DEBATES IN STS 2400 / NEWELL

CLASS DEBATE COMPONENT OF YOUR GRADE (30 POINTS)

You will be required to participate in one in-class debate. You will be part of a team and may choose your date/topic on a first-come first-served basis. Any student who has not chosen a date/topic by midnight on 2/28/05 will be assigned a date/topic.

You will be asked to evaluate the oral presentations of your classmates--primarily for clarity and degree to which they increase your understanding of the topic.

You will also be asked to evaluate your own team. (these forms are part of the basis for the teamwork grade)

All of the evaluation forms will be distributed in class and are all available on WebCT if you wish to see them in advance.

Debates will be graded as follows:
Debate Evaluation: 10 points (observing debates as non-participant)
Debate Participation: 10 points (class participation on your debate day)
Teamwork: 10 points (contribution to / participation in team)
TOTAL POINTS: 30 points

FORMAT FOR CLASS DEBATES
(affirmative = pro; negative = con)

1. 5-10 minute first affirmative
2. 2-3 minute cross-examination
3. 5-10 minute first negative
4. 2-3 minute cross-examination
5. 5-10 minute second affirmative
6. 2-3 minute cross-examination
7. 5-10 minute second negative
8. 2-3 minute cross-examination
Questioning by audience
5-minute team conferral time
9. 3-5 minute negative rebuttal
10. 3-5 minute affirmative rebuttal
11. evaluation / discussion / debrief

It helps to know who is going to do what, but at all times you should plan to work as a team. More than one person may speak in a given time slot (in turn, not simultaneously!) or you may assign one person to each slot.

Remember that during cross-examination you must ask questions, not start your response to the other side's claims and arguments.

Also remember that this is all about looking at questions in another format to increase the understand of all the members of the class--NOT about "winning" and "losing."You will be expected to have logical, coherent arguments supported with evidence and example. If you've done your position paper, you should be all set!