BRAINSTORMING

Evidence & Research

Topic

Resolved: On balance, students in grade 6-12 benefit when their schools offer interscholastic sports.

Dealing with New Topics

1. Define and understand key terms

2. Make a list of all pro/con arguments – know the arguments!

Brainstorm Key Terms

Resolved: On balance, students in grade 6-12 benefit when their schools offer interscholastic sports.

Two key words: Balance Benefit

On balance

All students, not just athletes Can be some positives and negatives, but

one outweighs the other Therefore, the debate becomes what’s more

important Education Health Happiness Economics Gender Skills

Benefit

Benefiting STUDENTS (approx. 12-18 years old) Not Schools Not Parents Benefit some groups not others

Benefits how? Education Health Happiness Economics Gender Skills

Advanced tips

Research all sides of the major issues and specific examples

Expand outward – keep trying to figure out the truth

Pros & Cons

Education Health HappinessEconomicsGenderSkills

Evidence

What is evidence? Supporting material

known or discovered, but not created by the advocate.

Forms of Evidence

Facts, e.g., Statistics

Examples Hypothetical Examples Literal Examples

Testimony – authoritative opinion

Tests of Evidence

Source credibility Source bias Recency Internal Consistency Completeness Corroboration (external consistency)

Citing Evidence

According to a 2013 evaluation by the University of Chicago, competitive sports create lasting improvements in boys’ study habits and mental maturity. Thus participating in interscholastic sports helps students perform better in their future career. Fortune Magazine finds 95% of Fortune 500 executives participated in high school athletics. The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth found that men at age 32 who have played high school sports are paid 31% higher wages than men who have not.

Research Methods

Keys to effective research: Do it early Good search terms

Quotations, keywords, truncation, maximize operators Use the advanced search Be aware of how results are displayed Focus on more than one source Effective filtering of results

Disregard irrelevant articles Read summary; first/last paragraph Apply the tests of evidence, e.g., recency, bias, etc.

Research Methods

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