Lecture Notes Week 05

Below you'll find the most important information from our fifth seminar - Storytelling, debate and argumentation

Task 01: Preparation for Debate

On Thursday, 13 April, we will have ourselves a debate. The topic of the debate is: Rewriting Children's Books.

Prompt: The topic for our upcoming debate is whether or not it is necessary to rewrite children's books to be more in line with current social standards. One of the latest examples has been the case of Roald Dahl's famous book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

To prepare for the debate, research some examples of children's books that have been rewritten or adapted to remove references to racism, sexism, or body shaming. Collect your notes as you see works best for you - on paper, mind map etc., and share this before Thursday next week.

Please submit your answers by emailing: [e-mail] and [e-mail]

The Oxford-style debate

Oxford-style debates are a format of academic debate that originated at the Oxford Union, a debating society at the University of Oxford in the 19th century. This style of debate has since been adopted by universities around the world and is commonly used in political, legal, and academic settings.

The purpose of an Oxford-style debate is to provide an opportunity for individuals to engage in a structured and intellectual discussion on a controversial topic. The format is designed to encourage critical thinking and effective communication skills.

In an Oxford-style debate, there are two teams, each consisting of three to five members (in some cases, larger teams include specific research teams or advisory members to the core team). One team argues for the proposition, while the other argues against it. Each team member delivers a speech, with the first speaker for the proposition and the first speaker against the proposition delivering opening statements. This is followed by a series of rebuttals and cross-examinations, where members of each team question and challenge the arguments made by the other team.

One of the key features of an Oxford-style debate is that the audience votes on the motion at the beginning and end of the debate, and the winning team is the one that has persuaded the most people to change their initial vote.

Participating in an Oxford-style debate can be a rewarding experience. Not only will it help you develop your research, critical thinking, and communication skills, but it will also teach you how to engage in respectful and thoughtful discussions with those who hold different views. To prepare for an Oxford-style debate, make sure you research the topic thoroughly, anticipate counterarguments, and practice delivering clear and persuasive speeches. Remember to listen carefully to the arguments made by the other team and respond to them thoughtfully. Participating in an Oxford-style debate can be a challenging but ultimately rewarding experience that will benefit you in many ways throughout your academic and professional life.

The class debate structure

• Introduction (10 minutes):

  • Introduction to the topic and explain the purpose of the debate.

  • Divide the class into two groups and assign each group a side of the debate.

  • Provide students with the guidelines and rules for an Oxford-style debate.

• Body (40 minutes):

  • Each group will have 15 minutes to prepare their arguments and rebuttals.

  • The first group will present their opening argument for five minutes, followed by a rebuttal from the opposing group for two minutes.

  • The second group will then present their opening argument for five minutes, followed by a rebuttal from the opposing group for two minutes.

  • The first group will then have two minutes for a final rebuttal, followed by a two-minute final rebuttal from the second group.

• Conclusion (15 minutes):

  • Ask students to reflect on the debate and their participation in it.

  • Encourage a class discussion on the topic of rewriting books and the impact it can have on literature and society.

  • Provide students with resources for further research and reflection on the topic.

• Assessment:

  • Students will be assessed on their ability to articulate arguments and rebuttals, their research and critical thinking skills, and their overall participation in the debate.

Argument and Debate

To prepare for your debate, consider the following structures and patterns for your arguments. You will notice that the structure corresponds to various story telling techniques and patterns.

INDUCTIVE vs DEDUCTIVE

Deductive arguments start with a general statement or principle (called a premise) and then apply it to a specific case to reach a conclusion. The conclusion is necessarily true if the premise is true.

For example:

• Premise 1: All cats have fur.

• Premise 2: Felix is a cat.

• Conclusion: Therefore, Felix has fur.

This is a deductive argument because it starts with a general statement (premise 1) and then applies it to a specific case (premise 2) to reach a conclusion that necessarily follows from the premises.

Inductive arguments, on the other hand, start with specific observations or evidence and then use them to make a general conclusion that is probable but not necessarily true.

For example:

• Observation 1: Every crow I have seen is black.

• Observation 2: The crow in my backyard is black.

• Conclusion: Therefore, all crows are black.

This is an inductive argument because it starts with specific observations (observations 1 and 2) and then makes a general conclusion that is probable but not necessarily true. It's possible that there is a non-black crow somewhere in the world, but based on the observations we have made, it's reasonable to assume that all crows are black.

In general, deductive arguments are used in math, logic, and other formal systems where the conclusions must follow necessarily from the premises.

Inductive arguments are used in science, social science, and everyday reasoning, where we use observations and evidence to make conclusions that are probable but not necessarily certain.

Classic Argument for the Debate (also known as the Aristotelian argument)

Consider this pattern when developing your speech, but also debate and argumentation

• Introduction

  • Convince readers that the topic is worthy of their attention.

  • Provide background information that sets the stage for the argument.

  • Provide details that show you as a credible source.

  • End with a thesis statement that takes a position on the issue or problem you have established to be arguable.

• Presentation of position

  • Give the reasons why the reader should share your opinion.

  • Provide support for the reasons.

  • Show why the reasons matter to the audience.

• Presentation and rebuttal of alternative positions

  • Show that you are aware of opposing views.

  • Systematically present the advantages and disadvantages of the opposing views.

  • Show that you have been thorough and fair but clearly have made the correct choice with the stand you have taken.

• Conclusion

  • Summarize your argument.

  • Make a direct request for audience support.

  • Reiterate your credentials.