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Argumentation and Debate Course Syllabus

This syllabus outlines an Argumentation and Debate course that aims to improve students' critical thinking and public speaking skills. The course covers argumentation techniques like speech preparation, outlining, and delivery. Students will analyze arguments, participate in debates, and receive feedback to hone their ability to advocate for positions. Grades are based on assignments like evidence briefs, quizzes, debates, and attending outside debates. The goal is for students to learn how to construct logical arguments, identify fallacies, and become careful communicators and thinkers.

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Fernand CJ Castro
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2K views4 pages

Argumentation and Debate Course Syllabus

This syllabus outlines an Argumentation and Debate course that aims to improve students' critical thinking and public speaking skills. The course covers argumentation techniques like speech preparation, outlining, and delivery. Students will analyze arguments, participate in debates, and receive feedback to hone their ability to advocate for positions. Grades are based on assignments like evidence briefs, quizzes, debates, and attending outside debates. The goal is for students to learn how to construct logical arguments, identify fallacies, and become careful communicators and thinkers.

Uploaded by

Fernand CJ Castro
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Argumentation and Debate Course Syllabus

Department: Communication
Debate

Title of Class: Argumentation and

Catalog Description: For students interested in improving communicative


and public speaking skills. Covers speech research, preparation,
outlining, and delivery. Provides students with practical experience
and evaluation. Includes lecture, speaking before the class,
critiques, evaluation, and watching and listening to others speak.
Expanded Course Description: The special skills of critical thinking and
reasoning are an important part of daily reactions to what you hear, think, and
read. This course is designed to present you with a set of systematic strategies
which should increase your abilities to react critically and to form arguments.
Arguers seek to gain the acceptance of others for their point of view. This class
will help you to learn the art of asking the "right" questions, including right
questions about your own thoughts. You will learn the art of mustering reasons,
of obtaining useful data, of pinpointing the real issue and noticing when an arguer
evades it, and of offering critical opinions based on those evaluations. Critical
thinking isn't just an art; it is a disposition and a commitment. This course is
especially appropriate for students who are interested in careers in law, public
service, education, the ministry, or any position requiring leadership and
advocacy activities. While the course is not designed to teach you formal debating
skills, your informal strategies for advocating and arguing positions will be honed
as we examine reasoning in speeches, conversations, essays, and group
deliberations.
Class Location: PE 102
Class Times: 8:30 to 9:45 AM TR
Instructors Name: James Hunter
Phone: 863 7739
Home: 756 4844
Cell:
404 0644
Office Hours: 8-4 M & F. Office: FS-120.
E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]

1.
Description and Objectives: Examines the study
of argument. Emphasizes reasoning, evidence, analysis, evaluation,
audience analysis, and practice.. Our objectives for this course for
you are:
a.

to understand the logical fallacies of argumentation.

b.
to be able to construct a coherent, logical, sequenced argument,
free from fallacy, supported by documentation and evidence.

c.
to become a more careful and critical thinker
and communicator, both as a speaker and as a listener.
d.
to understand and practice ethical
communication.
e.
to be able to analyze and critique
arguments as they are presented, looking for flaws in logic,
reasoning or evidence.

2. Textbooks and Required Materials: (A)


Arguments and Arguing: The Products and
Process of Human Decision Making, Second
Edition, Thomas A. Hollihan and Kevin T.
Baaske; ISBN: 1-57766-362-4, Publisher:
Waveland Press
(B) How to Argue and Win Every Time: At Home, at Work, in
Court, Everywhere, Every Day By Gerry Spence, Published by
Macmillan, 1996, ISBN 0312144776, 9780312144777

3.

Major Activities and Course Goals: (See the Activities

page) in order of importance rather than by chronology.


Activity1: Construct a viable, logical cases with appropriate
supporting materials.
Activity 2: Construct a comprehensive brief as an extension of
the case, including possible negative attacks
and counter arguments.
Activity 3: Attend a either a College Debate Tournament as a
competitor or spectator, a High School Debate Tournament as a judge or
spectator, documenting the experience with flows and or copies of the ballots.
Activity 4: Participate in in-class debates.

4. Attendance: Attendance counts! This course is built upon


discourse and the analysis thereof. Attendance and participation are essential in
this course because it blends theory and practice. Class discussions are an
important aspect of this course, especially in an environment of mutual respect.
You are likely to enhance your learning and enjoyment by both speaking up and
listening carefully to the ideas of your classmates. Attendance is vital, 10% of the
grade will be tied to in class debates and class participation.
5. Students with Disabilities: If you have any disability which
may impair your ability to successfully complete this course, please contact the
Accessibility Services Department (room BU-145). Academic Accommodations are
granted for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. Services are

coordinated with the student and instructor by the Accessibility Services


Department.

6. Ethics: Each student is expected to maintain academic ethics and


honest in all its forms, including but not limited to, cheating and plagiarism as
defined hereafter:
1. Cheating is the act of using or attempting to use or providing
others with unauthorized information, materials or study aids in
academic work. Cheating includes, but is not limited to, passing
examination answers to or taking examinations for someone else,
or preparing or copying others academic work.
Plagiarism is the act of appropriating any other person's or group's
ideas or work (written, computerized, artistic, etc.) or portions
thereof and passing them off as the product of one's own work in
any academic exercise or study.

2.

7.

Examinations: There will be no written examinations during the

course.

8.

Extra Credit: Participate/view outside of class debates.

9.

Grading Final grades will be based on the following

scale:
A

9301,000

900929

B+

870899

830869

800829

C+

770799

730769

700729

D+

670699

630669

D-

600-629

0599
Assignment
Evidence Brief
Online Quiz

Semester points
50
50

Participate in 2 CX Debates
in class

200

Participate in 2 LD Debates
in class

200

Participate in 2 Parli
Debates in class

200

HS/College Debates
(outside class)

50

Comprehensive Brief

50

Final Written Case

100

Flows/Attendance

100

Total

1,000

9.

Class Schedule (follow this link).

10.

Links of Interest:

Parliamentary Site: http://www.apdaweb.org/old/guide/rules.html


Also Parliamentary: http://cas.bethel.edu/dept/comm/npda/parliamentary.html
Streaming Video of Parli: http://debate.uvm.edu/parlivid.html
Influencing Through Argument: http://debate.uvm.edu/huber/huber00.html
Argumentation Home: http://courses.washington.edu/spcmu/334/home.html
Evaluating Web sites:
http://www3.widener.edu/Academics/Libraries/Wolfgram_Memorial_Library/Evalu
ate_Web_Pages/659/
Debaters Forum: http://www.debate-central.org/forum/
NCPA Debate Central: http://www.debate-central.org/
Univ.

of Vermont Debate Central: http://debate.uvm.edu/

HS LD Ballot

NCFL (HS) LD Ballot

Return to the Main Class Page

AFA Team (Policy) Ballot

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