AS LEVEL CRITICAL THINKING

This subject gives students the opportunity to develop their critical thinking skills which are central to the process of arriving at reason-based judgement. This is a fundamental academic skill which can benefit the students of any A Level course.

This course should be chosen in addition to three A Levels. It is taught for 2 hours per week and will greatly benefit students who like a demanding academic challenge.

The course is taught in two units, and involves debating and analysing arguments, both orally and in writing. We study what makes a good argument, how reason and logic operate, the nature of the assumptions made, and methods of clarifying a reasoning process.

The topics discussed in class will be drawn from contemporary issues as well as past exam papers, and it is essential that students read quality papers and take an interest in moral, social and scientific issues.

Unit 1
This focuses on how some evidence can be used to corroborate other evidence, including the role of vested interest and impartiality. We examine how evidence can be strengthened or weakened by the testimony of others 1 ¼ hr written exam requiring responses to structured questions.

Unit 2
Tests the skill of the student to develop an argument using reasons and counter-argument 1 ¼ hr written exam requiring responses to multiple choice and structured questions.

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