Aloha! Adios! AuRevoir!

My friends, you've done some good, honest (well, according to turnitin.com anyways...) and respectable work this semester and most importantly, you stuck with it when times got tough! I'm damn proud of you--Keep in touch and try not to forget everything! For this post, please share your favorite moment in class and something you learned from another student (say their name in the post). Good luck and please keep in touch--Have a wonderful summer of fun and relaxation! You deserve it!

Debate 2

Review of Lincoln-Douglas Debate Style and Value Claims

http://www.illinoiscivilwar.org/debates.html
This site  explains the begining of this style in the 1850's,    fyi

http://debate.uvm.edu/NFL/rostrumlibld.html
Lots of info on LD and cross exams on this site, you have to tool around to find the good stuff!

Remember: Each team of 2 will debate a resolution of VALUE by establish a definition or two and then exploring ill/ blame and/or a plan. Affirmative is the govt/side for the resolution/change and negative argues for the status quo. As always, the burden of proof is with the affirmative. After each 3 minute constructive speech, the other side will cross exam for about one minute in an unscripted "shoot out" or "forensic free-for-all!" Then rebuttals should take about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes to wrap up, review and end very MEMORABLY as well as restate the resolution for the audiences' benefit. No outline is required, but each side should have a good visual aid and consider dressing to "support" their argument.

Post your questions and or ideas on two topics here:

1.) Questions about the LD debates next week

2.) Suggestions and creative ideas for your final exam

SPRIIIING BREAK!!!!!!!!! Woo-hoo!

Blog right away so you can start the good times! In parli debate, we raise a point of information (ala Alex) to politely ask for additional info and suggest the other team may have been hasty or oversimplified. For this blog, raise a "P.O.I." about summer vacation, in response to this statement by me, as the govt team for the resolution: WE should all go to summer school. Assume I recognized you when you stood up to raise the P.O.I. persuasively!!!--This is good practice for the May 6th debate, on campus from 9-3. ($5.00 charge for pizza lunch and tons of extra credit if you WIN or even make finals round!). Have a fun break! I am proud of you guys!!!! S

Earth Day!!!

Hey Gang! The debates are going so well--All the evidence gathering paid off! For this blog we will focus on Earth Day --Next week CRC celebrates Earth Day with fun stuff all week long! For extra credit, join us Wed evening 4/13 on the southeast corner of the lawn out by Sociology and child development, facing the new public library on the Hwy  99 side of campus--there are some picnic tables over there and you'll see the telescopes--it runs from 815-930 pm, get 5 points for coming out and up to 15 points for writing up a report on 5 common arguments and fallacies associated with Global Warming. Don't miss the night time fun--bring a flashlight!!! For this blog, please post one complete Toulmin argument about Earth Day and the importance of ' re-use, re-new, recycle!'  (see your Toulmin Homework handout for ideas) Use a claim, modified by a qualifier and supported by evidence and then state the warranting assumption (see textbook, chpt 2 for details)--Earth FIRST!!!

Fallacies/Debates and missed class 3/29

Hi Gang! I got really sick over the weekend, sorry for the last minute class cancellation on 3/29 Tuesday--I will be in class Thursday to collect your case/brief assignments, hand out the take home exam and help teams prep for next week's debates. To review, here is the schedule for next Tuesday: First round of debate I
April 5th: Mike D, Trevor, Melissa and Mike
April 5th: Neal, Michelle, Raiza, Ying and Dimo
For this week's blog: let's work with fallacies. The most important ones to know are: Slippery slope, hasty generalization, non-sequitor, begging the question, bandwagon, ad hominem and faulty cause--These are all flaws in reasoning that you can commit or accuse your opponents of.

Slippery slope: One little action will lead to a huge landslide! ie: if you ever try pot you are sure to become a heroin addict!
hasty generalization: Taking one example and applying it to an entire group (stereotyping falls here) ie: everyone who wears baggy pants is in a gang.
Non sequitor (does not follow): Evidence is unrelated to the cause, ie: It is sure to rain today, I wore my lucky scarf!
begging the question: Claim is unsupported so claim is repeated, ie: "I can't get an F! I am an A student!!!"
bandwagon: everyone is doing it! (only evidence is compliance), ie: trends
ad hominem: attacking the person, not the argument, ie: "How will he run the country, he can't even manage his own love-life?!"
Faulty cause: Suggesting an unproven cause (mistaking a correlation for a cause), ie:  If the suspect was in the house between 8 and 9pm, and the murder took place at 830pm, the suspect must have done it!


Blog Task: Idnetify and give an example of one of the fallacies above, using your own evidence. Humorous entries are welcome! Smiels--Sandra

Make the Case!

Spring Break...4 weeks from now....You: Mired in a stack of evidence so high you need a ladder to go through it. Your teacher: She must be nuts, this is an impossible workload! After you hand in the evidence assignment, you have to make a prima facie case on the side of Gov't. (for change). Remember...Contentions 1-4....you know, stock issues? Ill, harm, blame, cost benefits...Is it coming back to you now? For this blog, splash some cold water on your face and pretend it's an ocean breeze. Walk over your unswept floor and lie to yourself...it's SAND somewhere near Santa Cruz....or Baja....do a couple sit-ups, shake out your beach towel....is it kicking in yet???? SPRINK FEVER???????!!!!!!!!!!! OK...Make a case for Spring Break....state a rsolution and four simple contentions about anything to do with spring break plans, the length of time we take break, when and where it should happen, how it should change, what one should plan/have/wear/whatever.
EX:
1. Resolution: THB Spring Break should be shorter.
2. ILL: Students are being hurt by leaving their studies for a whole week.
3. BLAME: The Los Rios School DIstrict
4. PLan:  I propose a long weekend instead: 3 days max. We can rename it: Spring Long Weekend Time. BRILLIANT!!! The communication department could be the first dept to implement this new improved spring "stall" at CRC. I mean, come on people: China doesn't offer a spring break!
5. The benfits will be improved grades and less sunburns and hang overs! This far outwieghs the cost of a few less days at the  beach or partying! Vote for me and my team of one curly-headed whack-job teacher coalition.

EXTRA CREDIT plus: Your First Publication!!! Be famous! (well...kinda...)

Are you a writer? A visual artist? Please consider contributing your creative work to the fifth annual edition of Cosumnes River College’s literary publication. We are committed to publishing emerging and established writers, including Cosumnes River College students, faculty, staff, and the rest of the world.
We want your: short stories; essays, including autobiographical narrative, criticism, interviews; mini-essays (250 words) on the theme: carpe diem; poems; art: photographs, drawings, etc. Also, please include a fifty-word bio with your submission. Please forward your contributions to: crc-ljsubmit@crc.losrios.edu
Include no more than five poems or photos per entry; limit your short stories + essays to two contributions per year. Please send MS Word attachments for writing + jpeg files for the art.

For the Spring 11 issue, e-mail crc-ljsubmit@crc.losrios.edu by March 18th.

Post questions, ideas, or a favorite quote or idea taken from your own, newly improved Advocay paper to this blog--Did you benefit from these revisions? Hope you take the time to apply for the journal!  I'll join your fan club!

Prove it!

The evidence assignment is underway, the hardest and most challenging assignment of our class--Next we'll try and form resolutions around each topic that we can agree on within each debate group--Our final topics included: Facebook, Somalian Pirating and the Egyptian political crisis--we eliminated everything else, right? For this blog we'll explore how one topic is open to a variety of cases as each of you tries your hand at a version of the resolution. Remember you want a prima facie case, or case that can stand on its own merrit.

--So please post your name, the topic that you signed up for (if absent, claim a topic from the list above here) and then declare a resolution, (or proposition, same thing, basically the 'thesis of your debate) in the affirmative (worded on the side of the govt) which you think would lead to a good, hearty, lively debate --I want you to avoid getting into much detail here as we are so early in the "discovery" process, as they refer to 'evidence gathering' in courts of law--try to stay open to all sorts of possiblities and let your research guide you towards a case, ok? If you find yourself planning details already, such as what to say and how to debate your topic....WHOA!!!! ----you are jumping ahead SMARTY! Back up, just read and absorp as much info on your topic as you can without evaluating it or categorizing it just yet...Please read all the other entries to be sure your reslotuion is different than your classmates--for extra credit, please offer constructive feedback on the topics you DID NOT sign up for, using our COMM 311 course vocabulary.

EXAMPLE POST:
My topic: Legalizing Pot (just an example topic)

My Resolution: Resolved: The City of Sacramento should only open weGROW marijuana dispenseries located right next door to or inside of hopitals and doctors' offices in order to regulate traffic and allow for optimum policing

SAMPLE  ex cr feedback on resolution: Good job Sandra (if that is your REAL name....???) Legalizing pot in Sacramento has been so controversial, I would reword your resolution by adding a "reservation" (according to Toulmin in our book,  these are "exception" or "unless" clauses that show your willingness to accomodate the opposition a bit.) I'd reword your resolution like this: Sac should restrict weGROW pot dispensaries to hospital and medical settings except those within 1 mile of public and private schools.

Watching The Great Debaters

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427309/quotes?qt0431970

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427309/quotes?qt0431973

Review the closing arguments (Rebuttal Speeches, not constructives per parli debate guidelines) from the film we watched in class by clicking the links above. Then choose one or the other for this blog response. Did you select Samantha's or James's speech? Tell us why you find the speech moving of effective. What type of appeals are used? What language choices make the short speeches persuasive? What aspects of delivery made the speeches persuasive when presented by the actors? Isn't it disturbing to reflect back on all of the closed-minded thinking that the team had to challenge just to get to the point that different races could sit on the same stage to debate? I hope the film instills a level of admiration for debate as a tool of change! Remember that our midterm will be based on aspectsof this film. Happy Presidents' Day Holiday everyone, keep up the great work in class--Smiles--Sandra

Post 4: Music and Food

AWESOME stock issues, you guys are funny! Did you catch the Grammy's? Who'd you like, what was weird, who annoyed you, who IS Dolly Parton???? Make a bold claim about the show, a performance or the world of music in general, your fave or least fave artist, ect--then support this claim with relevent evidence. What does any of this have to do with food: Nothing. Why is food in the title of the blog? I don't know. Maybe I am hungry....

Post #3: The Stock Issues (as in stalk-ing)

Hey gang--Sorry this was delayed but here we are! This week I want you to propose a resolution (remember? Like a thesis but for a debate...always worded in the affirmative, [for change] preceeded by THB: or Resolved:) Then suggest the four stock issues (contentions 1-4) for your reolution in brief. Here's the catch: Your resolution (or proposition) must be about yourself, your own life or your stuff! I'll go first:

RESOLUTION: THB: Los Rios should pay me and other part time teachers a million dollar fashion fund.
Contention 1: Let's examine my poor fashion budget ok? I am being hurt when I have to roll with my homies in last years flarey high-waisted pants instead of skinny jeans. Also everyone around me wearing fashionable skinny jeans is being harmed by my out-of-date fashion due to a small paycheck. This is unreasonable for my  fashion budget. Other harm includes that my flarey out of style pants might accidentally cut other people's ankles. They are so darn swishy!
Blame: Cont 2: It is my employer's fault, The College board --specifically the payroll department for failing to recognize my genius and immediately grant me a raise so I can get me some of those skinny jeans. Teachers should get paid more. All teachers. This is an inherent structual flaw in my paycheck, change must come swiftly!!!!
Plan/Cure: Cont 2 (Must be topical!) My plan is too host a write-in campaign, where (AGENTS) my charming students will (mandate) flood the corporate office with cards and letters singing my praises and raving about my value to the district, state and even the world. My admirers will generate flow charts, graphs and powerpoint slides showing how much other life-changing folks make for a living. (ie: doctors, football players and even world leaders) and how important fashion is to education. Specifically, credibility. Right? Funding will be easy to come by as we will raise the tax rate on bread, water and dental floss. To, uh, 19.8%. Immediately. Maybe we'll have a carwash. A 250.00 dollar car wash. Yes. That's it.
Cost/Benefit: Cont #4--As you can see people, my plan is solid and it directly solves the ill I suffer in out of style pants. Who am I --the Jessica Simpson of debate teachers??? Specifically, this plan will prevent me from unfairly doing without skinny jeans. My plan is solvent and the benefits far outweigh the tiny , almost 20% dramatic increase in tax on important stuff. Isn't it worth it to get me into the proper style of jeans before it is too late and the bootcut comes back? You know it is so vote for me, the govt side: THB: LOs Rios should pay part time teachers like me (especially) a one million dollar fashion fund.

The Presidential Speech This Evening: Affirmative, Negative and Resolution

Hi Gang! Sorry I missed you today, don't come to class on Thursday but I will be back next Tuesday! In the meantime, watch the presidential state of the union address, either tonight (1/25/Tuesday) at 6pm on most major local TV stations OR catch a recorded version on You Tube, CNN or CSPAN or elsewhere afterward. Then consider Georgine's lecture on propostions/resolutions Tuesday in class--The proposition/Resolution or the "thesis" of a good argument is important to focus a good speech/debate.

Answer a couple of the following inquiries, NOTE: I am NOT asking for your opinion of the president or his political party here. We are all rhetorical critics examining an "artifact" (The Speech) objectively, ok? So using your class vocabulary and book knowledge so far consider:

What would you say was the "thesis" or resolution of of our president's S of the U message? (Remember the resolution is worded on the govt side/the affirmative side/that is the side promoting CHANGE in a debate setting)--What is the status quo response to the president? (The negative side of the big issues or the side that resists any changes is the status quo). What points seemed to go over well? What was controversial? How does President Obama set up the more controversial material to make it less "upsetting" for opponents? When and what type of evidence does he use for his arguments? Is this speech persuasive? What has become of the refrain "yes we can" associated with the presidents' election? Do we still hear it? What new catch phrases are repeated during this speech and how does the repetition effect the audience?

Visit this site for some things to listen for and try not to repeat what others post, rather extend and add on to other ideas and responses --join the conversation! http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/104895/20110125/top-six-themes-of-state-of-the-union-address-2011-preview.htm

Please email any questions about your advocacy papers which are due next Tuesday, wheeleSacrc.losrios,edu--I will see you then, this blog is open until next TH before class fyi

Welcome!

Hello--What a pleasure tohave you in my class. I am excited to get the debates going and learn what matters to you so I can help you learn to make effective arguments. Please go tothe syllabus (under "pages" and "home" to your right)--Review, and then post here with your name, and one short question about the syllabus or the class. Thanks! Sandra