(OCRA1) Studying Existentialism with CRA Peer Tutor Kee Olandesca

In this article, the Board of SASS interviews Critical Reading and Argumentation (OCRA1) peer tutor Kee Olandesca. We hope that this article will help current and future Critical Reading and Argumentation (OCRA1) students in their academic journey!

When did you take Critical Reading and Argumentation (OCRA1), and who was your instructor?

I took CRA last year with Dr. Hicks.

What did the typical week in Critical Reading and Argumentation (OCRA1) look like?

On most weeks, I would spend more or less two hours preparing for the discussion sessions by going through the readings, reviewing summaries on SEP, and writing down questions to raise in class. On other weeks, we’d have homework due before the first discussion session, or essays at the end of the week.

What did you enjoy about Critical Reading and Argumentation (OCRA1)?

I very much enjoyed the class itself; I like discussions where I can directly apply what I learn outside class, and in CRA, when we raise possible answers to questions about who we are, I think that we can use those answers to better inform how we act and treat others. I enjoyed talking through this in class discussions and examining them further in essays.

What challenged you the most in Critical Reading and Argumentation (OCRA1)? How did you overcome those challenges?

The most challenging part of CRA was getting used to the readings and fully understanding the arguments; it was difficult to participate in class and write concise, comprehensive essays when I couldn't completely grasp the basic argument of the source material. Eventually, I found that reviewing SEP summaries was incredibly helpful. Once I understood the basic arguments underneath the complicated texts, I was more comfortable discussing and writing about my own ideas and responses.

What are the major assignments for this class? How would you recommend approaching these assignments?

If I remember correctly, there are two major papers, one expert session and one final project that we have to complete each semester. For the papers, I recommend starting them at least a few days before the deadline, so that you can review your thesis and outline with your instructor. I would also recommend going through the material for your expert session a few days before so you can think about possible questions, counters, and responses. The final project can also be quite time-consuming; for the fall, it will be a moral experiment, and in the spring, it will be your choice between either a research paper or a creative project. Creating an internal schedule - on top of the graded checkpoints - for project milestones like brainstorming or completing a section of the paper can be very helpful to spread out the time and effort spent on these assignments.

How do you recommend reading and taking notes of reading and lectures? Do you recommend that students type or write notes?

I received this advice from an OHS alumna before taking the class, and it's served me really well in core classes! The idea is to keep a master list of every philosopher and a quick summary of their argument. For CRA in particular, it would also help to add, in your notes, your own objection to their argument, and what a possible response of theirs would be. I've found this system very useful for class discussion prep, homework, and essay brainstorming. As to typing or writing notes, I think you should use whichever works best for you - the most important thing is keeping the master list updated as soon as you finish the reading, so you don't have to reread thoroughly the source texts of arguments when a major assignment comes along.

What was your favorite topic covered in Critical Reading and Argumentation (OCRA1)?

Ooh, I can't decide between the philosophy of identity and existentialism (these are covered in the spring)! Those two units had such fascinating readings, and there were so many real-life - as opposed to purely philosophical - scenarios that we could draw on in discussions and papers. It was very interesting to consider how and if our identity depends solely on ourselves as individuals or the communities we are a part of, and if our existence is defined by the things we do or simply by our innate potential to do things.

How does Critical Reading and Argumentation (OCRA1) compare to other courses in the core sequence, and how is it different from the typical English course?

This is a great question! I think that CRA is somewhat more abstract than the other core courses, mainly because it is difficult to track milestones in those schools of thought, as opposed to scientific experiments in HSC or government policies in DFRL. But I feel that what we learn in the class is more universally applicable as it explores and questions the essence of who we are and how we ought to think and act as human beings, something that we should all be concerned about, as we all are human beings. In terms of assignments, I think it is the most relaxed compared to other courses, because the content we draw upon for the assignments - apart from the course texts - can be completely based on our own lives, experiences, and ideas. As for how CRA compares to an English course - I feel that it is more focused on philosophy rather than language. Readings and papers require you to understand and clearly respond to arguments and reasoning, rather than subtle nuances and style. The main similarity it has to an English class is that it requires you to constantly think about the "So What?" question: why does it matter to consider the source material? Why does your objection matter? Why is it important to have the conversation (or argument) in the first place?

Do you have anything else to add?

There's just one main thing that would tie into my previous answer, and that would be to always include an answer to the "So What" question in your essays!

Kee Olandesca is a peer tutor for Critical Reading and Argumentation and can be found on the Writing and Tutoring Center.

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