June 2018

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Hong Kong Community College

Subject Description Form

Subject Code CCN1004

Subject Title Creative and Critical Thinking

Level 1

Credit Value 3

Medium of English and Chinese (Cantonese)

Instruction

Pre-requisite / Nil
Co-requisite/
Exclusion

Objectives This subject aims to equip students with critical and creative thinking
skills, provide a conceptual framework for problem solving and decision
making in both everyday life and specific domains, and cultivate the
right attitudes and motivation for clear and rational thinking essential for
their lifelong learning and future career development. By widening their
horizons and stimulating their multi-dimensional thinking style, this
subject cultivates a proper attitude for enhancing students’ critical and
creative power.

Intended Learning Upon completion of the subject, students will be able to:
Outcomes
(a) articulate the importance of thinking skills and different types of
thinking habits from a critical perspective.

(b) analyse and correct different language traps and fallacies in

everyday life.

(c) analyse the structure of arguments and types of reasoning.

(d) apply creative thinking and problem solving skills in innovative

team projects.

Subject Synopsis/ Critical Thinking: Introduction

Indicative Syllabus The importance and the framework of creative and critical thinking skills.

Meaning and Clarity

Meaning and reference; Contextual meaning; Language traps of obscurity
in meaning, vacuous expressions, and conceptual deflection.

Argument Analysis
Deductive arguments; Validity and soundness; Inductive arguments;
Strength and cogency; Inductive generalisations; Analogical arguments.

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Fallacy Analysis
The fallacies of inconsistency, irrelevance, insufficiency, and
inappropriate presumption.

Creative Thinking and Generating Ideas in Teams

The nature of creativity; Creative thinking techniques and tools; Creative
problem solving in teams.

Teaching/Learning The teaching and learning methodology consists of lectures and tutorials.
Methodology Lectures are designed to explain and demonstrate critical and creative
thinking skills. Everyday examples and in-class exercises are provided to
enhance and motivate students’ learning.
Tutorial exercises are also provided for class discussions and
consolidation of knowledge. Students are expected to prepare and
organise group presentations in later tutorials.

Assessment A variety of assessment tools will be used to develop and assess

Methods in students’ achievement of the subject intended learning outcomes.
Alignment with
Intended Learning Specific assessment % Intended subject learning
Outcomes methods/tasks weighting outcomes to be assessed

a b c d

Continuous Assessment* 100

ƒ Quiz 15 3 3 3

ƒ Assignment 1 (Group) 25 3 3 3

ƒ Assignment 2 25 3 3 3
(Individual)

ƒ Test 25 3 3 3

ƒ Participation 10 3 3 3 3

Total 100
*Continuous assessment items and/or weighting may be adjusted by the subject
team subject to the approval of the College Programme Committee.

To pass this subject, students are required to obtain Grade D or above in

the Continuous Assessment.
Student Study Class contact Hours
Effort Expected
ƒ Lecture 26

ƒ Tutorial 13

Other student study effort

ƒ Self-study 53

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ƒ Continuous Assessment 38

Total student study effort 130

Reading List and References

References
Bassham, G. et al. (2012). Critical thinking: A student’s introduction. (5th
ed.), McGraw Hill.

LeBlanc, J. (1998). Thinking clearly: A guide to critical reasoning. W.

W. Norton & Company.

Hurley, P. J., & Watson, L. (2018). A concise introduction to logic. (13th

ed.), Wadsworth Publishing.

Lau, Joe. (2011). An Introduction to critical thinking and creativity:

Think more, think better. Wiley.

Walton, D. N. (2006). Fundamentals of critical argumentation.

Cambridge University Press.

Walton, D. N. (2008). Informal logic: A pragmatic approach. Cambridge

University Press.

方子華等：
《批判思考》
，McGraw Hill (Asia)，2005。

貝剛毅：《思方導航 — 批判思考導論》
，香港：匯智出版，第6版，
2016。

李天命：《語理分析的思考方法》
，臺北：學生書局，2013。

李天命：《哲道行者》
，香港：明報出版社，最終定本，2009。

李逆熵：《格物致知 — 思考與研究方法概要》，香港：經濟日報出
版社，2009。

Recommended Websites

Critical Thinking Web (The University of Hong Kong) ：

http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/

思方網（香港大學）
： http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/chi/

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