MODR 1770 6.

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General Information about the Debate Assignment

15% of your course grade relates to the class debates. Debates will take place on November 21
and 28. Pay attention to the debate schedule, as you only have to attend ONE of those two dates.
The grade is divided as follows:

• 10% comes from your actual debate

• 5% - the overall presentation of your side of the debate. Was the group well
organized? Did the group present strong arguments? Did the group locate flaws
in the other team’s arguments? Could the group respond to counter-concerns?
Most of all, are group members aware of each other’s views? This is a
group mark. Everyone who is present gets the same grade. The only exception
to this is if there is little to no obvious substantive participation from you on
the Moodle discussion forum prior to the debate.
• 5% - individual contribution. Were you prepared to contribute and help debate?
Depending on your role, did you fulfill your specific responsibilities? This is
an individual grade, and it depends on how well you fulfill your specific role in
the debate. Choose roles for each other that show your strengths.
• For more information on the debate procedures and what is expected of each
participant’s role on the team, refer to the documents titled, “Debate
Procedure” and “Debate Roles.”

• 5% - team evaluation of another debate

• The template for an assessment of another debate will be provided to you in
class; it is also available on Moodle if you want to review it beforehand. You
will have time to complete this in class after the day’s debates.
• Attendance is taken before debates begin. If you are late, you are asked not to
come in the classroom, as you will interrupt others’ thinking/debating. If you
miss either the debate you are a part of, or an evaluation of another debate,
your grade is zero for either.

• OPTIONAL TEAM WORK

• Your team can evaluate any class debate that you are not a part of if you want
to do an extra assignment to replace any team assignment grade. You have two
other debates to choose from on the day you are not debating. Details provided
on debate day.
• You do not need to declare beforehand which debate you’re assessing. You,
and your interested teammates, just need to show up.