1.  Please peruse the handouts on your desk to familiarize yourself with the format and details of Public Forum Debate. ENTRY TASK

2. By class on FRI 4/22, obtain a book:  of literary merit (at an appropriate reading level)  that you have not read before  that is not written by an American-born author. The goal is to gain exposure to diverse literature from other cultures, so I encourage you to choose something to help you diversify your reading experience. INDEPENDENT READING

3. My top quick picks:  Siddhartha by Herman Hesse (Germany/India)  Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie (India)  Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Colombia) INDEPENDENT READING

4.  MON:  Intro Debate  TUES:  Analyzing arguments  Debate prep  WED: Debate prep  THURS: Debates 1 & 2 on Resolution A  FRI: Debates 3 & 4 on Resolution B THIS WEEK

5.  MON–WED: EA 3.2 work time  THURS: Danger of a Single Story  FRI: EA 3.2 Peer reviews  EA 3.2 Rough draft due by the beginning of class  Peer reviews due by midnight SUN 4/24 NEXT WEEK

6.  TUES 4/26: work time on EA 3.2 revisions  EA 3.2 due @ midnight THURS 4/28  MON 5/2: work time on Lit Device Glossary 4 for Things Fall Apart  LDG 4 for TFA due midnight THURS 5/5 WEEK AFTER NEXT

7. Today we will learn how to:  effectively engage in a public forum debate  craft a solid argument OBJECTIVES

8.  The topic of the debate is worded as a resolution (for example: RESOLVED: Dogs are better than cats). Teams must develop both a pro and a con case persuasively supported by evidence and reasoning.  Sides are decided by the flip of a coin at the start of the debate.  The only aspect of the debate that can be scripted (prepared word-for-word in advance) is the opening speech.  Everything else will flow as a response to the arguments of the other side, so be prepared to counter the key arguments you anticipate each side making. DEBATE

9.  ROUND 1: Opening statements  2 mins each side (Speaker A1 & B1)  Crossfire (2 mins, Speaker A1 & B1)  ROUND 2: Rebuttal  2 mins each side (Speaker A2 & B2)  Crossfire (2 mins, Speaker A2 & B2)  ROUND 3: Summary  2 mins each side (Speaker A3 & B3)  Grand Crossfire (3 mins, all speakers)  ROUND 4: Final Focus  1 min each side (Speaker A4 & B4) DEBATE FORMAT

10. ROUND 1: Opening statements  The first speaker for each team should prepare in advance the reasons for supporting his or her team’s position on the topic (remembering to prepare for both sides). Arguments should be carefully worded to be accurate and precise.  This is the only aspect of the debate that can be scripted (prepared in advance word-for-word), so choose your words carefully!  The first crossfire should be used to clarify arguments and ask probing questions to expose the weaknesses of the other side’s argument.  Crossfire begins with the debater who was just listening asking a question. DEBATE

11. ROUND 2: Rebuttal  The second speaker for each team must attack the arguments of the opposition and answer attacks made upon his or her own team’s arguments by the opposition.  This speech should reflect analysis of the previous speeches and crossfire and a direct refutation of points made by the opposition.  The second crossfire is an opportunity to further clarify areas of agreement and attack the arguments of the opposition (posing dilemmas, exposing contradictions and other weaknesses).  Crossfire begins with the debater who was just listening posing a question. DEBATE

12. ROUND 3: Summary  The third speaker for each team should consolidate his or her team’s position by defending the most important point in his or her team’s argument and attacking the most important point in the argument of the opposition.  The best strategy is to select only the most important points or issues and cover them thoroughly.  The grand crossfire further highlights areas of agreement and disagreement and exposes weaknesses of the arguments.  Crossfire begins with a member of the listening team posing a question to the opposition. DEBATE

13. ROUND 4: Final Focus  The purpose of the Final Focus is to restate the reasons why your team has won the debate.  NO NEW ARGUMENTS can be introduced in the final focus. Judges are instructed to ignore any new arguments raised. DEBATE

14. An effective opening speech will contain the elements of argument: hook, any necessary background/context, claim, evidence, reasoning, counterclaim, possibly a concession, definitely a refutation, and a conclusion. Identify the elements of argument in the example opening speech, especially the claim, counterclaim, concession, and refutation. How does the writer support his or her claim against the arguments of the other side? OPENING SPEECH

15. To help you consider the ways in which you might respond to the arguments presented by your opposition, let’s look at two main ways of refuting: Defensive and Offensive. DEFENSIVE / OFFENSIVE

16.  Defensive responses convince the judges that the other team’s claim, evidence, or reasoning is undeveloped, weak, or based on a flaw in logic.  What are some examples of logical fallacies?  hasty generalization  either/or  ad populum  moral equivalence  red herring  causation / correlation DEFENSIVE RESPONSE

17.  Defensive rebuttals do nothing to strengthen your argument; they simply take away the other team’s ability to argue. Essentially, these arguments deny the veracity of the other team’s claim.  It is not enough to simply label the opposition’s argument as weak – you must explain exactly what about it is weak and why it is weak. DEFENSIVE RESPONSE

18.  Offensive responses acknowledge or concede the other side, but then use the other team’s argument to their own advantage. This strategy uses counter evidence or examples. For example:  X is bad, but X actually prevents the bad thing from happening. “Yes, our team acknowledges the affirmative’s point that guns have the potential to kill, but a closer look at the evidence shows that this is the very reason guns have been proven to save lives.” OR:  X does indeed happen, but it is not bad. “There is evidence that global warming is real, however, evidence shows that this warming actually benefits the planet.” OFFENSIVE RESPONSE

19.  RESOLVED: In the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe: A.The benefits of colonization significantly mitigate the drawbacks. B.Okonkwo is a tragic hero. DEBATE

20.  ALL LATE OR REVISED WORK UP TO THIS POINT IN THE SEMESTER IS DUE BY THE END OF THIS WEEK (FRI 4/15). ANNOUNCEMENTS