DEBATE FUNDAMENTALS

ATTY. CHRISTIA SHEINE E. GIRAO

  Debate is a process that involves formal discussion on a
particular topic. In a debate, opposing arguments are put
forward to argue for opposing viewpoints. Debate occurs
in public meetings, academic institutions, and legislative
assemblies.It is a formal type of discussion, often with a
moderator and an audience, in addition to the debate
What is participants.

Debating?
 Logical consistency, factual accuracy and some degree of
emotional appeal to the audience are elements in debating,
where one side often prevails over the other party by
presenting a superior "context" or framework of the issue.
In a formal debating contest, there are rules for
participants to discuss and decide on differences, within a
framework defining how they will do it.
Why debate?
It is an excellent way of improving
speaking skills and is particularly
helpful in providing experience in
developing a convincing argument.
Debating is carried out in
debating chambers and assemblies of various types
to discuss matters and to make resolutions about
action to be taken, often by voting. Deliberative
bodies such as parliaments, legislative assemblies,
and meetings of all sorts engage in debates.
In particular, in parliamentary democracies a
legislature debates and decides on new laws. Formal
debates between candidates for elected office, such
as the leaders debates, are sometimes held in
democracies.
Debating is also carried out for educational and
recreational purposes, usually associated with
educational establishments and debating societies.
DEBATE
FORMATS
  Team policy debate is the oldest, and still probably the
most popular, format of debate practiced in high schools.
The proposition side is called the Affirmative or Aff, and

Team Policy the opposition side is called the Negative or Neg.

Debate  Each side is a team composed of two debaters, so that

there are four people participating in the debate (not
including the judge and audience).
Team Policy Debate - Format

Speech: 1AC 1NC 2AC 2NC 1NR 1AR 2NR 2AR

 A round of team policy debate consists of eight speeches.

 The first four speeches are called constructive speeches, Time: 8 min. 8 min. 8 min. 8 min. 4 min. 4 min. 4 min. 4 min.

because the teams are perceived as laying out their most

important arguments during these speeches.
A = Affirmative
 The last four speeches are called rebuttals, because the N = Negative
teams are expected to extend and apply arguments that have C = Constructive,
already been made, rather than make new arguments. R = Rebuttal
 Here is a table of the eight speeches and their time limits:
  In general, the members of each team alternate giving
speeches, so that the same person gives both the 1AC and

Team Policy the 1AR, the same person gives the 2NC and the 2NR,
etc.

Debate  Usually, there is a 3-minute cross-examination period

after each of the first four (constructive) speeches.
Team Policy  Resolutions. Resolutions in team policy debate are
always of a policy nature, usually governmental policy.

Debate - The affirmative team almost always defends the resolution

by means of a particular example, known as a "case"; if
they can show the example (case) to be true, then the
Resolutions general proposition is also shown to be true.
Team Policy  Style. Team policy debate is focused on evidence

Debate gathering and organizational ability. Persuasiveness is not

considered important -- or at least, not as important as
covering ground and reading plenty of evidence.
- Style
  Lincoln-Douglas (or L-D) debate began as a reaction to
the excesses of team policy debate in high school.
 The idea was to have a debate focused on discussing the
merits of competing ethical values in a persuasive
Lincoln – 
manner.
The famed debates between senatorial candidates
Douglas Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas in the 1850s
inspired the name and format for this style of debate.
Debate  L-D is a one-on-one debate, and as in team policy debate,
the proposition and opposition teams are called
the Affirmative (or Aff) and the Negative (or Neg),
respectively.
Lincoln – Douglas Debate - Format

Affirmative Cross-Ex of Negative Cross-Ex of Affirmative Negative Affirmative

Speech:
Constructive Aff by Neg Constructive Neg by Aff Rebuttal Rebuttal Rejoinder

Time: 6 min. 3 min. 7 min. 3 min. 4 min. 6 min. 3 min.

 Format. A round of L-D debate consists of five Notice that the Affirmative has more speeches
speeches and two cross-examination periods. The than the Negative, but both have the same total speaking tim
speeches and their times are as follows: (13 minutes).
Lincoln – Douglas Debate - Resolutions

RESOLUTIONS. UNLIKE IN TEAM EXAMPLES: "THE SPIRIT OF THE "COOPERATION IS "VIOLENT

RESOLUTIONS IN L- DEBATE, THE LAW OUGHT TO SUPERIOR TO REVOLUTION IS A
D DEBATE ARE DEBATERS ARE TAKE PRECEDENCE COMPETITION” JUST RESPONSE TO
USUALLY STATED AS EXPECTED TO OVER THE LETTER OPPRESSION"
PROPOSITIONS OF DEBATE THE OF THE LAW TO
VALUE. RESOLUTION AS A ENHANCE JUSTICE”
WHOLE, NOT JUST A
PARTICULAR
EXAMPLE.
Lincoln– Douglas Debate - Style

Style. The original

mission of Lincoln Evidence is considered
Douglas Debate is to important, but it is not the
restore persuasion and be-all-and-end-all that it
values to high school is in team policy debate.
debate.
THE BASIC DEBATING
SKILLS
Style

STYLE IS THE MANNER IN THIS IS THE MOST BASIC PART

WHICH YOU COMMUNICATE OF DEBATING TO MASTER.
YOUR ARGUMENTS.
  It is vital to talk at a pace which is fast enough to convey
your thoughts intelligently and allow you to say what you
Speed want, but slow enough to be easily understood.
Tone

Varying tone is what makes you sound It helps captivate the attention of the listeners.
interesting in conveying your ideas.
Volume

In debates, speaking quite loudly is sometimes a necessity, Shouting does not win debates.
but is by no means necessary to shout through every debate
regardless of context.
  The ability to concisely and clearly express complex
issues is what debating is all about.
 The main reason people begin to sound unclear is usually
because they lose the “stream of thought”

Clarity Use of notes and eye contact

Notes are essential, but they must be brief and well organized
to be effective.
Eye contact with the audience is very important. Make sure
your gaze engages your entire audience.
Content

The arguments used to

Content is what you
develop your own side’s
actually say in the
case and rebut the
debate.
opposite side’s.
Case
(argument)
- the whole
Introduction

THE CASE YOUR GROUP IS MAKING THIS INVOLVES STATING YOUR THIS MUST BE DONE BRIEFLY SINCE
MUST BE OUTLINED IN THE MAIN ARGUMENTS AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO
INTRODUCTION. EXPLAINING THE GENERAL THRUST GET ON AND ACTUALLY ARGUE IT.
OF YOUR CASE.
 
Conclusion At the end, once everyone has spoken, it is useful to
briefly summarize what your group has said and why.
Case (argument)
- the parts
Building Your Case Outline

1 2 3 4 5

Divide your case into You must justify your Debating is all Proof, or evidence, It is usually best to
between two and four arguments with basic supporting your put the most
arguments (or divide about the
logic, worked assertion is what important arguments
your case based on the
examples, statistics, strategy of makes it an first.
number of people in your
group). and quotes. “proof”. argument.
 Example of a good Case Outline

“The media exert more influence over what people

think than the government does. This is true
for three reasons. Firstly, most people base their votes
on what they see and hear in the media. Secondly, the
media can set the political agenda between elections by
deciding what issues to report and in how much
detail. Thirdly, the media have successfully
demonized politicians over the last ten years so that
now people are more likely to believe journalists than
politicians.”
All of the arguments in this case outline are debatable
(almost immediately you can see the counter-
arguments), but they give the case a wide range which
cover all kinds of issues.
The trick is not to come up with a watertight case, but a
well argued one. Think: “Can I argue that?”
Rebuttal
- the parts
Rebuttals

01 02 03 04
Arguments can be They may be A team may also contradict These are the basics of
factually, morally or misinterpretations or they one another or fail to rebuttal and almost every
logically flawed. may also be unimportant or complete the tasks they set argument can be found
irrelevant. themselves. wanting in at least one of
these respects.
Examples of Argument Flaws which can be raised during Rebuttal :

“Compulsory euthanasia at age 70 would save This is true, but is morally flawed.
the country money in pensions and healthcare.”
Examples of Argument Flaws which can be raised during Rebuttal:

“Banning cigarette product placement in films will cause more young people to
smoke because it will make smoking more mysterious and taboo.”

This is logically flawed, the ban would be more likely to stop the steady stream of
images which make smoking seem attractive and glamorous and actually reduce the
number of young people smoking.
Examples of Argument Flaws which can be raised during Rebuttal:

Even better is when a speaker starts with, “to

“My partner will then look at the
economicissues...” “Blah..blah..blah… “
(5 minutes later and still no mention of the
economic issues)”
This is a clear failure to explain a major part
of the case and attention should be drawn to
it.
win this debate there are three things I must
do…”. If the speaker fails to do any of those
things you can then hang her or him by the
noose by repeating their exact words – by his
or her own admission he or she cannot have
won the debate.
Rebuttal
– the whole
Basic Checklist to systematically break down a team’s case:

Is their methodology flawed?

Consider what tasks the other side set themselves

(if any) and whether they have in fact addressed these.

What is the general thrust of the case? What assumptions do they make?.
Try to refute these.
  Don’t Attack Another Person. Don’t sink to a level in

BIG NO- the midst of a battle of attacking the other person. Their
height, weight, religion, job, education, sexual preference
or anything else personal are NEVER relevant. Stay
NO’s IN focused on the problem.

DEBATING
  Don’t Generalize, Exaggerate, Or Be Sarcastic. This is
where someone you’re in confrontation with uses terms
like everyone, always, makes things bigger than they
really are, or makes sarcastic remarks. It’s nearly
impossible to continue in a constructive way once these
BIG NO- lines are dropped.

NO’s IN “Everyone thinks you’re a…” “Everyone I know would
agree with me…” “You’re always…” “This always
happens..” “You do this every time…” You do this all the
DEBATING time…”
 Generalizations are the last resort of someone who has no
real argument. They try to either put you down or they try
to draw imaginary others into the conversation to gain
credibility.
  Don’t Start It Off As A Know-it-all.
 Below are some common phrases you’ll hear from
people who think they know everything:
BIG NO- “Well I would know, I’ve been doing this for
NO’s IN 20 years.”
“I went to school for this, I have a degree.”
DEBATING “I have a friend who’s a xxx”
“Its my job”
 BIG NO-  Never Use Ultimatums Or Threats. This causes the
other person to counter attack or defend themselves. This

NO’s IN can go on for a long time back and forth, getting worse as
it goes, and you still didn’t solve the issue that caused the
argument in the first place.
DEBATING
 BIG NO-  Don’t Interrupt. If you show them respect and that you
value what they have to say, when it’s your turn to talk

NO’s IN they will take the time to return the favor. Let the other
person finish what they are saying, pay attention, wait
until they are done to start speaking. Listen to what they
DEBATING are saying.
 THANK YOU,
GO FORTH AND DEBATE!
ATTY. CHRISTIA SHEINE E. GIRAO