Dr. Gass
HCOM 235
Fall 2009
Week 1
Aug 25: introduction to the course
assignments and requirements
Aug 27: nature of argument
read Ch. 1, Ch. 2 (pp. 24-26)
Week 2
Sep 1: importance of critical thinking
Sep 3: tests of sources and source credibility
read Ch. 6
Week 3
Sep 8: types of claims; fact, value/judgment, policy, definition/classification
facts versus inferences
read Ch. 3
Sep 10: the Toulmin model of argument
claims, grounds, warrants, qualifiers
read Ch. 5
Week 4
Sep 15: the Toulmin model of argument
unexpressed premises and inferential leaps
Sep 17: ethical argument
Week 5
Sep 22: argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness
review for test 1
Sep 24: test 1
Week 6
Sep 29: argumentative burdens
presumption, burden of proof, prima facie case, burden of rebuttal
read Ch. 2 (pp. 26-37)
Oct 1: analyzing arguments and issues
read Ch. 4
Week 7
Oct 6: tests of evidence
read Ch. 6
Oct 8: tests of evidence
Week 8
Oct 13: refutation and rebuttal
Oct 15: causal reasoning
read Ch. 7
Week 9
Oct 20: campus closed
Oct 22: campus closed
Week 10
Oct 27: causal reasoning
review for test 2
Oct 29: test 2 (postponed until Nov. 5)
Week 11
Nov 3: reasoning by analogy
Nov 5: sign reasoning and circumstantial evidence
due: refutational essay (option 1)
(postponed until Nov. 10)
Week 12
Nov 10: generalization and argument by example
Nov 12: online class
Week 13
Nov 17: fallacies in reasoning
read Ch. 8
due: causal
reasoning essay (option 2)
Nov 19: online class
Week 14
Nov 24: Fall recess
Nov 26: Fall recess
Week 15
Dec 1: fallacies in reasoning
Dec 3: fallacies in reasoning
Week 16
Dec 8: deductive reasoning
Dec 10: deductive reasoning
review for final exam
Week 17
Dec 17: test 3, Thursday, 2:30-4:20 pm
Note: You must take the final exam on the
scheduled day and time. No
exceptions. Sorry.