Further Discussion

I think we learned a lot but I’m sure there’s topics could use further discussion if the class was longer. I really enjoyed the textbook for this course and can’t really pinpoint one topic that seemed to lack information so I’m going to go off of what I thought was more interesting and what I’d personally like to look further into. I really enjoyed the marketing and advertising chapter from THINK by Judith A. Boss. It gave a lot of information on marketing strategies, advertising, etc. which was very useful. What I’d like to learn more about though is the science behind it. For example, according to Boss, stores have come up with strategies to get customers to stay in a store longer to buy something they hadn’t planned on buying. The text also says we, as critical thinkers, should be aware of these strategies but doesn’t really say how to do so.

Some Things I've Learned This Semester

I have definitely learned a lot over the semester. I thought the discussions were very helpful because it showed different people’s ideas on a certain question and had us critically thinking about our responses. I felt like there were a lot of topics in the book that I was able to relate to and it was interesting seeing an explanation for something that I do or see normally. For example, we learned about inductive arguments and one of our discussion questions asked us when we used an inductive argument in the past week. Before this course if I was asked this question, I would have no idea what that meant. After learning about it through this course, it’s easy to say “Oh yeah, I did use that type of argument.” Something else I learned through this course was to pay more attention to marketing strategies that get people to stay in stores longer. After learning about ways stores do this, I’m definitely more aware and may be less likely to impulse buy because I’m in a section too long (i.e., near the pharmacy).

My thoughts on this course

I really enjoyed this class and definitely feel like I learned a lot from it. What I like most about it is that it was online and that the assignments were laid out in the beginning of the semester to complete earlier if needed. I knew I was going out of town one week so I was able to write my blog posts before I left and submit them via the blogspot application on my phone while I was gone. My least favorite thing about this class was the group assignments. Don’t get me wrong, they were not awful, but it’s hard to work with a group you know nothing about or see in class on a regular basis. Since this is an online class, everyone has different schedules so there wasn’t a time easily decided for everyone to get together or meet before or after class like a regular on campus class group would be able to.  Other than that I have no complaints. =) the discussions were very interesting and eye opening and I’d recommend the course to anyone who asks!

Mission:Critical Links

Mission: Critical (Casual Arguments)

-          I thought this link was very helpful because it gave an example and then showed how the example fit the pattern of the inductive argument and then further goes on to discuss it in more detail. I thought this was helpful because it allows you to relate the information to the example which helped me understand it better. At the end it says that the strength of a casual argument relies on 3 factors. It lists what they are and again relates them to the example.

Mission: Critical (Main Menu)

-          This site offered links about arguments. For example, the first link takes you to a page which is the Introduction to Statements (or Claims). This page gives a general definition then goes on and gives information on universal statements, qualified statements, specific statements, non-specific statements, comparative statements, etc.

Both of these websites are very helpful and offer information that is very easily accessible.

Observation

A few weeks ago my TPMS light came on in my car (tire pressure monitoring system). I was running late for work so decided to keep driving. I also did not think it was a big deal because when I had first bought the car the light came on and I took it to the dealership and they said there was an error with the monitor and they fixed it. So my problem was my tire, and based on my observation was based on previous history with the monitoring light so I hypothesized that it was an error in the monitoring system again. That night I checked my tires and one looked like it was going flat so I took it to a mechanic the next day. They proved my hypothesis to be incorrect and there was nothing wrong with the monitoring system. Instead, they found that I had a huge screw stuck in my tire which was causing it to go flat.

Horoscopes

According to cafeastrology.com this was my horoscope for the day:

Cancer Daily Horoscope

Today's Cancer Horoscope from Cafe Astrology

April 28, 2012

Willingness to resolve problems will get you everywhere now, dear Cancer. There is a desire to grow and improve in our interactions today. As such, don't shy away from conflict now. Approach it with a sincere desire to move past difficulties rather than with defensiveness. Concentrate less on who is right and most on what can be done to make important changes. Friends are supportive and your biggest fans right now. Close relationships are strengthened with confidence in one another. Some of you could enjoy a gift or unexpected gain today.

Creativity: Good ~ Love: ~ Business: Excellent

I do not think this prediction is accurate at all. I do not believe horoscopes but I do pay attention to them, if that makes sense. If I get positive information I’ll think “hm, maybe it’ll come true” but realistically, a prediction for everyone that was born in the same time range cannot possibly be true. I remember I would read the horoscopes in magazines and I’d read everyone’s and I felt like I could relate to almost all of them. Anyway, back to the question. I think there’s a 50/50 chance that a horoscope can possible be accurate. The book uses swans as an example to show a hypothesis is falsifiable. In THINK Judith A. Boss says “For example, the hypothesis that ‘all swans are white’ was based on observations of hundreds of thousands of swans, every one of which was white. However, the hypothesis was falsifiable, since it would take only one swan to prove it false.” (381) So comparing this to my horoscope prediction, I would have a desire to grow and improve in our interactions today. This is falsifiable because I did not have this desire, therefore my horoscope is incorrect.

Plagiarism

As mentioned in the textbook THINK by Judith A. Boss, the internet has become an enormous part of research. At the same time, the internet has also made it easier for students to commit plagiarism. The book defines plagiarism as “fraudulent copying that involves deception and the intent to mislead the reader.” (361) Two articles discuss plagiarism and what the academic community should do about it. Brook J Sadler argues that plagiarism is wrong and should be severely penalized, while Russell Hunt views plagiarism as a way for the academic community should rethink ways that encourage plagiarism. I feel like both are strong arguments, and if I were to listen to both present their arguments in person, I would definitely think Sadler’s argument was stronger because there’s so many points he makes and highlights the seriousness of the problem. I feel like Hunt’s argument is stronger because it is more positive and suggests students are to learn about plagiarism and take workshops to avoid it as opposed to just threatening them with failing.