CJV_DE Debating in English – Mini Research Project April 13th, 2021

KARL POPPER DEBATE FORMAT

= Team debate format widely used in high school debate competitions. Aimed at developing
critical thinking skills and tolerance for differing viewpoints by focusing on controversial and deeply
divisive propositions.

A debate starts with a proposed statement - a resolution that sets the topic to be debated. There
are two teams with assigned roles opposing each other. Both teams have three members/speakers
working together.

TWO TEAMS

The Affirmative = pro side The negative = against

The members of the affirmative The negative team opposes the

side agree with the statement as other, argues against the
proposed and must prove it proposal, and takes apart the
holds true affirmative case

Debate Procedure:

The debate has a total of 6 speakers, taking turns in assigned order, each member is given time to
speak. The debated topic and subsequent proposed statement are known in advance with time
for preparation.

The member of the affirmative side (A1) opens

the debate followed by questioning from the
negative side. First speakers (A1/N1) are cross-
examined by the third speakers (N3/A3) of the
opposing teams that ask questions rather than
make speeches and only the questioned
member answersi, the second speakers are then
cross-examined by the first speakers. The main
task of the second speakers (A2/N2) is to build
upon their teammates and respond to the
opponent’s arguments and rebuttals. The last two speakers deliver closing remarks, no new
arguments should be presented by N3 in the closing speech.
CJV_DE Debating in English – Mini Research Project April 13th, 2021

The debate is won either by the Affirmative team if, based on its argumentation, it upheld the
resolution debated or by the Negative team if, on the basis of its argumentation, it rebutted the
affirmative support of the resolution or cast serious doubt upon it.

The Negative party does not necessarily have to disagree with all of the points of
the Affirmative party, it is sufficient to prove that the Affirmative party’s argumentation does
not uphold the stated proposition.

The winner of the debate is decided by judges. „Judges then offer constructive feedback,
commenting on logical flaws, insufficient evidence, or arguments that debaters may have
overlooked”. [2]

Features of Karl Popper debate:

• Cross-examination – there are 4 members assigned a role in questioning the opponent. The
objective is to find and reveal the weaknesses of the opponent’s argumentation, clarify
the last speaker’s speech, and prepare the grounds for the team’s own argumentation [1]
• Assigned roles – Team debating is characterized by a division of roles among all three
members of the team. There is a clear progression from the opening speaker, who presents
entirely new material, to the closing speakers (A3 and N3) who deal exclusively with what
has been said by the previous speakers.
• Teamwork – K. Popper debate is a team activity; debate requires following preceding
speeches, reacting to significant points of the colleagues’ and opponents’ speeches, and
using information from cross-questionings [1]

Examples:

A proposal/resolution for a debate might be “Testing cosmetics on animals must be made illegal.”

The Affirmative Team would essentially agree with the Proposal as written.
Their stance, then, is that using animals to test cosmetics should be made illegal. The
Negative Team would oppose the proposal, arguing that testing cosmetics on
animals should not be made illegal. [3]

Other examples of debated statements from actual competitions:

o "The USA was right in rejecting the Koto protocol" [4]

o “State-sanctioned torture is justifiable in exceptional circumstances." [6]
o “Actively circumventing Internet censorship is a legitimate foreign policy tool” [7]
CJV_DE Debating in English – Mini Research Project April 13th, 2021

SOURCES:

1 Czech Debate Association. Karl Popper Debate Programme Rules (2018/19)

https://debatovani.cz/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/181119_KP-debate-programme-rules.pdf

2 Karl Popper Format of Debate. [online] http://studentscouncil.de/wordpress/wp-

content/uploads/2018/04/Karl-Popper-Format-of-Debate.pdf

3 The Karl Popper Debate [online] https://debate.uvm.edu/dcpdf/KPDRules_Mead.com.pdf

4 The IDEA Youth Forum. 2009. Karl Popper Demo Debate. International Debate Education
Association [online] https://youtu.be/grSgD6gsUvY

5 KPDP CR: The Rules of the Debate. 2009. [online]

https://is.muni.cz/el/1441/jaro2009/AJ2BP_PJ3B/um/debate_rules_principles.pdf

6 Karl Popper Debating Championship 2012 [online] https://idebate.org/about-idea-nw

7 The World Karl Popper Debating Championship [online] https://idebate.org/world-karl-

popper-debate-championship

i3N asks and 1A answers, team mates must not communicate with each other during cross-
examination.