A/AS Critical Thinking

A/AS Critical Thinking

What is Critical Thinking?
This is a new skills based course to develop thinking as well as assist you with your other AS and A levels. It focuses on your ability to use clear and effective reasoning in reading, discussion and writing. Your general skills of analysis and evaluation will be improved, adding considerable power and value to your work and results in all your courses. You will be encouraged to:

• analyse and evaluate your own and others' beliefs and knowledge claims in a variety of contexts
• recognise and evaluate assumptions
• evaluate a range of different kinds of reasoning
• make connections and synthesise information and arguments
• generate your own arguments and express them clearly.

Is Critical Thinking suitable for me?
If you are fair minded and determined to work through pieces of written work whilst subjecting them to analysis in a thorough and rigorous manner then this course is for you. If you are keen on boosting your grades in all your A - Levels then this is the course to go for.

How will I learn?
Lessons will be varied and you will be expected to participate. You should grow in confidence and be able to discuss and have opinions on topics you know very little about. Unfortunately, verbal participation is not tested in the exam and, as exams loom, we will give you plenty of writing practice in lesson time.

Lesson content can include:

• A Room 101 session where you argue your case persuasively (or you get to be Paul Merton and you can choose to accept or reject someone's argument).
• formal debate
• discussion of topical issues
• exposing the assumptions underlying someone's deeply held beliefs
• Murder Mystery

Topics used to develop your skills will vary depending on the interests of the lecturer and the group.

How will I be assessed? Coursework: Year 1-0%, Year 2-0%

Unit 1, CRIT1 , Critical Thinking Foundation Unit

Examination 1½ hours

25% of the total A-level marks

Unit 2, CRIT2 , Information, Inference and Explanation

Examination 1½ hours

25% of the total A-level marks

Unit 3, CRIT3, Beliefs, Claims and Arguments
Examination 1½ hours

25% of the total A level marks

Unit 4, CRIT4, Reasoning and Decision Making
Questions based on a Case Study that will be part pre-released and part-contained in the examination paper.

Examination 1½ hours

25% of the total A level marks

Progression
Critical Thinking will be accepted in exactly the same way as any other AS/A2 qualification, with the usual UCAS points attached. University Admissions Tutors look positively upon the qualification, as it is widely recognised that critical thinking skills are essential for progression at degree level. This is not a suitable 3rd A-Level for some degree courses.

Course costs:
All students will be expected to provide their own textbooks, stationery, computer disks and calculators (where applicable). Any further costs are outlined below:

Essential: £15.00 textbook.

Course: OCR H052/H452

Print view | To top