CM 220 Seminar 3 Critical Thinking

Creating a time line for your paper: Why bother?

Creating a Timeline If you wish to write a credible paper, you will need to give yourself adequate time. If your normal writing habit is to simply sit down and do everything on the night the paper is due, you are not likely to be successful in this class. Therefore, it would be a good idea to map out when you plan to complete the varying parts of the paper. You will find a timeline for each unit in the unit 3 “get organized” section. Print this out, and add in the appropriate dates. You should also consider any personal or work issues that may interfere with your getting work done in a particular unit.

Project Requirements Your project should be arranged as follows: – 1) Choose a Topic/big idea – 4) Formulate a working thesis. – Be sure to use APA formatting: title page, header and page number in each upper right-hand corner, 12 point font, double-spacing.

Unit 3 Exercise: Generating Paper Topics and Thesis Statements The sooner you settle on a topic, the more time you will have for developing a strong thesis statement, researching, and writing. The topic should not be so new that little has been written on it, nor so controversial as to have largely biased sources.

Other Potential Topics Genetically engineered food: Is it safe? Free speech The right to keep and bear arms The use of polygraph tests by law enforcement Space exploration Mandatory drug testing for employees Solutions to the current economic crisis The health care crisis

A topic is not enough. What point will you make about your topic? Using a research question is a way to discover what POINT you want to make about your topic. There are a couple of easy ways to decide on a point.

Methods You Can Use to Find Your Point: Freewriting When free writing, write whatever comes to you. Don't evaluate your ideas; just write FAST! After you are done, read through your writing. Something you wrote may be the direction (point) in which you want to go.

Sample Free Writing about Illegal Immigration If people come here illegally, they’re breaking U.S. law. Should we allow people to break our laws? Should we give them amnesty after they’ve broken the law? Some people say the illegals are hurting our economy, but here in Florida, some groves couldn’t find anyone to pick the fruit because of the crackdown on illegals. Maybe our economy needs them. But what about the people that followed the law? Why should those who broke the law be rewarded and those that followed the law in effect get punished? And how could we deport 30 million people? What about criminals and terrorists? How could we close such a large border?

Freewriting (continued) Choose one sentence and research it. – Maybe our economy needs them. You could write an essay persuading the reader that we do or don’t need the illegals. OR – How could we close such a large border? Answering that question could be your essay.

Methods You Can Use to Find Your Point: Questioning Brainstorm answers to WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY. WHO: People from other countries who come to the U.S. They're coming here illegally. Possibly terrorists, too. WHAT: They're coming here illegally. Should they be stopped? Why? What should we do about people who break our laws? WHERE: They’re coming across the borders of Mexico and Canada, but they’re also coming by boat and plane. HOW: How can we stop them? Should we stop them?

Choose one question to answer WHEN: How long has it been going on? Have there always been laws restricting immigration? Is it different now than before, or are we just more worried about it now? Should we be more worried? WHY: Why are they coming here? Money? Freedom? Fleeing from oppression? Running drugs? Terrorists? Select one of the questions (who, what, when, where, how, why). – Example: What: "What should we do about people who break our laws?” – Answering that question could be your thesis and the focus of your essay.

What is a thesis statement?

Thesis Statement A thesis statement is composed of two parts: your topic + some point you want to make about your topic. Once you’ve chosen your topic, find a research question that you’d like to answer. That will give you your point. Without a thesis, your paper lacks direction.

Developing a thesis statement The thesis will answer your research question. Topic + Idea = Thesis Logical thesis statements often use words like “because,” “since” and “therefore” to show connection between idea and main supporting point. Example: Schools should not require uniforms because uniforms do not improve academic performance.

What is an argument?

Argument An argument is an issue that has at least TWO SIDES. In order to present your side of the argument, you must know the various positions on your issue. If you don’t know the arguments for the other side, you leave yourself open to be blindsided by an attack. This is true for everything in life.

What are deceptive arguments?

Recognizing Deceptive Arguments (Logical Fallacies) When researching, you need to read the information carefully and to apply your best critical thinking skills to what the author is saying. Analyze and find the “holes” in the arguments that you are reading. Decide which arguments are valid and which are not. With practice, you will become better at detecting deceptive arguments.

Deceptive Arguments Deceptive arguments may mislead you, causing you to believe the wrong information. Because deceptive arguments often confuse and distract people, they may take attention from important issues. Deceptive arguments are often more emotionally charged, gaining bigger headlines.

Practice Reading & Thinking! A big part of learning to write well is learning to read critically. Read things you might not normally read, such as newspaper articles. Analyze them. What is the topic? What is the main point? What proof is offered? Look for “holes” in the thinking of the writer. Demand proof for assertions!

Demand Proof! Example: A political add on TV in Florida stated that Florida Senator Bill Nelson, when he was a state official, caused insurance rates to rise. My first thought: I’d like to see back up for that assertion. How did one person cause insurance rates to rise???? Since deceptive arguments may appear reasonable, it is important that you read both sides of all issues.

Some Types of Deceptive Arguments False Dilemmas & Either/Or Statements Bandwagon Slanters Persuasive Definitions Personal Attacks Post Hoc Scare Tactics Slippery Slope Strawman Testimonials Generalizations Categorical Statements Begging the Question False Analogy

False Dilemmas: Either/Or Statements Example: Either we’ll leave at 1 pm or at 1:30. There is no reason to have just two alternatives. You could leave at 1:05, 1:15, or any time in between 1 and 1:30. To avoid false dilemmas, use your imagination to think of the other possibilities.

False Dilemma: “If…then” Statements & Perfectionism False dilemmas can be “if…then” statements. This is a form of blatant manipulation. – Example: "If you really loved me, then you would…...” False dilemmas can also be perfectionism, which states that if the solution is not perfect, then we shouldn’t bother. – Example: Since the FCATs are a poorly designed test, the schools shouldn’t do any standardized testing.

Bandwagon: the idea that everybody does it or believes it I'm guessing that you have all used this type of argument when you were younger. You'd say to your parents, But everyone is going OR All of the kids have one of those. And what answer did your mom give? If everyone was going to jump off a cliff does that mean you should, too? LOL

Slanting: Labels Labels used to persuade through emotionally charged language instead of reason. Example: – According to the West, people who strap bombs to their bodies and blow up themselves and innocent civilians are suicide bombers. – According to radical Islamists, those same people are martyrs.

Slanting: Persuasive Definitions Persuasive definitions are a form of slanting in which the definition closes off the argument because the definition is actually a conclusion instead of a real definition. – Example: The Iraq War is an illegal war being fought just for oil. – By defining the war as illegal and being fought just for oil, you are limiting all discussion. Those assertions would have to be proven.

Personal attack People use this to attack their opponents personally instead of discussing ideas or behavior. They often attack their opponent’s character, family life, looks, or personal habits, rather than focusing on the issues. Example: When Ann Coulter called Democrat presidential candidate John Edwards a “faggot,” she was attacking him personally instead of debating his ideas.

Post Hoc - Latin for "after this, therefore caused by this." Just because one event comes after another event, doesn’t mean the second one is caused by the first. Example: I turn out the light, and then the dog barked. – My turning out the light did not cause the dog to bark. The cat running down the hall did.

Scare tactics Scare Tactics use threat as a form of persuasion: “Do this….or else.” The issues discussed using scare tactics are usually real, but the method used is deceptive. Example: We must close our borders NOW! Even as we speak, terrorists are slipping undetected into the U.S., possibly even carrying nuclear or biological bombs. While it is true that terrorists may be entering our country, the speaker is trying to scare people into action instead of using reason.

Slippery Slope This is another form of scare tactics. It’s premise is that once you start down the “slope,” it’s all down hill from there. Example: If we allow illegal aliens to remain in our country, they will overwhelm our social services. American citizens will not be able to get help from the government. No one will speak English any more. All of our customs will be changed. Soon we will be little more than Mexico north.

Strawman This means putting words into someone else’s mouth. The premise is that it is easier to knock down a straw person than a real one. Example: The police chief said he was going to wait for the outcome of the investigation. It’s obvious that he doesn’t care about our community. The police chief never said that he didn’t care about the community. The speaker put words in the police chief’s mouth in order to discredit him.

Testimony or Relying on Experts When doing research, we accept the ideas of people who are knowledgeable in their fields. Quoting an expert is a valid way of supporting your arguments. When you do this, however, be sure that you keep the meaning of the quote. Do not distort it by using it out of context.

Unreliable Testimony Actors or athletes who advertise products often know little about those products. Also, many people who make public statements have little knowledge about the issues they are discussing. Example: Movie stars or rock stars give opinions on what the U.N. should or shouldn't do to end hunger in Africa. The fact that a person is famous in the entertainment field doesn't mean he or she knows how to solve problems in world affairs.

Generalizations & Stereotyping A generalization is an assertion (argument) based on insufficient evidence. Generalizations are often applied to groups that we feel are different than we are. – Stereotyping and sexism are forms of this fallacy. Example: Blondes are dumb. Obviously, not all blondes are dumb anymore than all women or all men are dumb.

Begging the Question In this is a form of circular logic, the question remains, "begging" to be answered. Instead of providing support, the assertion is restated. Example: Guns are deadly because they kill people. – The words deadly and kill people mean the same thing. Instead of proving that guns are deadly, the statement goes in a circle repeating its claim.

False Analogy – Comparing apples to oranges Classic example: If we can put a man on the moon, why can't we find a cure for the common cold? – Medicine and space technology are not the same. Different scientists work in those fields and the advances made are not related.