The module aims to encourage in students an appreciation of the basic principles of constructing sound arguments and an ability to expose the varieties of mistakes and fallacies that occur in bad or unsuccessful arguments. Much of the content of the module will be made up of a critical analysis of actual arguments drawn both from classic readings in the philosophical tradition (such as Plato's Phaedo) and from non-philosophical sources where reason or evidence is used to support a position (e.g. journalism, broadcast media). Particular attention will be given to non-rational factors that are used to persuade us of some view or opinion, such as appeals to emotion or authority, personal attack, uses and abuses of expert opinion, problems in deploying statistical data, analogy, and equivocation. Throughout the module, students will be encouraged to respond creatively to examples, expressing their own views clearly in both written and spoken form.

Contact time will comprise some or all of: lectures, seminars, small group work, individual or small group scheduled tutorials, whole or partial group workshops, student individual or group presentations, in-class tests or other in-class forms of assessment, student-led group discussions, student-requested or drop-in tutorials, telephone or other technology-assisted tutorials or conferences, visiting speakers, and on-line discussion, advice or feedback.
The Continuous and Formative Portfolio will consist of a set of elements, all of a formative (learn while doing) nature, and variously distributed throughout the teaching semester. There may also be diagnostic-formative assessments (learn while doing, but not formally assessed). The portfolio may include some or all of the following elements, among others: bibliographic exercises, PDP development diaries, quizzes, essay planning exercises, oral examinations, short answer or multiple choice in-class tests, self-evaluative exercises or reports, exposition essays, research essays, mentoring evaluations, individual or group oral presentations, presentation write-ups or evaluations, informal logic exercises, dissertations, field work reports and discussions, evaluation reports, literature reviews, on-line discussion forum contribution, continuous assessments of performance or contribution, on-line workshop write-ups, critical discussions, article or book reviews, research plans, methodological reviews and evaluations, career planning exercises and reports, take-away examinations, draft versions of any of the above, revised versions of any of the above. All elements of assessment within the portfolio must be passed for the module to be passed.

Key Information Set Data:
Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activities 15%
Guided Independent Learning 85%

Seminar/ workshop room with computer and projector; library resources; office space for tutorials; university computing facilities; Blackboard.

Baggini and Fosl. (2002). The Philosopher's Toolkit: a Compendium of Philosophical Concepts and Methods, Blackwell.
Burnham. (2003). Get Set for Philosophy, Edinburgh University Press.
Fogelin. (1996). Understanding Arguments: Introduction to Informal Logic, Thomson Learning.
Martinich (2005). Philosophical Writing: an Introduction, Third edition, Blackwell.
Morton. (2003). Philosophy in Practice, Second edition, Blackwell.
Walton. (1989). Informal Logic: a Handbook for Critical Argument, Cambridge University Press.

100% by continuous and formative portfolio. (4000 words)
[Learning outcomes 1 - 4]

Key Information Set Data:
Coursework 80% of assessment
Practical exams 20%