Critical reasoning skills are a key success factor for students entering their first year of college. They must be able to think logically and form arguments. This course, designed with incoming college freshmen in mind but open to anyone, provides an essential grounding in critical reasoning skills. Faculty from multiple disciplines at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offer guidance on applying critical thinking skills in the context of specific disciplines. By developing these skills, students will learn more, enjoy their courses more, and experience greater academic success.
This course will help you understand what critical thinking skills are and why they're so important. You will also learn how critical thinking skills vary across disciplines, as well as see them applied across several fields, including, chemistry, history, psychology, law, English, and American Studies. You will develop your own critical thinking skills by working through scenarios or problems posed by scholars across these fields, and you will better understand how your college courses will differ from your earlier education.
This module provides an overview of the course. The first video explains the history of this course: While it was originally going to be geared toward incoming UNC students, we realized these skills are valuable to everyone, which is why we are offering it as a MOOC. The second video provides an overview of how the course is structured and why it was created.
What's included
2 videos
Show info about module content
2 videos•Total 8 minutes
Rationale for the Course•1 minute
Introduction to Reasoning Across the Disciplines•7 minutes
Think Like a Chemist
Module 2•3 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, you'll learn about critical thinking and chemistry from Thomas Freeman.
What's included
2 videos1 reading2 assignments1 peer review
Show info about module content
2 videos•Total 13 minutes
The World at the Atomic Level•5 minutes
How Energy Powers our Universe•8 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
About the Contributor: Thomas Freeman•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
The World at the Atomic Level•30 minutes
How Energy Powers our Universe•30 minutes
1 peer review•Total 120 minutes
Think Like a Chemist Essay•120 minutes
Think Like an Historian
Module 3•2 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, you'll learn about critical thinking and history from Kathleen DuVal.
What's included
3 videos2 readings1 assignment1 peer review
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3 videos•Total 16 minutes
Turning the World Upside Down•3 minutes
Understanding Columbus’s Impressions of the Tainos•8 minutes
Understanding the Tainos’ Impressions of Columbus•4 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
A Letter from Christopher Columbus•10 minutes
About the Contributor: Kathleen DuVal•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Columbus and World History•30 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
Think Like a Historian Essay•60 minutes
Think Like a Psychologist
Module 4•3 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, you'll learn about critical thinking and psychology from Kurt Gray.
What's included
3 videos1 reading2 assignments1 peer review
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 21 minutes
Understanding How Others Think•3 minutes
Thinking and Feeling•9 minutes
Mind Perception and Moral Judgment•8 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
About the Contributor: Kurt Gray•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
Practice Quiz: Thinking and Feeling•30 minutes
Practice Quiz: Mind Perception and Moral Judgment•30 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
Think Like a Psychologist Essay•60 minutes
Think Like a Law Professor
Module 5•3 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, you'll learn about critical thinking and the law from Donald Hornstein.
What's included
3 videos3 readings2 assignments1 peer review
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 51 minutes
Considering Free Will•12 minutes
Understanding the Civil Law of Battery•23 minutes
Liberty versus Property•16 minutes
3 readings•Total 30 minutes
Court Cases: Hackbart and O'Brien•10 minutes
Court Cases: Mugler and Lucas•10 minutes
About the Contributor: Donald Hornstein•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
Understanding the Civil Law of Battery•30 minutes
Liberty versus Property•30 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
Think Like a Law Professor Essay•60 minutes
Think Like a Literature Professor
Module 6•3 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, you'll learn about critical thinking and literature from Heidi Kim.
What's included
3 videos3 readings2 assignments1 peer review
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 21 minutes
Context through Reading•7 minutes
Close Reading•8 minutes
The Art of Interpretation•6 minutes
3 readings•Total 30 minutes
Close Reading Example•10 minutes
Additional Resources (Optional)•10 minutes
About the Contributor: Heidi Kim•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
Close Reading Practice Quiz•30 minutes
The Art of Interpretation Practice Quiz•30 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
Think Like a Literature Professor Essay•60 minutes
Think Like an American Studies Scholar
Module 7•2 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, you'll learn about critical thinking and American Studies from Sharon P. Holland. Warning: The video "Dogs & Fighting, Horses & Racing, and Race" contains graphic descriptions of dog fighting and may not be suitable for all audiences.
What's included
3 videos1 reading2 assignments1 peer review
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 19 minutes
How Language Shapes Attitudes•4 minutes
Dogs & Fighting, Horses & Racing, and Race•8 minutes
Understanding Relationships through Interdisciplinarity•8 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
About the Contributor: Sharon P. Holland•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
Dogs & Fighting, Horses & Racing, and Race•30 minutes
Understanding Relationships through Interdisciplinarity•30 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
Think Like an American Studies Scholar Essay•60 minutes
Course Conclusion
Module 8•20 minutes to complete
Module details
What's included
1 video1 reading
Show info about module content
1 video•Total 10 minutes
Final Thoughts and Course Wrap-up•10 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
About the Contributors•10 minutes
Instructor
Instructor ratings
Instructor ratings
We asked all learners to give feedback on our instructors based on the quality of their teaching style.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the nation’s first public university, is known around the world for innovative teaching and research. Regularly ranked as the nation’s best value for academic quality, UNC has produced the most Rhodes Scholars for the past 25 years among U.S. public research universities.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.