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CCC 8011 Critical Thinking: Analysis and Argumentation

Guidelines for Argumentative Essay and Debates

Argumentative essay

Hand-in via Moodle.

Due date: TBA.

For your argumentative essay, choose one of the issue topics below:

1. Are women female human beings?

2. Should there be laws against hate speech or fake news?

3. Should everyone have the right to vote?

On your chosen topic, you have to read both the required and the recommended reading.

The structure of your argumentative essay must be as follows:

Part I: Overview

In this part, you should construct an argument in simple standard format with 3-5 premises and a conclusion, and with each premise numbered. The conclusion should be the claim that you are arguing for in your essay (this claim is called your essay thesis).

Part II: Essay

In the essay part, you need to write a 500-600 word essay on the basis of the argument in simple standard format that you gave in the overview. Your essay should have the following form:

i) You should have a short first paragraph which states your essay thesis (=the claim you will argue for). You can also describe the structure of the rest of your essay in this paragraph.

ii) The next 1-2 paragraphs should convert the numbered argument given in the overview into prose. You can also cite something in support of one or more of your premises.

iii) The next 1-2 paragraphs should develop an objection to either one of the premises of your argument, or to the conclusion. The objection should refer to the readings or to the materials used in class to introduce the topic. Please be specific (for example, “Someone like J.S. Mill would reject premise 1 because…”).

iv) The final 1-2 paragraphs should give a response to this objection.

In general, you must refer to the readings whenever it is appropriate. For example, if you found a similar argument/objection/response there, then you need to mention this.

Debates

Every student will participate as part of a team in one in-class debate.

Team allocation and date: TBA via Moodle.

Your team will be assigned one of the following topics:

1. Are women female human beings?

2. Should there be laws against hate speech or fake news?

3. Should everyone have the right to vote?

On the topic that has been assigned to your team, you have to read both the required and the recommend reading.

Your team will be asked to defend a particular position (yes/no).

3 classes will be devoted to each topic: 1 lecture, 1 tutorial, and 1 debate session.

Each debate is organized as follows:

i) the first group presents its main argument (one!) in 7.5 minutes

ii) the second group presents its main argument (one!) in 7.5 minutes

iii) the first group responds to the second group in 2.5 minutes

iv) the second group responds to the first group in 2.5 minutes

v) the audience can ask questions and provide further arguments for the remaining 15 minutes.

Each group must make use of slides to present its main argument.

Each group member must be given the opportunity to speak.

There may be more than one debate on the same topic on the same day.

Some advice:

-make use of the tools that were introduced to you in the first half of the course

-make it a group presentation based on collaboration

-refer to the readings

-keep it a real debate.

Note. You are not allowed to produce text (for the essay or the debate) using AI-assisted tools such as ChatGPT and Grammarly.