School Literary Societies--Model Constitution, Rules of Parliamentary Procedure, Principles of Debating, Questions for Debate, Bibliographies and References

Mode of access: Internet

Volume 23, Number 2, Winter 1986 Speaker and Gavel

Complete digitized issue (volume 23, issue 2, Winter 1986) of Speaker & Gavel

Volume 23, Number 1, Fall 1985 Speaker and Gavel

Complete digitized issue (volume 23, issue 1, Fall 1985) of Speaker & Gavel

Complete Issue 17(1)

Complete digitized issue (volume 17, issue 1, Fall 1979) of Speaker & Gavel

Resolved: Academic Debate Should Be a Part of Political Science Curricula

This is an author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication following peer review. The publisher version is available on its site.Should political science educators use debate for teaching their undergraduate students? This paper argues for incorporation of academic debate into curriculum of undergraduate courses. It demonstrates the process of arriving at a decision favorable of debate through exploration and analysis of competitive reasons, arguments, and evidence for and against using academic debate as a method of teaching and learning. Empirical evidence for assessing strengths and limitations of academic debate was collected in the undergraduate political science classes by means of educational action research. A corollary of the study is that potential problems of debates should not deter educators from using this instructional technique. The knowledge of debate’s weaknesses can assist in improving the effectiveness of this teaching strategy in promoting students’ skills of critical thinking, and understanding of complex political issues. Awareness of obstacles to academic debate can help to implement this method of instruction in a way which is positive and non-threatening to students

THE EFFECT OF QUESTION PROMPTING AND LANGUANGE ABILITY ON THE QUALITY OF STUDENTS‟ ARGUMENTS

This research examines the effect of question prompts on the quality of arguments written by students with high, moderate, and low language abilities. The research is conducted with a pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group design, focusing on finding the answers to two research questions: a) What are the significant differences between the quality of arguments written by students who use question prompt scaffolding and those who teach with an expository method? b) What are the significant differences between the quality of arguments written by students with high, moderate, and low language abilities? Data is gathered by conducting pre- and post-argumentative tests, which is scored with an adapted version of the Rubric of Argument Quality from Cho and Jonassen (2002). The scores of the quality of students‟ arguments are then analyzed with a mean differential analysis. The results of the study indicate that: a) there are significant differences between the quality of arguments written by students who use question prompt scaffolding and those who teach with an expository method; b) there are no significant differences between the quality of arguments written by students with high, moderate, and low language abilities

Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationPolicy debate is an educational practice that researchers have verified teaches students an important skill set that is highly valued in today's workforce and communities. The problem is that this interscholastic activity has traditionally excluded students from underrepresented populations and those who live in poverty. In the late 1990s, Urban Debate Leagues (UDLs) were created to rectify this problem. UDLs brought policy debate to large urban school districts. Quantitative research shows that UDL students improve their GPAs, test scores, graduation and college matriculation rates. However, there is little qualitative research to support these findings. In this dissertation, I argue that identity is what changes students. Students are influenced by many different identities that they are able to explore through the UDL program. The study asks two questions 1) what identities are offered by a UDL? and 2) what tensions exist between the identities experienced in the UDL and the students' social identities? Critical ethnography and portraiture were the two methodologies utilized. Analysis of the data showed that students explored three types of identities-debater, academic, and the Carlinville Urban Debate League. The findings also showed tensions between debater identities and student's social identities particularly race and class. It was determined that identity was the key to understanding the influence of UDLs on its participants

Complete Issue 12(1)

Complete digitized issue (volume 12, issue 1, Fall 1974) of The Speaker & Gavel

American Intercollegiate Debate: A General Survey with Emphasis on Past & Present Controversies, 1892-1968

Since its inception, intercollegiate debate has not only survived storms of controversy and periods of great change but has grown and matured into a vital part of almost every speech department across the country. Today, tournaments are more numerous than ever; the debaters are more plentiful and just as enthusiastic (even if spectators are not). Even though intercollegiate debate has withstood the struggles of its beginning and the ensuing growing pains, maturity has not brought an end to the problems and controversies. Many present day controversies--such as the value of debate, the value of the tournaments, and the type of decision have raged since the early years; other problems such as debating on both sides of the topic have developed and been temporarily solved only to reappear later. In short, intercollegiate debate is still being debated after more than seventy years. In the face of this realization, has intercollegiate debate made any real progress? that has happened in those seventy years-- what have been the major disagreements and problems of the past? Are they the same today? A survey of this past might suggest realistic and pragmatic solutions of some of the present problems. Some predictions on the direction of debate in the future should be evident concomitant with possible changes that will be necessary for debate to grow as an educational tool. In this study, only the history of intercollegiate debate in America will be dealt with; only the major changes and additions to the tournament1 the topic, the form, and the style will be examined from around 1892 until 1968. In almost every instance, this survey is traced through debate as it existed in the four year college.2 This is, presumably, the place where the most important and significant debating was (and is) done in terms of viewing trends and patterns. 1. Both the contest and tournament will be dealt with, therefore, it is necessary to distinguish between them--a contest debate is a single meeting between two teams whereas a tournament is a predetermined number of contests between several teams from different schools ;:ho meet at one commonly agreed place to carry on a tournament until a champion is determined. 2. Every attempt has been made to limit information to four-year colleges except when a form or change involving a prep school or junior college, or some other context, has been significant to the overview of intercollegiate debate