METU • FACULTY OF EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE EDUCATION

Course Code and Title
Credit Hours
ECTS Credit Hours
Course Days and Schedule
Instructor
FLE 251 Critical Reading and Writing
(2)
3
Tuesdays : 13.40-15.30 (Section 02) / 15.40-17.30
(Section 03)- EFA 15
Dr. Işıl Günseli Kaçar

Instructor’s Contact E-mails: isil@metu.edu.tr /iseltmet304@gmail.com

Information Office: EFB 26
Office tel: 0312 210 6495
Cell phone: 05426702236

Office Hours Thursdays- 13.40-14.40

Other faculty members who
All faculty members
may teach this course

Teaching Assistant’s Contact Res. Assist. S. Yağmur Kiper

Information E-mail: ykiper@metu.edu.tr
Office: EFB 20
Office Tel: 0312 210 6488

Office Hours Mondays 10:00-12:00 am

Catalogue Description
Development of critical reading and writing; focus on argumentation strategies; key
rhetorical analysis strategies; readings on various issues from different disciplines;
exploration of multiple perspectives; generation of responses to a variety of texts written
by authors who have different arguments.

Course Objectives and Goals

By the end of this course, students will:
 identify key rhetorical strategies used by authors
 construct responses to different arguments
 analyze texts from various disciplines
 critically respond to perspectives raised in texts on various topics
 Course Outline
Week 1 (September 23, 2019): Introduction to the course:
Week 2 (October 1, 2019) : Introduction to Critical Thinking; Identifying Issues and
Conclusions
Week 3 (October 8, 2019): Identifying Arguments
Week 4 (October 15, 2019): Key Rhetorical Strategies, rhetorical appeals
Week 5 (October 22, 2019): Logical fallacies
Week 6 (October 29): No classes
Week 7 (November 5, 2019): Rhetorical Analysis of Texts
Week 8 (November 12, 2019): Rhetorical Analysis of Texts
Week 9 (November 19, 2019): Detecting Bias in Media
Week 10 (November 26, 2019): (will be taught by RA. Yağmur Kiper)
Week 11 (December 3, 2019): NO CLASSES Critical Evaluations of Evidence (a make-up
session will be held due to my ERASMUS PLUS Project meeting in Lithuania)
Week 12 (December 10, 2019): Team project presentations on controversial issue
Week 13 (December 17, 2019): Team Project Presentations on controversial issues
Week 14 (December 24, 2019): Team Project Presentations on controversial issues

Textbooks
1. Browne, M. N. & Keely, S. M. (2014). Asking the Right Questions (11th Edition).
Pearson
2. Cottrell, S. (2005). Critical Thinking Skills Developing Effective Analysis and
Argument. New York: Palgrave

Reference Books
1. Barnet, S. & Bedau, H. (2014). Critical Thinking, Readinge and Writing: A Brief
Guide to Argument. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
2. Ousborne, J. (2014). Critical Reading and Writing: A Bedford Spotlight Rhetoric.
Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
 Term Projects
1. Controversial issue presentations: In groups of 3, you are going to choose a
controversial issue. As a group you are going to find a video, or a fragment of a
TVseries/ movie and analyse how the argument(s) is/are conveyed, the rhetorical
appeals and logical fallacies (how strong the evidence is), show the impact of the
use of rhetorical appeals and fallacies on the audience perception of the multimedia
product and state your own position on the argument by providing your
justification.. You are expected to do your presentation interactively by asking the
audience relevant questions. You are also going to choose an article / a piece of
news that reflects a different perspective in relation to the issue in question and
make a rhetorical analysis of the article. You need to show the possible bias in the
article. You need to state your own position on the article and ask some thought-
provoking questions to the audience.
YOU NEED TO SEND THE ARTICLES TO YOUR CLASSMATES ONE WEEK
EARLIER THAN YOUR PRESENTATION DATE. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT
THE AUDIENCE NEEED TO COME TO THE PRESENTATION SESSIONS
HAVING READ THE ARTICLES.

Final project
As a group of 2, 3 or 4 you are going to choose an argument and you are going to shoot a
video of 5-7 minutes where you are going to demonstrate your attitude towards this
argument using 2-3 logical fallacies and rhetorical appeals.
Then you need to upload the video clips to Google Drive and share the link on EDMODO
You need to submit the transcription of the video as well. You are expected to show the
logical fallacies and rhetorical appeals in the video and indicate what kind of an impact
you would like to create on the audience by using these fallacies the impact of these
fallacies on the perceptions of the audience concerning the overall episode. In the end you
are going to comment on your own view about the argument as a group and why the
fallacies are not acceptable.
You are also expected to write a reflection report on the impact of the course on the
development of your own critical thinking skills at the end of the course.

Evaluation and Grading Percentage %

Assignments on Edmodo 20
Projects/Presentations- term project 25
Final project and reflection 25
Rhetorical analysis paragraphs (3) 30