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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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126 - 150 of 767 Reviews for Think Again I: How to Understand Arguments

By Regina C

Mar 12, 2018

Mi nivel de inglés es bueno, sin embargo, en algunos casos hubo palabras que debí buscar su significado antes de responder. El curso es bueno para encontrar las premisas ocultas tan importantes para definir los mensajes.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.

By Ben W

Sep 17, 2017

Fantastic! Thank you so much for putting this course together. I had a lot of fun going through the lectures and doing the discussions and quizzes. I feel very inspired to further my to continue developing my reasoning and critical thinking skills.

By Mostafa E

Aug 28, 2017

this is a very important course to take first to understand others argument so you have understanding of the people which get you closer to others as well as formulating your own argument for the different reasons you might have to give an argument

By Swastik M

Feb 19, 2019

this is an exceptional course with a lot to learn.the professor makes it so easily understandable that it makes class more fun. the discussion questions increased the level of communication which in turn helps understanding all the perspectives.

By Tara V

Sep 16, 2017

The worse part was the final. It took me 10 times to pass the final but it was well worth it and well earned. I enjoyed the content but wished the instructor had slowed down a little on some of the concepts. Its hard to listen and take notes.

By Nizar K

Sep 19, 2017

Excellent course, learnt how to understand ARguments, using language and analyzing the language of ARgument. WAs very skeptical at first but at the end of the course was completely converted. Enjoyed the way the class was presented. Many thanks

By Kathleen R

Mar 18, 2019

The course was well-structured and taught in an engaging manner. Lectures were well done. Quizzes were helpful. Excellent insights and I just wish I took this course years ago -- would have helped me use argument in a more effective manner.

By Nenad P

May 6, 2020

Absolutely brilliant course. What I expected to be a course focused on actual arguments and presenting them this course took me on a journey of philosophical linguistics that absolutely dazzled my mind and thinking. Recommended for sure!!!!!

By Gustavo A V T

Nov 2, 2020

This course is very interesting. If you have the opportunity to read the textbook they suggest do it, because it will increase your understanding about the theme. You will need some effort to be able to complete the test and get approved.

By Sophie

Nov 28, 2016

Although it's a bit hard for me to deeply understand the lectures, it's very helpful for me. I shall review it one more time. I like the way professor Walter Sinnott-Armstrong presents his lectures. He is a humorous and admirable teacher.

By Humberto P

Oct 26, 2017

Very good material and lectures, really helped me a lot, i enjoyed the dynamic way in which the professor explained all the concepts, and even though it was a video previously recorded it was really easy to understand and follow through

By Daniel B L d S

Dec 24, 2017

This is course is very good in fact. It goes smoothly from the very basic principles up to the intermediary mechanisms of argumentation. The only thing I can suggest that may make it even better is to reduce the length of some classes.

By Vishnu K M

May 13, 2020

Excellent course. Learnt a lot and started applying in real world. Thankyou Dr Walter and his team for making an efficient MOOC. I also express my gratitude to The Duke University and coursera for providing this course to us.

Regards

By Doaa S

Jul 12, 2020

This course has genuinely opened my eyes to arguments and how to understand them. Especially in this day and age where there are plenty of arguments upon very important matters, it is very interesting to understand them. Thank you!

By Pedro C

Sep 5, 2016

Excellent course. Opened my mind to this fascinating subject!

I have an Electrical Engineering graduation so the logics part wasn't so hard as I studied it in Computer linguistic. Happy to apply that in everyday texts and speeches.

By Vitalii D

Nov 5, 2017

Had a lot of fun. Very useful course to make sense out of what others are saying. The biggest value for me (guarding terms :) is that It helps recognize the when others are trying to trick us into believing something unjustified.

By Mendel K

Jun 19, 2020

The presentation is always clear, though it deals with complicated matters. The sections on close analysis and deep reading are extremely useful and make it worth taking the course even if you are familiar with elementary logic.

By Debora A

Feb 6, 2017

Absolutely amazing!

What a great course, very practical, with many exercises. The lectures are fun and engaging. The textbook is a useful tool to get more details and extra exercises. One of the best MOOCs that I've ever taken.

By Aneeta J

May 11, 2020

I loved this course! It was challenging but that meant that you really needed to focus on the context and dissecting of the arguments presented. Week 3 was where it all came together. The Professor explained the content well.

By Dagny B

May 23, 2020

very thorough, parts of this were familiar from studying Aristotle in college, but a lot was new (some of the terms and ways of organizing arguments.) I liked all the examples and opportunities to practice with actual texts.

By Revathi G

Dec 24, 2020

This course is very nice for a beginner. The professor tries to keep the lessons and discussions fun and engaging.

I am from a technical field. I took this course out of curiosity, yet I had real fun learning the concepts.

By Prateek M

Oct 24, 2020

This is the most fun I have had in a class in a long long time !! This course affects the perspective of how we look at an argument or a simple conversation. Thanks to the professor for making this course so enjoyable...

By Mohammadmehdi M

Nov 15, 2021

Take this course so that it will not just complement your resume with the name of the highly prestigious institution of Duke University, but also to guarantee that you will NEVER by misled by manipulation and fallacies.

By Michelle G M

Mar 31, 2020

This course gives an excellent introductory course in dealing and making arguments. It induces a good deal of critical thinking to the learner. Additionally, this course has many practical applications that one may use.

By Álvaro A N

Nov 15, 2018

Excellent, totally recommended! With its simplicity and charm shows a new way to see and understand arguments. Thanks a lot for putting this wonderful course together, I will sure recommend it to my friends and family.