Critical Thinking for College Success
Final Essay
This assignment supports the following Course Objectives:
1. Define personal success
2. Explain intellectual virtues advantageous to the college environment
3. Explain fallacious reasoning and the tendency to make mental e
ors
4. Evaluate inductive arguments for generalizations
5. Evaluate inductive arguments for analogies
6. Evaluate inductive arguments for causation
7. Evaluate inductive arguments from authority
8. Use deductive reasoning to troubleshoot problems
9. Analyze personal financial behaviors
10. Analyze personal time management
11. Analyze relationships of persons of influence
12. Apply problem-solving methodologies
To complete this assignment, compose your essay in a document following the directions
elow. When complete, save your file in docx or pdf format, then upload it into the D2L
Assignment Submission Folder for Final Essay.
Directions:
• Length: 7-9 pages, 12 point font, double-spaced
• Due by 11:59 pm on Friday, July 30. Note: this is different than previous deadlines, but
this allows you the most possible time before the end of the semester.
• This essay is divided into five sections. Think of each section as standing on its own and
label each as Section I, Section II, Section III, Section IV, Section V, and Section VI.
This essay is worth 100 points and 20% of your final grade.
• Be sure to carefully read the section requirements below. If you are missing any of the
equirements, you will lose points.
• Remember our mantra to think in paragraphs.
Section I—Introduction—1 paragraph, ½ a page (5 points)
Provide an introduction to your essay that gets the attention of your reader. Provide an overview
of your essay and indicate your key conclusions. (Hint: write this section after you have written
the rest of the essay. That way you know how to introduce the paper that you actually wrote
instead of the paper you intended to write and you know what your key conclusions are (since
you’ve already concluded the rest of your paper (and are coming back just to write the
introduction.))
Section II—Summary of Hidden Brain Podcast--1 paragraph, ½ a page (10 points)
“Between Two Worlds” Hidden Brain Podcast, 11/9/20:
https:
hidden
ain.org/podcast
etween-two-worlds/
Summarize this episode of the Hidden Brain podcast. In past assignments, you’ve had supports
such as the reading notes to help you understand the key points of our readings, videos, and
podcasts. Now you are being asked to do it yourself. Keep in mind our Mantras of Critical
Thinking (from Module 2):
https:
hidden
ain.org/podcast
etween-two-worlds
Mantra 1: 2 Steps to Critical Thinking: understanding before evaluation
Mantra 2: the Test of Understanding to putting the podcast in your own words
Mantra 3: 2 Levels of Clear Writing: explain the general ideas presented and give
specific examples that illustrate them.
Mantra 4: Think in Paragraphs
Section III—Definition of Success and SMART Goals—4-6 Paragraphs, Approximately 2
pages (25 points)
In this section you will return to your personal definition of success from our first two essays and
efine it and make it more specific using SMART Goals (remember that S.M.A.R.T. stands for:
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-related; see Module 7 for more
information).
Beginning of Section III: State your personal definition of success in one sentence (this can be
the same definition you used in Workshop Essay #2 or a revision of that definition).
Paragraphs 1-3: Using a separate paragraph for each goal, indicate a SMART goal that is
elated to the economic dimensions (money, career, retirement, material possessions,
etc.) of your personal definition of success. You should have 2-3 goals.
Paragraphs 4-6: Using a separate paragraph for each goal, indicate a SMART goal that is
elated to the relationship dimensions (family, friends, and other non-material things) of
your personal definition of success. You should have 2-3 goals.
Section IV— Anticipate Obstacles for Each SMART GOAL—4-6 Paragraphs,
Approximately 2 pages (25 points)
Using the 4-6 SMART Goals you identified in Section III, anticipate 1-2 obstacles you might
experience for each goal. Use a separate paragraph for each goal.
Section V— Using Deductive Reasoning to Future-Proof Your Success—4-6 Paragraphs,
Approximately 2 pages (25 points)
In this section you will use deductive reasoning to future-proof your success. When we future-
proof something we try to anticipate future events that might threaten our goals. We can use
deductive reasoning (Modules 10 and 11) to help us do this.
For each obstacle identified in Section IV, use deductive reasoning to set out a plan.
For example, if one of my obstacles is “family pressure to live nea
y even though my goal of a
dream job would require me to move” I could set out the following deductive argument:
Dilemma
P1: Either I will live close to my family or I will move away
P2. If I live close to my family then I will be unhappy.
P3. If I move away then my family will be unhappy.
Therefore, Either I will be unhappy or my family will be unhappy.
Hypothetical Syllogism
P1 If I end up injured or have medical issues, then I will use the savings that I have been
uilding or get a loan from my aunt.
P2 If I’ll use my long-term disability insurance or get a loan from my aunt, then I’ll be able to still
provide for my family until I recover.
.: If I end up injured or have medical issues, then I’ll still be able to provide for my family until I
ecover.
Section VI— Conclusion—1 Paragraph, Approximately 3/4 page (10 points)
Offer a conclusion to your essay. This should be more detailed than a standard conclusion.
Consider the following questions:
What tools from the class are you going to use that will help you achieve these goals?
(e.g. mantras, intellectual virtues, argument forms, podcasts, videos, etc.)
Moving forward, who are the people you’re going to trust and turn to for ongoing advice
on college classes and your career?