INSTRUCTIONS FOR HISTORY DEBATE ASSIGNMENTS 1. Read the debate. (I would recommend reading the Intro and Postscript too). 2. Type up an approximately three page (double-spaced, one-inch margins)...

Did president reagan win the war?


INSTRUCTIONS FOR HISTORY DEBATE ASSIGNMENTS 1. Read the debate. (I would recommend reading the Intro and Postscript too). 2. Type up an approximately three page (double-spaced, one-inch margins) response in which you explain which side of the debate you find more persuasive and why. 3. If you use the author’s exact words, remember to put them in quotations. 4. This is primarily an opinion paper…there is no “right” or “wrong” answer. 5. If more work needs to be done, I will give you partial credit and hand it back so you can fix it. You can then resubmit for full credit. 6. Your debate response is worth 30 points. 7. DO NOT HANDWRITE YOUR RESPONSE! 8. Please DON’T HESITATE to ask me (your instructor!) for any help that you might need. SEE “DEBATE INSTRUCTIONS – PAGE 2” FOR A RESPONSE TEMPLATE. TEMPLATE FOR DEBATE RESPONSE ______________________________________ NAMECLASS TIME TITLE OF THE DEBATE AUTHOR OF THE “YES” ARGUMENT AUTHOR OF THE “NO” ARGUMENT **PLEASE NOTE THAT THE TERM “SECTION” CAN REFER TO ONE PARAGRAPH, OR SEVERAL. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LABEL PARAGRAPHS…THE DISCUSSION CAN FLOW SMOOTHLY FROM ONE SECTION TO ANOTHER. ** SECTION I: THE INTRODUCTION In this section you will briefly describe the issue being debated. You will tell the reader who each author is, and, IN YOUR OWN WORDS, describe their “case” or argument. You are welcome to include your pre-reading thoughts on the issue. SECTION II: THE “YES” ARGUMENT In this section you will summarize the “yes” author’s argument. Include the main points he or she uses, any statistics used, whether or not it seems they have support from others in the historical community, etc. THIS SUMMARY SHOULD BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS. If you do quote the author, please remember to use quotation marks. Conclude this summary by telling the reader how persuasive you found the discussion after reading it. SECTION III: THE “NO” ARGUMENT Follow the same guidelines listed above for the “yes” argument. SECTION IV: YOUR CONCLUSION In this section you explain which argument you felt was ultimately more persuasive and why. Did one argument have better statistics? More examples? Was the quality of writing in one discussion better than the other? Your conclusion is just that…YOURS. There is no right or wrong answer. You will explain which historian “sold” their argument better. If you find that both sides are persuasive, then discuss why. If one side wins by “default” (meaning the other argument is, in your mind, ridiculous) then explain that. You can include any statistics, examples, etc., to support your conclusion, but just make sure you are NOT PLAGIARIZING. GIVE THE AUTHOR CREDIT. PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO ASK ME (YOUR INSTRUCTOR) ANY QUESTIONS.