Types of claims (redux)

facts

something happened, is happening, or will happen

e.g., digital tech aids learning

values

something is good or bad

e.g., digital competency is an important skill

policy

something should (not) change, happen, or be done

e.g., digital tech should be used K12 (Gunn 2017, loc. 471)

Fact

• What is the meaning of the crucial terms in the proposition? Are they open to reinterpretation, redefinition, or different sets of examples?
• What examples or evidence will be most likely to move an audience towards my position on the proposition?
• How do we make a judgment on this topic? (Prof 2021)

Value

• What potential principles are in play for either side of the case?
• What will we use to weigh comparative judgments?
• How we will determine who is responsible in our evidence and examples? (Prof 2021)

Policy: Affirmative/Pro

• What is the problem in the status quo the proposition seeks to redress?
• How does the plan you are proposing address this problem?
• Is the plan feasible? How will it be implemented?
• What are the additional benefits of the plan?
• How do you address potential drawbacks of the plan? (Prof 2021)

Policy: Negative/Con

• Is the problem really a problem?
• Could it be solved without the plan?
• Could it be solved more effectively or with less harm by another plan?
• Does the plan solve or redress the problem?
• Are the drawbacks worse than the solution? (Prof 2021)

Structure

1. The Affirmative speaker (for) speaks (5–7 minutes).
   • “Cross-examination”
     • The Negative questions The Affirmative <=2 questions (<15 seconds)
     • The Affirmative response (<1 minute per question)
2. The Negative speaker (against) speaks (5–7 minutes)
   • “Cross-examination” (same as above)

Do we want other propositions?

• How should we divvy up?

We don’t want this

Nor this

More like this

Our debate

• is not about “winning” or “gotchas,” but thoroughly exploring and understanding an issue.
• is our last opportunity to practice well-paced and dynamic public speaking.

Civic debate

Preparing for a debate

Finding and evaluating resources

• What are some authoritative sources?
• Where can we find them?

Authoritative sources

Use high-quality sources that your opponent won’t challenge.

• secondary sources
  • reputable newspapers: NYTimes, WaPo, and WSJ
  • well-regarded books
• non-partisan research
  • e.g., Congressional Research Service
• primary sources
  • if appropriate and without contestable bias
  • e.g., a historical figure said something in an interview

Finding sources

• ProCon.org
• The sources of a Wikipedia article
  • don’t cite/invoke the article itself
  • check the Talk page to see if a source is contentious
  • check the perennially discussed sources
• Google Scholar
• Our library
• Fact-checking websites: Politifact, FactCheck.org, WaPo Fact Checker

ex. Sus’ sourcing??

What are some contentious claims that we can research?

• Martin Luther King plagiarized his dissertation.
• COVID-19 originated in a lab in China.

Work in a small group to confirm or debunk, noting the reliability of your sources.

Identify 3 sources you definitely should not use in a debate.