Final Argumentative Essay Progress

Required Resources

Articles

Bailin, S., Case, R., Coombs, J. R., & Daniels, L. B. (1999). Common misconceptions of critical thinking. Curriculum Studies, 31(3), 269-283. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
- In this article, the authors present better ways for instructors to teach critical thinking skills to students in college. They go over the importance of developing critical thinking skills in the earlier years of acquiring one’s education so to be better prepared for real-world problems after graduation. It is important for students to understand that the ability to think critically is not separate from attaining knowledge. Critical thinking skills can be applied to various domains of knowledge. This article will help assist students with completing Week Four DQ1 and Week Four Critical Thinking Quiz.
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Plencner, A. (2014). Critical thinking and the challenges of Internet. Communication Today, 5(2), 4- 18. Retrieved from http://www.communicationtoday.sk/critical-thinking-and-the-challenges-of-internet/
- The author presents ways in which to use critical thinking skills to evaluate Internet sources effectively. The author further elaborates on how critical thinking tools can help raise awareness, enhance one’s reasoning, and enable one to evaluate other perspectives with an open mind. This article will allow the reader to understand the importance of well-developed critical thinking skills. This article will help assist students with completing Week Four DQ1 and Week Four Critical Thinking Quiz.
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Multimedia

QualiaSoup. (2009, December 24). Critical thinking [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OLPL5p0fMg
- In this YouTube video, the speaker provides a thorough explanation of how to improve one’s critical thinking skills. The speaker compares different ways people solve problems. For instance, someone can memorize a solution to a problem, but to solve multiple problems of the same caliber would require critical thinking skills. The speaker expresses the importance of examining flaws and biases when approaching to answer a specific question. Students need to be better at thinking and should work on minimizing biases that have been influenced by culture and one’s environment. Critical thinking means to seek out knowledge and evidence that fits with reality. This video will help assist students with completing Week Four DQ1 and Week Four Critical Thinking Quiz.
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Web Pages

Foundation for Critical Thinking. (2013). Valuable intellectual traits. Retrieved from http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/valuable-intellectual-traits/528
- In this resource, the author provides brief explanations of the intellectual virtues that inform critical thinking skills. The author lists eight virtue traits that are necessary to the critical thinking mindset, providing definitions, explanations, and examples. This article will help assist students with completing Week Four DQ1 and Week Four Critical Thinking Quiz.

Lau, J., & Chan, J. (n.d.) Critical thinking web. Retrieved from http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/
- This web page is a central gathering point for information about critical thinking websites. This central website provides links to several websites that cover different aspects of critical thinking skills, logic, and rhetoric. Each of the websites in the Critical Thinking Web provides additional resources concerning the principles and process of critical thinking, including guides to their use in different fields of study, and which critical thinking questions are most appropriate for given situations. This article will help assist students with completing Week Four DQ1 and Week Four Critical Thinking Quiz.

Scheffer, B. K., & Rubenfeld, M. G. (n.d.). Critical thinking skills. Retrieved from http://www.umich.edu/~elements/probsolv/strategy/ctskills.htm
- In this resource, the authors provide examples of critical thinking tools in application. The authors present a set-by-step approach to the process of critical thinking, giving some suggested approaches as well as verb-active statements to serve as guides to help the student ensure that he/she is thinking critically. This article will help assist students with completing Week Four DQ1 and Week Four Critical Thinking Quiz.
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Titus, G. (2012, December 11). 6 critical thinking skills you need to master now. Retrieved from http://www.rasmussen.edu/student-life/blogs/main/critical-thinking-skills-you-need-to-master-now/
- In this resource, the author lists, describes, and explains six basic critical thinking skills. Each of the skills is named, defined, described, and explained, and examples are given as to their appropriate use.This article will help assist students with completing Week Four DQ1 and Week Four Critical Thinking Quiz.
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Recommended Resources

Text

Kallet, M. (2014). Think smarter: Critical thinking to improve problem-solving and decision-making skills. Retrieved from http://proquest.libguides.co/ebrary
- In the first three chapters of this book, the author describes and explains the basic framework of critical thinking tools. The author provides clear, step-by-step processes to use when approaching common, everyday problems from the critical thinking perspective. The author provides a specific tool set to use to improve critical thinking skills. This e-book will help assist students with completing Week Four DQ1 and Week Four Critical Thinking Quiz.

Multimedia

Ashford University Writing Center. (n.d.). In-text citation helper: A guide to making APA in-text citations [Video file]. Retrieved from https://bridgepoint.equella.ecollege.com/curriculum/file/9fce9d11-3298-48ef-ac77-12fe7d5c0577/1/In-Text%20Citation%20Helper%20A%20Guide%20to%20Making%20APA%20In-Text%20Citations.zip/story.html
- This video tutorial provides examples of how to format in-text citations in APA format based on the number of authors and on whether or not the source is quoted or paraphrased. This tutorial first explains the purpose of an in-text citation and when they should be used in a research paper.

Ashford University Writing Center. (n.d.). Thesis statements [Video file]. Retrieved from https://bridgepoint.equella.ecollege.com/curriculum/file/73935690-6546-4556-9dad-a345f96c0dfb/2/Two-Minute%20Tutorial%20Thesis%20Statements_LSWC.zip/story.html
- This video tutorial defines what a thesis statement is and provides tips on how to develop a thesis statement. A thesis statement consists of the researcher position on the topic and the reasons he/she feels strongly about their position. This website will help assist students with completing Week Four DQ2.

Center for Innovation in Legal Education. (2013, August 1). Episode 1.1: What is critical thinking? [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0yEAE5owWw
- This speaker of this video defines critical thinking and explains its purpose in solving problems. Critical thinking takes time and involves been thorough by focusing on all complexities of the issue at hand. Critical thinking is not about accepting or rejecting a claim. It is about evaluating all parts of the claim that someone has made before making an educative response to that claim. This website will help assist students with completing Week Four DQ1 and Week Four Critical Thinking Quiz.
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To complete the following discussions, go to this week's Discussion links in the left navigation.

Elements of Critical Thinking

Prepare: In preparation for discussing the importance of critical thinking skills, please read the following articles: Critical Thinking and the Challenges of Internet and Common Misconceptions of Critical Thinking. You may also read other applicable sources found under the Week Four Resources tab to gain a better understanding of what it takes to be a critical thinker.

Reflect: Reflect on the characteristics of a critical thinker. What makes you a critical thinker? Critical thinking gets you involved in a dialogue with the ideas you read from others in this class. To be a critical thinker, you need to be able to summarize, analyze, hypothesize, and evaluate new information that you encounter.

Write: For this discussion, you will address the following prompts. Keep in mind that the article or video you’ve chosen should not be about the topic “critical thinking,” but should be about someone making a statement, claim, or argument. One source should demonstrate good critical thinking skills and the other source should demonstrate the lack or absence of critical thinking skills. Personal examples should not be used.

Explain at least five elements of critical thinking that you found in the reading material.
Search the Internet, media, or the Ashford University Library, and find an example in which good critical thinking skills are being demonstrated by the author or speaker. Summarize the content and explain why you think it demonstrates good critical thinking skills.
Search the Internet, media, or the Ashford University Library and find an example in which the author or speaker lacks good critical thinking skills. Summarize the content and explain why you think it demonstrates the absence of good, critical thinking skills.

Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length, which should include a thorough response to each prompt. You are required to provide in-text citations of applicable required reading materials and/or any other outside sources you use to support your claims. Provide full reference information of all sources cited at the end of your response. Please use correct APA format when writing in-text citations and references.

Respond to Peers: Review your classmates’ posts, and respond to at least two of your peers by Day 7. When responding to your classmates, please provide feedback on their examples of good and poor critical thinking skills. Discuss additional ways one can think more critically. Each participation post should be a minimum of 75 words.

Carefully review the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate this Discussion Thread.

Final Argumentative Essay Progress

Prepare: At this point in the course, you should have completed a rough draft of your Final Argumentative Essay. In preparation for this discussion, make a list of what you learned most throughout this process, as well as difficulties you may have encountered along the way.

Reflect: Think about what you have learned in the development of your research findings on the global societal issue you chose in the Week Two Discussion, your proposed solution. and its ethical outcomes, and share with your classmates why this specific issues requires further research.

Write: For this discussion, you will address the following prompts:

Identify the global societal issue you have chosen to research for your Final Argumentative Essay and explain why further research on this topic is important.
Provide a clear and concise thesis statement that includes a solution to the global societal issue.
Explain how this global societal issue impacts a specific population.
Locate a peer-reviewed scholarly source and provide statistical data that you found surprising on the topic.

Respond to Peers: Review your classmates’ posts, and respond to at least two peers by Day 7. In response to your classmates, offer some other solutions to the global societal issue that weren’t already addressed. Participation responses to peers must be a minimum of 75 words.

Carefully review the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate this Discussion Thread.

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To complete the following journal, go to this week's Journal link in the left navigation.

Rough Draft Review Process Evaluation

Purpose: The primary goal of this weekly assignment is to enable you to understand the revision process and revise your paper with the help of a writing specialist.

Prepare: After you have completed a rough draft of your paper (at least five pages), submit that draft to the Ashford Writing Center. To do this, click on the Writing Center & Library tab located under the Course Policies tab in the course and from there, you will click on the tab marked Paper Review.To submit your paper, follow the instructions provided. Your paper will be returned within 24 hours, so give yourself enough time to complete and submit it prior to the due date. See image below that illustrates how you can access Paper Review through the Ashford Writing Center.

Reflect: Carefully review the revision letter and the margin comments that you see on your returned paper. Consider each of the suggestions provided to help you to revise your paper.

Write: In your written response of at least 400 words, complete the following:

Identify the top three issues your writing specialist focused on in your rough draft (e.g., paragraph structure, proper use of quotations, and thesis statement).
- Were any of those issues surprising?
Describe what you learned from some of the feedback your writing specialist provided as explanations.
- Was this feedback helpful?
Evaluate the usefulness of the paper review tool.
- Did your understanding of academic writing improve?
- Will you use the Ashford Writing Center to review your work in the future? Why or why not?

This assignment does not need to be formatted in APA style; however correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation is required.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your journal.

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To complete the following quiz, go to this week's Quiz link in the left navigation.

Critical Thinking Quiz

The quiz contains 25 multiple-choice questions providing scenarios which will challenge you to use your critical thinking skills so that you can choose the best option. The answers are not found in your required weekly sources, however they can be used for guidance on how to think critically. The quiz assesses your critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities that you have developed throughout your college education.You will have 13 hours to complete the quiz and it must be taken in one sitting.

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