Synthesizing and Writing
When looking for information about a particular issue, how often do youtry to resist biases toward your own point of view? This assignment asks you toengage in this aspect of critical thinking.
The assignment is divided into two (2) parts.
For Part I of the assignment(due Week 2), you read a book excerpt about critical thinking processes,reviewed the Procon.org Website in order to gather information, and engaged inprewriting to examine your thoughts.
* Remember that in the Week 2Discussion, you examined the biases discussed in Chapter 2 of the webtext.
In Part II of the assignment (due Week 4), you will write a paper tosynthesize your ideas.
Part II – Writing
Write at three tofour (3-4) page paper in which you:
1. State your position on the topic youselected for Assignment 1.1.
2. Identify (3) three premises (reasons) fromthe Procon.org website that support your position and explain why youselected these specific reasons.
3. Explain your answers to the “believing”questions about the three (3) premises opposing your position from theProcon.org website.
4. Examine at least two (2) types of biases that youlikely experienced as you evaluated the premises for and against yourposition.
5. Discuss the effects of your own enculturation or groupidentification that may have influenced your biases.
6. Discuss whether ornot your thinking about the topic has changed after playing the “BelievingGame,” even if your position on the issue has stayed the same.
The paper should follow guidelines for clear and organizedwriting:
- Include an introductory paragraph and concluding paragraph.
- Address main ideas in body paragraphs with a topic sentence and supportingsentences.
- Adhere to standard rules of English grammar, punctuation, mechanics, andspelling.
Your assignment must follow these formattingrequirements:
- Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inchmargins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA Style format.Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
- Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’sname, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page andthe reference page are not included in the required assignment pagelength.
You must follow these submission guidelines:
- Submit the essay to Turnitin.com and then submit the originality report andfinal essay with any needed revisions to Blackboard.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignmentare:
- Identify the informal fallacies, assumptions, and biases involved inmanipulative appeals and abuses of language.
- Create written work utilizing the concepts of critical thinking.
- Use technology and information resources to research issues in criticalthinking skills and informal logic.
Click here to view the grading rubric..
