About the Good point! site

Introduction

This website is for students to discuss and share their ideas about course materials in order to help them formulate their own arguments about university and current affairs topics. However, this is not done in the traditional way by writing arguments in prose, but in a more systematic, interactive way, namely, through presenting their ideas as points in discussions, which are then viewable in a variety of ways, including as lists of points, tables of pros and cons, topic maps or slideshows.

Why Good point!?
The problems of text
How Good point! can help
Formats to suit learner styles
Results of Good point!
A more effective way to discuss topics
Sharing the workload

Why Good point!?

The problems of text
In modern education, students are expected to examine arguments from textual materials and formulate their own arguments in response to them; and this becomes particularly important in tertiary study where critical and independent thinking are indispensable in learning and creating. However, the traditional way of presenting an argument in paragraphs and sentences has weaknesses, especially when arguments are complex and hidden assumptions are always not explicitly stated.

How Good point! can help
Good point! helps solve these problems. It helps us to:
- Break down complex argument into simpler, more manageable ones
- Lay down the structure of the argument through dividing it into different parts
- Work on and modify individual parts of the argument separately
- Give further details about parts which need more explanation
- Write down hidden assumptions
- Avoid common logical fallacies
- Get an overall view of the argument and the flow of its reasoning
- Highlight the relationships between parts of the argument

Formats to suit learner styles
The site allows users to see arguments in different formats to suit their learning style:
- Topic Map: showing all the connections of an argument as well as its depth and width;
- List of Points: stressing the hierarchical structure of an argument;
- Pros & Cons Table: putting the supporting and opposing reasons in dialogues;
- Slideshow: an interactive series of slides in which the user decides what to see next.

Results of Good point!
Thus, compared to the traditional way of argument presentation, a argument presented in the format of map is more refined and convenient. Through making an topic map, long arguments are translated into a format which is easier to understand, assess and edit. It helps to get the central arguments from a complicated passage.

Good point! is not just rewriting arguments in a graphical format: it is an interactive exercise which encourages students to express and arrange their arguments in a more logical way, as well as to reflect upon their own thinking and reasoning.

A more effective way to discuss topics
This website endeavors to employ the idea of argument mapping to construct a public forum for students to discuss about relevant course materials, and assist them in writing essays and papers. As it is undeniable that discussion is important in learning and arriving at conclusion, however it is frequently overlooked that discussion should be carried out with an effective means. Here Good point! provides a valuable way to accomplish this goal.

Sharing the workload
Because the building of an argument is not an individual but a collective project, the site serves as a public space for everyone to express and put together their ideas.