A' Level Critical Thinking (Full AS/A2)

A distance learning course is the ideal way to gain an A' Level in Critical Thinking.

Whether you're looking to go on to further education, improve your job prospects or expand your knowledge, distance learning A' Level Critical Thinking is a flexible and convenient course, which allows you to comprehensively prepare for the A Level exam through home study. What's more, because the distance learning A' Level Critical Thinking course is a fully comprehensive course, no prior knowledge is required.

AS Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking develops the ability to make sense of arguments and ideas. People who question what they read in the newspaper and enjoy reading between the lines, by analysing the language used in a logical way, will enjoy this course. As well as being lively and enjoyable in its own right it can help improve study and communication skills. On this basis, Critical Thinking can be a very useful way to support the study of other subjects and improve your performance in other subjects.

Learning about critical thinking provides a framework for you to weigh up all of the information that you are bombarded with every day. This may be very helpful when you are studying other subjects. It helps develop the skill of reading for meaning. Rather than skimming through a newspaper article, a technical report or a difficult chapter in a book, you should become better equipped to take what you have read to pieces.

You are given a discipline to see what somebody is really saying and whether you are convinced by it, rather than taking them at face value. By the end of the course you may also be better able to construct an argument yourself.

A2 Critical Thinking
The course is divided into two units, each of which is divided into several sections. There are a large number of activities to do. The course is skills based rather than content based. In other words, there is not very much to commit to memory. It is more about practising and developing skills. The answers to all the activities are included with the course notes. At various points you will complete one of the assignments and send it to your tutor for marking.

Each unit corresponds to a unit as set out in the syllabus and an examination. The lessons also broadly correspond to sections of the units in the syllabus. It is important that you will study the lessons in the right sequence. However you should be aware that Critical Thinking is very much an integrated subject – try and see the links between terms and concepts as you go along.

FORMAT OF COURSE (Modules Overview)

AS Course

• UNIT 1 INTRODUCTION TO CRITICAL THINKING

• UNIT 2 ASSESSING AND DEVELOPING ARGUMENT

A2 Course

• UNIT 3: ETHICAL REASONING AND DECISION MAKING

• UNIT 4 CRITICAL REASONING

The A' Level Critical Thinking course is divided into four comprehensive units:

UNIT 1 INTRODUCTION TO CRITICAL THINKING

Part A – the language of reasoning

3.1.1 What is an argument?
What is an argument?
Some basic rules of arguments
Using common notation as shorthand

3.1.2 The elements of an argument
What are argument indicators?
Counter arguments
The use of counter claims
Providing evidence
Providing examples
Hypothetical reasoning
Assumptions

3.1.3 How strong is the evidence in a reason?
Evaluating evidence
How big was the sample?
Was the sample representative?
How and when was the evidence collected?
How is the evidence presented?
Alternative interpretations of statistics
How well does a reason support the conclusion?

Part B – Credibility

3.1.4 What is credibility?

3.1.5 Credibility criteria
Is the evidence plausible?
Is the source an eye witness?
Is there corroboration?
To what extent are different sources consistent with each other?
Is there any suggestion of bias?
Does the source have a vested interest?
Is the source neutral?
Can the source be seen as expert?
Does the source have a positive reputation?

3.1.6 A guide to the unit one exam
How the exam works
What do I need to be able to do?
How to give a good answer
Practice makes perfect!

UNIT 2 ASSESSING AND DEVELOPING ARGUMENT

Part A – Further points on components

3.2.1 Some things that are not an argument
Explanation
Description
Opinion

3.2.2 Intermediate conclusions
3.2.3 Analogies
3.2.4 Principles
3.2.5 Drawing conclusions

Part B – spotting problems with an argument - types of flaw

3.2.6 Inconsistency and contradiction
3.2.7 Types of flawWrong actions
Unwarranted assumption of a causal relationship
Generalisation
Restricting the options
Slippery slope
Circular argument
Confusing necessary and sufficient conditions
Conflation
Straw person
Ad hominem flaws
Arguing from one thing to another
3.2.8 Irrelevant appeals

Part C – Developing your own reasoned argument
Part D – Guide to the unit 2 exam

UNIT 3: ETHICAL REASONING AND DECISION MAKING

3.3.1 Ethical reasoningConflicting ideas
Social, political, religious and moral factors
More on hypothetical reasoning
Different responses, different criteria

3.3.2 Dilemmas, applying principles and decision making
The nature of a dilemma
Constructing arguments

UNIT 4 CRITICAL REASONING

3.4.1 Analysis and evaluation of complex arguments
Assumptions
Valid and invalid arguments
Syllogisms
Sustained suppositional reasoning
Sustained counter-argument
Relationship between components
Independent or joint?
Smaller arguments, counter arguments and explanations
Not part of an argument?
Evaluating strength and weakness

3.4.2 Developing your own cogent and complex arguments

Educated to at least Grade C GCSE standard or above.