Argumentation I

Academic year 2011-12

Date last modified

23-4-2012 1:29

Period

Period 1		Startdate:	05-Sep-11		Enddate:	28-Oct-11
Period 5		Startdate:	09-Apr-12		Enddate:	01-Jun-12

Code

SKI2049

ECTS credits

2.5

Organisational unit

University College Maastricht

Coordinator

T.J. Dekker

Description

In this Skills we work from a fundamental assumption regarding arguments: that they have a specific structure, which can be made visible and evaluated. In order to “get a grip” on arguments, we will work with exercises that step by step take us to a level where we can evaluate arguments in terms of cogency – a cogent argument being one that is constructed in accordance to certain basic criteria. We will also look at fallacies, or incorrect arguments. Once we have developed these skills we will apply them to actual academic texts and arguments of students’ own design.

Goals

• To introduce students to the analysis of arguments. • To provide students with a basic toolkit for evaluating arguments as they appear in academic life. • To enable students to present arguments of their own in a cogent and structured fashion.

Instruction language

Prerequisites

Recommended literature

Teaching methods

PBL
PRESENTATION(S)
LECTURE(S)
ASSIGNMENT(S)
PAPER(S)

Assessment methods

FINAL PAPER
ATTENDANCE
PARTICIPATION
WRITTEN EXAM
ORAL EXAM
TAKE HOME EXAM

Key words