Introduces seven essays on Ronald Takaki's "Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans." Opinion is divided as to the book's merits in terms of its content, organization, and research methodology. Two responses by Mr. Takaki are included. (DM)

Examines the process of "spin control" (in which partisans provide commentary on campaign events) and presents a taxonomy of it. Illustrates how both campaigns used the process in relation to the first 1988 presidential debate. Concludes that the Bush commentary was coordinated with the overall Republican campaign strategy, whereas the…

Presents a brief bibliographical study in order (1) to provide future historians with some hints about where to locate materials, and (2) to encourage the American Forensic Association to continue its recent efforts to collect materials and deposit them in a well-maintained historical archive. (NH)

Develops the case for the inclusion and central role of argument in science education. Discusses the function and purpose of dialogical argument in the social construction of scientific knowledge and interpretation of empirical data. (Author/CCM)

Evaluated using student debates in a graduate-level child welfare policy course. When students debated, they demonstrated greater increases in self-reported knowledge of course topics than when they observed debates or learned through standard instruction. Most reported satisfaction with debates, reported that participation improved their policy…

Examines whether presidential candidates who use informational briefing books when preparing for debates actually improve their debating effectiveness. Finds that higher rates of factual evidence are associated with "losing" a debate. Argues that this association arises from three common mistakes candidates make when using evidence.…

Reports the results of two studies measuring the effects on undergraduate communication students of watching U.S. presidential primary debates. Concludes that primary debates are capable of influencing both policy and character impressions of the candidates, as well as changing voting intentions and increasing voter confidence. (SG)

Extends politeness theory to political debates arguing that an important element of political leadership resides in a candidate's ability to manage political image through politeness strategies in a debate. Reveals differences in face saving strategies in the debates. Considers implications for the importance of debates as campaign events and the…

Presents demographics about gender and ethnicity of debate directors, debate coaches, and debaters in the Cross Examination Debate Association's National Tournament from 1991-2000. Considers that although there has been an increase in the numbers of females and minorities debating, there has also been a decline in the numbers of females directing…

Claims the argumentation or argumentation and debate course in American colleges and universities would be bolstered by a dual focus on possibilities for argumentation. Suggests a unit on negotiation would provide students with instruction and activities of clear potential benefit for public-sphere deliberation and professional development. (NH)

This is an essay about Indian claims for the return of historically stolen lands, written from the perspective of a "Western" academic moral philosopher. I want to try to outline points of agreement and disagreement between Indian and Western moral conceptions and to seek common ground on which land claims can be more clearly evaluated…

Within a synchronous computer-mediated discussion, teachers used a prescriptive framework of Socratic interventions together with dialogue moves which challenged students to justify their opinions or which presented a devil's advocate line of counter-argument. This paper examines the effectiveness of different teacher strategies and presents…

Debate has been a well-known pedagogical technique since there have been written records about teaching and learning. Originally employed for learning philosophy and theology, debate was later used in the fields of history, law, literature, and the physical sciences. This author asserts, however, that, although the benefits of debate are…

The 2003 Iraq prewar intelligence failure was not simply a case of the U.S. intelligence community providing flawed data to policy-makers. It also involved subversion of the competitive intelligence analysis process, where unofficial intelligence boutiques "stovepiped" misleading intelligence assessments directly to policy-makers and…

This study provides a methodological critique of major quality assessments in U.S. higher education over the last 70 years, through an examination of their taxonomy, unit of analysis, frame of reference, and definition of quality. Many quantitative indicators currently used in assessments have a weak theoretical link to quality and have serious…