E Block Questioning

Eric Wright--questioned by Trippe Brianna and Matt
Brianna--questioned by Matt Bharti and Stephan
Joe--questioned by Stephan Trippe and Bharti
Bharti--questioned by Trippe, Joe, and Brianna
Trippe--questioned by Brianna and Matt
Stephan--questioned by Eric Joe and Stephan
Matt--questioned by Eric Joe and Bharti

Not that I have received drafts from anyone except Matt.  Please bring in a copy of your speech for each questioner.

Rough drafts

I believe I have reviewed all rough drafts shared with me.  If you did not get an email or receive a comment on your speech, please SHARE it with me (again) at GoogleDocs.  DO NOT send an attachment by email.  Final drafts not SHARED will be penalized. 

The final draft of your speech is due by Friday afternoon.  I will be sharing with your questioners over the weekend.

General comments:

Make sure your speech has a good clear intro--which gets our attention.  It should also have a clear thesis of what you are going to persuade us of.  Every body paragraph should link clearly to that thesis, proving to us that what you are saying is true.  The conclusion should link back to the intro and to the thesis--it's your last shot at persuading your audience.

Wednesday, 15 June

Greetings from Dallas--we're preparing for the downtown chaos tomorrow with the Mavericks victory parade.

For today:

Please make good solid comments on the drafts.  At the end of the block, the authors should share their revised drafts (with comments) with me.

C Block:

Allie, please share your draft with Alden and Kirsten
Margaret, please share your draft with Alden and Andrew
Katarina, please share your draft with Kirsten and Matt
Adrian, please share your draft with Matt and Graham
Katie, please share your draft with Graham and Andrew

E Block

Eric, share with Brianna and Kevin and Stephan
Brianna, share with Bharti and Trippe
Joe, share with Stephan and Matt
Bharti, share with Kevin and Eric
Trippe, share with Eric and Matt
Stephan, share with Joe and Brianna
Matt, share with Bharti and Joe

C and E Blocks

If you have not submitted a rough draft, it is due TODAY, but for a lower grade.

The following people are exempt from the final exam.  You will be doing some peer-editing on Tuesday-Wednesday of this week:

C Block
Alden
Kirsten
Andrew
Graham
Matt
Jared

E Block
Kevin
Max
Jacob

If you think you should be exempt, please email me by MIDNIGHT on Monday, 13 June.

BC

"How to" speech drafts

If you have not sent drafts in, today is the deadline (today being Friday).

I will comment on them tonight/tomorrow.

We will do the speeches in class on Tuesday and Wednesday.

FINAL EXAM

The Final Exam

In the final exam, you will give a speech, and respond to questions from two questioners.  The grade will be based on both the speech, the way you handle questions, and the questions you ask as questioner. 

The Speech.  Please prepare a 5 minute persuasive speech on a current events topic—you may NOT use a topic based on any of this year’s PF topics, nor a Congress speech you’ve delivered.  The Speech should be written out in its entirety—think 800-1000 words as a target.  You should cite sources appropriately, supporting your points.  The speech should contain a minimum of three cards. 

When the speech is completed, two members of the class will have 2 minutes to ask questions about the topic.  The questions are a chance for the questioners to weaken your argument and your chance to strengthen it by developing more full answers.

The Questions.  You will be assigned to question one or two people.  You will be given a copy of the speech (at GoogleDocs) per the timeline below.  Your questions should be designed to find holes/problems/issues with the argument.

Timeline

Thursday, 2 June 2011 -- Topic Selected

Friday, 10 June 2011 -- Draft of speech shared at GoogleDocs

Wednesday, 15 June 2011 -- Final draft of speech shared at GoogleDocs

Saturday, 18 June 2011 -- E Block Questioners appointed and speeches shared

Sunday, 19 June 2011 -- C Block Questioners appointed and speeches shared

Monday, 20 June 2011 -- A Block Questioners appointed and speeches shared

Therefore, the only thing you will have to prepare for the Final itself is your questioning.

Final 4th quarter project (edited)

Last fourth quarter project (no exemptions):

Write a four minute "how-to" speech.

In the speech explain how to do something, without props, visuals, or using your hands.  Your topic should be some common everyday activity.

A draft of the speech is due at the end of the block on Tuesday. By the end of today's block email me your topic and why you picked it. Use block today to work on writing the speech.

A draft of the Speech is due on Thursday at the end of Block.


The speeches will be given in class on Monday/Tuesday of next week.

E Block

Monday and Tuesday


PF:

Kevin, Matt, Trippe, Stephan:  Please locate articles which can provide cards for both PRO and CON for the NCFL resolution.  You will need, each, 2 articles on each side.

Congress people:  Please go to http://nflonline.org/NationalTournament/NationalTopics.  Each of you should select 3 bills (different ones each) to research and find articles/cards for.  For Monday and Tuesday, find the articles.  Card cutting will come later.

ALL:  You will need to discuss your results with me on Wednesday.

C Block

Monday and Tuesday

Speech:

Jared--I will need to videotape your DI Thursday of this week.  Please make sure it's ready to go.

All others:

Margaret, Allie, Adrian, Katerina--Please begin to locate a cutting/piece for next year that you would do.   I want to have cuttings set as well as some read-through done early in June.  I know things are in the air, but please do this.

PF:

Matt & Alden:  Please have revised PRO and CON cases ready by Tuesday.

Kirsten, Katie, Graham, Andrew, Colin:  Please locate articles which can provide cards for both PRO and CON for the NCFL resolution.  You will need, each, 2 articles on each side.

Congress:

Kurt and Brian:  Please go to http://nflonline.org/NationalTournament/NationalTopics.  Each of you should select 3 bills (different ones each) to research and find articles/cards for.  For Monday and Tuesday, find the articles.  Card cutting will come later.

ALL:  You will need to discuss your results with me on Wednesday. 

C and E Blocks, Monday and Tuesday

Hi, all,

Please carry on with the assignment from Friday.  We will be discussing the PF topic Wednesday (especially in C Block).

C and E Blocks

Friday, 29 April

All:  the essay on the importance of public speaking is due this evening (Eastern Daylight Time).

If you are working on CFL Congress prep, please follow the previous instructions from this blog.

If you did PF card cutting (this includes SPEECH), please make sure that by Wednesday of next week you are prepared to engage in a topic discussion on the NCFL topic:  In a democracy rights created by legislation are preferable to rights created by the judiciary.  At the very least, this means:

____  you can explain what this resolution is about with at least two concrete examples
____  you have found at least two articles discussing the issue, covering both PRO and CON (each article may cover both PRO and CON, or one may be more PRO and the other more CON).

NCFL Congress Prep

C and E Blocks:

The entire preliminary bill packet is here.

The Semifinal round bill packet is here.

For each of your assigned bills, please follow this timeline:

By Thursday, 28 April,
____  be able to discuss the issues (Pro and Con) in the bill

By the end of class Tuesday, 3 May, create and share a GoogleDocs document which

___  has the title format "lastname CFL bill#___"
___  begins with your name at the top of the page (these will be printed)
___  has a 2-3 paragraph summary of the issues raised by the bill (covering both pro and con)
___  contains four PRO and then four CON cards, which
        ____  have tags summarizing the argument supported by the card
        ____  include the full citation, including URL, AFTER the text of the card
        ____  is a solid piece of evidence either supporting or opposing one (or more) provisions of the bill

Next week, especially in E Block, we will conduct a first model Congress on this bill packet.  Therefore, by the end of class on Wednesday, 4 May,

___  prepare either a PRO or CON speech for each of your bills

And for Thursday, 5 May,
___  review the Bill and Evidence packet that will be shared with everyone through this blog.  We will set the agenda on Wednesday.

PF TOC Research Prep: C and E blocks

PF topic:

The United States federal government should permit the use of financial incentives to encourage organ donation.

To help Matt and Alden prepare for TOC, please share with me by WEDNESDAY at the end of class a two documents (at, of course, GoogleDocs) -- one for PRO and one for CON.  These documents should

____  have the file name "last name TOC PRO [or CON] cards"
____  include your name at the very top of the page
____  contain at least three PRO (or four CON cards) with tags.  Each card should
          ____  have the FULL citation, including the URL, written at the END of card
          ____  be a solid piece of evidence
          ____  support/oppose a particular argument, if you've been assigned an argument to support/rebut

Impact of Public Speaking IV

The presentation should
____  last between 15-20 minutes
____  be clearly and engagingly delivered
____  run smoothly--be prepared with everything before you start
____  clearly and directly answer both questions, giving
          ____  supporting reasons for each answer
          ____  solid examples from the speaker/speeches (aka evidence)
          ____  good analysis of each point
____  use a variety of media
____  include at least two handouts for people to take away
____  not just be read from powerpoint slides or a script (although both are allowed)
____  be an example of good public speaking

Impact of Public Speaking III

C and E Blocks will present on Tuesday-Wednesday, 12-13 April.

By Friday, 8 April, please share at GoogleDocs a presentation outline which
____  outlines what you are doing with the presentation
____  the order in which topics will be covered in the presentation
____  the sources you have used for this project (URLs are fine)
____  has the filename <lastnames presentation draft>

If you are doing a PowerPoint--please share (as a separate GoogleDoc) a draft of the PowerPoint using the file name <lastnames powerpoint draft>

By Monday, 11 April, please submit a outline paragraph for the essay.  The outline paragraph should contain
____ an underlined thesis sentence as the first sentence
____  enough supporting detail to prove the thesis (think each sentence of the paragraph should be similar to a topic sentence for one of your body paragraphs
____ a file name as follows <lastname outline para>

The rubrics for the presentation and the essay will be posted later today or tomorrow.

Impact of Public Speaking II

The topics you may choose from for your individual essay follow.  The essay itself, from 500 to 750 words, with citations and a Works Cited page, is now due by Wednesday, 27 April.

1.  What was the most important effect of the speech/speaker on the target audience? Why?
2.  What were the three key techniques the speech/speaker used to make an impact?  Why are they key?  Which is the MOST key technique?  Why?
3.  Why did people respond positively to this person/speech?  What need did the speech/person fulfill?  Why?

You should use and cite at least four sources for this essay.

Impact of Public Speaking Project I

The first 'Fourth Quarter' Assignment will have you focus on the impact public speaking has on, well, the public.  The project should be done by a group.

The topic your group comes up with should be about a public speaker, a speech or speeches, or some clear example or set of examples of the impact public speaking can have on a large group of people--for good or bad.  The ultimate questions that your group will need to address, in the context of the particular examples, are:

1.  How can public speaking influence the course of history/large groups of people?
2.  What do public speakers do to gain that influence?

Each group will create a 15-20 minute multimedia presentation as part of this project.  In addition, each group member will write an individual short essay in response to one of several focus questions (2-3 pages).  

Timeline:

Friday, 1 April--Select topic and give a brief explanation why this topic will work for this presentation.

Tuesday, 5 April--Each group member selects the focus question on which they will write.  Group submits outline of presentation.  

Week of 11 April--Final preparation.  Presentations Weds/Thursday if possible.  Essay due by end of week.

C and E Blocks: Work for the rest of February

Public Forum
(Brittany, Darcey, Matt, Will, Isolde, Caroline, Carina, Nabila, Trippe, Stephan, Matt, Alden, Andrew, Graham, Kevin, Matt, Katie, Kirsten)

If you are NOT going to UPenn, please have at least 15 cards with full sources ready for topic discussion on Weds and Thurs of this week (2/16-7).  The cards need to be ready by class on the 16th, and shared with me at GoogleDocs.  First drafts of the case for March are due by the end of the block on 18 February

If you ARE going to UPenn, cards are due by Tuesday, 22 February, and first drafts of the case are due by Friday, 25 February.


2nd drafts of March cases will be due on Tuesday, 1 March.

ALL WORK should be shared with me at GoogleDocs, should follow the format given out to you via handout and email in late January and again this week, and should have a file name which includes
___  your last name
___  the month of the topic
___  for cases, the side and draft number
___  for cards, the notation cards

 Examples:  cooper pro march 1st draft, cooper march cards


NFL Congress
(Max, Kurt, Brianna, Erik, Caroline, Brian, Jacob, Connor, Joe)

All bills currently in the bill packet MUST have prewritten speeches.  At least three speeches must be completed and shared with me at GoogleDocs by Friday, 18 February.  Please combine the speeches into one GoogleDocs file, and make sure the file name

___  includes your last name
___  includes the notation NFL speeches

Prewritten speeches on the remaining bills are due on Monday, 28 February BEFORE class.

Speech revisions will be due on Tuesday, 1 March.

Congress NOT going to NFLs
You will be given specific research assignments.  The first part will be due by the end of block on Friday, 18 February, the second part on Tuesday, 1 March.

Speech
All Interps for NFLs must be ready to go on 28 February--I will ask you to perform that day, and then will let you stay focused on Dramafest until 7 March

Public Forum work--C and E blocks (edited!)

Regardless of weather this week,

___  Cards are due no later than 9 pm Tuesday night
___  1st Drafts of cases are due no later than 5 pm Wednesday evening

Please refer to the assignment handed you on paper and via email on January 25--follow the instructions there!!!!

District Congress Prep II

Work for Monday - Tuesday, 31 January - 1 February:

Complete Congress Prep I first.  Many people did not send the source email on Friday; you only need to cut THREE cards per side per bill.

In class:
____  locate two sources, one tending to favor, one tending to oppose, two additional bills--email/share these sources with me.

By 9 pm tonight,
____  cut three cards for, and three cards against two additional bills (other than our own) and share them at GoogleDocs with me.

By 9 pm tomorrow night
____  cut three cards for, and three cards against, the remaining two bills.  I will send out, and share here, the research packet by early Wednesday morning.

These deadlines stand regardless of weather.

By Friday, be prepared to give speeches on all bills.  Friday (E Block) will be a practice Congress.

Please make sure the cards follow the format noted in District Congress Prep I

District Congress Prep I

For Friday, 28 January, Congress people not going to Revere should begin prepping the research for Districts.

For your assigned bill, please

____  find at least two sources, one tending to favor the idea of the bill, one tending to oppose the idea of the bill
____  send me an email listing those sources by the end of the block
____  for Monday, find at least four pieces of information in favor of the bill and four opposed to the bill.  Please share with me at Google Docs.

The format for each card should be in lower case and formatted as follows:

____            the part to be read in bold underlined 

____            the part that doesn’t need to be read not in bold, not underlined, in 8 point type, formatted as illustrated in this criterion

____            the full MLA citation at the END of the card (even if you cut multiple cards from the same source).

E Block Public Forum

 Please write a case (either PRO or CON) on ONE of the following topics.  The case should have at least on solid card per contention.  The case should have three contentions, and be from 500 - 750 words, with at least 67% of the words being your own.  Share with me at GoogleDocs at the end of the block.  These are old topics; do NOT use cases you find on line.

• The private ownership of handguns should be banned in the United States. 
• Russia has become a threat to U.S. interests.  
• The American media work against the best interest of the American public.

E Block Congress Exam

Please write a speech in support of one of the following bills, and a speech in opposition to another one of these bills.  The speeches should have between 200 and 400 words and have at least 3 pieces of strong evidence (with sources) in them.  At least 75% of the words need to be your own.  Please share with me at GoogleDocs.

A Resolution to Encourage Use of Local Agricultural Products in School Lunches

WHEREAS, The Agricultural industry of America is failing; and

WHEREAS, The school lunches of America must be improved to insure better health

the United States citizens; and

WHEREAS, School lunches must be improved in order to reduce costs on the American

healthcare system; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, By the Congress here assembled that locally grown agricultural goods

should be used in federally subsidized school lunches to provide enhanced

meal quality, and stimulate the agricultural industries of America.

A Bill to Double Embryonic Stem Cell Research Funding

BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

SECTION 1. The current funding of Embryonic Stem Cell research in the United States

will be doubled.

SECTION 2. The required funding amount will be $82,000,000 to various universities

and research facilities.

SECTION 3. This action will be overseen by the surgeon general and the Federal Drug

Administration.

SECTION 4. Any misuse of the embryonic stem cells for personal gain and profit will

result in the facility’s loss of grant, and future consideration of federal funding.

SECTION 5. This bill will come into effect 6 months after passage.

SECTION 6. All laws and provisions in conflict with this bill are hereby declared null and void.

A Bill to Restart America’s Nuclear Energy Program

BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

SECTION 1. The Federal Government will create an insurance fund to allow for

adequate insurance in the case of a nuclear accident.

SECTION 2. The funding for the insurance fund will come from a new tax on electricity

generated from fossil fuels.

SECTION 3. The Internal Revenue Service in conjunction with the Department of the

Treasury will be responsible for the implementation of this legislation.

SECTION 4. This bill shall be enacted immediately upon passage, and it shall be

executed by the enforcement agencies as quickly as is possible and be up

for renewal in 20 years.

Columbia

GREEN LIGHT

Columbia is a GO.
Please be at MERHS at 645 to load up.  We will depart at 7 pm.  Please eat before we leave.

C Block Public Forum

Please write a case (either PRO or CON) on ONE of the following topics.  The case should have at least on solid card per contention.  The case should have three contentions, and be from 500 - 750 words, with at least 67% of the words being your own.  Share with me at GoogleDocs at the end of the block.  These are old topics; do NOT use cases you find on line.

• In the United States, public high school science curriculum should include the study of the Theory of Intelligent Design. 
• That participating in multinational diplomatic efforts is beneficial to U. S. interests.  
• The costs of legalized casino gambling in the United States outweigh the benefits. 

C Block Congress

Please write a speech in support of one of the following bills, and a speech in opposition to another one of these bills.  The speeches should have between 200 and 400 words and have at least 3 pieces of strong evidence (with sources) in them.  At least 75% of the words need to be your own.

A Resolution Concerning Guantanamo Bay

WHEREAS, Guantanamo Bay has played a crucial role in the success of the War on Terror; and

WHEREAS, Its closing would serve as a detriment to the security interests of the United States and its allies; and

WHEREAS, In a time of terrorism and religious extremist violence, the United States must utilize all its resources; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, By the Congress here assembled that Guantanamo Bay remain open and operational for military use.

A Bill to Increase Drilling in Northern Alaska

BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

SECTION 1. The United States Department of Energy shall auction licenses for the

development and procurement of the oil reserves in Alaska.

SECTION 2. The Secretary of Energy shall have the authority to establish zones which

are prohibited from drilling.

SECTION 3. All previous restrictions on drilling in Alaska will be declared null and void.

SECTION 4. This law will take effect on January 1st 2012.

SECTION 5. All other laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.

A Bill Refusing to Raise the Debt Ceiling

BE IT ENACTED BY THE CONGRESS HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

SECTION 1. Congress shall permit no further increases of the debt ceiling.

SECTION 2. “Debt ceiling” shall be defined as the maximum borrowing power of a government entity.

SECTION 3. The United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) shall

enforce this legislation.

SECTION 4. This legislation shall apply to all future circumstances during which

raising the debt ceiling is proposed, and shall take effect upon passage.

SECTION 5. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.

C and E Block Midyear Exams

Speech:  Please be prepared to perform two pieces once, and then to answer some short answer questions.

Congress (CHANGED):  Write a speech in favor of an assigned bill and a speech in opposition to another bill.

PF and LD:  Please be prepared to write a PF/LD case on a topic to be announced during class.

Newton South

515 am:  Newton South is ON



The bus leaves at 730 am.

PF work--4 Jan

Here are three prompts and sets of questions to consider in working through this topic.  Please make sure you have cases for both sides ready for class tomorrow--revise those you already have submitted.  Submit cases if you haven't.

****

Department of Justice Mission Statement:

To enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.

http://www.justice.gov/02organizations/about.html

Is this helpful in determining what ‘undermines’ the CJS?  Can it be used on either side as ‘the standard’?  How so?

****

For a game theoretical approach to PB which I think more helps the CON go to

http://www.unc.edu/depts/econ/papers/00-02.pdf

The ABSTRACT and first paragraphs as well as the last page or so are most relevant (no one needs MATH in a debate round!).  The focus is on the prosecutor’s resources and the information both sides have before bargaining (only the defendant KNOWS whether she did the crime).  They conclude that PB will not catch any innocents under their model.

Game theory is the study of decision making.  One of the more famous examples of GT is the “Prisoner’s Dilemma”—you and a codefendant are both charge with a crime which carries 25 years to life.  The prosecutor offers each of you a deal for 1 year if you inform on the other, while the other will receive 25 to life.   If both of you keep silent, you will both be acquitted.   If you both tell, you'll each get 5 years.  You will not know what your codefendant does.   What do you do?  Why?

****

A criminal lawyer’s take on the decision to plea bargain:

I want to discover what evidence the State has. This is the flip side of my not wanting to know whether my client is actually guilty. You see, it is important that the client’s decision on whether to go to trial be based on the evidence. This is because, often, the State has no case even though you are actually guilty. Likewise, the State sometimes has an overwhelming case against someone who is innocent, and it is sometime better to take a plea bargain in this situation rather than risk a trial. The best move is not necessarily based on actual guilt or innocent, but based on the evidence.

http://www.lawfirms.com/resources/criminal-defense/criminal-defense-case/arrest-strategy.htm

David F. Stoddard, Attorney at Law

Isn’t what is actually done ‘in the trenches’ the key to what ‘undermines’ the CJS?  Or should this be argued strictly at the theoretical level?  Can both sides win on the ‘practical’ level indicated by this card?

****

Other links:

False confessions are a much greater cause of bad convictions than PB:

http://www.nacdl.org/public.nsf/698c98dd101a846085256eb400500c01/4a6e9aa597092057052573ed0056ffa3?OpenDocument

Juries are a big source of bad confessions:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070628161330.htm

http://ocdw.com/pdf/032607/Risinger.pdf

Many innocent people are in prison:

http://reason.com/archives/2010/02/08/how-many-more-are-innocent

Benefits of well-done PB:

The social psychology research indicates that implementing procedural justice norms not only may increase defendant satisfaction with plea-bargained outcomes (even if the outcomes themselves remain substantively unchanged), but also may contribute to the perceived legitimacy of the criminal justice system and ultimately enhance defendants' levels of voluntary compliance with legal rules and authorities.¹² There are, in short, good reasons to believe that greater attentiveness by prosecutors to procedural justice may increase the cooperativeness of defendants whiletheyare under criminaljusticesupervision and decrease their likelihood of recidivism.13

PLEA BARGAINING AND PROCEDURAL JUSTICE Michael M. O'Hear* --Georgia Law Review 42:408, 412

http://law.marquette.edu/s3/site/images/faculty/GeorgiaLR.pdf

3 January--Congress

1.  If you have not completed your two-bill assignment required in December, please do so by Tuesday.
2.  In class today, please go to massforensics.org, and download the legislation for Newton South (whether you are going to NS or not). 

Part I
By the end of class
____  create a Google Doc, shared with me, with the following name format:  "your last name NS bills";
____  completed Part II for at least ONE bill.

Part II
By 745 tomorrow morning, please do the following with EACH bill:
____  LIST the three strongest arguments for and against each bill, as well as a brief explanation of WHY each argument is one of the three strongest;
____  LINK two articles per bill which discusses the issues involved in the bill; the articles should be different from person to person.