Developing Strong Argument Skills for Student Debates
Enhance your argument skills for student debates on allowing phones in school. Learn how to create compelling contentions with evidence and research. Improve your ability to support arguments effectively and conduct thorough research for better debate outcomes.
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PREPARE MS CASES AND RESPONSES Jim Hanson
INSTRUCTOR TIMELINE PREPARE CASES 20 MINUTES PREPARE RESPONSES 20 MINUTES DEFEND ARGUMENTS 20 MINUTES WEIGH ARGUMENTS 20 MINUTES FINISH UP 5 MINUTES.
PREPARING CASES Starting with . . .
TODAY, YOU ARE DEBATING THE TOPIC Students should be allowed to bring phones to school. Note that this PowerPoint uses examples from the Cell Phone Topic on some slides.
WHAT ARE PROP AND OPP ARGUMENTS FOR THE TOPIC? PROP ARGUMENTS Arg 1 Arg 2 OPP ARGUMENTS Arg 1 Arg 2
LETS DEVELOP A PROP ARGUMENT AND MAKE IT A CONTENTION! As you hopefully remember . . . PROP Contentions make these three arguments: Show there is a Problem Students can t look up information Show the Topic Solves the Problem Allowing cell phones gives students a chance to look up information Show the harms/impact of the Problem Not being able to look up information hurts kids knowledge, education and growth
WE NEED MORE TO MAKE A GOOD CONTENTION . . . THIS IS A GOOD PRO CONTENTION: --Students can t look up information --Allowing cell phones gives students a chance to look up information --Not being able to look up information hurts kids knowledge, education and growth BUT IT LACKS DEPTH AND SUPPORT We need to give evidence and reasons! WE NEED TO DO SOME RESEARCH!
RESEARCHING IS NOT EASY Over time, you will get better and better And have an amazing skill that will give you a HUGE heads up over others This will help you whether you are Prop or Opp Here s how to do it . . .
SEARCH FOR AN ARGUMENT Go to Google (or Bing etc.) Don t just type in the topic e.g. Cell Phones Instead type in words from your argument Example: You are looking for Cell Phones help research Type in: Cell Phones Help Research in School What did you find?
USE QUALITY SOURCES Use reputable sources! (Time, CNN, academic studies, etc.) DO NOT use social media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, etc.) this information isn t fact checked; so it is not reliable. In most cases, try to use recent information (usually no older than 4 or 5 years old).
USING WHAT YOU FIND On your script, Make your argument Then, include a citation/source Author, qualifications, Date Followed by the reasons/facts provided in the article.
NOW YOU DO IT! OPP DEBATERS Look up Students aren t distracted by cell phones now Look up Cell Phones distract students Look up Distracted students hurt their learning. PROP DEBATERS Look up Students without access the internet are hurt Look up Cell phones provide access to the internet Look up Internet knowledge is important valuable to student learning and knowledge. WHAT DID YOU GET? (each student should provide one source citation support)
YOU CAN AND SHOULD ADD IN YOUR OWN REASONS! Include your own reasons, experiences, your own logic. IF YOU DON T HAVE A CITED INFORMATION OR A GOOD REASON FOR EACH PART OF YOUR CONTENTION YOU LIKELY HAVE A WEAK ARGUMENT.
EACH PROP DEBATER CHOOSES A PROP CONTENTION THEY WANT TO DO Open up the Case Helper File on the MS Student Prep Page AND have your Script ready to fill out. We need a Prop Debater to do a Prop Contention on . . Equity Quality Learning Safety Who is doing which?
NOWPREPARE YOUR PROP CONTENTION! USE YOUR SCRIPT AND INCLUDE Problem Topic Solves Problem Impact of the Problem Use Sources Use your own Reasons We will work to get our cases done! I am here to help you, and we are here to help each other!
EACH OPP DEBATER CHOOSES AN OPP CONTENTION THEY WANT TO DO Open up the Case Helper File on the Middle School Student Prep Page AND have your Script ready to fill out. We need an Opp Debater to do 1 Opp Contention on . . Distraction Social Skills Cyber Bullying Who is doing which?
NOWPREPARE YOUR OPP CONTENTION! USE YOUR SCRIPT AND INCLUDE Problem currently is okay/fine Topic Causes/Increases Problem Impact of the Problem Use Sources Use your own Reasons We will work to get our cases done! I am here to help you, and we are here to help each other!
LETS HEAR . . . ONE PROP CONTENTION ONE OPP CONTENTION.
PREPARING RESPONSES Starting with . . .
YOU CAN AND SHOULD PREPARE RESPONSES BEFORE YOU DEBATE If you are Opp-what Prop Arguments will they make? --Access to the internet --Contact emergency/parents for help --Others? FOR MOST DEBATES, YOU SHOULD HAVE 2 OR 3 RESPONSES READY FOR EACH OF THESE ARGUMENTS
AVOID WEAK RESPONSES! Phones aren t helpful. (debater stops and moves on to a different argument) WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS ARGUMENT? --No reason or evidence support. Phones can be used for good things too WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT AS A RESPONSE? That isn t a response that is shifting to another issue.
AVOID WEAK RESPONSES! Phones are used in just some cases to help research. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS ARGUMENT? --You have mostly admitted they do help research. INSTEAD . . .
HAVE GOOD RESPONSES! THE BEST WAY TO RESPOND TO MOST ARGUMENTS IS TO SAY THE OPPOSITE Cell Phones do NOT provide good research tools followed by reasons/evidence. YOU CAN ALSO POINT OUT A BETTER WAY . . . School laptops/tablets are better for research followed by reasons/evidence.
HAVE GOOD RESPONSES! YOU CAN ALSO MINIMIZE THE ARGUMENT Most kids mess around with their phones and they don t research nor learn on them followed by reasons/evidence. PREPARE RESPONSES LIKE THAT.
LETS HEAR THE CONTENTIONS THAT YOU WILL RESPOND TO . . . PROP DEBATERS: WHAT ARE YOUR CONTENTIONS? --Instructor assign each OPP debater to respond to a different contention OPP DEBATERS: WHAT ARE YOUR CONTENTIONS? --Instructor assign each PROP debater to respond to a different contention
WHAT RESPONSES DID YOU COME UP WITH? Each debater share one response (in 1-2 sentences). Instructor give feedback on the quality of the response.
DURING A DEBATE You have to use and present your responses along with any you can think of on the spot . . .
WHEN YOU HEAR THEIR CONTENTION, WRITE IT ON YOUR FLOWSHEET! Remember to abbreviate and shorthand what they say AND . . . Spend 90% of your time writing out your responses.
GET YOUR SCRIPT FOR RESPONSES If you are Prop If you are Opp
WHEN YOU GET UP TO SPEAKYOU PRESENT . . . . USE YOUR SCRIPT My opponent argued cell phones cause cyberbullying. My first response is . . . (use your script)
LETS DO A CASE AND RESPONSE DEBATE! USE YOUR CASE AND RESPONSE SCRIPTS and the RESPONSES YOU PREPARED You ll present your case, take ONE question, and you ll ask your opponent ONE question, and you ll respond to your opponent s case. Hang on to your flows/notes because we will use them in the next part of the class
PREPARE DEFEND AND WEIGH
EXAMPLE DEFENDING . . . Remind the judge of your argument I SHOWED CELL PHONES ARE NEEDED IN EMERGENCIES Respond to their responses THEY SAID STUDENTS CAN TELL A TEACHER. BUT, WHAT IF A TEACHER ISN T THERE? WHAT IF THE EMERGENCY INVOLVES YOUR PARENT? STUDENTS NEED A PHONE! Show what is still true about your argument and why that matters. SO PHONES ARE STILL NEEDED FOR EMERGENCIES WHEN TEACHERS AREN T AVAILABLE.
EXAMPLE WEIGHING CONCISELY STATE YOUR BEST ARGUMENT(S) Our side showed cell phones distract and hurt education VERY CONCISELY STATE YOUR OPPONENT S BEST ARGUMENT(S) They argued emergency situations STATE WHY YOUR ARGUMENT(S) ARE STRONGER But there are other ways to solve emergency situations, they happen rarely, and cell phones distract and harm education very badly and that harm happens every single day. TIPS FOR SHOWING YOUR ARGUMENTS ARE STRONGER Your responses defeated their argument Your argument Matters more Your argument is More likely Your argument is Better supported
DEFENDING YOUR ARGUMENTS
HOW THIS WORKS . . . You presented your case in your first speech Your opponent responded Now you need to defend your case against those responses.
THIS IS HARD . . . You need to . . . Remind the judge of your argument Respond to their responses Show what is still true about your argument and why that matters.
EXAMPLE . . . In your first speech, you argued that cell phones are needed in emergencies Your opponent responded that students can just tell a teacher DEFEND YOUR ARGUMENT . . .
EXAMPLE . . . Remind the judge of your argument I SHOWED CELL PHONES ARE NEEDED IN EMERGENCIES Respond to their responses THEY SAID STUDENTS CAN TELL A TEACHER. BUT, WHAT IF A TEACHER ISN T THERE? WHAT IF THE EMERGENCY INVOLVES YOUR PARENT? STUDENTS NEED A PHONE! Show what is still true about your argument and why that matters. SO PHONES ARE STILL NEEDED FOR EMERGENCIES WHEN TEACHERS AREN T AVAILABLE.
NOW YOU DO IT! You argued that Artificial Intelligence helps develop new medicines Your opponent argued that AI is too rudimentary now to help much with medicine.
SO, NOW PREPARE USING YOUR SCRIPT Get your Flowsheet Flow your argument (soc med kids connct soclz) Flow your opponent s response (kds cnnct btter in-pers).
SO, NOW PREPARE USING YOUR SCRIPT Prepare your defense of your case speech --Remind the judge of your argument --Respond to their responses --Show what is true about your argument and why it matters PREPARE AND THEN PRESENT!
WEIGHING ARGUMENTS SHOW WHY YOU WIN Especially in the 3rd speeches but sometimes in earlier speeches, you ll weigh the arguments in the debate.
HOW TO WEIGH IN YOUR DEBATE You look at all the arguments presented in the debate (this is why you flow all the arguments) You explain why your arguments and responses are stronger And thus the judge should vote for your side.
WHAT YOU DO . . . On the last part of the Defend and Weigh Script . . . Write down your side s strongest 1 or 2 arguments (especially yours) AND Write down your opponent s 1 or 2 strongest arguments AND Show why your arguments are stronger.
SHORT SAMPLE . . . Our side showed cell phones distract and hurt education They argued emergency situations But there are other ways to solve emergency situations, they happen rarely, and cell phones distract and harm education very badly and that harm happens every single day.
WHAT REASONS CAN YOU GIVE? Your responses defeated their argument Your argument Matters more Your argument is More likely Your argument is Better supported Let s look at these 4 . . .
DEFEATED THEIR ARGUMENT Point out how your response to their argument defeats that argument. EXAMPLE: there are other ways like telling the teacher to solve emergency situations
