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 Analytical Reasoning (a minimum of three semester hours in one course) An effective education should further students’ ability to use analytical reasoning. This General Education requirement recognizes two distinct, though related, types of analytical reasoning: Abstract and Quantitative. While it is certainly desirable for students to improve their abilities in both types of reasoning, Earlham students must take only one course carrying a minimum of three credit hours from a list of designated classes in either abstract reasoning or quantitative reasoning.
Students may fulfill the Analytical Reasoning requirement through study in Abstract Reasoning by completing one course from a list of designated courses. Courses qualifying for credit in Abstract Reasoning typically share these characteristics: • They focus substantially on properties of classes of abstract models and operations that apply to them. • They provide experience in generalizing from specific instances to appropriate classes of abstract models. • They provide experience in solving concrete problems by a process of abstraction and manipulation at the abstract level. Typically this experience is provided by word problems which require students to formalize real-world problems in abstract terms, to solve them with techniques that apply at that abstract level, and to convert the solutions back to concrete results.
One of the key forms of knowing in our modern, technological society comes through the use and critical evaluation of quantitative information. The ability to interpret such information is fundamental to effective and responsible decision-making. Students may fulfill the Analytical Reasoning requirement through study in Quantitative Reasoning by completing one course from a list of designated courses. General education courses in Quantitative Reasoning foster students’ abilities to generate, interpret and evaluate quantitative information. In particular, these courses help students develop abilities in such areas as: • Using and interpreting formulas, graphs, tables and basic statistical ideas such as averages, variability and probability. • Representing mathematical ideas symbolically, graphically, numerically and verbally. • Using mathematical and statistical ideas to solve problems in a variety of contexts. • Using simple models such as linear dependence, exponential growth or decay, or normal distribution. • Making estimates and checking the reasonableness of answers. • Recognizing the limitations of mathematical and statistical methods.
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Earlham College · 801 National Road West · Richmond,
Indiana 47374-4095 |