This paper will address my self-evaluation on the debate topic “All nine-year old girls should receive the HPV vaccine”.  It will review content, experiences learned, and changes that I would make to improve on future debates. 
Content
     The author felt that the content of the debate on was well researched. I tried to find the most recent Canadian evidence to support my topic. Luckily, there was much to choose from. The difficult part was narrowing down which articles to use to make my argument succinct without missing key pieces of information. I am pleased by the feedback from my peers many of whom commented on how I managed to achieve just that.
Experiences Learned
     I found it most interesting that when I used the photo of x’s nieces in my rebuttal, several classmates commented on the emotional pull that it created. I felt that using these photos to my advantage was acceptable as it was presented by x as content in her debate, leaving the door “open”. 
     I was also surprised that many of my peers felt so strongly about vaccinating young girls for an illness that is sexually transmitted. Many of them felt that by vaccinating girls for human papillomavirus, permission was then granted to go forth and procreate! Some expressed religious backgrounds and others their personal views about teenage sexuality. I was impressed by their honestly on such an emotionally charged subject. It was a good reminder about how we are not necessarily objective about topics that are close to our hearts.
The Next Time Around...
     I learned much from my peers on the debate process. The whole concept was very fuzzy from the beginning and I did not look forward to my turn. However, as I watched the others debate their topics, I was surprised by how enjoyable I was finding the experience. One of the main things I would change for a future debate would be to clarify which fallacy was presented by the opposition. I think this would have added further strength to my rebuttal. 
Conclusion
     I can honestly say that I enjoyed this experience and would recommend it for other students. It was a nice change of pace from writing a paper and it forced me to utilize different skills. Thanks for the experience!