Some things change, others . . . .

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Some things change, others . . . .
The world is too big for us. Too much is going
on, too many crimes, too much violence and
excitement. Try as you will, you get behind in
the race in spite of yourself. It's an incessant
strain to keep pace... and still, you lose
ground. Science empties its discoveries on you so
fast that you stagger beneath them in hopeless
bewilderment. The political world is news seen so
rapidly you are out of breath trying to keep
pace... Everything is high pressure. Human nature
cannot endure much more. Editorial in the
Atlanta Constitution, 1833.
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Stock Issues and the Research Process

• Stock issues, very simply, are hunting grounds
  for arguments. They provide general phrasing of
  potential issues that correspond to the inherent
  obligations of the advocate of change ---
  Ziegelmueller and Kay Argumentation Inquiry and
  Advocacy

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Some Context

• Remember that the clash is over issues implied by
  the proposition/resolution
• Some issues will be unique to the specific topic
  being debated
• Others will be manifestations of generic or stock
  issues that arise in almost any significant
  decision

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StasisThe Historical Roots of Stock Issues

• Points of clash are known as points of stasis
• Facts
• Definitions
• Quality or significance
• Objection or interpretation

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Basic Stock Issues Questions of Fact

• Definition What does the proposition or claim
  mean?
• Criteria What standards should be used to
  determine if the proposition is true?
• Application to the Case What information
  evidence confirms or denies the relationship(s)
  asserted in the proposition?

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Basic Stock Issues Questions of Value

• What are the relevant values on this issue?
• What value hierarchy is most appropriate among
  these values?
• How can we tell when the value has been met?

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Core Values

• What are some core values that we strive for
  generally?
• Truth
• Peace

• Life
• Justice
• Courage
• National Sovereignty
• Health
• Wealth
• Liberty/Freedom
• Success
• Knowledge
• Spiritual Maturity

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Basic Stock Issues Questions of Policy

• Ill or Need for Change
• Blame
• Cure
• Cost

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Ill or Need for Change

• Inadequacies or problems in current system
• Ill is the current wrong or harm that the
  advocate for change is trying to resolve
• Qualitatively demonstrate impact of ill how
  bad?
• Quantitatively demonstrate extent of ill how
  big?
• Goal for affirmative is to establish
  significance of ill and that a change is necessary

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Blame

• Blame is similar but not synonymous with cause
• Focus is on shortcomings of present system
• Cannot solve problem or achieve desired goal
• Structure of the current system
• Will not solve problem or achieve desired goal
• Deeply held attitudes, beliefs, values of people
• Should not solve problems or achieve desired
  goals
• Flaws in overriding philosophy of system

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Cure

• The Cure is the new policy that will remedy the
  ill
• There is no merit in changing the current policy
  if the change will not solve the problems
  identified with the current policy
• Two parts to the cure
• Plan of Action
• Discussion of its effects on the Ill

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Plan of Action

• Plans must have at least the following
• An agent or mechanism
• A mandate or clear set of actions to perform

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Cost

• What are the costs, disadvantages or harms of the
  proposed change?
• Qualitative
• Quantitative

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Other Stock Issues

• Practicality is the plan workable?
• Cost-Benefits analysis
• Comparative Advantage

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Its True . . . .

• The advocate who is thorough, creative, and
  thoughtful in the application of the stock issues
  perspective will crate better arguments than will
  the advocate who is sloppy, indifferent, or
  uncreative.
• Thomas A. Hollihan and Kevin T. Baaske Arguments
  and Arguing The Products and Process of Human
  Decision Making

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Stock issues as Guiding Questions

• What is the problem?
• How big is the problem?
• Whats causing the problem?
• What should be done to correct the problem?
• How well will that action solve the problem?
• Will the action create other benefits or harms?

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Lets Talk . . .

• What do stock issues have to do with the research
  process?

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Citing Sources

• Cue us before citing any critical evidence.
• According to . . .
• Establish credibility of author a publication
• Dr. Martin Smith, a leading expert on child
  development . . . .
• Need only give year of information not page
  number, etc.

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Application

• Review each of the stock issues discussed with a
  partner. Be sure you understand them.
• Do you have any clarification questions?
• Can you identify how the opposing team will
  address each issue?
• Can you give an example of each stock issue as
  it applies to your topic? Which stock issue is
  most critical?

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Next Time

• Quiz on CT 8, 9 and DG 4, 5
• Workshop for upcoming debates
• Contest to determine speaking order for round
  one!
• Come in with agreed near-final draft of
  resolution you will debate.