Duration
Introduction to critical thinking, Theory : 10h Th
Introduction to critical thinking, SHS practice : 4h Pr
Survey methodology : 16h Th, 6h Pr
Number of credits
Lecturer
Introduction to critical thinking, Theory : Yaël Nazé
Introduction to critical thinking, SHS practice : Yaël Nazé
Survey methodology : Sébastien Fontaine
Coordinator
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the second semester
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
Introduction to critical thinking, Theory
Course begins by an introduction to the scientific method, with its different sides. It continues with the analysis of the different ways we can be fooled (such as biases linked to the way the brain works or induced by the words and images used), and how to prevent them. It finishes by the definition of pseudodcience and the analysis of some cases.
Introduction to critical thinking, SHS practice
Course begins by an introduction to the scientific method, with its different sides. It continues with the analysis of the different ways we can be fooled (such as biases linked to the way the brain works or induced by the words and images used), and how to prevent them. It finishes by the definition of pseudodcience and the analysis of some cases.
Survey methodology
The theoretical course resumes the stages of a quantitative survey. The main stages developed in the theoretical course are those concerning the principle and techniques of sampling, the preparation techniques of a questionnaire , the principles relating to interpretation of the results.
The course will also emphasize some of the cognitive mechanisms that lay under the problems of question wording. It will also develop some elements of the theory of public opinion and of the history of polls.
Practical lectures are organized for the most technical parts of the course (sampling, question wording and statistical interpretation of the results).
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
Introduction to critical thinking, Theory
Aim is to initiate students to critical reasoning and to make them able to analyze things by themselves, in their daily life as well as in their professional life, to avoid biases and being fooled.
Introduction to critical thinking, SHS practice
Aim is to initiate students to critical reasoning and to make them able to analyze things by themselves, in their daily life as well as in their professional life, to avoid biases and being fooled.
Survey methodology
The purpose of the course is double:
1 ° to give to the students the theoretical basic knowledge necessary for the realization of a quantitative survey, mainly in sampling of populations, realization of questionnaires, statistical treatment and interpretation of results.
2° To give the students the necessary tools in order to understant and interpret the surveys they could be confronted to : how to understand sampling error, how to understand various forms of figures and tables, how to assess the effect of the ways questions are asked and the potential biases they can induce, which conclusions may drawn form allowable evidence.
3° To position survey techniques in relation to other ways of gathering relevant information in social sciences.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
Survey methodology
If possible, knowledge of elementary notions of statistics and probability
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
Introduction to critical thinking, Theory
The course will be in two parts, a theoretical one and a practical one. The first one is performed via a multimedia presentation, with many interactions (to avoid any misunderstandings). The second one consists in applying what was seen previously to actual cases.
Introduction to critical thinking, SHS practice
The course will be in two parts, a theoretical one and a practical one. The first one is performed via a multimedia presentation, with many interactions (to avoid any misunderstandings). The second one consists in applying what was seen previously to actual cases.
Survey methodology
For each main part of the course, it will be one period of training at the end of the year.
Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)
Introduction to critical thinking, Theory
face-to-face (mandatory), 5 courses of 2h. The practical sessions depend on the students' faculty.
Introduction to critical thinking, SHS practice
face-to-face (mandatory), 5 courses of 2h and 2 exercise sessions of 3h. The practical sessions consist in the critical analysis of texts and numbers. They require some preliminary work at home (details will be provided during the courses) and some reading of texts in French and English.
Survey methodology
Ex-cathedra lessons (12 h) illustrated by transparent frames.
Trainings (6h).
After each main chapter of the course, one or two sessions of practictal training will take place.
Recommended or required readings
Introduction to critical thinking, Theory
Notes and bibliography will be provided.
Introduction to critical thinking, SHS practice
Notes and bibliography will be provided.
Survey methodology
A pedagogical frame is provided throuh detailed powerpoint. All technical elements of the course can be found there.The oral course is dedicated to explaining and exemplifying the content of powerpoint. To attend the course is very useful to understand the various slides.
STRUCTURE OF SLIDES
CH I General questions of validity
CH II The questionnaire and problems of bias
CH III Notions of sampling
CH IV Introduction to presentation and analysis of survey results.
Mainly used books are : see French version.
Consulting the various books is not at all compulsory but may help the student to understand better or to deepen the study of some particular points.
Assessment methods and criteria
The marks obtained for the different modules of METO1015 will be merged in a single grade out of 20, with Initiation to critical reasoning accounting for 40% and Survey methodology for 60%. The global grade is a weighted mean of the marks obtained in the two modules of the course, except if one of the two module marks is equal to or smaller than 8.00/20. In this case, it is that fail mark (of 8 or less) that will be used as global grade for the course METO1015. In the September (resit) session, the students have to resit only the modules for which they did not obtain marks equal to or greater than 10.00/20. They cannot resit module(s) they have already passed. Partial exemptions (based on pass grades of 10.00 or more in one or more modules) will be carried over from one academic year to the next.
Introduction to critical thinking, Theory
Grading depends on the students's faculty - see practical part.
Introduction to critical thinking, SHS practice
In June, the grade of the Initiation to critical reasoning part is composed of two contributions : written report linked to the work done during the practical sessions by group of two students (50% of grade) and written exam linked to the theory and competences (50% of grade). In September, the practical part is integrated to the written exam and is therefore personal (no group work).
Survey methodology
Written examination for both sessions
Written examination is composed of short open questions (usally 8 questions). The final note will take into account :
- exact response or not
- clear or obscure argumentaton : an answer with no argumentation will not be taken into account.
- relevance : the preseance of irrelevant considerations diminishes the note.
- capacity to synthesize
Students must be able to use the main notions from the courses in the context of simple problems.
Work placement(s)
Organizational remarks
Introduction to critical thinking, Theory
N/A
Survey methodology
Slides are not send all at once by one chapter after another.
Those slides are indeed regularly adapted to furnich examples better linked to socio-political news and evolutions.
Contacts
Introduction to critical thinking, Theory
Yaël Nazé, 04 366 97 20, office 2/12 in Bat B5C (Astrophysique et Géophysique), ynaze@uliege.be
Introduction to critical thinking, SHS practice
Yaël Nazé, 04 366 97 20, office 2/12 in Bat B5C (Astrophysique et Géophysique), ynaze@uliege.be
Survey methodology
Teacher : Marc JACQUEMAIN, Tel: 04/366 30 72 - Fax: 04/366 45 20 e-mail : marc.jacquemain@ulg.ac.be
Adaptation of teaching commitments following the COVID-19 pandemic for the May-June 2020 session
Teaching methods implemented : distance-learning
Introduction to critical thinking, Theory
Theoretical course was taught before the confinement.
Introduction to critical thinking, SHS practice
The two exercise sessions with reports are replaced by a virtual exercise session (video + sylabus). No report is requested.
Survey methodology
Slides in pdf available Video podcast lessons Exercises + resolutions in video podcast
Assessment subjects
Introduction to critical thinking, Theory
The full course having been taught in a classic way, the assessment will be done on the full course.
Introduction to critical thinking, SHS practice
All theoretical lessons having been taught, and this before the confinement, the assessment will be done on the full content of the course.
Survey methodology
As usual
Assessment methods
Introduction to critical thinking, Theory
depends on faculty - see practical part
Introduction to critical thinking, SHS practice
The assessment will be done only through the June exam. It will consist of practical exercises and it will be done remotely.
Survey methodology
The exam will be done online, with two parts (corresponding to the two parts of the course), multiple choice questions and some open questions. In all likelihood the exam will take place on June 10, online, on Ecampus. As expected, if one of the two parts is successful and not the other, you will only have to retry the part that failed in the second session.
Contacts
Introduction to critical thinking, Theory
ynaze@uliege.be
Introduction to critical thinking, SHS practice
ynaze@uliege.be
Adaptation of teaching commitments following the COVID-19 pandemic for the Aug-Sept 2020 session
Assessment subjects
Introduction to critical thinking, Theory
as in June
Survey methodology
As usual
Assessment methods
Introduction to critical thinking, Theory
as in June
Survey methodology
The exam will be done online, with two parts (corresponding to the two parts of the course), multiple choice questions and some open questions. In all likelihood the exam will take place on August 20, online, on Ecampus.
Contacts
Introduction to critical thinking, Theory
as in June