Latest Module Specifications
Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026
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Description The objective of this module is to develop the critical thinking skills of our first year undergraduate students. Particular emphasis will be placed on evaluating and interpreting different types of information as well as supporting students in developing their critical reasoning and problem solving abilities. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Learning Outcomes 1. Conduct reliable and effective library research, with a particular emphasis on electronic information sources, as well as use appropriate citing and referencing techniques. 2. Access and evaluate a wide range of information sources which can be used to inform the decision-making process. 3. Explore issues and make decisions using well researched facts, rules, concepts and ideas. 4. Understand and recognise bias in a decision-making or problem-solving scenario and develop skills to counteract its negative impact. 5. Think critically and logically when forming opinions and judgments. 6. Combine insights from a broad range of disciplines and understand the importance of the weight of evidence in a decision-making situation. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml |
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Indicative Content and Learning Activities
The Cost of Not Thinking Students will develop their reflective thinking skills and improve their critical analysis capabilities. Help them to identify the resources available to them when faced with a decision, evaluate various perspectives, including their own, and to develop a questioning attitude to information. Beyond the Bot: Mastering AI for the Modern Business World Students will be introduced to prompt engineering and will be supported in developing an ethical and critical lens with which to view AI output The Anatomy of an Argument Students strip away the rhetoric to reveal the skeletal structure of persuasion. They learn to distinguish between the conclusion—the core claim being made—and the premises that act as its supporting pillars. They discover how to evaluate whether a claim is truly supported by its evidence or merely resting on a shaky foundation. Navigating the Modern Business Library In partnership with the library, students will learn about the importance of supporting claims with appropriate stand referencing. Overcoming Cognitive Bias Students will learn how to recognise bias, to understand the impact of bias in how we evaluate evidence and how to overcome bias and make better and more effective decisions. Data and Strategic Inquiry Students will be guided in the skills required to identify and access information to support business decisions. Teach them what is meant by the term ‘evidence’ and help them to develop skills to evaluate and interpret different types of evidence. Mastering the Art of Noise Free Decision Making Students will learn that noise is the unwanted variability in judgments that should be identical. They will learn to implement decision hygiene, a set of rigorous protocols designed to reduce mental 'static.' By practicing techniques like independent judging and the use of algorithms or structured rubrics, students learn how to anchor their choices in data. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Indicative Reading List Books:
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Other Resources None | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||