Debate and Disease Oral Presentation Guidelines
Prepare an oral presentation (3 min maximum) to present to the class on a topic of your choice.
Be prepared to answer questions from the audience related to your presentation.
1. Choose a topic from the given list (or submit a different topic to your teacher for approval).
2. Use the Oral Presentation Checklist and Assessment tool guides to prepare your
presentation.
3. On the day of your presentation, before you begin, give the teacher a rubric and the final
version of your research summary. You must also submit the research summary to
www.turnitin.com prior to your presentation date.
Timeline:
Choose topic:
Submit draft copy of research summary:
Presentation date: May 1, 2014
April 23, 2014
Oral Presentation Tips:
1. Use point form cue cards as a guide, if necessary. No cue cards = Level 4
2. Speak clearly (with occasional reference to notes) at a moderate pace. Use inflection in
your voice. Make eye contact with your audience as much as possible.
3. Introduce a creative element to the presentation.
4. Plan an introduction to motivate the listener. The main body of presentation should flow
logically. Plan a conclusion to finish the presentation.
5. Your visual aid should be easily viewed and understood by all members of the audience.
6. Use scientific terminology and be sure to define any new or important terms for the
audience.
7. Above all, know what you are talking about!
Research Summary
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INTU statement
sub-topics
key research questions
point-form notes
Works Cited
Debate Topics
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artificial meat
blood transfusions
cancer treatments
cloning
cord blood banking
cosmetic surgery
cryonics
DNA screening
early childhood vaccination
embryonic gene therapy
embryonic stem cells
GMF labeling
IVF
Terminator technology in GMOs
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life support
live organ transplants
Mammograms
mandatory vaccinations
mind-reading with fMRI
organ donor cards
prenatal diagnosis
publishing research on genetically modified bird flu virus
tissue stem cell transplantation
traditional medicines
transgenic plants
ultrasounds
X rays
xenotransplantation
Formulating an INTU Statement
Good research begins with a clear, focused question, not a vague, unfocused topic.
Topic
Testing Consumer Products
on Animals
Video Gaming
Downloading Music
INTU
I need to understand both sides of the debate concerning
whether it is right to test consumer products on animals.
I need to understand whether video gaming is helpful or
harmful to learning for teenagers.
I need to understand the arguments for and against
downloading music made by consumers, record
companies and artists.
Consider your topic. You may need to do some research first to learn some background
information about your topic.
 What is it about your topic that interests you?
 What is the major issue related to this topic that is relevant to your life and society?
Creating a Research Plan
Once you have written a well-formulated INTU statement, break it down into subtopics and develop
a key research question for each subtopic. The following is a sample:
INTU
I need to understand why
some people want to ban pit
bull terriers, while other
people are opposed to such a
ban.
Subtopics
Key Research Questions
History of Breed
What is the history of this
breed?
Pit Bull Attacks
When, where and how
frequently have attacks
occurred?
Owners' Views and Public
Opinion
What do owners feel about
their dogs? What does the
public feel?
Current Laws
What are the current laws in
Ontario?
Solutions
What are some possible
solutions?
Oral Presentation Checklist
Name:
Research Phase
Have I asked appropriate questions to guide my research?
Have I produced a workable research question (an INTU statement)?
Have I revised my research question, as necessary, according to results of my
research?
Have I located a wide range of appropriate sources?
Have I made appropriate selection of sources based on relevance to topic,
reliability, and variety of perspectives/degree of bias?
Have I recorded the information in a systematic way?
Have I recorded the sources of all information (Works Cited in APA format)?
Have I classified or categorized the information appropriately and effectively?
Have I created notes and graphic organizers to represent the information
effectively?
Have I synthesized and evaluated my findings with accuracy?
Have I formulated a thesis statement that answers my research question?
Have I identified sufficient supporting evidence to explain and defend my
thesis?
Practice Phase
Have I used cue cards with brief reminders to guide my presentation?
Have I maintained eye contact with the audience?
Are my ideas sufficiently complex to suit my purpose and audience?
Is my opening engaging and does it clearly introduce the topic?
Have I presented my ideas in a logical sequence?
Is my conclusion clear and effective?
Was my audience engaged most of the time?
Did I choose a level of language that was appropriate for my purpose and
audience?
Was my speech fluent (smooth), expressive (varied in tone), and audible?
Were my gestures and facial expressions appropriate?
Were my visual elements effective?
Did I use language conventions correctly and effectively (i.e., grammar and
usage)?
Have I responded to questions with answers that are clear and appropriate?
Presentation Day
Have I brought the rubric and research summary sheet to give to the teacher?
Have I brought my necessary materials (cue cards, visual aid) to school?
Have I eaten breakfast and lunch today?
60-Second Science: Oral Presentation Rubric
Name:
Communication
Student Coaching Rubric
Level 1
Oral
My voice is clear and loud enough most of
the time. My voice inflection varies to
indicate key parts of the presentation and
to maintain good audience participation.
 voice easily heard on rare
occasions
 uses little voice inflection
 voice easily heard on
some occasions
 uses some voice
inflection
 voice easily heard for
most of presentation
 uses sufficient voice
inflection
 voice easily heard on
some occasions
 uses some voice
inflection
I make moderate eye contact with the
audience.
 makes little or no eye
contact
 makes some eye contact
Eye Contact
 makes moderate eye
contact
 makes a great deal of eye
contact with most of the
audience
Pace
I speak at a pace to optimize audience
participation. I end my presentation in the
allotted time.
 speaks far too quickly or
slowly
 timing is far too long or
short
 speaks somewhat too
quickly or slowly
 finishes slightly early or
late
 speaks at a moderate
pace for most of the
presentation
 finishes on time
 speaks at a moderate
pace for the entire
presentation
 finishes on time
 uses scientific
terminology, symbols,
conventions and SI units
with limited accuracy and
effectiveness.
 uses scientific
terminology, symbols,
conventions and SI units
with some accuracy and
effectiveness.
 uses scientific
terminology, symbols,
conventions and SI units
with considerable
accuracy and
effectiveness.
 uses scientific
terminology, symbols,
conventions and SI units
with a high degree of
accuracy and
effectiveness.
 communicates ideas in
very confusing sequence
 difficult to follow
presentation, staccato
 logical sequence of ideas
which audience can
follow
 communicates
information in logical,
interesting sequence
easily tracked by
audience
Use of scientific
terminology
I use scientific terminology, symbols,
conventions and SI units with a high
degree of accuracy and effectiveness.
Communication of
ideas
I communicate my information and ideas
clearly, in a logical order, suitable to my
audience and the purpose of my
presentation.
Application
Demonstration of
Understanding
Student Coaching Rubric
I have demonstrated a sufficiently complex
understanding of ideas and concepts
related to cellular biology and human
and/or plant organ systems
COMMUNICATION:
Level 1
 Demonstrates a limited
understanding of
concepts and ideas
Level 2
Level 2
 Demonstrates some
understanding of
concepts and ideas
APPLICATION:
Level 3
Level 3
 Demonstrates
considerable
understanding of
concepts and ideas
Level 4
Level 4
 Demonstrates
exceptional
understanding of
concepts and ideas