Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Critical Thinking: Think critically in reading, writing, and/or speaking about communication, reasoning, and logical processes, thereby identifying problems, theses, arguments, evidence and conclusions.
2. Communication: Write or speak about communication, reasoning, and logical processes, thereby addressing problems, formulating theses, making arguments, analyzing and weighing evidence, and deriving conclusions.
3. Personal Actions and Civic Responsibilities: Demonstrate an ability to understand one's role in society, take responsibility for one's own actions, and make ethical decisions in complex situations.

Schedule: (topics and important dates included): Homework will be due daily and assignments will be announced in class. Do not be concerned if we fall ahead or behind on this schedule. The most important goal is that everyone understand the concepts and problems. This schedule is subject to change. All changes will be announced in class and posted on the course website. The schedule uses the following abbreviations:

Week 1

Tuesday, June 7: Introduction; Language (ISD 11-37)
Homework: Find examples of five of the deceptive features of language we discussed in class (euphemisms, dysphemism, vagueness, accentuation, equivocation, amphibology, weasel words).

Thursday, June 9: Language and Syllogisms (ISD 38-54)
Homework: Find examples of each of the four types of definitions and each of the three ways to define. 

Week 2

June 14: Symbolic Logic (Material Available Online)
Homework: Symbolic Logic 2 PDF, Problem set A #'s 16-25.

June 16: Continue Logic; begin Formal and Informal Fallacies (ISD 55-85)
Homework: Symbolic Logic 4 PDF, Problem Set B #'s 2, 4, 6, 8, 10.

Week 3

June 21: FIRST EXAM

June 23: Continue Formal and Informal Fallacies; On the Justification of Belief: Personal Experience (ISD 171-222)
Homework: Find examples of eight of the fallacies we discussed in class. 

Week 4

June 28: Personal Experience Continued

June 30: On the Justification of Belief: Empirical Science (ISD 223-266)
Homework: Find a late-night infomercial style product. Try to come up with an experiment to test the claims of that product. 

Week 5

July 5: Empirical Science Continued; Introduction of Paper Topic

July 7: SECOND EXAM

Week 6

July 12: Watch Film in Class; Darwin and Intelligent Design

July 14: On Bullshit (OB 1-67)
Homework: Find two examples of bullshit to share with the class. 

Week 7

July 19: Introduction to the Media and the Propaganda Model of Media (ISD 267-290)

July 21: In-Class Peer Editing; Watch Film in Class (Bring three copies of your rough draft to class)

Week 8

July 26: In-Class Paper Presentation; (Final Paper Due)

July 28: FINAL EXAM 

Assignments: Your grade in the course will be based on your performance on the following assignments:

• 20% Exam 1
• 20% Exam 2
• 20% Final Exam
• 10% Final Paper: This is due the penultimate day of class. Though only worth 10% of your grade in the course, failure to complete this assignment or the associated pre-writing will result in an F in the course. More information on this assignment will be provided later.
• 10% Homework: This is due at the start of the class for which it is assigned. Late assignments will not be accepted.
• 20% Pop Quizzes: These will be given at the start of class and will cover the previous class material. They cannot be made-up if missed, but I will drop the lowest quiz score.

Grade Scale:

    ≥ 90 = A
    ≥ 80 = B
    ≥ 70 = C
    ≥ 60 = D
    < 60 = F

ACADEMIC POLICIES:
Student Responsibility to Drop/Withdraw: It is the student’s responsibility to officially add, drop, or withdraw from the course stated in the class schedule. Failure to do so can result in a failing grade. Students who remain enrolled in class beyond the published withdrawal deadline, as stated in the class schedule, will receive an evaluative letter grade in the class.

Attendance: During the first week of class, students will be dropped for any unexcused absence. Starting during the second week, students may be dropped for missing two classes. In addition, students who arrive unreasonably late or leave unreasonably early will be marked absent. I will not accept a vacation as an excuse. If you know that you will be missing a significant portion of the class or an exam due to summer plans, you should drop the course.

Professionalism: It is assumed that students will conduct themselves in a professional manner with a positive attitude. An open mind is one of the most important tools required for success in academia. If a student is negative and feels as is there is nothing of value to be gained by the college experience or this course, he or she will not do well in this course.

Academic Integrity and Conduct: Mesa College students are bound by the Student Code of Conduct, Policy 3100.  In this course, cheating, plagiarism, disruptions of instructional activity, fraud and/or lying will result in, at a minimum, a grade of “F” for the assignment/test with no make up permitted.  Any of these infractions may result in an “F” for the course as well and formal disciplinary action by the Dean of Student Affairs as described in the code (as published in the catalog or online).

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities who may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to notify the instructor and DSPS. DSPS can be found at http://www.sdmesa.edu/dsps/ or they can be contacted by phone at 619-388-2780.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS IN THIS COURSE (Thanks to Professor June Yang):

1. Be optimistic about your ability to learn from the textbook, the instructor, and each other.
2. Do all homework and all the readings. The homework will be collected every time, and spot-checked, and the readings will help you understand the course material.
3. Be prepared to spend time outside of class working on class material, doing readings, homework, preparing for quizzes and exams, etc.
4. Ask questions if you don't understand something.
5. Remember that you are gifted with more education and intelligence than many persons on this planet. If you try, you are sure to get it, or at least most of it!