“Content Generation”

Training Session 17 Oct 2014

1. Identify the Controversy• Think about the following questions: What is the context of

the debate? What is the status quo and/or what event related to the topic has occurred recently? Has something been proposed in relation to a controversy? (eg. by a government, by an interest group?) What is the issue that this debate is all about?

• This step should help you understand why the topic was set in the first place – why it’s an issue that people are discussing (or should be discussing!).

• When it comes to the first speakers speech, this step should help you set up the debate, let the audience know what the debates about and why it’s a debate worth listening to.

2. Think about burdens• A burden is one of the things you need to

prove for your side of the motion to be true• It is not a specific argument – burdens are

proved by them.• Prop and Opp will have different burdens –

Prop will often have to prove all these things, Opp may only need 1 or a couple.

• It is still a good idea on Opp to hit as many burdens as possible.

Example: THW reintroduce corporal punishment to schools

Prop burdens:• Corporal punishment is more effective than current methods of

punishment at furthering certain outcome(s)• Chosen educational outcome(s) (academic results, life skills) are

important• The violence will seldom if ever be excessive (potential for

abuse is non-existent or low)• Hitting children is a justifiable way of instructing

Not Prop burdens:• Bad class control leads to bad outcomes in education• Bad educational outcomes lead to bad life prospects• Teachers want this power

Example: THW reintroduce corporal punishment to schools

Opp burdens:• Hitting children is never justified• Hitting children leads to poor educational outcomes• The system will be so open to abuse that good outcomes are

outweighed by abusive ones

Not Opp burdens:• Most teachers will not use this• Parents will disagree with it

BURDEN EXERCISE

3. Other Areas to Consider when Generating Content (i)

• Principles – Even if you have no clue of exactly what is being discussed there are

likely to be overarching principles that you know about or can discuss• e.g. What is the role of the state, when should we allow it to get involved

in the lives of individuals, why do we allow it in certain cases to get involved and not in others.

• e.g. When is intervention justified.

– There is nearly always more than one way to justify a priciple.

• HOW the policy does/doesn’t work – look at the mechanism and whether that will lead to the solution wanted or not.– E.g. THW ban smoking – is the ban really going to work? Are people

really going to obey it? What are the harms if people don’t obey it?

3. Other Areas to Consider when Generating Content (ii)

• Think about the issues related to the motion• Think about the individuals/societies/groups related to the motion

and the impact upon them.• Put your mind through the processes the motions entails. E.g.

THBT terrorism is justified, put yourselves in the processes of terrorism.

• Why are you doing it?• Why is it necessary?• Why is it justifiable?• Consider the possible impact in the following spheres: Social,

Political, Economics, Environment, Regional, Medical, etc.