WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS
PART ONE
Debate Briefs
Drawing on both the required and resource readings for a given debate topic,
the debate briefs are expected to present a position regarding the proposed debate question.
The debate brief should have a thesis statement which outlines
the position that the brief will argue and the ground that it will cover in doing so. While the
brief should draw on the readings and demonstrate a strong understanding of the readings,
it should not simply restate the positions of the authors and
adopt that position. Rather, briefs will be assessed (in part) on the value they independently add to the debate.
An important aspect in this respect is for the brief to anticipate counter-arguments to its position (typically
based on the readings) and to provide a response to these counter-arguments.
The debate briefs should be no more than 4 pages (1000 words) maximum. Students may do a debate brief on any eligible lecture topic
except for the date on which they are to complete a team-prepared debate brief.
Reading briefs are due
before the start of class on the date that the associated lecture topic is discussed.
For this reason, there is no provision for late assignments.
Students are required to complete
at least one individually-prepared debate brief of their choice from
among the first four debate topics.
PART TWO
Reading Briefs
Drawing on both the required and resource readings for a given lecture topic,
the reading briefs are expected to examine how the readings fit together with one another
(in what sense do they complement one another, are there tensions between them), outline how
the readings and the issues they raise fit with the broader set of class discussions and readings to date,
and identify the most important topics/issues raised in the readings. Readings briefs should attempt to
synthesize the materials (on the one hand, the required and resource readings and, on the other, the readings
for that topic with the broader course materials. The reading briefs should have a thesis statement which outlines
the students' impression of how the readings fit together and how they fit with the broader themes of the course.
The reading briefs should be no more than 4 pages (1000 words) maximum. Students may do a reading brief on any eligible lecture topic.
Reading briefs are due
before the start of class on the date that the associated lecture topic is discussed.
For this reason, there is no provision for late assignments.
Class Presentations
Students will be asked to work in teams (comprised of roughly three students each) to brief the class on the assigned topic for that particular date.
The briefs will be expected to outline the most important issues raised by a particular topic, outline how those issues fit with the broader set of
class discussions and readings to date, and identify the most important topics for class/lecture discussion. Briefings will be expected to be presented in class
in the form of a PowerPoint deck which will be available to other students after the class.
At the beginning of the course, students will be asked to identify their top choices in terms of topics and will be assigned to teams by
the instructor depending on topic preference and even distribution of students across topics.
While the briefing and decks will be expected to draw on the readings for that topic, it is expected that all students will already have done
the relevant assigned readings so the briefings are expected to go beyond the assigned readings in terms of the material covered as well as the readings
integrated into the discussion. In most cases, the instructor will provide a set of recommended readings in addition to the assigned course readings to provide
a starting point for the briefing team to develop their brief.
The presentation of the brief and deck will take no more than 30 minutes with at least ten minutes allowed for questions and discussion.
Briefing teams are required to provide the instructor with summary briefing notes and an outline of the briefing deck (e.g. pictures, etc. are not required) in electronic format by
5:00 pm on the Wendesday prior to their assigned briefing date (for teams presenting on Monday) or 5:00 pm on the Friday prior to their assigned briefing date
(for teams presenting on Wednesday.)
