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Back to Think Again I: How to Understand Arguments

Learner Reviews & Feedback for Think Again I: How to Understand Arguments by Duke University

4.6
stars
2,905 ratings

About the Course

In this course, you will learn what an argument is. The definition of argument will enable you to identify when speakers are giving arguments and when they are not. Next, you will learn how to break an argument into its essential parts, how to put them in order to reveal their connections, and how to fill in gaps in an argument by adding suppressed premises. By the end of this course, you will be better able to understand and appreciate arguments that you and other people present. Suggested Readings: Students who want more detailed explanations or additional exercises or who want to explore these topics in more depth should consult Understanding Arguments: An Introduction to Informal Logic, Ninth Edition, Concise, Chapters 1-5, by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong and Robert Fogelin. Course Format: Each week will be divided into multiple video segments that can be viewed separately or in groups. There will be short ungraded quizzes after each segment (to check comprehension) and a longer graded quiz at the end of the course....

Top reviews

AA

Oct 10, 2016

Very good course, made me really think again. The professor is very clear on his explanations and he also made the course smooth and funny, which helped on the learning process. Highly recommended!

SM

Jun 10, 2020

I found this course very challenging as I find critical thinking very difficult. However this course was extremely rewarding and I will be taking the other three modules in the Think Again series.

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101 - 125 of 767 Reviews for Think Again I: How to Understand Arguments

By Karam A

Jul 10, 2017

After completing this course, knowingly or unknowingly, I started observing markers while reading and even while listening to someone speak. I feel, I still need to sharpen my edges. Hope more practice will help. Overall I am happy, I did this course. I thank IIS for recommending this course to me.

By Juan M E G

Jun 25, 2021

He visto muy útil el curso. Tengo la sensación de que a partir de ahora seré mucho más reflexivo escuchando cualquier conversación

I have seen the course very useful. I have the feeling that from now on I will be much more thoughtful listening to any conversation

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By Amin K

Aug 8, 2016

Presented in an entertaining style. I especially enjoyed the detailed analysis of a newspaper article after presentation of the basic concepts. It nicely brought together all that we had learnt in the previous weeks as well as illustrate how it could be applied in 'real' world/everyday situations.

By Carlo

Feb 6, 2017

Great course, well-structured, clear and fun. One little reservation: introducing arguments by saying what they are not may make it difficult for students to understand the distinction between arguments as such and the various functions they can have (a topics which is covered later in the course.)

By Margaret R L

Aug 27, 2020

I enjoyed the course. It started out easy but became more and more challenging to understand the concepts. The multiple choice quizzes are no substitute for doing more close analyses on actual texts which would have been good practice for me, but in the end I did pretty well. I'd like to do more.

By Dayton G

Jan 15, 2017

I would absolutely recommend this course to anyone who would like to better understand arguments. Not only is it helpful in general, but especially helpful in the workplace. Being able to form a logical, sound and validating argument is important when leading and working towards a greater good.

By Sara R S

Apr 9, 2022

First and foremost, it is a huge privilege to be a part of this unique program.  I learned a lot. This course has benefited me in splitting down the framework of arguments, and I believe it is particularly beneficial if you struggle with writing because it teaches you the basics of arguments.

By Mike L

Nov 4, 2017

1) I enjoyed the class 2) the professor was clear 3) the professor was interesting 4) the material was interesting and informative 5) I feel I gained insight and knowledge 6) Therefore the class was beneficial (2,3,4,5) 7) I feel classes I enjoy, help me master the material 8) The format

By Kedar J

Feb 3, 2018

Great course! This art is almost lost in the age of social media and low attention spans. People of all ages should take this course. The course teaches you what arguments are, why people make them, how to deconstruct arguments and put them back together for understanding and analysis.

By Gustavo A G A

Jun 28, 2017

Excepcional curso que lleva a cabo lo que para muchos es imposible enseñar: el vínculo entre la Lógica como disciplina, y su aplicación en la vida diaria. Un gran maestro que logra desarrollar y hacer comprender ideas tan complejas a un público no especializado. Altamente recomendable.

By Ozlem A I

May 13, 2020

I am so grateful to everyone who prepared this course and especially to Dr.Walter. Although the things that I learned during this course are very precious and fundamental for life, I was able to learn them unfortunately at the age of 32. Nevertheless, it is never too late :) Hurray!!!

By Elie M

Sep 4, 2019

This course has really opened my eyes and my mind because I used to think only one way in life, but now, I fully understand how to have intelligent arguments and conversations with others. This course is recommended to anybody who wants to have a good conversation with one another.

By Carol G

Jul 10, 2020

I found this topic fascinating and my introduction to linguistics and informal logic. Learning how to craft arguments using the appropriate components by their accurate names, I feel much more confident listening to and composing arguments.

Onward to the second course. Thanks.

By Tina

Apr 7, 2019

Very clear and profound! The profession is clever and funny, explaining the difficult definition in a very detailed and clear way. The only thing that bugs me is that the answer in the exam. It explains the right answer which is good, but it never explains why my answer is wrong.

By Jackie M

May 21, 2020

The professor is very knowledgeable on analyzing arguments and all of the applicable components. He presents material in a way that is challenging, but learnable. He displays a true passion for the subject matter and I really feel as though I learned a lot by taking this course!

By RM

Aug 30, 2016

This is one of the best courses I've taken to date through Coursera. The course content is useful in all walks of life and the instructor is thorough and engaging. I would highly recommend this course to everyone interested in looking for ways to structure better arguments.

By Amir R M F

Sep 27, 2020

The lectures were very well done and the information provided was essential. Therefore, every student should take this course.

This is a valid argument with assuring terms and positive evaluative terms and several suppressed premises. I know this because I took the course.

By Sagar L

May 25, 2020

The course takes a very structural approach to breaking down arguments into their most granular components and all the tools and tips to form and evaluate good arguments.The course material is very well structured and the lectures and discussion forums are pretty engaging!

By nandana s

Jul 13, 2020

The professors were simply amazing and they explained everything really well. I am really glad I decided to take this course as now I can put it on my Personal Statement for University, Professor Sinnott was also really funny throughout the duration of the course.

By Madeline K

Jul 12, 2020

The lectures were very well done and compelling, making learning interesting and fun. The intermittent exercises really helped with solidifying the lessons and the discussions were an additional fun exercise. Overall, this was an engaging and informative course.

By Dana S

May 5, 2020

It's impossible to describe how valuable this course is. It will help you develop your arguments, think about how you think and make your arguments better. It will help you understand the reasoning of others and find both their strong and weak points. Excellent!

By Jennifer E

Nov 8, 2018

The instructor is entertaining while informative, he speaks clearly and confidently, the captions are accurate and usually don't pass too quickly, there were charts and lists clearly displayed, therefore I was able to adequately learn the material presented.

By Anastasiya L

Sep 30, 2020

I took the course for the purpose of personal development, I can say with great confidence that I learned from the course and enjoyed it a lot. I believe I will also take the next course in the series.

Thank you very much Dr. Walter Sinnott-Armstrong!

By Miguel Á H

Aug 1, 2017

Hello everybody! This is a very useful course. It teachs you how to understand arguments and agree with them or refute them when are bad or poorly constructed. But it is not easy. You have to dedicate it enough time an effort for make the most of it.

By Noelle p

Jan 15, 2017

Brilliant course! I learned so much about how to evaluate arguments and pick them apart to understand the reasoning process behind them. I have been looking for a course just like this for ages and I am so glad I finally found it! Highly recommended.