Course Number:

Soc 4

Course Name:

Sociological Analysis and Critical Thinking

Instructor:

Anne Saddington

Email Address:

asaddington@collegeofthedesert.edu

Class Password:

Request Username & Password
Note: Usernames and passwords are generally not available until one week before the start of the semester.

Class Website:

http://desertonline.net/classes/soc4/asaddington/
Note: Classes are generally not available for login until the first day of the semester.

Course Description:

This course provides instruction in the principles of critical analysis and the composition of reasoned, written responses to a variety of social issues. These include issues falling within the scope of sociology, anthropology, economics, education, politics, criminology, biology and the physical sciences. Both deductive and inductive forms of reasoning are studied, including common formal and informal fallacies.

Prerequisite(s):

Eng 1A - Freshman Composition and Math 50 - Elementary Algebra

Textbooks & Other Required Materials:

Summer Session
Chaffee, John. Thinking Critically, 8th edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Fall Semester
Chaffee, John. Thinking Critically, 9th edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, ISBN: 10: 0-618-094719-1.

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Other:

This course is an introduction to the process of thinking and reasoning. It provides instruction in critical analysis and the composition of reasoned, written and oral declarations of- and responses to a variety of social issues. The goal is to develop the ability to think clearly, logically, critically, and creatively in order to make your writing, reading, speaking, and listening skills better. The course contents are: problem solving, perception, knowledge and belief, language, conceptualization, organization, reporting, inference, judgment, inductive and deductive argument, and creative thinking. We will use readings, problem-solving activities, class discussions, and writing assignments about social issues to focus your thinking abilities and increase your understanding of the social world.

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