Ольга Кравцова - Английский язык для специальных и академических целей: Международные отношения и зарубежное регионоведение. Часть 1

The Reader

It seems hopeless. History foreshadows that European Muslims will clash with European Christians, EU member-states will disagree, and peace WILL elude mankind.

While the ability to bring world peace lies in reconciling all belief systems and governments, it will not happen as most expect.

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The Manual aims at helping you to master speaking (making presentations and taking part in a debate) and writing (writing essays, summaries, reviews, survey reports) skills. READ IT!

1. Choose a topic which is challenging and off the beaten track.

2. Doing research for your presentation bear in mind that the content should be both educational and professionally relevant.

3. Structure your presentation carefully:

— In the introduction tell the audience what your presentation is about and what points you want to make. A slide with an outline of your presentation is a big help.

The Manual

— Make sure each part of your presentation logically follows from another.

— End with a summary of your points.

4. Rehearse your presentation several times: speak out loud to yourself in the shower, in front of the mirror, your family member, your friend, or your dog. Make sure you can keep to the time limit (10 minutes). Think of parts you can leave out if you feel you exceed the time limit.

5. When preparing a power point presentation, follow these suggestions:

— Use big enough typeface to be seen from the back of the room- font 20 to 24.

— Avoid white printing on dark background.

— Do not use too many fancy visual effects or use these as background for text.

— Avoid putting too much text into one slide (5 lines of short phrases).

— Have the title of the presentation, your name and group number on the 1st slide.

— Conclude with a thank-you slide.

6. When making the presentation:

— Stand rather than sit when speaking.

— Do not read your notes or slides, speak.

— Do not speak too fast, make pauses.

— Make eye contact with various members of the audience.

— Move from slide to slide as you deal with a particular point, move on when you've finished talking about it.

— Remain calm, composed and confident in your delivery.

NB: Copying other people's presentations is a serious offence!

To introduce the topic:

Today I'm going to talk about

In this talk I will deal with the topic...;

To emphasise its importance:

I would like to start by saying/ let me begin by saying that this is a significant issue at the moment in many ways. this is a really important topic today because.

this issue is particularly significant in this country/ the world at large at the moment because..

To present /outline the structure/plan of your talk:

I'm going to look at this issue from different angles. Firstly, I will talk about.... Then, I will deal with... Finally, I will try to explain the ...

First, I will tell you some facts about the history of., then I will look into where things stand and finally. To recap what you have said:

To recap briefly, .

Let me now summarise what I have said about.

Before I conclude I would like to sum up the most important points once again

The Manual

Preparing:

1. Think over the chosen topic and come up with an idea you feel strongly about.

2. Make up a list of reasons why you are right in defending this idea.

3. Think of convincing up-to-date examples to support your case.

4. Rehearse out loud keeping track of the time.

Presenting:

1. Start with an introductory phrase:

I'm going to talk about.; In my statement I will deal with.

2. Make a clear thesis statement.

3. Produce 2-3 arguments, which you develop and support with examples.

4. Conclude with a sum-up relevant to your thesis statement:

So, all of the above shows that .

It appears reasonable to conclude that.

So we can conclude beyond reasonable doubt

Debating skills are an essential part of your professional kit.

The main purpose of a debate is to develop critical thinking skills, tolerance for differing viewpoints, ability to communicate in situations of confrontation. To meet these goals, debaters work together in teams, affirmative and negative, and must research both sides of each issue. Each team is given the opportunity to offer arguments and direct questions to the opposing team. At the end of the debate the judge will offer constructive feedback, commenting on logical flaws, insufficient evidence, or arguments that debaters may have overlooked and announce which team has won.

/after Karl Popper Debate/

To win the debate, you should perform to the best of your abilities, no matter what your real attitude to the issue is.

Before engaging in this fascinating and challenging activity read advice from more experienced debaters.

— Research the topic thoroughly; read everything you can. Don't focus on your side of the argument only, read articles relevant to your opposition and try to anticipate what they will attack you with.

— Remember that debate is a team activity. Make sure that you and your partners are going over arguments together so that you can help each other to produce the best arguments.

— Know your material — if you have well prepared speeches, a strong command of the facts and ideas surrounding the issue, you will find it far easier to respond to counterarguments and points from the opposition that you may not have considered.

— If they ask tough questions, take a little time to consider your answer. It is very easy to get wrong footed and say things you later regret. Take your time and address each question without rushing. Make sure you are sticking to the debate topic.

The Manual

A tip for the judge:

— The judge's decision should be based on the content of the debate. A good question for judges to ask themselves is: “At the end of the debate, was the audience left with a clear impression of the team's arguments?"

Judges should make their decision on which team won or lost the debate based on the performance of the team as a whole.

Debate Format: Team 1 (Affirmative), Team 2 (Negative)

Opening Statements of Two Teams: (1 minute each)

Like an introduction to a formal paper, introduce your team and the topic you will be debating. State what you are going to argue during the debate (like a thesis statement) and say why your position should win.

1. Team 1: Constructive Statement 1 (2-3 minutes)

In this speech, the affirmative team is expected to offer its argument in favour of the proposition.

2. Team 2: Cross-Examination

The negative debater is expected to ask a question rather than make a speech. The affirmative debater is expected to answer this question; he or she should neither make a speech or ask questions in return. Team members should not assist their teammates by answering questions on their behalf.

3. Team 2: Constructive Statement 1 (2-3 minutes)

The negative team is expected to offer its argument against the affirmative position.

4. Team 1: Cross-Examination

Now the Affirmative debater asks questions and the Negative debater is expected to answer them.

The number of constructive statements (i.e. arguments) each team is supposed to present is subject to preliminary agreement between the teams.

5. Team 1: Rebuttal

The affirmative speaker summarizes team's refutations of the negative arguments.

6. Team 2: Rebuttal

The negative speaker summarizes team's refutations of the affirmative arguments.

7. Team 1: Closing Argument

The affirmative speaker summarizes the key points the team presented concluding with a persuasive argument that will win the debate for the team!

8. Team 2: Closing Argument

The negative speaker summarizes the key points the team presented concluding with a persuasive argument that will win the debate for the team!

The Manual

— No research is permitted during the discussion. Once the debate begins, the participants may not conduct research via the Internet, nor through electronic or other means.

— No outside assistance is permitted. Debaters, however, are allowed to consult whatever research materials they have brought with them to the debate.

— Debaters should be able to provide sources for direct citations.

— Debaters should practice intellectual honesty. Students should cite arguments and statistics truthfully and never fabricate sources or data.

— As long as the speakers communicate their ideas clearly, it does not matter if they use sheets of paper instead of note cards. No reading the speech is permitted, though.

Find more in www.ideal.forestry.ubc.ca/.. ./debateformat.pdf (Modified Karl Popper Debate Format)

Introduction (Paragraph 1)

The subject or topic. Thesis: a statement of your opinion.

Main body

Paragraph 2

Viewpoint 1 supported by a logical reason and facts/personal experience

Paragraph 3

Viewpoint 2 supported by a logical reason facts/personal experience

Paragraph 3a (optional)

Viewpoint 3 supported by a logical reason and facts/personal experience

Paragraph 4

The opposing viewpoints and reasons

You might include a lead-in opinion to your conclusion

Conclusion (Final paragraph)

A summary of your viewpoints.

A strong thesis statement, relevant to the topic:

1. expresses ONE idea

2. is clear and specific

3. justifies discussion.

Apart from making a strong thesis statement a good introduction should "hook" the reader, i.e. make them want to read what you've written.

1. Start with an interesting or surprising fact or refer to an unusual situation.

2. Address the reader directly with a question.

3. Give a quotation.

4. Suggest a definition.

The Manual

5. Supply some important background information

Your goal is to make a convincing case for the idea you have expressed in your thesis statement. Make sure your arguments are

1. relevant to your thesis statement

2. consistent

3. clearly presented

4. logical (watch out for logical fallacies, see Student's Coursebook, EAP Corner units1&2),

5. supported by reason and evidence (facts)

The main aim of the conclusion is to show the reader that you have fulfilled the task set in the introduction, e.g. have proved your point of view (in an opinion essay). In other words, the conclusion links back to the thesis statement.