History and Significance of Race in

America - Research and Library

Literacy

Fall 2020
Surveys and Assignments

● Pre-presentation survey
● Research assignment for debate #1 (powerpoint
presentations)
● Post-presentation survey
Debate Research Social Media Project

● Decide with your group a contemporary debate issue to do research on:

○ abortion
○ death penalty
○ vaccination requirements
○ performance enhancing drugs in sports
○ banning animal testing
○ free speech on social media
○ etc.
Social Media Posts and Scholars

● To determine if the author of the post is a scholar, research them and

analyze their accomplishments, occupation, and credentials.
Debate Research Social Media Project - Day Classes
● First, find a scholarly discussion of issue on:

A) social media (Twitter, Facebook, blogs)

AND

B) academic articles through databases

○ Second, you will each find a post on social media regarding your group’s topic. These posts
will be the inspiration and starting point for the rest of your research.

AND

○ You must find both two pro academic articles and two con academic articles on your topic.
● Meet with your groups weekly to discuss what you have found and organize
your presentation.
Debate Research Social Media Project - Night Class
● First, find a scholarly discussion of issue on:

A) social media (Twitter, Facebook, blogs)

AND

B) academic articles through databases

○ Second, you will each find a post on social media regarding your group’s topic. These posts
will be the inspiration and starting point for the rest of your research.

AND
○ You must find both one pro academic article and one con academic article on your topic.
● Meet with your groups weekly to discuss what you have found and organize
your presentation.
Debate Research Social Media Project
● Present findings in a simple powerpoint presentation with a visual on each of the slides
(same as reading reports).
○ Introduce your topic through a general statement. Ex: “The death penalty should be
terminated in the United States.”
○ Support both sides of the argument with three supporting points for the pro (YES)
argument and for the con (NO) argument. You will use the academic articles you
obtained during your research (that began with the social media posts you found) to
find 3 supporting points to include in your presentation.

Examples:

Pro: “Yes, the death penalty should be terminated in the United States”

Con: “No, the death penalty should NOT be terminated in the United States”
Citations

● Compile a Works Cited (MLA) page at the end of the presentation. Make
sure to cite if the article is from social media or from an academic journal.
● Examples:
○ Timberlake, Justin (jtimberlake). “USA! USA!!.” 16 June 2014, 8:05 PM.
Tweet.
○ Adams, Mark C. “Educating the Music User.” Music Educators Journal,
vol. 103, no. 1, 2016, pp. 64–69. JSTOR,
www.jstor.org/stable/44677803. Accessed 15 Feb. 2020.
Schedule - Day Class
● Week 7 - Thursday (10/8) in class
○ Decide on a topic (ex: abortion, death penalty, vaccination requirements, performance enhancing
drugs in sports, banning animal testing, free speech on social media, etc.)
○ Divide into pro and con groups.
■ 4 members will find a social media post that is either pro or con their argument, the other 4
will go right to academic journal article research.
● These social media posts will be the inspiration for the rest of your research
■ 4 members each find a pro academic journal article
■ 4 members each find a con academic journal article
● All members will find an academic journal article that is either pro or con your
argument.
○ DUE: Next Thursday (Week 8) - Each pair researches and takes notes on their readings. Bring
readings and notes to class to present what they found to their group (social media posts, journal
articles).
● Week 8
○ Tuesday (10/13)- Meet with your partner on Zoom (create your own Zoom meeting) and bring
research towards either pro or con argument and take notes on each other’s readings. Before
meeting, you have to find a specific post or article to bring to Tuesday’s meeting.
○ Thursday (10/15) in class - Present your research and notes to your group.
Schedule - Day Class
● Week 9
○ Tuesday (10/20) - Meet with your group over Zoom. Turn research and notes into
powerpoint slides. The pro side will need three supporting points for the pro argument, and
the con side will need three supporting points for the con argument. Make sure a Zoom link
is sent to everyone in your group.
○ Thursday (10/22) - Meet with your group to continue work on the powerpoint.
● Week 10
○ Tuesday (10/27) - Meet with your group over Zoom to finalize the powerpoint. Make
sure a Zoom link is sent to everyone in your group.
○ Thursday (10/29) - We will begin to present each group’s presentation.
Schedule - Night Class
● Week 7 - Tuesday (10/6) in class
○ Decide on a topic (ex: abortion, death penalty, vaccination requirements, performance
enhancing drugs in sports, banning animal testing, free speech on social media, etc.)
○ Divide into pro and con groups.
■ All members will find a social media post either pro or con their topic
● These posts will be the inspiration for the rest of your research
■ 2 members find a pro academic journal article
■ 2 members find a con academic journal article
○ DUE: Next Tuesday (Week 8) - Homework: Each group member researches and takes notes
on either a post or journal article and brings it to class.
● Week 8
○ Tuesday (10/13)- Bring homework research towards either pro or con argument and
take notes on each other’s readings. Before meeting, you have to find a specific post or
article to bring to Tuesday’s meeting.
■ Homework: Turn your notes into a bullet-point argument that can be placed on a
powerpoint.
Schedule - Night Class

● Week 9
○ Tuesday (10/20) - Meet with your group over Zoom. Turn research and notes into
powerpoint slides. The pro side will need three supporting points for the pro argument, and
the con side will need three supporting points for the con argument. Make sure a Zoom link
is sent to everyone in your group.
● Week 10
○ Tuesday (10/27) - We will begin to present each group’s presentation.