Course Description:

This course aims to develop students’ critical analysis skills and to introduce students to academic research. Academic writing is also a major component of this course. Through a theory and practice combined study of academic writing techniques, stretched throughout the semester, students will learn how to prepare a research paper. Thus they will be expected to produce well-written essays and to prepare and deliver effective presentations. Students will be guided through the steps of conducting research and organizing and writing an academic paper. By the end of the semester, each student will be expected to hand in the final version of their academic paper.

Potential Texts

Booth, Wayne, Colomb, Gregory, & Williams, Joseph. (2008).The Craft Of Research.London: University of Chicago Press.

Strunk, William Jr. The Elements of Style. Available at http://www.bartleby.com/141/

Phyllis Benay and Kirsti Sandy . The Guide to Writing: A New Way to Think About College Writing & Research. Littleton, MA: Tapestry Press. ISBN 1-56888-708-6 236 Pages. List Price $25.95

Kolin, Philip C. Successful Writing at Work. Concise Edition. Houghton Mifflin, 2006.

Course Description:

Critical thinking is an important and acquired skill-set that plays a crucial role in everyday life reasoning and scientific methodology. One of the main goals of critical thinking is to arrive at the truth while employing systematic means and standards of judgment. This course provides students multiple ways of developing systemic reasoning methods by constructing clear and persuasive arguments. Students will identify and analyze arguments into premises and conclusions; and they will evaluate deductive and inductive arguments.

Potential Texts

The Power of Logic by Frances Howard-Snyder, Daniel Howard-Snyder, Ryan Wasserman, 5th edition, McGraw Hill, NY, 2013.

Walter Sinnott-Armstrong&Robert J. Fogelin. (2010). Understanding Arguments: An Introduction to Informal Logic. United States of America: Wadsworth. The PDF of the book is online at this link: http://home.ikseek.com/Docs/Understanding%20Arguments%208th%20edition.pdf

Vaughn, Lewis and Chris MacDonald. The Power of Critical Thinking. Third Canadian Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013

David Lapakko. (2009). Argumentation: Critical Thinking in Action, 2ndEditition. New York University Press.

Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking by Merrilee H. Salmon, 6th edition, Wadsworth.

Course Description:

This one-credit-hour course helps students with their transition from high school to university setting. By reading, reflecting and critiquing, students will develop critical and creative thinking skills. Moreover, the course will focus on enhancing research and presentation skills of students. As well, students will develop such academic success skills as note-taking, effective reading, test preparation, test-taking, and deep learning strategies. In addition, students will develop self-management skills including time-management, goal-setting, self-motivation, and concentration.

Potential Texts

Janet A. Amos. The Successful Student’s Guide to College. Littleton, MA. By ISBN 1-56888-793-0 464 Pages, Indexed. List Price $49.95

Janet A. Amos. Instructor’s Guide to Accompany The Successful Student’s Guide to College. Littleton, MA. ISBN 1-56888-747-7 176 Pages

Stephen R. Covey. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_ISS.htm
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_HTE.htm

Langan, Ten Steps to Building College Reading Skills, 5/e, Townsend Press, 2011.

Uri, William and Robert Fisher. (2012). Getting to Yes: Negotiating agreement without giving in. London: Random House

Lewicki, R. J. (2011). Essentials of Negotiations. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Anderson, K. (1993) Getting what you want: How to reach agreement and resolve conflict every time. New York: Dutton