Argumentation & Debate

1. Argumentation & Debate Resolutions and Stock Issues

2. What is a debate resolution? • An affirmative statement of the topic • Always begins with, “Resolved: That… • Chosen with great care, consideration, and input. • Often used for a semester or a year.

3. Controversy Focus Neutral terms Precision Debaters need a level playing field Allows for directed research The resolution must be free of bias Equivocal terms lead to unproductive debate What are the characteristics of effective resolutions?

4. Why are resolutions chosen? The topic may involve a contemporary and newsworthy controversy. It may involve an issue of lasting import in American government, economics, or culture. It may involve a controversy in which there is little public agreement. It should involve a controversy in which both sides have substantial weight and evidence. It must involve a topic for which evidence is abundant and readily available.

5. What are the types of resolutions? • Fact • Value • Policy

6. Resolution of Fact Resolved: That Carl Yastremski was the most recent winner of baseball’s triple crown.

7. Resolution of Value Resolved: That laws which seek to ban abortion reflect American democratic values.

8. Resolutions of policy Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially decrease its authority either to detain without charge or to search without probably cause.

9. What are the roles of the affirmative and negative teams? • The affirmative (AFF) “affirms” (supports, argues in favor of) the resolution • The negative (NEG) “negates” the resolution • AFF has the burden of proof, or the burden of the resolution • NEG initially has the burden of rejoinder • NEG enjoys presumption

10. Keeping a Flow Sheet • I. Data mining threatens Americans’ right to privacy. • Privacy is a basic right of all Americans • B. The federal government is committed to the use of data mining. • C. Data mining techniques threaten the privacy of Americans.

11. Keeping a Flow Sheet • I. Data mining threatens Americans’ right to privacy. • Privacy is a basic right of all Americans • B. The federal government is committed to the use of data mining. • C. Data mining techniques threaten the privacy of Americans. 1. Privacy rights are outweighed by safety concerns. • There can be no personal privacy without security from terrorism. • b. Polls show that Americans want to sacrifice some privacy to be safe. Congress has limited data mining. Data mining systems include privacy protections.

12. Keeping a Flow Sheet • I. Data mining threatens Americans’ right to privacy. • Privacy is a basic right of all Americans • B. The federal government is committed to the use of data mining. • C. Data mining techniques threaten the privacy of Americans. 1. Privacy rights are outweighed by safety concerns. • There can be no personal privacy without security from terrorism. • b. Polls show that Americans want to sacrifice some privacy to be safe. Congress has limited data mining. Data mining systems include privacy protections.

13. Keeping a Flow Sheet • I. Data mining threatens Americans’ right to privacy. • Privacy is a basic right of all Americans • B. The federal government is committed to the use of data mining. • C. Data mining techniques threaten the privacy of Americans. Terrorists have already won if civil liberties are abandoned. Privacy rights are absolute; feds should not be allowed to decide when to violate them. Constitutional rights should not be squandered because of popular opinion. Data mining programs have simply been renamed, not banned. Protections are woefully inadequate. 1. Privacy rights are outweighed by safety concerns. • There can be no personal privacy without security from terrorism. • b. Polls show that Americans want to sacrifice some privacy to be safe. Congress has limited data mining. Data mining systems include privacy protections.