Analyzing a Debate – Project #2
Learning Outcomes:
 Explore and analyze your own and others’ values through the use of multiple strategies that engage different sources and
perspectives in written and oral discourse.
 Identify and analyze how cultural context and assumptions play a role in the analysis and production of discourse.
 Understand basic rhetorical concepts (audience, purpose, genre, convention, logos, ethos, pathos, logical fallacies, structure,
etc.) and apply such concepts to the interpretation, analysis, and production of written and oral discourse.
 Develop an introductory understanding of critical discourse analysis and critical language awareness.
 Use written and oral discourse to develop and present meaningful and interesting ideas that show the students’ voice, a
willingness to take intellectual risks, and an attempt to enter an academic conversation.
 Create academic discourse through a basic process that includes editing, proofreading, and revising multiple drafts.
 Interpret your own and others’ work and reflect on your development as a producer of discourse.
 Construct basic research strategies, use appropriate research resources, learn to identify scholarly sources, and evaluate and
cite those information sources.
 Develop an introductory understanding of citation and an ability to appropriately cite sources using a consistent professional style
(MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.).
 Identify and address personal impediments to discourse production, including speech anxiety and writer’s block.
Audience: General academic
Length: Essay: 6-7 pages. Speech: 6-8 minutes. Your paper and speech should thoroughly develop ideas based on the assignment and questions
for consideration. Additionally, your paper should satisfactorily meet all requirements listed in the rubric.
Formatting requirements can be reviewed in the syllabus. Please see me if you have any questions regarding the formatting.
Prompt: In this paper you will be analyzing the arguments on both sides of a debate over a social issue. This will require you to locate two opinion
pieces on both sides of the issue and one other source that provides background information. The opinion pieces could appear in any mainstream
media source, including magazines, newspaper, television, radio, or online sources.
Tips:
Please consider the following advice when writing your paper:
 Your first step will be to identify an issue that you find interesting and that is rich in potential for this particular paper. I encourage you to
consult the UMKC Lib Guide titled “Research for Speech Writing.” This Lib Guide is linked to our course under Assignments and Essay /
Speech Help. In this guide, you will find resources to help you identify a topic – including databases like CQ Researcher and Points of View
Reference Center. You will also find help with Gathering Background Information via Credo Reference, Gale Virtual Library Reference, and
Oxford Reference Online Premium. This Lib Guide will also help you with how to narrow your topic if needed.
 Once you have identified the topic, you will need to find a credible source for appropriate background information and then two sources for
EACH side of the argument. That is a total of 5 sources. Use the Lib Guide and the above referenced databases to help you find these
sources. You can also consult with a librarian if you need assistance.
o Once you have found your sources, read them carefully several times. Take Detailed Notes! Document where you found the
information (including page numbers, author name, article name, source title, year of publication, etc.).
 Begin to formulate a structure for your paper and your speech. Consider the following outline and questions to help you lay your own
foundations (keep in mind, your speech will be shorter than your paper and won’t be able to include all the same ideas):
o Introduction (300 words / 1-2 minutes)
 Attention grabber – give an example of the issue or a startling statistic about the issue
 Background for the issue – this is where you will bring in the “5th” source – the source that has a lot of good background on the
issue but doesn’t necessarily take a side.
 Who is on each side of the issue?
 How long has the issue been debated?
 What are the central questions?
 Introduce the articles you will analyze in the paper.
 Conclude your introduction with a strong purpose statement. What do you hope the reader / listener will gain by reading your
paper or hearing your speech?
o Body paragraphs 1, 2, 3, and 4 (300 words each / 1 minute each) – evaluate each article
 What types of evidence is used in the article? – statistics? anecdotes? examples? expert or lay testimony?
 Is the evidence used effectively and ethically?
 What types of reasoning are used? Causal / Analogy?
 Are there logical fallacies? If so, explain.
 Is the writing or speaking style effective? How does the tone or voice enhance or detract from the argument?
o Conclusion (300 words / 1-2 minutes)
 Summarize your analysis
 Where do you stand in relation to these arguments?
 Did your opinion change while writing the essay / preparing for the speech?
Writing the Audience Analysis Survey:
You will use three types of questions:
1) open-ended
2) close-ended (multiple choice)
3) scale
Your questions should fall into the following categories:
1) demographics (1 question)
2) knowledge (1 question)
3) beliefs and value (3 questions)
Demographic questions seek to discover who is in the audience. Determine what you need to know: religious background, ethnicity, socio-economic
background, group memberships, etc. These should be presented as open-ended questions. Presenting a simple list of categories might marginalize
persons who fall into the “other” category.
Example: How would you describe your religious background?
Knowledge questions seek to discover what the audience already knows about your topic. Any of the three types of questions will help you assess
the audience’s knowledge.
Example close-ended question:
Global Warming refers to:
____ Economics
____ Weather
____ Education
____ Not sure
Beliefs and values questions seek to discover where the audience stands on the issue. For this category, questions of scale work well.
Example related to beliefs:
Global Warming is caused by human activities.
____ Strongly Agree
____ Agree
____ Neutral
____ Disagree
____ Strongly Disagree
Example related to values:
The government should penalize companies that pollute the environment.
____ Strongly Agree
____ Agree
____ Neutral
____ Disagree
____ Strongly Disagree
Stage 1 (Due Week 10 on Tuesday by 11:59p): Audience Analysis 25 points for posting and 15 points for responding
 Please see the directions for the Audience Analysis below.
 Please see the technical instructions for uploading this part of the assignment in Week 10.
 You must respond to your Peers’ Audience Analysis by Friday at 11:59pm for full point consideration.
Stage 2 (Due Week 11on Tuesday by 11:59p): Preparation Outline 25 points
 Please see page 150 in your textbook THINK for an example of a full sentence outline.
 Please see the Template posted on Blackboard under Assignments – just fill this in with your ideas.
 Must include all 5 sources on the preparation outline.
Stage 3 (Due Week 12 on Thursday at 11:59p): Speech with Presentation Aide 100 points
 You must offer oral citations that include publication title, author, and date – you must have oral citations for all 5 sources (at least one per
source).
 Please see page 137 in your textbook THINK as a guideline for oral citations.
 Your presentation must include a presentation aide. Please see Chapter 14 (especially pages 252 through 256). You should use appropriate
design principles according to your textbook ant topic.
 This speech should be 6-8 minutes.
 Under Essay / Speech Help – you will find a Speech Checklist that you should consider before delivering your speech.
 You m must submit a final speaking outline at the time the speech is due – the outline that you use during your speech.
 See technical requirements for the Speech under Week 12.
 Other requirements are outlined above, in the syllabus, and in the rubric.
Stage 4 (Due Week 14 on Tuesday by 11:59p): First rough draft of Argument Analysis 25 points
 Your rough draft should be 4 to 5 pages in length and have at least three instances of citation from three of your five sources. You should
develop your analysis as much as possible as this will be your only opportunity for feedback.
 You will post one copy to Blackboard under Week by Week > Week 14 > Assignment Upload – Project #2 Essay
 You will workshop this draft as well – so you will load an additional copy to Blackboard under Week by Week > Week 14 > Project #2 Essay
Rough Draft Discussion Board
Stage 5 (Due Week 14 on Thursday by 11:59p): Peer Review Response 25 points
 Respond to at least two other drafts.
 Please try to respond to drafts not already responded to twice.
 Please respond to the draft using the following starter sentences: "I heard..." / "I noticed...." / "I wondered..." These sentences should be
completed to explain to the writer what you "heard" - meaning what you understood the paper to be about, restating the author's ideas / what
you "noticed" - meaning what you enjoyed about the paper / what you "wondered" - what were you left wondering about in regards to the
paper??
Stage 6 (Due Finals Week with the Portfolio): Final draft of Argument Analysis 100 points
 Your final paper must be 6 to 7 pages in length to be considered.
 It must include 5 sources.
 All sources used must be cited in a Works Cited page.
 Other requirements are outlined above, in the syllabus, and in the rubric.
 The Final Draft will be included as part of the Portfolio.