f
|
|
COMM 3271
Textbook: Burden of Proof: an
Introduction to Argumentation, by Mark Crossman
Gary Gillespie ©, Director of Debate 425 889-5257 (o) - 889-9418 (h)
Team Captain Morgan Chinn
COURSE SCHEdULE
COMM 3721 Students
may receive credit for taking part in the TalkBack Debating
Society for on campus debates Traveling
1. Attendance and participation: students will attend all TalkBack small group meetings and turn in a
report listing the time, date
and location of the meeting and what occurred. Each report
should be Requirements
for COMM 3722 and
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
An Ancient Tradition: College students have studied debate and public speaking since the Greek philosopher Plato founded the Academy—the first university—in 386 BC. Refusing to be ruled by kings or dictators, the ancient Greeks invented democracy. In order to make democracy successful, every educated citizen of Athens was trained in public argument and, consequently, speech assignments were common for the elite young men who studied under Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates.
From the beginning of academia, learning to speak in public has been considered an essential part of higher education. In today’s information age, becoming an effective communicator is all the more vital. Oral communication skills often top employer’s list of desirable traits for new hires. If your future career involves working with people, public speaking and debate will certainly be a part of it
In fact the ability to argue well is an important part of everyday life. Our conversations with friends, exposure to the media, our social and political lives and even our witness as Christians often involve arguments. It is important, consequently, that each of us is able to understand, criticize, and respond to the arguments we hear and see.
Overview:
Debate Team COMM
3722 is a co-curricular class
for students who compete in the Forensics program. Students will
compete in debate and – if they choose -- individual speaking events
(I.Es) at speech tournaments held throughout our region, as well as
meet twice weekly with the instructor and other students for
practice and discussion sessions until after the last tournament of
the semester.
Objectives: Our debate program provides students with the
opportunity to improve their communication skills through both
competitive and non-competitive activities. We seek to foster
excellence in students who represent the college. Students are
challenged to demonstrate a high degree of commitment, individual
initiative and willingness to participate at assigned tournaments.
Our Mission: Eagle Debate seeks to fulfill the mission of Northwest University to train students for leadership and service. Our desire is to see debaters strive for excellence in competition, maximize their potential as critical thinkers and public communicators and to live out the values of the evangelical Christian world view in their personal and academic relationships
Constraints
Students cannot be on citizenship or academic probation and
enroll in the course or be involved with the program.
Students must have at least a 3.00 GPA and a SAT score of 1725 or better or an ACT of 22 or better to participate with the traveling team.
Scholarship recipients must attend all practices and be willing to attend at least four tournaments each semester --any less and it is hardly worth being involved at all. You will not be successful with out competitive experience. NOTE: long distance national tournaments and public show debates do not normally count as two of the four since these are special honors.
Debaters must turn in five original briefs or brief written assignments based on Debatapedia as assigned.
Scholarship recipients must turn in the briefs, read the text, attend the Worlds Workshop, four tournaments and all practices or the team commitment portion of the scholarship will be reduced or eliminated the following semesters.
Requirements—Traveling Debate Students must:
Buy or obtain
a copy of the text: Burden of Proof: an Introduction to
Argumentation, by Mark Crossman. Be prepared to answer questions
on key chapters.
Subscribe to the Wall Street Journal (paid for by the program) and read editorials daily. Be prepared to discuss key opinion pieces.
Plan now to attend tournaments. In order to control the budget, we may not be able to take everyone to all tournaments. But, being able to attend tournaments is the best way to improve. Scholarship recipients must attend four. Second year debaters have preference over novices.
Attend all assigned practice sessions. Attendance is required to be involved in competition. I understand emergencies or serious illness—defined as “I can’t get out of bed or attend classes”. If you are seriously sick, that is OK. But, scholarship recipients are expected to show strong commitment.
Think about the time athletes commit – three hours for five days. We only ask two hours twice a week. Thus, students who miss more than once cannot be on the team. Students who may have trouble coming to meetings should rethink their involvement. TalkBack is always an option.
Show up on Time. Coming on time is a nonverbal message that says you value this activity. Please confirm that you are a responsible person and plan to be at practice at the agreed meeting time sharp. I will be concerned if a student misses more than one practice meeting or who habitually comes late.
Students who commit to an individual speaking event (such as editorial commentary or impromptu) and then drop out of the event after registration has been paid will have the registration fee subtracted from their food allowance (usually $10). Students who “no show” a round will have their semester grade reduced.
Who
owns trophies? Because Debate Team is a co-curricular activity
in which students represent the university, the program will pay for
transportation, lodging and will provide a small food allowance.
Therefore, trophies won by students are considered property of the
college. When the student graduates trophies will be returned to
the student. All trophies will be displayed in debate trophy case
at the end of the semester for the campus community to see. This
policy is a standard practice for all forensics programs in the
Northwest. (This policy does not apply to speaker awards, which the
student may keep immediately.)
Exhibit proper sportsmanship and follow high
ethical standards. Be willing to assist other team members in
debate research and observing practice rounds. Do not be
deceptive in a debate round or plagiarize briefs. While you are
role playing in debates, it is not acceptable to lie or make up
statistics. Do not rationalize lying. Honesty in small things builds
your character.
Consider the Air Force Academy’s code: “We will not lie, cheat or
steal, or tolerate those among us who do.” The military knows
that honesty among soldiers fighting in battle saves lives. A squad
must be able to trust each other or some combatants will not come
home.
NU Life Style and alcohol policy
“Our community embraces health in mind, body and spirit.
The university
recognizes the danger to one’s physical and psychological well being
in the use of certain products. Therefore, members of the community
are to refrain from the use of tobacco in any form, alcoholic
beverages, hallucinogenic drugs, and substances (including
marijuana) or narcotics not authorized by a physician. Under no
other circumstances are the above to be used, possessed or
distributed on or away from campus. Members are expected not to
abuse the use of legal substances.”
Dating.
In order to focus our attention of developing our debate skills in a
professional manner on weekend trips, men and women on the NU debate
team cannot form romantic relationships with each other. If such a
relationship develops, one of the two must leave the team.
Seek to be “we oriented” and not just “me oriented.” While receiving a scholarship is an added benefit that helps many choose debate over other activities, student who choose to debate for no other reason lack the “we orientation” that our team requires. Such a person should re-consider the reasons for involvement.
Another way to
show that you are part of the team is by attending the team Bible
studies, worship services and group dinner parties. We seek to
create a safe and supportive environment where everyone feels valued
and affirmed.
ASSIGNMENTS:
Read
the opinion page of the Wall Street Journal daily to gain knowledge
of current events. Debaters will keep a notebook portfolio of
slipped articles related to possible debate topics.
In addition, debaters may want to watch streaming news videos on
CSPAN or other new pages. Read articles given to you by the coaches.
Each
debater must turn in five hard copies of Debatapedia briefs that you
are assigned to research. These should be cut to fit letter sized
paper and will be copied and bound for the whole team to use.
Debaters must attend meetings Monday and Wednesday for practice
debates or as assigned. Meeting times are from 3:40 to about 5:10
PM – or as unanimously agreed to by the team. Debaters are expected
to be present at the start of practice and not plan to leave until
5:10.
Our attendance
policy permits students to miss once for personal reasons, but let
the coach know in advance in order to adjust for practice debates.
Students who skip more than twice cannot be on the team. One missed
practice will result in semester grade reduction. Students working
on individual events may come at 2:40 for coaching either day or
Fridays.
Turn
in five Briefs or reports on your assigned Debatapedia page. Details
explained in practice. Plagiarizing material is an automatic F.
Debaters who compete in one other event besides debate
-- usually impromptu -- will receive a $500 increase in their
scholarship the following year.
Semester Grading:
- Participation: (showing up on time, not leaving early, attending four tournaments, turning in assignments on time, abiding by covenant, supportive attitude and willingness to cooperate) :
- Minimum of Five Brief or Debatabase Reports based on Wall Street Journal opinion pages turned in before Nov. 5. Fall or Feb. 18 spring semester. The goal is to complete about one report each week.
- Students will receive an A if the meet the above requirements and turn in the brief – report assignments. Students will receive a B or less if they do not fulfill the requirements above. For example, let us say that you turn in five briefs, but somehow come late to practice or are unable or unwilling to come to a tournament -- then your grade would be a B or less. Students unable to attend tournaments cannot be on the traveling team the following semester.
- Grade
Descriptors
http://eagle.northwestu.edu/provost/faculty/Grade_Descriptors.htm
COMM 3723 and 3724
Students who
enroll in the class for three or four credits are expected to do
additional work to justify these credits. In addition to completing
the requirements for team members above, these students usually turn
in five additional briefs per credit before Nov. 5 fall or Feb. 18
spring semester. Other assignments such as coaching the home-school
debate club, working on a team brief book or evidence file may be
substituted on a case by case basis in negotiation with the coach.
Your grade will be based on completing written assignments before
the deadline and the quality of your research and writing. Note: as
with all academic work plagiarism must be avoided with the
Debatapedia reports by using quote marks. Original work will be
rewarded with higher grades.
Scholarship Criteria
Recognizing that not all students on the team will necessarily
receive a scholarship, those who do must agree to:
1. Sign and
abide by the Debate Covenant. This means that you will make an
effort to accept each person on the team as a friend in Christ. We
will not lie to each other. As a team, you will assist and encourage
others to do their best and not compete with each other.
2. Make debate the first priority over any other extra
curricular activity. For example, if you are in another activity
which has a meeting or weekend event at the same time as debate, you
will choose the debate commitment instead. You cannot be on the team
unless debate is your main activity commitment.
3. Attend the two weekly practice meetings faithfully. You
will not come late or leave early. You will miss no more than once
for personal reasons.
4. Set aside time to read debate research, emails, Discovery
posts and keep a portfolio of debate briefs or Debatapedia reports,
cases and organized research and turn it in before Nov. 5 or Feb. 18
spring semester.
5. You are willing to attend four tournaments each semester.
(Not counting public show debates or our Worlds Workshop.)
6. To build a cooperative team spirit, you will attend the group
dinners and special events that the team sponsors, probably only
once or twice a year.
7. Email the coach five original briefs or Debatapedia reports as
explained in practice.
8. You will purchase and read the textbook and review key chapters
to improve your chances of success.
OUR EAGLE DEBATE COVENANT
In order to make
Eagle Debate a worthwhile investment of time and energy, to spur us
on in our commitment to Christ and to maintain competitiveness as a
team
We promise to:
* Treat each other in Christ-like ways. We choose to accept others who may not share a similar personality and covenant together to be friends in Christ. We will be quick to forgive and try to speak well of others whenever possible. We promise to show Christian love to each other by seeking the best for other teammates. We will not lie or misrepresent our intensions to each other. We will treat our leaders and teammates with kindness and respect.
* Tell the truth
in debate rounds by not making up facts we know are not correct.
* As members of
a team that is “we oriented” and not a group of independent
individuals who are “me oriented.”
* Befriend
students from other schools in order to be a positive witness of
Christ’s character.
* Make debate
the first priority above other extra activities because we seek
excellence in performance.
We also
promise:
1. To attend weekly practice meetings Monday and
Wednesday from 3:40 to 5:10 PM (or as unanimously agreed by the
team) until the last tournament of the semester or as
assigned—missing no more than once for personal reasons or as
excused by the coach. We will not come late or leave early.
2. Be committed to events entered (not dropping
out after registration has been sent) and not to “No show” any
round.
3. To check email and Discovery page weekly for
announcements and research posting.
4. Turn in original briefs before the date
assigned.
5. Read the opinion pages of your copy of the Wall
Street Journal consistently.
Student Signature
See Discovery
Page for more
Eagle Debate Page with Photos and
news