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Unit information: Critical Reasoning in 2023/24

Unit name Critical Reasoning
Unit code PHIL10030
Credit points 10
Level of study C/4
Teaching block(s) Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director Dr. Burch-Brown
Open unit status Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)

None.

Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)

None.

Units you may not take alongside this one

None

School/department Department of Philosophy
Faculty Faculty of Arts

Unit Information

This unit introduces the student to the analysis of arguments found in a variety of everyday contexts, understanding the structure of arguments, and the diagnosis of flaws in reasoning. It aims to give the student an understanding of the variety of forms of argumentation and reasoning including statistical reasoning and the tools to analyse arguments found in everyday life. It aims also, thereby, to make the student more conscious of their own reasoning practices and so less liable to errors in reasoning and more competent in constructing sound arguments of their own.

Your learning on this unit

The student completing this unit should be able to:

  1. Analyse the structure of arguments found in everyday contexts;
  2. Appreciate the role and importance of evidence;
  3. Understand certain important forms of formal reasoning (e.g. statistical inference)
  4. Identify common fallacies and biases in reasoning;
  5. Construct a clear argument;
  6. Be reflective about their own reasoning; be less susceptible to committing fallacies and be less liable to bias.

How you will learn

Lectures, small group work, individual exercises, seminars and virtual learning environment.

How you will be assessed

Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):

None

Tasks which do not count towards your unit mark but are required for credit (zero-weighted):

None

Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):

Timed assessment (100%) [ILOs 1-6]

When assessment does not go to plan

When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. PHIL10030).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.

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