BUILDING A BETTER SPEECH
Argumentative Resources, Statistics, Surveys, and
Evaluation Criteria
Frederic Murray, M.L.I.S.
Instructional Services Librarian
Pro/Con
NASA launches Controversy
2008 Feb. 26: Public outcry erupts over plans to build new launch site in wildlife refuge
Exercise:
Argumentative Resources Worksheet
Topic: Environmentalism/Conservation
Question: Should NASA build a new
launch site at the cost of destroying a
fragile ecosystem?
Information Literacy
• Determine the extent of needed
information
• Access and use needed information
effectively and efficiently
• Evaluate information and its sources
critically
• Incorporate selected information into
one’s knowledge base
Information Literacy
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Find it
Interpret it
Validate it
Act on it
- -Karen Bruett
- Director of Education and Community Initiatives
- Dell Inc.
What kind of Information Sources
should I use for my speech?
• Use both Electronic AND Paper Sources
• For current events, use materials
published in the last 3-5 years
• Know BOTH sides of the story
• Use information literacy skills to select
the most authoritative information
Argumentative Information
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Identify your topic
State the position you will support
Highlight points of your discussion
Use information to support your
position
– Pro/Con Materials
– Opinion Polls
– Statistics
Helpful Keywords to Use
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Issue
Controversy
Statistic
Ethical
Rights
Debate
Attitude
Trend
Condition
Examples:
rights and abortion
death penalty and controversy
household spending and trends
Print Pro/Con Resources
• Book Series
– Contemporary Issues
– Opposing Viewpoints
– Current Controversies
How do I choose a Database?
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Subject Content
Date or Year Range of Coverage
Types of Material or Documents it Indexes
Currency (how often updated?)
Format of information
– Citation Only?
– Full-text?
– Both?
Electronic Pro/Con Resources
• CQ Researcher
– contains information on current and
controversial issues specific to the U.S.
Government
• Issues and Controversies
– provides up-to-date, objective information
on the most prominent and hotly debated
issues of the day
Which sounds better?
• Oil over $200 is cause for concern.
• Harvard economists believe oil over
$200 is cause for concern.
– A COLLECTIVE OPINION IS
STRONGER THAN A SINGLE OPINION
Opinion Resources in Print
• Editorials on File
– Ref 070.43 Ed48
• Gallup Poll
– Ref 301.154 G13g
– http://www.gallup.com
– an organization studying human nature and behavior for
more than 70 years through public surveys
– collects attitudes and opinions of individuals and key
groups within the American population concerning national
and international issues and events
Newspaper Databases
• LexisNexis
– Full-text information from over 5,600
sources
– National and regional newspapers, wire
services, broadcast transcripts,
international news
– Statistical Resources
• NYT Online
– Search or browse the full text of the New
York Times from 1851–2004.
Online Surveys & Reports
“fact tank” vs. think tank
• Pew Research Center
• The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan
"fact tank" that provides information on the
issues, attitudes and trends shaping America
and the world. It does not take positions on
policy issues.
Opinions vs. Facts (Statistics)
• Opinion-Strengths
– A consensus of opinions
are much stronger than
a single opinion
– Reflects the culture and
society that experience
these issues and events
(primary resource)
• Opinion-Weaknesses
– Less concrete
– A view formed by
someone’s belief which
can be biased
– Not necessarily the truth
– Opinions can differ
widely
• Facts-Strengths
– Very concrete
– Based in
scientific/research
methodology
– Data supports
arguments
– Statistics helps
determine the accuracy
of information in the
evaluation process
• Facts-Weaknesses
– Data can be manipulated
– Unless data collection is
a regular practice, data
can become outdated
and irrelevant
Opinion or Fact?
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Whales are mammals.
Whales are superior to dolphins.
Stephen King is talented.
Stephen King is a prolific writer.
Abraham Lincoln was the best
president the United States has ever
had.
• John Adams was the second president
of the United States.
Which sounds better?
• A lot of freshman drop out of SWOSU
each academic year.
• 40% of freshman drop out of SWOSU
each academic year.
– NUMBERS CARRY WEIGHT, PEOPLE
ARE INFLUENCED BY STATISTICS
Statistical Resources
• Reference Collection (Behind Ref Desk)
– American Attitudes
– Americans at Play
– Education Statistics of the United States
– Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics
– Statistical Handbook on the American
Family
– World Almanac
Statistical Resources
• Google U.S. Government Search
- Google U.S. Government Search offers a single location for
searching across U.S. government information, and for keeping
up to date on government news. Choose to search for content
located on either U.S. federal, state and local government
websites or the entire Web -- from the same search box.
• Government Information
– Provides statistical information directly from the U.S.
Government and the agencies who collect the data.
Now Knowing What You
Know
Complete the Worksheet!
Exercise: Argumentative Worksheet
Topic: Environmentalism
Question: Should NASA build a new
launch site at the cost of destroying an
ecosystem?
RESOURCE REVIEW:
• Pro/Con: Issues &
Controversies/Opposing Viewpoints
• Collective Opinion: Editorials on File/
Gallup Poll/ Pew Research
• Statistics: Google U.S. Government
Search/ Library Gov’t Webpage
Writing Your Paper
• Writing Center
– Located in the basement of the library
– Call for appointment #774-7083
• MLA Style
– Style Sheets
– MLA Handbook at Reference & Circulation
Desk
– http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/
Thank You
Frederic Murray, M.L.I.S.
774-7113
frederic.murray@swosu.edu
http://faculty.swosu.edu/frederic.murray