Article 1 - you get to choose whether to AFF (affirm or support) the parents' position or to NEG (negate or argue against) the parents' position. The entry should identify the main (generalized) idea of the argument and let the reader know which position you will take. You should then find 2 other articles or resources to cite in your entry that uphold or further strengthen your position on the topic - in this article's case, the importance (or not) of GPAs and class rankings.
Article link:
Parents Consider Lawsuit After Daughter Loses Valedictorian Spot
Requirements:
- Summarize the main point of the article and identify which position you take (AFFirmative or NEGation)
- Use evidence from at least 2 other sources to support your evaluation of the argument put forth in the original piece
- Use appropriate quotation format and cite your sources
- Write 300-500 words (proofreading is critical)
Make sure that you guys remember to get your resources from credible and renowned places and to mention the sources when giving your speech. It's a lot better to say something along the lines of "According to the United States Department of Education" than to just say whatever it is that you found without mentioning where it came from. This not only makes your speech sound more official and credible, but it also saves valuable questioning time at the end of your speech.
ReplyDeleteThat's great advice Tim - an addition to this advice would be to make sure your evidence is timely as well. Your evidence should be as current as possible since outdated evidence can easily be challenged and discredited.
DeleteAlso if you get a really good fact from a un-credable website, just verify it from other sites. It sucks to be on cross-ex and have some idiot attack a statistic. But they will do this, especially if you leave it as a .com -Just get the same fact from a .net or .gov instead.- btw it's a good idea to keep a list of your facts and their sources printed out on a page after your speech in case someone in cross-ex asks.
Delete-btw- I'm Lydia
To become a class valedictorian, one must be focused, determined, and disciplined. They must be willing to disregard their social life and replace it with school work, studying, and all-nighters. You have to work extremely hard throughout all four years of highschool, taking the most advanced classes and hoping you get straight A's the whole way through. But it is still a competition against other peers for that spot as valedictorian. According to the article, Elisha Marquez's family is suing the Los Angeles School District because she was not awarded the spot she has been working for her entire highschool career. She averaged a 4.5 GPA, which was barely passed by Jasmine Fernandez with a 4.55. After a few minutes of careful evaluation, I have come to the conclusion that the Marquez family is borderline insane. Sure, they have the right to be upset that their daughter didn't make it as valedictorian, I can understand that. But she was still awarded the very respected position as salutorian, which kinda makes up for those "sleepless nights" that her parents complained about. It is a competition, and Elisha Marquez wasn't top of the class. This lawsuit is ridiculous, this family is ridiculous, and the fact that they would even CONSIDER suing the Los Angeles School District is ridiculous. I award Elisha for her ceaseless perseverance towards an almost impossible goal, but my admiration towards her diligence is cancelled out by her freakishly fatuous family.
ReplyDelete- Parker Tirrell
Sources:
http://www.theccamessenger.org/student-life/2011/07/19/how-to-become-valedictorian-of-your-high-school-class/
http://www.wikihow.com/Become-Valedictorian
Alright Parker, sounds good, but where are your points? You didn't supply any main points/evidence that say this is an ill placed lawsuit. If you were to listen to this it would kind of sound like you were taking the parents side towards the end, except for the last 14 words, which could have been followed by more rock hard points. So that way you can make sure everyone is on the same page... YOURS. Also, wiki anything really isn't seen as a very credible source, but if there is a link from Wikipedia to another, more credible source, you can most definitely use that credible source. You have been doing a great job, keep it up. :)
ReplyDelete-Kelsey