debate essay(about neuronscience)
The answers to the last 2 questions could become your debate question.
Qualities of a Good Debate Question for this course
Often, debates may be formulated with simple YES/NO sides. But for this assignment you
must elaborate two sides rather than just prove/disprove a yes/no question. A good debate
question for this assignment would simply combine the 2 related alternative hypotheses
(or YES/NO questions) – that could explain your observation.
Here are some important tips about your debate question and the two sides:
? • Make sure your question and both sides are “testable.” The two hypotheses must be
testable. In this case, there must be scientific evidence available for you to find for either
side of the question. This evidence must be in the form of research papers published in the
past 10 years. (HINT: you might want to work backwards, finding the research papers first
then finalize your question afterwards)
? • Make the observation and hypotheses about a brain mechanism: do not include
psychology or clinical observations.
? • Make the sides comparable: the two debate side variable should be at similar levels
of analysis, for example both should be signal transduction mechanisms, or both should be
genetic mechanisms, or both should be structural etc. – that way you are comparing apples
to apples.
? • Articulate the sides specifically. The variables indicated in both sides of the question
should be specific and easy to measure. Consider the principle of reductionism – that
science works best if variables are reduced to their most basic form. You should be able to
articulate how the sides are measured experimentally.
