Refutation: pp. 26 - 28

Click on "comments" below to post your thoughts to the following:

1. In your own words, define "signposting."
2. What is the difference between offensive and defensive arguments? Which is better?
3. Pick one of the five types of arguments in Table 1.3 and explain it in your own words.
4. Why is step three of refutation so important?

Prep Time and Cross-Ex: pp. 25 - 26

Click on "comments" below to post your thoughts to the following:

1. What is your goal in cross-examination?
2. How long is prep time? When in the round can it be used?

Evidence: pp. 21 - 24

Click on "comments" below to post your thoughts to the following:

1. A good piece of evidence contains what three components?
2. Evidence should serve as the __________ to your own argument.
3. When citing the source of your evidence, what important pieces of information need to be included?
4. What are blocks? Why are they important? When are they made?

Value Premise and Criterion: pp. 17 - 20

Click on "comments" below to post your thoughts on the following:

1. What's another term for criterion?
2. Why should you always explain the connection between the premise and criterion?
3. What is the difference between a "statement" and a "concept" criterion?
4. Why is a more specific criterion best?

Logic: pp. 13 - 17

Click on "comments" below to post your thoughts to the following:

1. LD is a debate of values, which can't be proven true or false. The authors use the silly "Diet Coke" example, but can you think of an example of when values are prioritized?
2. Identify the following examples as either "inductive" or "deductive" reasoning: a. Ohio is in the United States. Canton is in Ohio. Therefore, Canton is in the United States. b. Spain and Portugal are near each other, and have similar languages. Denmark and Norway are near each other, and have similar languages. Therefore, countries that are near each other have similar languages.
3. The book mentions some common fallacies that debaters make in their argumentation. Identify the examples below with the correct logical fallacy: a. You should never gamble. Once you start, you won't be able to stop. Eventually, you'll turn to crime to support your gambling habit. b. Immigration to the U.S. has increased. Recently, the minimum wage went up. Increased immigration led to the increase in minimum wage. c. You cannot listen to Carrie Daily's ideas because she is a liberal. Liberal speaker's ideas are not worth listening to. Since Carrie Daily is liberal, you can't listen to her ideas.

Case Writing: pp. 10 - 13

Click on "comments" below to post your thoughts on the following:

1. Why is it important to define terms at the beginning of a debate case?
2. What do the terms "value premise" and "criterion" mean? In the basketball example, what were the value premise and the criterion?
3. Concerning case writing what do the authors suggest is drafted first: the arguments or the premise and criterion?
4. All arguments must have a claim, warrant, and impact. In your own words, what do these terms mean?
5. Of the claim, warrant, and impact, which should link back to the criterion?
6. For Varsity members- on p. 13, the authors discuss the neg defining terms. Why aren't neg definitions accepted in a round if the neg doesn't give a rationale?

Introduction: pp. 1 - 9

Please click on "comments" below to post your thougts to the following:

1. In LD debate, who selects our topics? How often does our topic change?
2. The authors describe debate as a "forced choice" between two ideas that are "mutually exclusive." What do those two terms mean? Feel free to consult the book's glossary, but post definitions in your own words. For Varsity members- Why is debate a forced choice? How is debate a forced choice?
3. On p. 8, the maroon box discusses "weighing." What is meant by this term?
4. Let's have a mini-debate! Using the basketball analogy, post your team selection (O'Neills or Iversons) and include reasons why you are picking that team.

Lincoln-Douglas Summer Reading Assignment

We will use this blog to discuss our reading of the Lincoln-Douglas debate textbook, which can be found online at: http://www.nflonline.org/uploads/Main/IntroductiontoLDDebateOnlineText.pdf

Discussion topics will be posted by chapter beginning June 1st. You may complete them at your own pace, but please do not wait until the week before school starts to begin this assignment!

To post to a discussion topic, you must set up an account with Google. Follow the directions given to you at our May 16th meeting.

Happy Reading!