Proposition and Opposition Arguments: Debate Plan Worksheet – Hum 114

Summary

A guide to preparing for a debate. Students learn how to research and rank arguments for and against a topic. They also learn how to refine their case statement and anticipate opposition strategies.

Preparing Arguments

Students list general arguments for their stance on a debate topic. They research and list two facts to support each argument. They then rank the arguments by strength or importance. They do the same for opposing arguments.

Refining the Case Statement

Students learn how to state their case clearly and concisely. They include an evaluative term and consider the breadth of opposition strategies. They also think about exceptions and different groups affected by their policy.

Anticipating Opposition

Students consider different categories of arguments. They think about philosophical, practical, economic, legal, and personal benefit arguments. They also consider how to reduce the weight of arguments that adversely affect some groups.

Researching and Citing Sources

Students learn how to find and cite sources to support their arguments. They use a variety of sources, including academic papers, news articles, and websites. They also learn how to evaluate the credibility of their sources.

Key terms

Proposition

An argument that supports a student's stance on a debate topic.

Opposition

An argument that opposes a student's stance on a debate topic.

Case statement

A single, concise statement that clearly outlines a student's position.

Evaluative term

A word or phrase that indicates a value judgment, such as 'should', 'ought', or 'better than'.

Opposition strategies

The different ways that an opponent might argue against a student's case.

Citing sources

Acknowledging the original source of information used in an argument.

Questions this document helps with

• How do you research facts to support a debate argument?
• What makes a good case statement for a debate?
• How do you anticipate and prepare for opposition arguments?

Summary written with AI from the document's text.