Paper #2 Group Assignments

Hello Brilliant Students,

Now that the 'voting' period has ended, I have some results for you:

Out of 19 votes, here are the results:
8 people voted for new groups
11 people voted to stay in the same group

Follow my train of thought here....  There are 7 groups in the class total.  Some group members voted to stay together, whereas some wanted to new group for various reasons.  Some of these reasons are as follows:

*Want to meet new people in the class
*A group member or two was difficult to work with
*I loved my group but simply want a new experience
*I think I would work better with a different group
*It was hard for my group to meet, so maybe a different group would have better availability

Whatever the reason, I have made the decision to keep 3 groups together, and split up the other 4 groups.  The three groups that will continue to work together are groups that almost everyone voted to stay together (a member or two didn't vote).  Whereas the groups I am choosing to split up have one or more votes to be in a different group for various reasons.

Having said that, I will email you the group assignments sometime before the end of our week on Sunday night.

Please let me know if you have any questions.
:)
TBP

Grades have been updated in D2L

Hello Fabulous Students,

I have entered grade into D2L for the following items:

Discussion Week of Sept. 10-16

As a reminder, it is your responsibility to check your grades often (at least once a week), and email me if you have any questions.

Have a great day everyone!
:)
The Blogging Prof.

Week of September 24-30

Hello Folks!

Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from D2L for this week.  The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively.  In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on D2L.

Due this week:
*Read Chapter 2 in the Boss text - Reason and Emotion
*Participate in this week's discussion. (3 posts to your blog, 150 words each and 3 comments on your colleagues blogs, 100 words each). Make sure your comments are within this week's discussion. Do not comment on past weeks posts.
*Group Participation Assessment - send through email to instructor by Sunday @ 11:59pm.

Discussion Questions:
Answer one question in its entirety in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT at least 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and time of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 150 WORDS OR MORE. Each post is worth a maximum of 5 points.

1). After reading Chapter 2 in its entirety, answer the following question:  go back to page 39 and answer the following question:  Identifying your strengths is important in choosing a career.  What type of reasoning are you strongest in, and how might this best be used in a career choice?

2). Go back and review pages 56-59 "Perspectives on Reasons and Proof for the Existence of God", and answer the following question:  Are evolution and a belief in God incompatible as Dawkins claims?  Discuss how Aquinas might respond to Dawkin's position if he were alive today.

3). Pick one concept from the reading this week and discuss it in detail.

Comments - Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Monday and 11:59pm on Sunday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://comm41perez.blogspot.com/ to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week and respond. You need to make sure you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK (starting Monday and ending Sunday of the current week). Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must be a minimum of 100 words and is worth a maximum of 3 points.

Note about comments: When you leave a comment on another blog, make sure you are logged into your blogspot account. In other words, you will need to make sure your "Display Name/Alias Name" shows up on the blog you are commenting on. I record the locations, dates and times of your comments. Please keep record of your posts and comments in case questions arise about where comments are located.

Group Participation Assessment

Hello Wonderful Students,

I have had a few questions about the Group Participation Assessment (evaluation of your groupmates).  Don't worry about turning this in just yet.  The Group Participation Assessment will be due next week, and I will post details to my blog about it early next week.

Just concentrate on your Group Paper and the Individual Paper which is due by Sunday night.

Let me know if you have any questions.
:)
TBP

Week of Sept. 17 - 23

Hello Folks!

Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from D2L for this week.

NOTE: The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively.  In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on D2L.

Due this week:
*Read Chapter 5  - Informal Fallacies
*There is no discussion this week - you should work diligently on your paper this week: Critical Thinking in News and Politics.  

*Assignment #1 is due by Sunday, Sept. 23rd @ 11:59pm.  Please email me your paper at the class email address.  Follow the directions on the assignment sheet for submission.  As a reminder, elect one person from your group to email the final paper.  Make sure to email the paper early in case there is issue with transmission. As a reminder, you paper should be written in 'one voice' throughout the paper.

NOTE ABOUT PAPER SUBMISSION:  One person from your group should compile your paper.  There should only be one attachment that is submitted.  That means that all individual papers should be 'copied' and 'pasted' at the end of the paper after the group portion of the paper.  Thus, only one file per group should be sent to me.

Reminder:  I hold office hours of Tuesday's and Thursday's from 9:30am to 11:30am on Yahoo Messenger.  I can also chat with students over the phone during that time, or at your convenience.  We can always make an appointment to chat over the phone in case you need clarification about something in the class.  And of course, I'm always available through email.

Grades have been updated in D2L

Hello Fabulous Students,

I have entered grade into D2L for the following items:

Discussion Week of Sept3-9

I normally will not email you individually regarding your grades.  It is your responsibility to check your grades often (at least once a week), and email me if you have any questions.

Have a great day everyone!
:)
The Blogging Prof.

Instructor Wrap Up - Boss Chapter 7

Inductive Arguments 

Please note that some of the items on this post are clickable to further your knowledge on a particular issue/idea/theory.

Goals of this chapter:

1). Distinguish between deductive and inductive arguments.

2). Identify the characteristics of an inductive argument.

3). Learn how to recognize and evaluate arguments based on generalization.

4). Examine polling and sampling methods.

5). Study the various uses of analogies.

6). Learn how to recognize and evaluate arguments using analogies.

7). Learn how to recognize and evaluate a causal argument.

8). Distinguish between a correlation and a causal relationship.

Inductive Arguments: 

*Inductive arguments claim that their conclusion probably follows from the premises.  Because of this, inductive arguments are merely stronger or weaker rather than true or false.

*In determining if an argument is inductive, look for certain words that suggestion that the conclusion probably, rather than necessarily, follows from the premise (s).  These include words and phrases such as probably, most likely, chances are that, it is reasonable to suppose that, we can expect that, and it seems probably that. 

*Not all inductive arguments contain indicator words.  In these cases, you have to ask yourself if the conclusion necessarily follows from the premises.  If the conclusion is only likely, then it is probably an inductive argument.

*Remember from Chapter 8, Deductive Argument:

*A deductive argument claims that its conclusion necessarily follows the premises. 

*Certain words and phrases are commonly used in deductive arguments; these include certainly, absolutely, definitely, conclusively, must be, and it necessarily follows that.  However, not all deductive arguments contain indicator words.

NOTE:  We use inductive arguments just about every day when we extend what we already know to situations that are not as familiar to us.  See page 203 for further discussion about Inductive Reasoning in Everyday life. 

There are some very important ideas covered starting on page 204.  Here are some of the ideas:

1). Generalization: We use generalization when we draw a conclusion about a certain characteristic of a group of population on the basis of a sample from that group.

2). Polls:  These are a type of survey that involves collecting opinions or information on a subject from a sample group of people for the purpose of analysis.

3). Sampling: This entails selecting only some members of a class or group and then making a generalization about the whole population that is based on the characteristics of these members.

4). Representative Sample: A sample that is on that is similar in respects to the larger population from which it was drawn.

5). Random Sampling: Every member has an equal chance of becoming part of the sample. 

6). Self-Selected Sample: A sample where only the people most interested in the poll of survey participate.

Moving onto page 207, there are some interesting ideas that are covered.

1). Slanted Question: A question that is written to elicit a particular response.

2). Push Polls: A poll that starts by presenting the pollsters' views before asking a response.

3). Loaded Question: A fallacy that assumes a particular answer to another unasked question.

NOTE:  You will see the above 9 principles used quite a bit during an election year.  Or should I say, the two years prior to an election year.  It almost feels like the Holiday Season when Christmas decorations come out earlier and earlier every year.  The presidential election (or should I call it a 'battle') seems to start earlier and earlier during every election. You can impress your friends and family by knowing these concepts really well......and hey, you'll get a double bonus for knowing these ideas, because you'll likely see them on a test at some point this semester.  :)

Page 209-210 cover the idea of applying Generalizations to Particular Cases.  Don't skip this section - it will apply all of the above concepts, and expand your understanding of how these ideas are applied. 

Moving onto page 211, the book covers the idea of Evaluating Inductive Arguments Using Generalization.  "Like all inductive arguments, generalizations are neither true nor false; they are merely stronger or weaker arguments."  Here are the ideas that follow:

1). The Premises Are True: True premises are based on credible evidence.

2). The Sample Is Large Enough: As a general rule, the larger the sample, the more reliable the conclusion.

3). A Sample is Representative: A sample should be representative of the population being studied. 

4). The Sample if Current and Up-to-Date: A sample may be unrepresentative because it is outdated. 

5). The Conclusion is Supported by the Premises: The conclusion should follow logically from the premises.  

Page 214 builds even further on these ideas, and starts a discussion about analogies.

*An analogy is based on a comparison between two or more things or events.

*Metaphor, a type of descriptive analogy, are frequently found in literature. (Uses of Analogies)

Arguments Based on Analogies is the next section:

Example:  Premise: X (which is familiar) has characteristics a, b, and c.

                Premise: Y (which is not as familiar) has characteristics a and b.

                Conclusion: Therefore, Y probably also has characteristic c.

Argument from Design: The argument from design begins by noting the similarities between the universe and other natural objects (such as the human eye) and human-made objects (such as the watch).  Both natural and human-made objects share characteristics of both (1) organization and (2) purposefulness.  The organization and the purposefulness of a watch are the direct result of an intelligent, rational creator - a watchmaker. 

Example: 

Premise: A watch has the following characteristics: (1) organization, (2) purposefulness, and (3) having an intelligent, rational creator.

Premise: The universe (or human eye) also demonstrates characteristics (1) organization and (2) purposefulness.

Conclusion: Therefore, by analogy, the universe (or human eye) also has (3) an intelligent, rational creator, and that creator is God.

Evaluating Inductive Arguments Based on Analogies:

2). List the Similarities.

3). List the Dissimilarities.

4). Compare the lists of similarities and differences.

5). Examine the possible counteranalogies.

6). Determine if the analogy supports the conclusion. 

Page 220 covers Causal Arguments.

*A cause is an event that brings about a change or effect.

*A causal argument: An argument that claims something is or is not the cause of something else. 

Pg. 220, "The tern cause in the commonly used premise indicator because is a sign of the importance of cause-and-effect relationship in arguments.  Many of our everyday decisions rely on this type of inductive reasoning.  If we are to have any level of control over our lives, we need to have some understanding of cause-and-effect relations".

*Correlation: When two events occur together regularly at rates higher than probability.  

*Positive Correlation: The incidence of one event increases when the second one increases.

*Negative Correlation: When the occurrence of one event increases as the other decreases.

*Controlled Experiment: An experiment in which the sample is randomly divided into an experimental and a control group. 

*Cost-Benefit Analysis: A process where the harmful effects of an action are weighed against the benefits.

Evaluating Causal Arguments (page 224).

1). Determine whether the evidence for a causal relationships is strong.

2). Make sure that the argument does not contain a fallacy.

3). Decide whether the data are current and up-to-date.

4). Make sure that the conclusion does not go beyond the premises. 

Make sure that you thoroughly know these concepts, and how to apply them.  There will be application questions on tests, including the midterm and final exam. 

Email me if you need further clarification on any of these ideas.

Week of September 10-16

Hello Folks!

Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from D2L for this week.  The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively.  In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on D2L.

Due this week:

*Read Chapter 4 in the Group Communication text - Communication in Organizations
*Read Chapter 7 in the Boss text - Inductive Arguments
*Test on D2L: Chapters 1, 6, 7, & 8
*Participate in this week's discussion. (3 posts to your blog, 150 words each and 3 comments on your colleagues blogs, 100 words each). Make sure your comments are within this week's discussion. Do not comment on past weeks posts.
*Continue to work with your group on the first assignment:  Critical Thinking in News and Politics,  The first assignment is due by Sept 23rd by 11:59pm. 



Discussion Questions:
Answer one question in its entirety in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT at least 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and time of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 150 WORDS OR MORE. Each post is worth a maximum of 5 points.

1). After reading Chapter 7 in its entirety, answer the following question:  Think of an inductive argument that you used in the past week.  Break down the argument into its premise(s) and conclusion.  Explain why it is an inductive argument. 

2). Review page 221 and answer the following question:  Discuss ways in which Dr. Novello used cause-and-effect inductive reasoning in seeking a solution to the problem of smoking among children and teens.

3). Pick one concept from the reading this week and discuss it in detail.

Comments - Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Monday and 11:59pm on Sunday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://comm41perez.blogspot.com/ to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week and respond. You need to make sure you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK (starting Monday and ending Sunday of the current week). Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must be a minimum of 100 words and is worth a maximum of 3 points.

Note about comments: When you leave a comment on another blog, make sure you are logged into your blogspot account. In other words, you will need to make sure your "Display Name/Alias Name" shows up on the blog you are commenting on. I record the locations, dates and times of your comments. Please keep record of your posts and comments in case questions arise about where comments are located.

Grades have been updated in D2L

Hello Fabulous Students,

I have entered grade into D2L for the following items:

Created Blog - this means that you created and sent me your information by the due date.  If you have received no credit for this item it is because you did not send me your information by the deadline.

Plagiarism Test - this is the grade that you emailed me during the first week of class.  You will notice that the test was out of 50 points, whereas the Plagiarism Score was out of 100 points.  I simply divided your score in half to obtain the amount of points you earned for taking that test.

Discussion Week of Aug 27 - Sept. 2 - This will be entered by tomorrow night at the latest.  Check back for an update.

I normally will not email you individually regarding your grades.  It is your responsibility to check your grades often (at least once a week), and email me if you have any questions.

Have a great day everyone!
:)
The Blogging Prof.

Instructor Wrap Up - Boss Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Deductive Arguments 

Please note that some of the items on this post are clickable to further your knowledge on a particular issue/idea/theory.

Goals of this chapter:

1). Identify the essential attributes of a deductive argument.

2). Distinguish between validity, invalidity, and soundness in a deductive argument.

3). Learn how to recognize and evaluate arguments by elimination, mathematical arguments, and argument from definition.  

4). Study the different types of hypothetical syllogisms, including modus ponens, modus tollens, and chain arguments. 

5). Learn how to recognize standard-form categorical syllogisms.

6). Reevaluate categorical syllogisms using Venn diagrams.

7). Practice putting arguments that are in ordinary language into standard form.

8). Analyze different arguments regarding the justification of the death penalty. 

Deductive Arguments:

*A deductive argument claims that its conclusion necessarily follows the premises. 

*Certain words and phrases are commonly used in deductive arguments; these include certainly, absolutely, definitely, conclusively, must be, and it necessarily follows that.  However, not all deductive arguments contain indicator words.

*Deductive arguments are often presented in the form of syllogisms, with two supporting premises and a conclusion.

*A deductive argument is valid if the form of the argument is such that they conclusion must be true if the premises are true.  The form of an argument is determined by its layout or pattern of reasoning.  An argument is sound if both (1) it is valid, and (2) the premises are true.

Note:  Valid and Invalid arguments are discussed starting on page 239.  Make sure to pay close attention to valid and invalid arguments. 

Types of Deductive Arguments:

There are three that are used in everyday reasoning.

1). Arguments by elimination rule out different possibilities until only one possibility remains.

2). Arguments based on mathematics depend on mathematical or geometric equations to generate conclusions.

3). In an argument from definition, the conclusion is true because it is based on a key term or essential attribute in a definition.

Hypothetical Syllogisms

*Hypothetical reasoning involves "if.....then...." reasoning. 

*A hypothetical syllogism is a form of deductive argument that contains two premises, at least one of which is hypothetical or conditional if.....then statement.

*There are three basic patterns of hypothetical syllogisms:

1). Modus ponens (affirming the antecedent): there is one conditional premise, a second premise that states that the antecedent, or if part, of the first premise is true, and a conclusion that asserts the truth of the consequent, or the then part, of the first premise.

The following structure is used:

If A, then B.

A.

Therefore, B.

So......

Premise 1: If I get this raise at work, then I can pay off my credit-card bill.

Premise 2: I got the raise at work.

Conclusion: Therefore, I can pay off my credit-card bill.

Or......

If A (antecedent), the B (consequent).

A.

Therefore, B. 

Does this make sense?  If not, go back and read through the examples on page 247.

2). Modus tollens (denying the consequent): The second premise denies the consequent, and the conclusion denies the truth of the antecedent.  

The following structure is used:

If A, then B.

Not B.

Therefore, not A.

So......

If Morgan is a physician, then she has graduated from college.

Morgan did not graduate from college.

Therefore, Morgan is not a physician. 

Or........

If A (antecedent), the B (consequent).

Not B.

Therefore, not A. 

You can read more about this on page 248.

3). Chain argument: are made up of three conditional propositions - two premises and one conclusion - linked together.  A chain argument is a type of imperfect hypothetical syllogism since it may contain more than three propositions. 

The following structure is used:

If A, then B.

If B, then C.

Therefore, If A, then C.

So......

If it rains tomorrow, then the beach party is canceled.

If the beach party is canceled, we're having a party at Rachel's house.

Therefore, if it rains tomorrow, we're having a party at Rachel's house.

There are more examples in the course text on page 249-250.  This section also discusses chain arguments with more than two premises.  

Evaluating Hypothetical Syllogisms for Validity

*Not all valid arguments are sound.  Rewording arguments in ordinary language in the form of hypothetical syllogisms can help you expose faulty premises.  They are also useful as clarification tools, and as decision-making aids.

Categorical Syllogisms

These are a type of deductive argument that categorizes or sorts things into specific classes, such as mammals, students, or countries.  A categorical syllogism is composed of a conclusion, two premises, and three terms, each of which occurs exactly twice in two of the three propositions.  In the following categorical syllogism, each of the three classes or terms - in this case "mammals", "cats", and "tigers" - appears in two propositions.

All tigers are cats.

Some mammals are not cats.

Therefore, some mammals are not tigers.  

*Categorical syllogisms can be written in any of 256 standard forms or combinations. 

A standard form of categorical syllogism is shown here:

*All P are/are not M. (P=predicate, M=middle term)

*Some S are/are not M. (S=minor term, M=middle term)

*Some S are/are not P. (S=minor term, P=major term)

As with hypothetical syllogisms, if the form of a categorical syllogism is valid, then the argument will be valid regardless of term substitutions. 

Are you thoroughly confused yet?  Read starting on page 252 to clarify these issues a bit more.

Venn Diagrams

These are useful instruments for diagramming and evaluating categorical syllogisms.  They directly engage our spatial reasoning ability and help us to visualize group relationships effectively.

You can read more about Venn Diagrams by clicking HERE, and of course in your course text.

Conclusion:

Knowledge of deductive arguments - including arguments from definition, mathematical arguments, arguments by elimination, and hypothetical and categorical syllogisms - is essential for us to effectively function in the world.  As good critical thinkers, we must constantly identify and evaluate these types of arguments, both our own and those presented to us by others.

There are many examples in the course text, boxes with information, exercises, and stories.  Please do not skip these things in the course text.  Rather, make sure to read them and understand them......for they may appear on a test at some point.......

Week of September 3 - 9

Hello Folks!

Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from D2L for this week.  The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively.  In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on D2L.

Due this week:

*Read Chapter 3 in the Group Communication text - Leadership and Decision Making in Groups and Teams
*Read Chapter 8 in the Boss text - Deductive Arguments
*Participate in this week's discussion. (3 posts to your blog, 150 words each and 3 comments on your colleagues blogs, 100 words each). Make sure your comments are within this week's discussion. Do not comment on past weeks posts.
*Complete the Library Tutorial: http://tutorials.sjlibrary.org/tutorial/librarybasics/index.htm
No need to send me your results for this tutorial.
*Get in touch with your group, and set up a meeting for THIS WEEK, or very soon thereafter.  The first assignment is due on Spet 23rd by 11:59pm. Email instructor with your meeting date/time ASAP.



Discussion Questions:
Answer one question in its entirety in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT at least 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and time of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 150 WORDS OR MORE. Each post is worth a maximum of 5 points.

1). After reading Chapter 8 in its entirety, go back to page 241 and answer the following question:  In the story "Silver Blaze", Sherlock Holmes tells Watson that when it comes to the art of reasoning, many people rely on opinion and unsupported assumptions. The difficulty, he maintains, is to detach the framework of undeniable fact from the embellishments of hearsay and reports. What do you think he meant by this?  Explain using examples from your personal experience. 

2). Go back and review "Perspectives on the Death Penalty" pages 262-269.  Answer the following question:  Sister Helen Prejean maintains that the death penalty is a violation of human dignity and is contrary to the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, "who taught us to not to return hate for hate and evil for evil".  Some Christians disagree with her.  Indeed, in the United States, people who identify themselves as Christians are more likely to support the death penalty.  Discuss whether this scriptural passage prohibits the usage of the death penalty. Present your conclusion in the form of a deductive argument. 

3). Pick one concept from the reading this week and discuss it in detail.

Comments - Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Monday and 11:59pm on Sunday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://comm10perez.blogspot.com/ to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week and respond. You need to make sure you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK (starting Monday and ending Sunday of the current week). Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must be a minimum of 100 words and is worth a maximum of 3 points.

Note about comments: When you leave a comment on another blog, make sure you are logged into your blogspot account. In other words, you will need to make sure your "Display Name/Alias Name" shows up on the blog you are commenting on. I record the locations, dates and times of your comments. Please keep record of your posts and comments in case questions arise about where comments are located.

Trouble Commenting?

Hello Folks,

IMPORTANT NOTE:  If you comment on a blog post, you should always reload the webpage (or return later) to see if you can see your comments published.  If you cannot see your comments published on the other students blog post I cannot see your comments to give you points for them.   You should always keep track of your posts and comments by using the "Track Posts and Comments" sheet that is uploaded to D2L under "Getting Started".  However, it is your responsibility to make sure that your posts are published correctly.  99 times out of 100, comments that are not posted correctly is user error.

If you have trouble commenting on posts, please follow these directions:

1). Make sure you are using Firefox as your web-browser (download HERE)
2). Open up Firefox as your web-browser and log into your blog.
3). Open a new tab in the web-browser and link to my blog, and start reading other students blogs (student blog tab is at the top).  Once you have found a blog you want to comment on, click "comment" below the post.
4). Type in your comment and then click on the drop down menu where it says "Comment As".
5). Choose "Google Account"
6). Since you are already logged into your blog in one of the open tabs, you should have no problem seeing your comment.

You can certainly experiment by leaving a message on one of my blog posts if you'd like.
:)
The Blogging Prof.