Polytechnic University of the Philippines

COLLEGE OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Sta. Mesa, Manila

SYLLABUS // Argumentation and Debate in Politics

Emy Ruth D. Gianan // edgianan.pupdpspa2016@gmail.com

Course Description:
Debate is the art of speaking and listening. The course intends to help students develop their written and oral skills for
argumentation, along with their capacity for rational, critical and logical thinking on a wide array of topics related to their
field of specialization. In particular, the course is expected to: (1) help students appreciate the importance and value of
argumentation and debate in their everyday lives, (2) introduce students to the format, process and technicalities of
academic debating, as well as principles and issues commonly used to contextualize and substantiate debates; and (3)
encourage students to engage in informed and intelligent discourses.

The course is designed for both lecture and practice sessions to ensure that students are able to apply theory into actual
debate. Discussions start on the value of debate and argumentation in social science, proceeding to technicalities,
formats, speaker roles and structure of debates; then towards setting-up cases, preparing arguments, launching rebuttals,
as well as judging debates. At least seven (7) practice sessions both on the Asians and British Parliamentary format are
provided for the students, with specific matter loading sessions and after-debate discussions to achieve desired
outcomes.

Course Requirements:
1. Students will be assigned in small groups for matter loading sessions. See attached rubrics for grading system.
2. Everyone is expected to participate in the Sophomore Summer Debate Challenge (SSDC), the final requirement for
this class. Format would be British Parliamentary Debate, and team mates would come from other participating
classes.

Grading System:

Component Percent Score Grade

Attendance 10% 100 - 96 1.00

Class Participation (quiz, recit, class activities) 30% 95 - 91 1.25

Midterm Exam 30% 90 - 86 1.50

Final Exam (SSDC) 30% 85 - 81 1.75

Total 100% 80 - 76 2.00

75 - 71 2.25

70 - 66 2.50

65 - 61 2.75

60 - 56 3.00

55 - below 5.00

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Course Content Outline:

Week Topic Reading Materials

1 Preliminaries and Course Overview Gallo, C. “Introduction: Ideas Are the Currency of the
• Course expectations
Twenty-First Century,” in Talk Like Ted (2015)

• Basics of public speaking and debate

• Why is it important? Harvey- Smith, N. “Introduction” and “Chapter 1,” in

The Practical Guide to Debating: Worlds Style/British
Parliamentary Style (2011)

Monash Association of Debaters, Member Training

Handbook (2012)

2 Public Speaking Gallo, C. “Part 1: Emotional,” in Talk Like Ted (2015)

• Formulating speeches from ideas

• The art of storytelling

Harvey- Smith, N. The Practical Guide to Debating:
• Making intelligent conversations
Worlds Style/British Parliamentary Style (2011)

Class Exercise: Taking Sides Monash Association of Debaters, Member Training

Handbook (2012)

3 Debate Gallo, C. “Part 1: Emotional,” in Talk Like Ted (2015)

• Types and formats of debates

• Manner, matter and method

Monash Association of Debaters, Member Training
• Motions
Handbook (2012)
• Speaker roles and basic structure of speeches
4 Substance and Matter in Debate Monash Association of Debaters, Member Training
• First principles
Handbook (2012)

• Matterloading

• Case preparation
Sonnreich, T. Monash Association of Debaters Guide
to Debating: Tips, Tactics and First Principles (2012)
Class Exercise: Matterload Grouping

5 Setting Up the Debate Monash Association of Debaters, Member Training

• Definitions and parameters
Handbook (2012)

• Policies and mechanisms

• Standards and value judgments

Sonnreich, T. Monash Association of Debaters Guide
• Preparing the clash
to Debating: Tips, Tactics and First Principles (2012)

Class Exercise: Defining Motions

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6 Practice Session 1 Council on Foreign Relations, “Human Rights and
• Matterload: Rights and Morals
Duterte’s War on Drugs,” in https://www.cfr.org/
• Practice Debate
interview/human-rights-and-dutertes-war-drugs

• Adjudication

• Dissecting the debate Sonnreich, T. Monash Association of Debaters Guide

to Debating: Tips, Tactics and First Principles (2012)

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “The History of

Utilitarianism,” in https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/
utilitarianism-history/

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Deontological

Ethics,” in https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-
deontological/
7 Synthesizing the Debate Monash Association of Debaters, Member Training
• Whip speech structure
Handbook (2012)

• Launching rebuttals

• Identifying issues in the debate

Sonnreich, T. Monash Association of Debaters Guide
• Reply speeches to Debating: Tips, Tactics and First Principles (2012)

8 Practice Session 2 Becker, G. “Crime and Punishment: An Economic

• Matterload: Crime and Punishment
Approach,” in Essays in the Economics of Crime and
• Practice Debate
Punishment
• Adjudication

• Dissecting the debate Mac Donald, H. “Is the Criminal-Justice System

Racist?” in City Journal (2008)

Sonnreich, T. Monash Association of Debaters Guide

to Debating: Tips, Tactics and First Principles (2012)

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Theories of

Criminal Law,” https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/
criminal-law/

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Retributive

Justice,” in https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/justice-
retributive/

9 Practice Session 3 Badie, Schlosser and Morlino, “Liberalism in

• Matterload: Politics & International Relations
International Relations,” in International Encyclopedia
• Practice Debate
of Political Science

• Adjudication

• Dissecting the debate Sonnreich, T. Monash Association of Debaters Guide

to Debating: Tips, Tactics and First Principles (2012)

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Political

Realism in International Relations,” in https://
plato.stanford.edu/entries/realism-intl-relations/

10 Judging a Debate Monash Association of Debaters, Member Training

• Manner, matter, method
Handbook (2012)

• Winning and losing debate matches

Sonnreich, T. Monash Association of Debaters Guide

Class Exercise: Adjudication to Debating: Tips, Tactics and First Principles (2012)

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11 Practice Session 4 Acemoglu and Robinson, “Theories that don’t work,”
• Matterload: Economics & Development
and “The making of prosperity and poverty,” in Why
• Practice Debate
Nations Fail

• Adjudication

• Dissecting the debate Sonnreich, T. Monash Association of Debaters Guide

to Debating: Tips, Tactics and First Principles (2012)

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “The Philosophy

of Economics,” in https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/
economics/

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Markets,” in

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/markets/
12 British Parliamentary Debate Harvey- Smith, N. The Practical Guide to Debating:
• Comparing Asians and BP
Worlds Style/British Parliamentary Style (2011)

• Case preparation

• Extending the debate

Monash Association of Debaters, Member Training
• Identifying issues
Handbook (2012)

• Adjudication
Sonnreich, T. Monash Association of Debaters Guide
to Debating: Tips, Tactics and First Principles (2012)

13 Practice Session 5 Kacmarek and Geffre, “Rape Culture Is: Know It When
• Matterload: Gender & Sexuality
You See It,” in The Huffington Post August 1, 2013

• Practice Debate

• Adjudication
Slaughter, A. “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All,” in
• Dissecting the debate The Atlantic July-August 2012

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Feminist

Perspectives on Gender and Sexuality,” in https://
plato.stanford.edu/entries/feminism-gender/

14 Practice Session 6 Almendral, A. “At 100 or so, She Keeps a Philippine

• Matterload: Arts, Sports & Pop Culture
Tattoo Tradition Alive,” in The New York Times May 15,
• Practice Debate
2017

• Adjudication

• Dissecting the debate Rothkopf, D. “The Urgency of Art in a Dangerous,

Rapidly Changing World,” in Foreign Policy April 10,
2017

Shirky, C. “The Political Power of Social Media,” in

Foreign Affairs January-February 2011

Taylor, A. “Preface,” “Chapter 4: Unequal Uptake,”

and “Chapter 6: Drawing the Line” in The People’s
Platform: Taking Back Power and Culture in the Digital
Age

15 Practice Session 7 Sonnreich, T. Monash Association of Debaters Guide

• Matterload: Environment
to Debating: Tips, Tactics and First Principles (2012)

• Practice Debate

• Adjudication
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Environmental
• Dissecting the debate Ethics,” in https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-
environmental/

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Some Ground Rules:
1. Attendance is 10% but may just save your grade. Attend the classes as much as possible. You can max the
allowable number of absences; beyond that, your grade would be in peril. For absences related to health, extra-
curricular activities or personal emergencies, excuse letters are required. You are responsible for the lessons you’d
miss if you fail to attend the class.
2. Class assignments may be too elementary but it will help you learn. This is a major course so take this seriously.
Or not, it is up to you. As always said, you chart your own college destiny and we copiously compute your grades.
3. Participate. Because this course is practical as much as it is conceptual, you’d have to take part in class activities.
Your participation justifies your presence in class, earns you points and boosts your grades. But more than that,
participation follows the long-held principles of equality, inclusiveness and democracy. I would very much appreciate
questions and interaction during lectures.
4. Trolls exist in the web not inside the classroom. Basic courtesy means listening to those who speak, not fiddling
with your phones in the classroom, and waiting until break time before you ask your seat mate who liked your latest IG
post or what episode are they watching in that latest TV series. You also show respect by coming to class prepared—
that means you read and understood the lesson, and ready when asked to discuss it in class. Disrespectful people
would be asked to leave the classroom for the remainder of the class and marked absent. Continued disrespect would
merit a failing grade.
5. Google is a friend, and so are actual books. Several reading materials are uploaded in the designated Google
Drive Folder for your course. Please access and read the materials to prepare for class. The rest may be downloaded.
But students are encouraged to visit libraries and read actual books. I have several books, magazines and journals I
can lend, just let me know via email or approach me personally. Students may also consult through email every time,
and expect responses within 1-2 working days.
6. Honesty is the best policy; and copy-pasting is next to failing. Please do not download huge chunks of your
paper from the web because there will always be a way to detect plagiarized material. Be responsible adults. Do your
research and learn in an honorable way. Plagiarized materials would automatically get a failing grade. 


That should be all for now. Should you have clarifications or suggestions to improve the syllabus, that is most welcome.
Thank you and enjoy learning!

James 1: 15

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

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