Fall 2010 Critical Thinking Authoritativeness Game

The Authoritativeness Game

The Authoritativeness Game tests your skills in finding and judging authoritative sources on a general research question. We'll play the game in two rounds. Round One will be completed in class while round two will be done over the next two days. A question given and your team's job will be to find the most authoritative sources to answer the question within the time limit given.

One member of your team should be designated as the "recorder." His/her job will be to keep track of your search strategy and write it up.

If you're doing this in real time with each other (as we do in class), then another member of your team should be designated as the "searcher". The searcher has his/her hands on the keyboard following the group's advice about the search, though others could run "side searches" on their laptops to try out other strategies. Obviously, when the game is played overnight, you just email your results (don't post them to the wiki page or your competitors will see it!) to each other until the posting deadline. Make sure someone is in charge of posting your final results.

Results must be posted as "findings." See the section below for information on the "finding format" you should follow.

Reporting Pages for Groups:

The He Man Woman Haters Emily, Ian, Lauren, Megan, Anna

Febreze Squad Madison, Cody, Jeff, Chandler, Eli

[[]] Trevor, Hanley, Kelly, Jason, Jon

Research on the Beach Gabriel, Blake, Claire, Aaron, Gordon

Findings Format

A "finding" is just a particular result of research work. An article, book, website, report, etc. can each be a "finding" it you decide that the source plays some significant role in the inquiry. When you are ready to post a finding, click on the edit tab above, copy from the line below through the four dash ("-") signs, and then paste it in for each finding you plan to post.

Finding Title

(For the title, use some phrase that "pegs" the work. For example, "Harms of Global Warming" or "General Book on Global Warming".)

Finding and Link (Citation in MLA format, with enduring link if possible, at least with as much publication information as you have.)

Summary/Reconstruction (Identify key ideas, reconstruct arguments and explanations, indicate the type of information you found -- research, news, background, editorial, etc. Pay particular attention to the point of view of the source or publication.)

Your Name

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