Dr. S. Sayegh	FO2-113;  (562) 985-5428
ssayeghc@csulb.edu	Office Hours: TR 8:15 - 9:00 am, and by appt.

This class is designed to give students an introduction to critical thinking, specifically in the context of historical thought.  Students will learn how historians decide on facts, how they use evidence to substantiate those facts and how they build a story to explain the evidence.  We will pay special attention to the concept of argument in historical explanation, and how arguments reflect bias and point of view.  We will also learn that bias doesn't necessarily invalidate an argument.  By the end of this class, students should be able to recognize the argument in a variety of sources (print, film, news, lectures, images, advertisements) and be able to provide logical and persuasive counterarguments.  Students will have the tools to think critically not only about the past, but about the living world around them.