Know Where You Stand POSITION STATEMENT ACTIVITY

Know Where You Stand

POSITION STATEMENT ACTIVITY

My father used to say, “Don’t raise your voice; improve your argument.” –Desmond Tutu

In order to improve discourse on a topic, one needs to understand all perspectives of an issue. This exercise will help you to examine all sides of an issue before making a formal position statement concerning it. If this approach is utilized over time, it will help to pattern your thinking (and listening) when engaged in the art of argumentation.

Directions:

1. Start with a debatable topic from the list at the end of this document and record your choice in the TOPIC box. Please note that you are NOT limited to the topics presented in the list; you may use a topic that is not included in the suggestions below.

2. Next, locate at least one source of information that supports the topic and summarize it in the PROS box. A source might be a news article, website, or professional blog.

3. Then, locate at least one source of information that is against the stated position and summarize it in CONS box.

4. Finally, locate at least one source of information that represent a neutral position and summarize it in the NEUTRAL box.

5. Cite your source at the bottom of each box for the PRO, CON, and NEUTRAL.

6. Once you have filled out the table (keep in mind, you may expand the boxes under each subsection as much as necessary in order fit your text), create a formal position statement. This will state where you stand on the topic or issue. The following link is a reminder for how to write a position statement: http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson394/position-statement.pdf

7. Copy and paste your completed table into a new Word document, save it on your computer, and upload the table for a grade.

TOPIC

PRO

Source:

CON

Source:

NEUTRAL

Source:

POSITION STATEMENT

TOPICS:

(Broad topics)

Facial recognition

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)

Artificial Intelligence

Virtual Reality

Global Warming

(Specific Topics)

Should final exams in schools be cancelled? Why?

Does cheating get worse when students enroll into university or college?

Does technology get in the way of studying or does it help?

Should student ID cards come with a tracking device?

Alternative sources of energy: explain why they are effective or not.

The impact of social networking on the development of our society.

Single-sex schools: are they more effective than traditional ones? Why?

Should we use school vouchers? Effective or not?

Prescription drugs: explain why they should or shouldn’t be advertised to consumers.

Beauty pageants: are they a way to objectify women?

Drug testing: explain why we should or shouldn’t make it mandatory for all schools.

Should parents have the possibility to ban certain books from libraries and schools?

Is setting special curfews an effective way to keep teenagers out of trouble?