First,

you will pick a topic from the many provided on population in your chapter and on the weekly resource page. Your first post can be a completely new post about your topic OR you can reply to someone else who has already posted. If you choose to reply to other’s posts, yours should refute the arguments in the original post and add something new about the opposite side.This is a debate so you should not be replying to people who have the same view as you, UNLESS you can refute something they provided with different evidence.You MUST make it clear what you are refuting.

For each item there are many pro or con arguments that may represent your view on the topic. Your arguments should be based on some academic source such as your text, or a procon.org website.

Second,

Remember the most important thing about debate is to PICK A SIDE! Even if you don’t agree with the side you pick, you can provide the research and present compelling arguments. Often that is the best way to really learn about a topic. Remember to think about how the topic manifests locally compared to nationally or even globally if you want to take it that far.

Third,

You are required to post at least three times. One of your posts MUST present a solutions that have already been enacted or an original idea that you think could or should be enacted. I would prefer the solutions presented be from a local aspect, but that is not required for this debate. One of your three posts MUST refute an argument made by someone else.

The easiest way to do this assignment is present an original debate argument (or reply to someone that has taken the other side and refute their argument), then have one of your reply posts refute someone’s argument. This can be in the same topic you presented or a different topic. Then have the third topic focus on solution ideas for one of the items presented. It can be the same topic you chose originally or a different one.

There are plenty of new ideas for everyone, so remember you only need to present one, not solve the whole thing in one post. This will be a group effort to see if we can come to any resolutions.