Internet Academy Resources
Discussion Web What is a Discussion Web?
A Discussion Web is a method to help you focus your attention on finding facts to support or disagree with an opinion, hypothesis, or controversial idea.
How will a Discussion Web help me read better?
A Discussion Web helps train you to
- Look for facts within a reading selection
- Find facts that both support and disagree with a statement or question provided by the teacher.
- Focus on the reading with a single purpose: to look for only certain facts.
What does a Discussion Web look like:
Here’s an example:
- You start with an opinion, hypothesis, or controversial question:
Does extraterrestrial life exist?- Then you read information that argues both sides of the question.
- "The Search for Extraterrestrial Life" by Carl Sagan, published in Scientific American
- "The Drake Equation and Extraterrestrial Life" by Peter Warrington, Manchester Astronomical Society
- Next you fill in a data chart, like the one below.
- Data Chart - Word Doc
Question _____________________________
No Facts
Yes Facts
- Based upon the information provided in the two articles and the pros and cons you have listed above, you would then write two paragraphs stating your conclusion about whether you think extraterrestrial life exists.
- You would be sure to provide at least three pieces of supporting evidence for your conclusion.
How would I use a Discussion Web in my classes?
When a teacher asks you write about your opinion on a subject, a Discussion Web is a good way to
- Organize your thoughts based upon reading the facts.
- List facts that both support and disagree with an opinion.
- Provide facts from the reading that support your opinion.
- Make up your mind
- State your opinion.
A Discussion Web would be very useful for assignments that ask you to
- Compare and contrast ideas.
- Express your opinion, based on facts you have gathered.
- Argue for a particular point of view on a controversial issue.
- Decide on a point of view after you have read arguments for both sides of an issue.
