This course emphasizes the ability to communicate your ideas succinctly and effectively. While personal opinions are meaningful, there is a need to ground such ideas in research. This opportunity allows you to rethink your own perspectives and ideas in relation to relative research.
In groups, you will debate the merits of a particular side of an assigned topic (i.e. is abortion immoral?). Your role will be to assure you develop a cohesive argument, regardless if you agree with the position you have been assigned. There is no formal written component for this project.
Each group will be given two opinion papers – one will support their debate position while the other will refute their agenda. While these articles are extremely useful, they should not be used as the sole source of research for your debate; they are the catalyst to further rigorous and systematic investigation.
The debate will entail the following format: Opening Arguments, Rebuttals (two rounds), Closing Arguments, and finally Class Discussion. Not only it is important to defend your position, superior debaters are ready to counter the arguments of the opposing side. And such arguments must be accompanied by tangible research (i.e. overheads, handouts, charts, graphs, pictures) to make for a more meaningful and exact debate.
The Great Debate will be assessed out of 40, divided evenly into the Ministry of Education’s achievement chart categories of Knowledge/Understanding, Thinking/Inquiry, Communication and Application. You will be assessed on the thoroughness, effectiveness, delivery and defense of your argument. Top marks will be reserved for students able to articulate their ideas with a superior level of originality, sophistication and invention.