Class Meets: Tue., 11:10 AM - 12:30 PM
Location: Morton Hall 238
Office Hours (or by appointment):
Requirements: (see below for Grading)
80-100 points = Satisfactory (S)
0-79 points = Unsatisfactory (U)
Component |
Points |
Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Attendance, participation | 20 |
Two allowed unexcused absences. Subtract two points for each additional unexcused absence |
| Position 1 report | 30 |
see below for explanation of these |
| Position 2 report | 30 |
|
| Judges' report | 20 |
see below for explanation of these |
| TOTAL | 100 |
80-100 - Satisfactory (S) 0-79 - Unsatisfactory (U) |
Please read the general guidelines and policies that apply to this course. They are a part of this syllabus. This syllabus is freely available to anyone. All other course materials, assignments, announcements, discussions, etc. will be distributed and submitted using UAHuntsville's course management system Angel.
Communication in this class will be conducted through Angel. To access it, go to http://angel.uah.edu. You'll find instructions there about id/password and access information. You can get help from the TAG help desk at http://its.uah.edu/about/gethelp.php or at (256) 824-3333.
Course activities for most of the semester will be organized around a three-team, two-week “cycle” where two position teams are formed, each assigned a different position (“A” or “B”) on the topic which they research and present, while a third judge team evaluates the validity and support of each team’s presented position. A team will usually consist of three students.
You will be a member of three different teams during the semester: two position teams and one judging team.
Position Team: Assigned a particular "position" with respect to the topic, gathers evidence to support that position, and presents to the class. You'll be on two of these in two different cycles (see below). Your team will jointly turn in your revised (stage 3) argument/evidence.
Judging Team: Coordinates and organizes discussion to evaluate the positions of the two position teams. You'll be on one of these in yet another cycle (see below). Your team will jointly turn in a written evaluation of the cycle.
A cycle N consists of three stages:
1. Near the end of a class session, form two three-person teams N-Position-A and N-Position-B for each position. Both teams have a week to prepare their positions.
2. At the next class session, form one three-person judge team N-Judges. Both position teams present their positions with evidence. Class discusses. Position teams rewrite their arguments to turn in.
3. At the final class session, the judges' team offers an opinion, the class summarizes the results, and discusses the evaluation.
The schedule reflects this structure. The plan is that no two students are ever together on more than one team.
DATE |
TOPIC |
Cycle |
Stage |
Tue Aug 27 |
Claim vs. fact, “rules of evidence” in scientific inquiry | ||
Tue Sep 03 |
Deductive, inductive, and probabilistic argument; false arguments | First |
1 |
Tue Sep 10 |
Is exercise more effective than dieting for losing weight? |
First |
2 |
Tue Sep 17 |
First Second |
3 1 |
|
Tue Sep 24 |
Is walking or driving better for getting around campus? |
Second |
2 |
Tue Oct 01 |
Second Third |
3 1 |
|
Tue Oct 08 |
Is human intelligence mostly inherited or mostly learned? |
Third |
2 |
Tue Oct 15 |
Third Fourth |
3 1 |
|
Tue Oct 22 |
Does playing video games that contain graphic violence lead to actual violent behavior? |
Fourth |
2 |
Tue Oct 29 |
Fourth Fifth |
3 1 |
|
Tue Nov 05 |
Topic: TBA |
Fifth |
2 |
Tue Nov 12 |
Fifth Sixth |
3 1 |
|
| Tue Nov 19 | Topic: TBA |
Sixth |
2 |
| Tue Nov 26 | Sixth |
3 |
|
Tue Dec 03 |
Summary of course, wrap-up and discussion |
Attendance at regularly scheduled class sessions is required. Emergency absences must be approved by Dr. Delugach. If you wish to request that an absence be excused, please do so by ANGEL email. If you are absent in order to participate in an approved University activity, the sponsor should give you a request for excused absence(s) to show your instructors. A student is allowed no more than two unexcused absences from Forum class sessions; additional absences will reduce your grade. Students are responsible for signing the attendance sheet circulated at each session.
It is distracting, rude, disrespectful, and unprofessional to "walk out" in the middle of any session. Attending part of a session is preferable to missing it entirely, but please try to arrive on time and remain until the program is over. Do not allow laptops, cell phones, beepers, alarms, etc. to disturb our class.
If you miss a substantial portion of any session, the instructor may -- at his sole discretion -- consider you absent from the session, even if you sign the attendance sheet.