UnitLevel 2Undergraduate

ATS2946 Critical thinking: How to analyse arguments and improve your reasoning skills

Faculty of Arts

ATS2946 Critical thinking: How to analyse arguments and improve your reasoning skills is a level 2, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Arts, offered in 2027 in Semester 1 and Semester 2 at Clayton and Caulfield. It has no prerequisites.

Credit points
6
Offered in 2027
Semester 1, Semester 2
Clayton, Caulfield
Assessment
No exam
5 tasks
Workload
144 hours
per semester

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Requisites

Before ATS2946

No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.

After ATS2946

No unit lists ATS2946 as a prerequisite in the 2027 handbook.

Enrolment rules

Prohibition: ATS1833

Overview

Critical thinking skills are useful in a wide variety of professions, including law, business, computer science, medicine, as well as in everyday life. What is the best way to construct, articulate and represent an argument? How can we overcome bias and prejudice in our decision-making, to think clearly and innovatively? ? Should we believe what our doctors, mechanics, or financial advisors tell us, just because they are experts in their fields? By addressing questions like these, we will examine several methods of effective reasoning. We will also examine the ways in which reasoning can go wrong. If you successfully complete the unit you will be able to evaluate evidence, critique arguments, and use these abilities in a wide variety of workplace and everyday situations. This unit will help you to develop the analytical skills needed to generate new ideas and innovative solutions in your professional and personal life.

Offerings in 2027

Teaching periodCampusMode
First semesterClaytonOn campus
Second semesterCaulfieldOn campus
Second semesterClaytonOn campus

Assessment

  • In-Class Participation ActivityExercise
    10%
  • Reflective Writing EssayWritten
    20%
  • In-Class Participation ActivityExercise
    10%
  • Analytical ExerciseExercise
    30%
  • Take Home Final AssessmentWritten
    30%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Learning outcomes

When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

  1. 1

    Identify and explain the theory of argument;

  2. 2

    Extract arguments from a variety of texts;

  3. 3

    Identify and represent the structure of an argument;

  4. 4

    Recognise and apply the criteria of argument success;

  5. 5

    Evaluate common types of argument;

  6. 6

    Construct an argument of your own.

Workload and teaching

  • Tutorials24 hours
  • Lectures12 hours
  • Teaching approachActive learning

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

This unit engages you in actively applying your knowledge, skills and attributes in interactive, collaborative and reflective activities.

Where it fits

ATS2946 is part of 7 areas of study in the 2027 handbook.

Contacts

Chief Examiners
Dr Manuela Kirberg
Unit Coordinators
Dr Manuela Kirberg

Common questions

What are the prerequisites for ATS2946?

ATS2946 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.

When is ATS2946 offered?

In 2027, ATS2946 runs in Semester 1 and Semester 2 at Clayton and Caulfield.

How much work is ATS2946?

The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.

Does ATS2946 have an exam?

No. ATS2946 has 5 assessment tasks and no exam.

Which majors and minors include ATS2946?

ATS2946 is part of Journalism, Philosophy and Screen.

More details

Credit points
6
Level
2
Study level
Undergraduate
Faculty
Faculty of Arts
Organisational unit
Philosophy
Type
Coursework
EFTSL
0.125
Student contribution
SCA Band 4
Study abroad
Available