Grading Breakdown

For those who want to calculate how they're doing so far, here's the approximate weighting of assignments for the course (from the revised syllabus published early in the semester). I have added one further revision, breaking the 40% for the midterm and final into 15% for the midterm and 25% for the final. This gives everyone a greater chance to improve, and enough of you have been getting better at logic in recent weeks that this adjustment may help to ensure that your final grade is an accurate reflection of your learning.

Quizzes: 10%
Essay: 25%
Midterm 15%
Blogs/second essay: 25%
final: 25%

Final Exam Review

For all those interested, we will meet at 10 am in Bowman 211 on Thursday (reading day) to answer questions and do problems.

Advanced Logic Tutorial

With apologies to those interested students whose schedules don't mesh, we will begin our advanced logic tutorial Thursday at 8:30 am in Bowman 106. Anyone who is able to join us, please feel free.

Word Verification

I know I type with an Iowa accent, and am very difficult to understand, but I wish all bloggers would please turn off the "Word Verification" function on their blogs, so it's not such an unnecessary hassle to post comments. I made this request earlier in the semester, but several of you have still declined to heed it.

Next Essay Phase

1) Craft a thesis paragraph as you did for the prior essay. It should contain your thesis (italicized), an explanation of its terms and intent, and any necessary framing (for example, if your thesis might seem too obviously true, show how at least some reasonable people might disagree). Your thesis paragraph should contain NOTHING ELSE but these elements, and in particular it should NOT contain any reasons for thinking the thesis is true -- save these for the body of the paper.

2) With each premise as the topic sentence of its own paragraph, the premise itself likewise italicized, use each paragraph to explain and defend its premise.

This phase is due at 5pm on Friday, December 2, as an email message sent to myself and Kyle (John) Innis.

Second Essay (reminder)

Second Essay (for non-bloggers)

This process will be similar to the first essay, but we will combine several of the earlier phases. So for Phase One I would like:

1. A topic

2. A preliminary thesis (the aim is to state, in a simple declarative sentence, a claim you think is true, interesting, in need of support, and for which you can develop supportive evidence)

3. A list of premises (each stated as a simple, declarative sentence, collectively sufficient to make a compelling logical case for the thesis. Premises can include data, strongly suggestive examples, conceptual analysis, and indeed any sort of legitimate grounds for thinking the thesis is true).

Please send this first phase in the body of an email message to me, and to Kyle (aka John Innis) by the end of the day on Friday, November 11th (Veteran's Day).