Critical Thinking Assignment
Directions Your instructor will provide you with a topic for this assignment. The assignment has multiple steps that will take time to complete. In steps one and two, you will conduct research on your topic using the online databases from Greenville Technical College’s Library. In step three you will create notecards from your research, and in the final step, you will participate in an online debate.
Step One: Go to the Source
Go to Greenville Technical College’s website
Click Student Resources, then Library Services
Then “Click Here to Start Your Online Search…”
Click Research, then Databases * NOTE: If you are off-campus, then you will need your Student ID number or library card to access the databases
Click A-Z tab on top of page
Click the “O” tab and then click Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Using the topic your instructor assigned, click on the topic, and it will lead you to various subheadings such as “Featured Viewpoints,” “Viewpoints,” “News,” and “Magazines.”
“Viewpoints” typically the best option, but please read beyond the first few; obviously, we don’t want to duplicate the same data, the same findings.
Step Two: Time to Read Now it’s time to read from the list of sources. If you find some interesting, worthy information, then you can save it, bookmark it, or even print it.
As you read, you may want to consider “holes” in the authors’ arguments; for example, are they over generalizing? Do you disagree with them? Why or why not? Be an active reader. Ask questions. Like a good detective, you are trying to gather evidence.
Step Three: Let’s Make Some Note Cards Note cards are an excellent way to organize your thoughts and information, whether you’re studying for a test, preparing for a speech or debate, or even crafting a lengthy essay or research paper. Note cards help you prepare and arrange the information you are about to insert and utilize, either vocally or written.
Now that you have read some amazingly cool stuff, let’s get that information down while it’s still fresh.
Using the provided note card template, create five cards that support the argument and then create five note cards that are against the argument or topic.
When you have both sides of the topic, then you can critically argue with good facts, statistics, and ideas. This is what critical thinking is all about.
Watch out for assumptions, claims, and faulty/fallacious reasoning. *See fallacious reasoning document attached to this assignment.
Finally, make two MLA-style bibliography cards. In MLA format, this is called a Works Cited page, and it is the last page in an essay or research paper. In other words, we always want to give credit where credit is due – if the ideas don’t belong to us, and we take credit for them, then it would be considered plagiarism.
The “Source Citation” will be at the bottom of the article, so transfer that information to the cards; have one “for” bibliography card, and one “against” bibliography card. This will give you a total of twelve cards.
Congratulations! You’ve done it, and if you want more information on MLA style formatting, you can also visit the Online Writing Lab at Purdue
Attach your 12 note cards to the Critical Thinking Assignment.
Step Four: Prepare to Share
Now that you have created your awesome twelve notes cards, it’s time to share for the debate on the discussion board.
Go to the Critical Thinking Debate discussion on the Discussion Board
State your position on the issue and one of the points from your note cards to the discussion board.
Respond to at least two other classmate’s postings, stating your position on the issue and using information from your cards.
