Over the past week we have examined and discussed how the brain takes information
in and what our brains do with the material: how we use it to make decisions. We also
spent a week examining various strategies for problem solving and thinking skills. Each
has its own focus and strength, blind-side and weakness: part of thinking critically and
making decisions is being able to examine the strengths and weaknesses of incoming
data.
Assignment:
Use the Niagara College facilities and database, and research a thinking strategy or
problem solving technique we did not cover in class.
1. Explain how/why it was developed and how it works (Who, What, Why, Where, How
“ looking for history and context).
2. Contrast of this process by comparing it to one of the strategies discussed in class.
3. Apply the strategy you researched to a fictitious (but believable) problem:
demonstrate how it operates (explain step by step the process).
Key points:
“ Make sure to be objective and clear when presenting the information.
“ Use a situation or problem that could exist: you don’t have to draw on your personal
experience (for example, how to choose which college or which program to attend) but
you can if you so desire.
Format “ Your response will be composed of the following:
“ cover page with your class, section number, date and name
“ 2 “ 4 double-spaced typed pages: approximately 300 “ 600 words
“ IEEE or APA formatting for in-text citations and your References page (3 sources)
Visuals, charts, graphs, or other materials are more than welcome inclusions: please
ensure you reference them. As always, it is expected you will follow Standard English
conventions).
Evaluation:
Content/Organization: 13
“ Clear presentation of the strategy to be profiled “ originator, history, etc. (4)
“ Examination of strength/weakness (4)
“ Contrast with another strategy from class discussions/materials (2)
“ Presentation of scenario and solution steps (3)
Research: 4
“ Relevant, reliable and appropriate sources used
“ Information incorporated well (summary/paraphrase) and not misrepresented
“ Standard formatting followed (see NC Libraries Study Guide: Citation help)
Mechanics: 3
“ Spelling, grammar, word choice:
perfect/minimal errors “ no confusion (3);
few major errors “ some minor errors “ minor confusion (2),
many major/minor errors “ many areas unclear (1); meaning totally lost (0)
