essential dimensions identified by GECCo.