Lincoln Douglas Case Outline

Opening Quotation:
Find a quote that fits your value or the topic.
Because I agree with___(author of the quote)___, I affirm/negate the resolution which states, Resolved:
**Write the resolution word for word.
Definitions:
Define the terms in the resolution.
Value and Criterion:
My value for this round will be______________, which is important becauseThis value relates to the resolution
because
My criterion will be_______________. This criterion is important becauseThis criterion achieves my value premise
because
Contention One: Write one of the reasons you support or negate the resolution.
Subpoint A:Claim-Why or How does that reason support or negate.
Warrant-Explain your claim.
Evidence-Put your cut card here with complete source.
Impact-Why is this important or what impact does it have.
Link-Explain how does this claim relate to the criterion and value.
Subpoint B:Claim-Why or How does that reason support or negate.
Warrant-Explain your claim.
Evidence-Put your cut card here with complete source.
Impact-Why is this important or what impact does it have.
Link-Explain how does this claim relate to the criterion and value.
Contention Two: Write another one of the reasons you support or negate the resolution.
Subpoint A:Claim-Why or How does that reason support or negate.
Warrant-Explain your claim.
Evidence-Put your cut card here with complete source.
Impact-Why is this important or what impact does it have.
Link-Explain how does this claim relate to the criterion and value.
Subpoint B:Claim-Why or How does that reason support or negate.
Warrant-Explain your claim.
Evidence-Put your cut card here with complete source.
Impact-Why is this important or what impact does it have.
Link-Explain how does this claim relate to the criterion and value.
Contention Three: Write another one of the reasons you support or negate the resolution.
Subpoint A:Claim-Why or How does that reason support or negate.
Warrant-Explain your claim.
Evidence-Put your cut card here with complete source.
Impact-Why is this important or what impact does it have.
Link-Explain how does this claim relate to the criterion and value.
Subpoint B:Claim-Why or How does that reason support or negate.
Warrant-Explain your claim.
Evidence-Put your cut card here with complete source.
Impact-Why is this important or what impact does it have.
Link-Explain how does this claim relate to the criterion and value.

NoviceLD
ExitExamsAff
Page 2 of 4

Educationisnotthefillingofapail,butthelightingofafire.AninterpretationofthisquotebyWilliamButlerYeats
(yates),illustratesthatthepurposeofeducationisnottofillupachildwithknowledge,informationandskills,but
insteadtogivethemtheinspirationandtoolstobeabletolearnthatknowledge,informationandskillswellbeyondthe
classroomsetting.Educationisaboutlearningnotknowledge.Itisunreasonabletoexpectthattheknowledgestudents
havelearnedbyhighschoolgraduationisadequateforwhatisneededforasuccessfulfuture.Educationshouldnot
consistofcrammingasmuchinformationintoastudentandpossiblyleadingthemtodespiseschool,butitshouldoffer
youththedesiretolearn,andfurnishthosetoolssothattheycancontinuelearningthroughouttherestoftheirlives.
BecauseIagreewithYeats(yates),Istandfirmlyfortheresolution:PublichighschoolstudentsintheUnitedStates
oughtnotberequiredtopassstandardizedexitexamstograduate.
Definitionsareavailableonrequest:
OughtNot:TheoppositeofOught:Usedtoindicateobligationorduty("ought."TheAmericanHeritageDictionaryof
theEnglishLanguage,FourthEdition.HoughtonMifflinCompany,2004.05Oct.2009.<Dictionary.com
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ought)

Standardized Exit Exams to Graduate: Though they vary from state to state, the exams test for basic
proficiency in math, English, and writing. If students fail the exam, they don't graduate-regardless of their
grades. (Weekly Reader Corp, Final exit? Exit exams put students to the test, April 21, 2006, Online:Internet,
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EPF/is_24_105/ai_n16133405/,Retrieved on Oct. 5, 2009)

PublicEducationintheUnitedStates:programsofinstructionofferedtochildren,adolescents,andadultsinthe
UnitedStatesthroughschoolsandcollegesoperatedbystateandlocalgovernments.Unlikethenationally
regulatedandfinancededucationsystemsofmanyotherindustrializedsocieties,Americanpubliceducationis
primarilytheresponsibilityofthestatesandindividualschooldistricts. (EncartaEncyclopedia,2009):
(Theresolutiondoesnotspecifyanyparticulartypeofstandardizedexitexaminationonlythatthetestsare
standardizedandpassingthetestisaconditionforgraduatingfromU.S.publichighschools.

ThevalueIofferintodaydebateisthatofeducation.ArecentanalysisofthetopicstatesThereisampleevidenceto
suggestthatAmericaseducationalapproachusingaliberalarts,science,andcriticalthinkingbasedcurriculum
supplementedbyadiversityofextracurricularactivitiessuchasathletics,arts,leadershipandstudentgovernment,and
publicservicehelpedtrainentiregenerationsofsociallyaware,articulate,hardworking,andpoliticallyactivecitizens
whowerearticulate,adaptable,andeducated.ThesebroadlyeducatedAmericanswereabletonotonlyadapttothevast
socialchangesandupheavalsthroughoutthe20thcentury,butthriveandadapttotheriseandfallofindustriesand
embraceandbenefitfromtheemergenceofnewtechnologies. (MinhA.Luong&CompanyTutorial,SeptemberOctober2009National
ForensicLeagueLincolnDouglasTopic,Online:Database,PlanetDebate.com,RetrievedonOct.5,2009)

AccordingtotheStanfordEncyclopediaofPhilosophy,
Foronething,itisobviousthatchildrenarebornilliterateandinnumerate,andignorantofthenormsandculturalachievementsof
thecommunityorsocietyintowhichtheyhavebeenthrust;butwiththehelpofprofessionalteachers andthededicatedamateurs
intheirfamiliesandimmediateenvirons(andwiththeaid,too,ofeducationalresourcesmadeavailablethroughthemediaandnowadaystheinternet) ,withina
fewyearstheycanread,write,
calculate,andact(atleastoften)inculturallyappropriateways.Somelearntheseskillswithmorefacilitythanothers,and
soeducationalsoservesasasocialsortingmechanismandundoubtedlyhasenormousimpactontheeconomicfateofthe
individual.Putmoreabstractly,Atitsbesteducationequipsindividualswiththeskillsandsubstantiveknowledgethatallows
themtodefineandtopursuetheirowngoals,andalsoallowsthemtoparticipateinthelifeoftheircommunityasfull
fledged,autonomouscitizens.

Theissueofwhatshouldbetaughttostudentsatalllevelsofeducationtheissueofcurriculumcontentobviouslyisafundamentalone,anditisanextraordinarily

difficultonewithwhichtograpple.Intacklingit,careneedstobetakentodistinguishbetweeneducationandschoolingforalthough

educationcanoccurinschools,socanmiseducation (asDeweypointedout),andmanyotherthingscantakeplacetherethatareeducationally
orthogonal(suchastheprovisionoffreeorsubsidizedlunches,orthedevelopmentofsocialnetworks); anditalsomustberecognizedthateducation
canoccurinthehome,inlibrariesandmuseums,inchurchesandclubs,insolitaryinteractionwiththepublicmedia,and
thelike.(Phillips,D.C.,"PhilosophyofEducation",TheStanfordEncyclopediaofPhilosophy(Spring2009Edition),EdwardN.Zalta(ed.),URL=
<http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2009/entries/educationphilosophy/>.Online:Internet,RetrievedonOct.5,2009.)

ThecriterionIofferisthatofauthenticlearning.AccordingtoRockmanetal,acompanyspecializingineducational
issues,Authenticlearningisanapproachtoteachingandlearningthathasstudentsworkingonrealisticproblems,togain
newknowledgeandskillsincontext,ratherthanlisteningtolecturesandmemorizingvastamountsofinformationtobe
reproducedontests.Studentsconstructtheirownmeaningsfromtheirworkandproduceproductsandperformancesthat
havevalueormeaningbeyondsuccessinschool.
Authenticlearningpromoteshigherorderthinkingandtheintegrationofknowledgeratherthanstrictsubjectarea
constraints.Itrewardsdepthofknowledgeratherthansurfaceknowledge.Anditencouragesstudents,workingaloneor
inacollegialteam,tobuildonideasconnectedtotherealworld.
(Rockmanetal,(aresearch,evaluation,andconsultingcompanythatspecializesinexaminingcriticalissuesinformalandinformaleducation),AuthenticLearning&
Technology,Online:Internet,http://www.rockman.com/articles/AuthenticLearning.htm,RetreivedonOct.5,2009)

ContentionI:StandardizedExitExamsDoNotValueEducation.
AuthenticlearningisthewaytoshowthateducationsisvaluedforallAmericanpublichighschoolstudents,but
thenatureandstyleofstandardizedtestdoesnotallowforevaluatingauthenticlearning.Sincenearlyallofthestate
graduationtestsaremultiplechoiceorshortanswertypeexaminations,higherlevelandcriticalthinkingtypelearningare
notassessed.Successfultesttakerswillberewardedformemorizationoffactpatterns andformulaeexactlythetypeof
memorizationregurgitationtypelearningthatpayslittledividendsaftergraduation.(MinhA.Luong&CompanyTutorial,SeptemberOctober2009
NationalForensicLeagueLincolnDouglasTopic,Online:Database,PlanetDebate.com,RetrievedonOct.5,2009)

SubpointA:STANDARDIZEDTESTSDONOTMEASUREUSEFULKNOWLEDGE.
JamesMcMillan,HighStakesTesting,CommonwealthEducationalPolicyInstitute,
http://www.cepi.vcu.edu/policy_issues/saa/high_stakes.html,

Objectiveassessmentsmeasuretoomuchsimpleknowledge.Objectivelyscoredtests,suchasthemultiple
choicetestsusedextensivelyinVirginia,arebestusedtomeasurestudentknowledgeandsimpleskills.Thesekinds
oftestsarenotthebestwaytomeasuredeepunderstanding,complexskills,reasoning,problemsolving,andcritical
thinking.
SubpointB:EXITEXAMSONLYMEASUREASMALLSKILLSET.
JamesMcMillan,HighStakesTesting,CommonwealthEducationalPolicyInstitute,
http://www.cepi.vcu.edu/policy_issues/saa/high_stakes.html

Whatyoutestandhowyoutestitiswhatyouget;whatisnottestedyoudonotget.Apotentiallyseriouslimitation
withhighstakestestsisnotwhattheydo,itiswhattheydonotdo.Highstakesassessmentsinformusaboutonly
someofwhatisimportantinpubliceducation,namelystudentproficiencyonwhatistested.Thetestsarelimitedby
whatcontentiscoveredandbythenatureoftheassessments.Thereismuchthatisnotcoveredbytheteststhatisalso
veryimportanttoknowingwhetherstudentshavehadahighqualityeducationandhavedevelopedneededskills.
ContentionII:StandardizedExitExamsAreHighStakeAndDevalueEducation

S.E.Smithdescribeshighstakesexaminationsas:Whentheoutcomeofastandardizedtestisusedasthesole
determiningfactorformakingamajordecision,itisknownashighstakestesting.Commonexamplesofhighstakes
testingintheUnitedStatesincludestandardizedtestsadministeredtomeasureschoolprogressunderNoChildLeft
Behind(NCLB),highschoolexitexams,andtheuseoftestscorestodeterminewhetherornotaschoolwillretain
accreditation.
(S.E.Smith,WhatisHighStakesTesting?,2009.AtURL:http://www.wisegeek.com/whatishighstakestesting.htm,MinhA.Luong&CompanyTutorial,September
October2009NationalForensicLeagueLincolnDouglasTopic,Online:Database,PlanetDebate.com,RetrievedonOct.5,2009)

Subpoint A: EXIT EXAMS NARROW STATE CURRICULUM.

JamesMcMillan,HighStakesTesting,CommonwealthEducationalPolicyInstitute,
http://www.cepi.vcu.edu/policy_issues/saa/high_stakes.html

Statewideassessmentleadstoamorenarrowstatewidecurriculum.Becauseofhighstakes,schoolswillnarrow
thecurriculumtoemphasizewhatisonthetest.Thecommontestforallschoolsdrivesacommoncurriculum,
resultinginlesslocalautonomyandlesscurriculumthatistailoredtolocalconditions,traditions,andcontext.
SubpointB:HAVINGONENARROWMEASUREOFGRADUATIONWORTHINESSISBAD
Deborah;SeniorEditor;ThePerilsofHighSchoolExitExams; EducationalLeadership;November2005;page90
Professionaltestingexpertswarnagainstrelyingonanyonetestasthesolesourceofinformationforimportant
educationdecisions.Notest,theysay,canbereliableandvalidenoughtofulfillsucharole.Fortunately,onlya
handfulofstatescurrentlyrequirestudentstopassexitexaminationstoreceiveahighschooldiplomawithout
offeringstudentsanyotheroptionsoralternativestodemonstratetheirlearning.Infact,morethanhalfofthe25
stateswithhighschoolexitexaminationseitherhavedevelopedorareintheprocessofdevelopingsystemsthat
relyonmultiplemeasuresofperformanceasthebasisforgraduation. (FN1)Suchmeasuresincludeportfolios,
performanceassessments,gradesincoursestiedtostatestandards,andstudentexhibitionsoflearning. NCESdata
indicatethat,incontrasttothedecreasinggraduationratesinstateswithtestsonlygraduationsystems,statesthat
introducedmultiplemeasuresassessmentsystemsinthe1990stendtomaintainhigherandsteadierratesof
graduation.
SubpointC:STANDARDIZEDEXITEXAMSLEADTOREDUCTIONSOFELECTIVESAND
THEARTS
"StudentAchievementTesting."Issues&ControversiesOnFile:n.pag.Issues&Controversies.FactsOnFileNewsServices,13
Oct.2000,Online:Database,http://www.2facts.com/article/i0502310,RetrievedonOct.5,2009
Someschoolshavereducedoreliminatedimportantactivitiesnotcoveredbythetests,suchasphysical
education,fineartsandprojectsforsciencefairs,criticssay.InTallahassee,Fla.,forexample,school
officialshavereducedclasstimespentonprojectsforhistoryandsciencefairsinordertodevotemore
timetotestpreparation.Thosecutbacksareanunintended,yetunavoidable,consequenceofstandardized
testing,criticscontend."Thesubjectsandactivitiesofageneralschoolexperience...inmanyofour
schoolsisbeingdiminishedoreliminated,"saysDavidClark,aspokesmanfortheFloridaaffiliateofthe
NationalEducationAssociation,ateachers'union.

I am now open for cross examination.