ASP108 - Critical Thinking
Unit details
| Year | 2025 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 1: Cathy Legg |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | ASP208 |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | 1 x 1-hour on-campus lecture per week 1 x 1-hour on-campus seminar per week |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | 1 x 1-hour online lecture per week (recordings provided) 1 x 1-hour online seminar per week |
Content
The ability to construct sound arguments - and logically evaluate the arguments of others - is an invaluable skill across numerous academic disciplines (including philosophy, politics, science, law, business and media), as well as a broad range of professional contexts beyond the University. This unit provides an introduction to the principles of critical thinking which underlie such skills.
Students will learn how to identify the structure of an argument in a 'logical outline', detect common reasoning errors and fallacies, and construct sound arguments of their own. The course features numerous examples of arguments taken from public discussions that are 'live' at the time of teaching, and students will have a chance to reflect on some of the particular challenges to critical thinking presented by social media and other aspects of 'online life'. This unit teaches valuable foundational skills for a wide range of academic pathways, as well as forming a key foundation for further study in philosophy.
Learning Outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Understand and explain the structure of arguments - distinguishing conclusions from premises and identifying a range of different roles that those premises play - by means of a logical outline | GLO1: Discipline specific GLO2: Communication GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO2 | Evaluate arguments in terms of the extent to which the evidence or reasons given logically support the conclusions drawn | GLO1: Discipline specific GLO2: Communication GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO3 | Construct logically sound arguments for conclusions of students' own choosing | GLO2: Communication GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO4 | Critically evaluate the likely reliability of sources of evidence and argument from a variety of contexts (both academic and non-academic) | GLO3: Digital literacy GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO5 | Reflect on the question: "Why by logical?", with reference to their own experience | GLO4: Critical thinking GLO6: Self-management GLO8: Global citizenship |
These Unit Learning Outcomes are applicable for all teaching periods throughout the year.
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Online Quizzes | 800 words or equivalent | 20% | Ongoing until week 9 |
| Assessment 2: Written Assignments | 1200 words or equivalent (2 x 600 words) | 30% | Weeks 6 and 11 |
| Assessment 3: End-of-unit assessment - Test | 2000 words or equivalent | 50% | End-of-unit assessment period |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for ASP108 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.