MIDTERM EXAM

Class Debate

For your midterm exam for Post-truth: Constructing Realities class, you will be debating a proposition in four groups (three of 5 and the other of 4) (check your group below). You will choose a proposition topic, a position of either negative or affirmative, and a specific role within your group will be decided by your group as well. Each team member is responsible for a section of the debate, but you will be graded (and judged) as a group by the professor. Therefore, you must work collaboratively on the preparation of the debate as a whole. The debate should last somewhere between 30 to 45 minutes.

Following, I will be suggesting different topics based on the movie “The Great Debaters” since this movie touches upon different themes of the post-truth era or either the topics we have seen in class regarding post-truth, parrhesia or relativism. The idea is that your group and your counterpart will decide on one of those topics by this Friday September 6^th the latest, post your topic on the blog so that everyone is aware of them and assume a position of either in favor or against (Group 1 VS Group 2/ Group 3 Vs Group 4) (these positions have been provided to you below)

Possible topics:

• Racial Discrimination
• Fake news
• Lies in politics
• Everyone lies no matter what
• Is it possible to practice parrhesia nowadays?
• Honesty is a utopia. Don’t you agree?

Once the topic has been selected officially by the whole group, we will engage in the following debate structure where there is a specific role for each member of the team:

1.       Name a chair in each group.

2.       Plan arguments with your team. Each member of the group should plan their arguments separately so they do not influence other team members.

3.       Cross out any repetitive arguments and improve those that may need it.

4.       Divide the arguments amongst the number of speakers, so that each team member has a particular topic to develop as part of the argument.

5.       Find evidence to support your case – facts, opinions, quotes, references or objects.

6.       Hints for refuting or rebutting arguments (finding holes in the other team’s arguments):

7.       Try to guess beforehand what the other team might use.

8.       Take note of the authorities quoted by the other team in support of their arguments – are they valid?

9.       Don’t waste valuable time in challenging a minor point.

10.   Challenge the opposing team to supply further evidence for their arguments, if needed.

Since I am fully aware that this coming week is for midterms, I propose to use the time of the class on Friday September 6^th where you have the chance to meet synchronically and bring your arguments to prepare within your team. Then, the debate will take place on September 20^th during our class schedule. You may either meet with your classmates somewhere within the campus or come to the Language Center where I will open one of the Labs for you to work.

The following is a website with more information regarding “How to debate”.

STRUCTURE

Affirmative Opening statement/Moderator (2 min.)

• Affirmative statement.
• Rebuttal
• Affirmative Closing statement (2 min.) 

Negative Opening statement/Moderator (2 min.)

• Rebuttal
• Negative statement.
• Negative Closing statement (2 min.)

TEAMS

Group One (Affirmative) – In favor of the proposition

• ARANGO RESTREPO MANUELA
• RODRÍGUEZ COTUA ROGGER ALEXANDER
• SIERRA SÁNCHEZ JUAN SEBASTIÁN
• VIEIRA BRUN LEIDY JULIANA
• VILLAMIZAR QUIROZ VALENTINA

Group two (Negative) – Against the proposition

• DUQUE CÉSPEDES LUISA FERNANDA
• HENAO OSORIO LUISA FERNANDA
• CORRALES CANO MARIÁN
• MORENO RAMÍREZ LINA ROCIO
• BURITICA MARÍN NICOLÁS

Group Three (Affirmative) – In favor of the proposition

• MEJÍA ZAPATA JUAN FELIPE
• FRANCO ECHEVERRI JUAN DAVID
• RUIZ ARANGO DOMYNIK
• TORO ALVAREZ LEONARDO

Group Four (Negative) – Against the proposition

• HIDALGO MEJÍA CAROLINA
• MENA RAMOS MARYLIN VANESSA
• SARRIA PALACIOS MARÍA JOSÉ
• PARRA OROZCO JUAN DIEGO
• RAMÍREZ LEÓN MIGUEL ÁNGEL