P.A.T.H.
1. Uniforms should be banned in school because they suppress personal expression and creativity.
2. According to a survey conducted by the district, 80% of students state a feeling of joy and freedom choosing their outfits in the morning.
3. I am arguing that uniforms should be banned in school.
4. This forced conformity harms students' ability to develop decision making skills
What is option 2?
What does the R in REP stand for?
What is recognize?
Fix it!
P: I am on affirmative arguing that phones should be banned during school.
A: Phones make students not pay attention in class.
T: A district survey found that 70% of students use their phones during school.
H: Students will get better grades which leads to more career opportunities and success.
What is A, needs a link between attention and grades and/or T, although people use phones, why is this relevant/important
What is wrong:
Studies have shown that reducing instructional time can lower academic achievement. While having more free time may help students relax, a four-day school week can leave students with less time to learn important material.
What is out of order?
Name the part of P.A.T.H that there should not be multiple of in one argument/speech.
What is point?
Be it resolved: Homework should be banned for elementary school students.
Find the best analysis and why:
1. Homework should be banned because elementary school students like to have fun, and homework is not fun. Homework is boring, therefore not fun, therefore elementary school students should not have to do it. It should therefore be banned.
2. Homework is boring
3. Homework should be banned because elementary students learn a lot during free play, and other activities, while also needing lots of rest. Homework reduces time for these activities.
What is option 3?
In the P.A.T.H. formula, what and where is the difference between refutations and presenting arguments.
What is A (analysis), explaining why your argument is true vs explaining why the opponent's argument is false?
Fix it!
P: I am on opposition arguing that bananas are good.
A: Bananas are good because they taste fantastic and are also easy to open.
T: Studies show that bananas are the easiest fruit with skin to open, especially for children.
H: Bananas being accessible allows for everyone to be able to enjoy it, making it a true universal treat.
What is: ignored half of the analysis?
Bob tried to refute the statement: Videogames should be taught in school. He acknowledged that videogames were fun and also said that school is instead a place for learning. What else could he have done?
What is: further the harms/impact of the refutation. If school is a place for learning, then videogames take away that learning time, therefore, less learning, worse grades, less skills gained, etc.
Do you agree with the judge?
Argument:
Schools should ban homework because it causes stress. Students who are less stressed are happier and more focused in class. A study found that many students report feeling overwhelmed by homework.
Refutation:
While homework can be stressful, moderate amounts of homework help students practice what they learn in class and prepare for future education. Instead of banning homework, schools should reduce excessive homework and improve its quality.
Judge's Decision:
Refuting side won.
What is yes?
Find what is wrong with this speech:
Single-use plastic bottles should be banned because they cause significant environmental pollution. Many are not recycled and end up in rivers and ocean... According to the United Nations Environment Programme... As a result, wildlife is injured or killed, ecosystems are damaged, and cleanup costs increase
What is missing P (Point)?
Refute this statement:
Schools should have four day weeks because school is not enjoyable and kids need joy.
What is: students may not always enjoy school, HOWEVER enjoyment alone is not the only purpose of education. Reducing the school week decreases learning time and makes it hard for students to develop important skills. Instead, schools should focus on improving the quality of education and making classrooms more engaging
Fix it!
P: I am arguing the government should ban single-use plastic bags.
A: Plastic bags take hundreds of years to break down and create pollution when they enter the environment.
T: According to environmental scientists, plastic pollution is a major problem worldwide.
H: The world will become a cleaner and healthier place.
What is underdeveloped harm -> damage to ecosystems, harm to wildlife, costs of cleanup, etc?
Jim tried to refute the motion: plastic bags should be banned. He said that paper bags also cause pollution. Why is this incomplete and what can he do to fix it?
What is showing that paper bags have environmental costs does not prove banning plastic bags won't reduce the environmental damage. A good addition would be: paper bags require the cutting down of trees, which creates even more environmental harm, etc.?
Which is the better analysis?
Motion: Schools should ban sugary drinks.
Argument A:
Sugary drinks should be banned in schools because they contribute to health problems and provide little nutritional value.
Argument B:
Sugary drinks contain high amounts of added sugar, which can contribute to obesity, tooth decay, and other health issues. Many students consume these drinks regularly because they are easily available in school vending machines and cafeterias. By removing sugary drinks from schools, students will have fewer opportunities to make unhealthy choices. These unhealthy decisions all stem from the fact that the schools are selling these unhealthy drinks.
What is argument A?
Jeff is in a dilemma. He has two impacts, a long term mental health impact, and a short term economic impact. Which should he include in his argument and why?
What is both?
Identify a key flaw in this claim:
We should prioritize investment in renewable energy over investment in nuclear energy because future renewable energy improvements from said funding will make it more power efficient.
What is non-unique or if you find something that I also agree with that I am not thinking of while writing this?
Fix it!
P: I am arguing that schools should require community service for graduation.
A: Mandatory service teaches students responsibility and exposes them to problems in their communities.
T: A university study found that students who wanted to volunteer are more likely to continue volunteering as adults.
H: Society will improve because more people will contribute to their communities. Many people will also become more empathetic, allowing for better understanding of each other and more societal cohesion.
What is technique is not relevant? These volunteers would volunteer no matter what.
Jeremy tried to refute the motion: Schools should ban phones (not allow students to bring them). He said that phones can be educational and provide communication value. What could he have done better to completely refute the opponent?
What is find a favorable middle ground? Ex: Although phones can be distracting, schools can require students to put them in their backpack in class and only use them when instructed by the teacher or after classes. This allows schools to gain the benefits without a complete ban.
Name the three of the four most common flaws that can be recognized and pointed out in refutations.
What is non-unique, no support, it does not follow, easily mitigated?
Find what is wrong given the motion that schools should ban energy drinks:
P: I am arguing on the affirmative side of the motion that schools should ban energy drinks.
A: Schools should ban energy drinks for students because they negatively affect learning and health. Many students consume energy drinks to stay awake or improve focus, but the high caffeine and sugar content can lead to crashes in energy, difficulty concentrating, and disrupted sleep.
T: According to the National Coffee Haters Association, energy drinks cause a ton of students to miss crucial sleep and results in bad behavior.
H: If schools allow widespread energy drink consumption, students may become more dependent on stimulants while experiencing worse sleep, poorer concentration, and increased health risks, ultimately harming both academic performance and well-being.
What is clearly biased source?
Refute this argument:
Single-use plastic water bottles should be banned because recycling is inefficient.
What is: Recycling being inefficient does not mean banning plastic water bottles is the best solution. Instead, improving recycling systems can reduce harm while still allowing for a convenient and safe source of drinking water?
Fix it (fill in the blank):
P: I am arguing that water is the best drink.
A:
T: According to certain studies, over 95% of the world's consumed beverages are just water plus some other additives.
H: The amount of money that can be saved by just consuming water is immense. This money can be better spent by people on literally anything, more food, luxuries, anything.
What is: most beverages are water with added sugar, caffeine, flavoring, or other ingredients that increase their cost without impacting hydration. Choosing water instead allows people to meet the same basic need while spending much less money.
Find a flaw and create a response:
Zoos should be banned because all animals deserve to live in the wild, and especially because many zoos mistreat their animals.
What is: take a look at the wording of "all animals". Endangered animals that are being protected by zoos cannot live in the wild on their own, and therefore zoos cannot be banned lest letting them go extinct.
Why is debate important?
What is my favorite answer?