Whatis

debate
?

Adebateisanorganizedpublicargumentonaspecifictopic.Onesidearguesinfavorandthe
otherteamopposestheissue.

Whatare
arguments
?

Anargumentisawellexplainedopinionthatrequirestheuseofreasoningandevidence.

Whatisa
topic
?

Atopicisafocusedsetofideasinordertodirectadiscussiontoaspecificsubject.
a. Canvaryfrompersonal,educational,social,political,economic,andculturalissues.

1.Middleschoolstudentsshouldwearuniformstoschool.
2.TheUnitedStatesshouldhelpsolveAfricanpoverty.
3.Televisionisabadinfluence.
4.Junkfoodshouldbebannedinschools.
5.TheUnitedStatesshouldbanthedeathpenalty.

Proposition
isforthesidesupportingtheresolution.

Opposition

isforthesideopposingtheresolution.

DebateFormat

FirstSpeaker,PropositionTeam

FirstSpeaker,OppositionTeam
SecondSpeaker,PropositionTeam
SecondSpeaker,OppositeTeam
RebuttalSpeaker,OppositionTeam
RebuttalSpeaker,PropositionTeam

Firstfourspeechesaretheconstructivespeeches.Constructivespeechesbuildargumentsand
introducenewarguments.

Finaltwospeechesarerebuttalspeechesinwhichthedebatersmakethebestcasefortheirside
andeliminatethemainpointsofotherteam.


ProcessofDebate

Terms:

ArgumentAnticipation:Predictwhattheotherteamwillsaysoyoucananswertheirarguments.

1. Anticipatewhattheothersidewillargue.
2. Prepareforbothsidesofatopic.

Definition:Thepropositionteammustdefinethetopic.Inotherwords,thepropositionmust
narrowthetopictobespecific.

BurdenofProof:Thepropositionmustshowthattheirargumentsarebetterthanthe
oppositions.

Clash:conflictordifferenceinopinion

Directrefutation:disputepropositionsreasoningandfactsbypointingoutinconsistencies,
contradictions,argumentfallacies,orexaggerations

RoleofOpposition:Theoppositionteammustsucceedinpointingoutoneerrorofthe
propositionsarguments.Thepropositioncouldhaveleftsomethingoutoftheirargument,their
argumentcouldhavebeenillogical,ortheoppositionmaynothaveevidencetosupport.

Speaker

Time

Responsibilities

1stPropositionConstructive

5min

Makestheargumentsforthe
topicwithproof.

1stOppositionConstructive

5min

Makesargumentagainstthe
propositionsarguments.
Makesownarguments
againstthetopicwithproof.

2ndPropositionConstructive

5min

Continuessupportingthe
propositionargumentsand
refutestheoppositionsmajor
arguments.

2ndOppositionConstructive

5min

Continuesarguingagainstthe
propositionandsupporting
theopposition.

OppositionRebuttal

3min

Explainswhytheopposition
teamshouldwinthedebate.

PropositionRebuttal

3min

Refutesoppositionsmajor
pointsandexplainwhythe
propositionshouldwin.


Format
:
Introduction
:

a. Introduceyourself.
b. Statethetopic.
c. describetheimportanceofthetopic

Ex)Goodevening.IamSarahDunkins,thefirstspeakerforthepropositionteamfrom
CapistranoValleyHighSchool.Iamheretodiscussanimportantinternationalissuetoday.
Therearecruelpeoplewhoriseforpowerthroughthemeansofthreats,intimidation,andforce.
Evenattimestheyendangertheirownpeopleandbecomeathreattotheworldcommunity.
SadamHusseinservedassomeonewhoposedadangertohisownpeopleofIraqandtotherest
oftheworld.Therefore,Iaffirmtodaysresolution,whichreads,TheUnitedStateswasrightto
invadeIraq.Today,Iwillpresentthreemainargumentsastowhythetopicismorelikelytobe
truethantobefalse.

Conclusion
:

Ex)SaddamHusseinwasatyrant.TheUnitedStatesservedastheonlynationthathad
thecapablemilitarystrengthandthewillingnesstoeradicatehimfromhispower.Sendingtroops
toIraqwouldsecurethecitizensofIraq,protecttheworldfromtheuseofnuclearweapons,and
offerhopeforademocracytosweepintheMiddleEast.Therefore,UnitedStateswasrightto
invadeIraq.

*Argumentsmustbeindependentfromeachother.


MakingArguments

Assertion
:Statementsthatclaimtobetrue.
Reasoning
:Explanation
Evidence
:Supportsassertionand/orreasoning
Dogsarebetterthancats.(A)
Becausedogsarebraverthancats.(R)
Manydogsareusedinpolicestations,firestations,andlifeguarding.(E)

Theminimumdrivingageshouldberaisedtoeighteen.(A)
Raisingthedrivingagewillsavelivesbyreducingaccidents.(R)
Sixteenyearolddrivershavethreetimesasmanycrashesasdriversagedeighteenand
nineteen.(E)

AnsweringArguments

Under
____(Contention)______,
theysaid
______________________.
Butwesay
___________________.
Because
_____________________.
Therefore
_____________________.

UnderContention#1:CatsSaveMoney,theysaidcatsarelessexpensivetotakecareof.
Butwesaythatdogsactuallyhelpsavemoneyinthelongrun.Becausedogshelptheowner
savemoneyonexercisesincetheownerscanexercisewiththeirdogsoftenratherthanspending
moneyongyms.Therefore,dogssavemoremoneyinthelongtermaspectthancats.

ReasonsWhyYourArgumentsareBetter:
1. Betterreasoned.
a. Theresmorelogictothereasoning.Theresmorestrongreasonstosupportthe
argument.Thereasonsarelogicallycoherent.
2. Betterevidenced.
a. Theresmoreevidencetosupporttheargument.Theargumentissupportedby
betterqualityevidence.(compareHarvardtoYahooNews)
3. Itisempiricallyproven.
a. Asimilarscenarioorcaseoccurredinthepast.Therefore,historicalevidenceand
statisticscanprovethatthesamethingcanhappenagain.(takeintoconsideration:
nation,time)
4. Ittakestheirsintoaccount.
a. Theargumentalreadyhandlestheopposingargument.Inotherwords,iteither
alleviatesorsolvestheproblemdiscussedintheopposingargument.
5. Itismoresignificant.
a. Theargumentismoresignificantthantheopposingargument.Theargument
dealswithmoreimportantissuesandmatters.

OptionstoRefute:
1. AgreeandOutweigh.
a. Toagreeandoutweighanargumentistoacknowledgetheargumentiscorrectbut
provewhyisinsignificantcomparedtoyourarguments.
i.
Iagreethatcatscansavemoney.However,myargumentoutweighs
becausedogscansavelivesandlivesarefarmoreimportantthanmoney.
2. Mitigate.
a. Tomitigateanargumentistomaketheargumentappearinalessdegree.
i.
UnderContention#2,theysaythatcatscansave$2millionayear.
However,accordingtomyevidence,itreportsthatcatsonlysave$10,000
ayear.
3. Deny.
a. Todenyanargumentistopointoutthattheargumentisfalseandincorrect.
i.
UnderContention#2,theysaythatcatssavethousandsofmoneyayear.
However,accordingtomyevidence,itreportsthatcatssavetoalmost0%
annually.Inotherwords,catsdontsavemoney.
4. Turn.
a. Toturnanargumentistoprovetheoppositetrue.
i.
UnderContention#2,theysaythatcatssave$2millionayear.However,
accordingtomyevidence,itactuallyreportscatsactuallycost$10,00to
takecareofannually.Therefore,catsdontsavemoneybutcostmore
money.

CommonTypeofEvidence:

a. Example/Illustration
i. Historical
1. Pastwars,events,andimportantfigurescanallsupportanargument.Ifa
similarscenarioorcasehappenedinthepast,youcanlinkthehistorical
exampletotheargument.
ii. Contemporary
1. Currenteventsespeciallynewsstoriescanbeusedtoportraythecurrent
situationrightnow
iii. Hypothetical
1. Hypotheticalillustrationscanoutlineorillustratewhatcanhappen.These
illustrationsusuallyaresupportedbyalogicalreasoning.
b. Analogy
i. Theanalogycomparestheargumenttoanabstractorrelatableidea.However,the
linkmustbeclearinorderfortheanalogytowork.
c. Statisticalevidence
d. Scholarlyevidence/ExpertsOpinion

EvidenceBias/Credibility:

a. Newssource(Isitliberal?Conservative?)
b. Organization(Doesitbiasedlyadvocatesoneside?)
c. Time(Isitoutdated?Isitrelevanttothetime?)
d. Educational/Governmental/Scholarly(Isitfromaprestigiousinstitution?)
e. Expert(Isthequotefromanexpert?Istheexpertspecializedinthatarea?)

QuestionstoAsk:

1. Whoisresponsibleforinformation?
2. Doestheauthorhavethereasontodistorttheinformation?
3. Doestheauthorhaveamembershipinanotherorganizationthatmightinfluencethe
information?
4. Istheauthortryingtopersuadeyoutoadopthisbeliefs?

ResearchTips:

a. TelevisionNews
i. FrontlineonPBS
ii. Dateline
iii. 60Minutes
iv. NationalGeographicExplorer
v. HistoryChannel
b. Newspaper
i. TheBostonGlobe
ii. TheChristianScienceMonitor
iii. TheLosAngelesTimes
iv. TheNewYorkTimes
v. ThePhiladelphiaInquirer
vi. TheWallStreetJournal
vii. TheWashingtonPost
c. Magazines/Journals
i. Time
ii. Newsweek
iii. U.SNews&WorldReport
iv. TheEconomist
v. NationalReview
vi. ColumbiaJournalismReview
vii. TheNewYorker
viii. ForeignPolicy
ix. TheWeeklyStandard
x. TheEcologist

d. Websites
i. SearchEngines
1. www.altavista.com
2. www.excite.com
3. www.go.com
4. www.google.com
5. www.hotbot.com
6. www.infoseek.com
7. www.lycos.com
8. www.profusion.com
9. www.webcrawler.com
10. www.yahoo.com
ii. WebsiteSuffixes

e. books

.com

acommercialwebsite

.edu

websiteofaschool,university,
college

.k12

schoolsite

.org

siteofanonprofitorganization

.gov

governmentsite

.net

personalpageorcommercialpage

.(state).us

siteusedbystateorlocalgovernments

~(name)

personalpage

/members

personalpage

.uk

sitefromUnitedKingdom

WaystoCiteEvidence:

Accordingto
____publication___
on
_____date____
,
______author______
said(evidence).

QuestionstoAsk:
1. WhatdoIknowabouttheissue?
2. WhatdontIknowaboutit?
3. Whodoesthisissueaffect?
a. Howmanypeopleareaffected?
4. Howdoestheissueaffectthem?
5. Whyisthisissueimportant?

Impacts:
a. Whyistheargumentimportant?Whyshouldthejudgecare?
b. Theseimpactscanbethereasonsforthejudgetovoteforyou.
c. *Advanced:Ateveryargument,explaintheimpactofeachargument.Itbringsvalueto
theargumentitself.
Example:
droughts
crime
famine
globalwarming
death
poverty
war
racism/sexism/inequality
dehumanization
slavery

ComparingImpacts:
Numberofpeopleaffected.
Significanceoftheharm.
ProbabilityandRisk.
Ethicsandmorality.(obligation)