Argumentation and Debate

 Cross-Examination Debate
o Like other forms of debate, Cross-Examination Debate focuses on the core elements of a
controversial issue. Cross-Examination Debate develops important skills, such as critical
thinking, listening, argument construction, research, note-taking and advocacy skills.
Cross-Examination Debate is distinct from other formats (with the exception of two team
Parliamentary Debate) in is use of a two person team, along with an emphasis on cross-
examination between constructive speeches. While specific practices vary, Cross
Examination Debate typically rewards intensive use of evidence and is more focused on
content than delivery.
 What is an Oregon oxford debate?

Cross-Examination/Oregon-Oxford/Forensic Debate
- traditional debate format used in elementary, governors debate, house debate rules,
parliamentary debate rules, high school debate, youtube debate, presidential debate, colleges
and all over the country.
- There are 2 sides in this format : the Affirmative and the Negative. The Affirmative proves the
validity of the issue or topic called the Proposition while the Negative disproves it. Each team has
two speakers and one scribe. A Debate Moderator enforces the rules to ensure the debate’s
smooth conduct.
 Format of Debate - Oxford-Oregon Type

Three Speakers from each side

First Affirmative - Constructive Speech

First Negative - Interpellation of the first affirmative Speaker
First Negative - Constructive Speech
First Affirmative - Interpellation of the first negative speaker
Second Affirmative - Constructive Speech
Second Negative - Interpellation of the second affirmative
Second Negative - Constructive
Second Affirmative - Interpellation of the second negative
Third Affirmative - Constructive Speech
Third Negative - Interpellation of the third affirmative
Third Negative - Constructive Speech
Third Affirmative - Interpellation of the third negative

Rebuttal of the Team Captain of the Negative Side

Rebuttal of the Team Captain of the Affirmative Side

Duration
Constructive Speech: Minimum of five (5) and maximum of seven (7) minutes
Interpellation: Five (5) minutes
Rebuttal Speech: Three (3) minutes
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 Issues for Debate

A. Whether or not it is Necessary? (Necessity)

B. Whether or not it is Beneficial? (Beneficiality)
C. Whether or not it is practical? (Practicability)

Criteria for Judging

A. Evidence - 25%
B. Delivery - 30%
C. Interpellation - 30%
D. Rebuttal - 15%

The judges, based on their discretion, shall have the authority to determine who will be the Best
Speaker and Best Debater. The winning team shall be determined by the majority decision of the
Board of Judges.

Guides for Constructive Speech

Speech types of Constructive Speech may be:

1. Reading Method
2. Memory Method
3. Extemporaneous
4. Mix method of memory and conversational or dramatic

Poise, gestures, audience contact and voice projection are highly recommended.

Rules on Interpellation

1. Questions should primarily focused on arguments developed in the speech of your opponent.
However, matters relevant and material to the proposition are admissible.
2. Questioner and opponent should treat each other with courtesy.
3. Both speakers stand and face the audience during the question or Interpellation period.
4. Once the questioning has begun, neither the questioner nor his opponent may consult a
colleague. Consultation should be done before but as quietly as possible.
5. Questioners should ask brief and easily understandable question. Answers should equally be
brief. Categorical questions answerable by yes or no is allowed, however, opponent if he choose,
may qualify his answer why yes or why no.
6. Questioner may not cut off a reasonable and qualifying answer, but he may cut off a verbose
response with a statement such as a “thank you” “that is enough information” or “your point is
quite clear” or “I’m satisfied.”
7. A questioner should not comment on the response of his opponent.
8. Your opponent may refuse to answer ambiguous, irrelevant or loaded questions by asking the
questioner to rephrase or reform his question.
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Rules on Rebuttal Speech

A. Rebuttal speaker should point out clearly the fallacies committed by his opponent stating
clearly what particularly statement or argument constitute said fallacy.
B. If not familiar with the fallacies of logic, the debater may counter arguments directly by stating
what arguments or statement is incorrect or false.

Role of the Moderator

The moderator of the debate has the following duties:

1. To reveal the issue involve the debate;

2. To rule on points of clarification about the issues or questions and answers made during the
Interpellation; and
3. To see to it that the debate is orderly and follows the rules of parliamentary procedures.

Role of the Timer

1. To time the speakers and debaters accurately;

2. To give the speakers a one-minute warning with the ringing of the bell once before his/her
time is up.
3. To prevent the debaters from exceeding the time allotted to them by ringing the bell twice.

Tips on Interpellation and Rebuttal

CROSS EXAMINATION

The cross-examination period of a debate is a time when the person who is not going to speak
next in the constructives questions the person who has just finished speaking. Consider cross
examination an information exchange period - it is not the time to role play lawyer.

Cross examination may serve six objectives:

1. To clarify points
2. To expose errors
3. To obtain admissions
4. To setup arguments
5. To save prep time
6. To show the judge how cool you are so they WANT to vote for you.

Most debaters tend to ignore the value of good cross-examination. Remember, 30% of the entire
debate is spent in cross-examination -- it should be a meaningful and essential part of the debate.
If nothing else, debaters tend to underestimate the importance that cross-examination may have
on the judge. Cross-examination will indicate to the judge just how sharp and spontaneous the
debaters are. Invisible bias will always occur in a debate round and judges would always like the
sharpest team to win. Good, effective cross-examination of the opponents can play an important
psychological role in winning the ballot of the judge.
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Be dynamic. Have questions and be ready to go, answer questions actively and with confidence
whenever you can. The image you project will be very important to the audience/judge. This is
the one opportunity the audience/judge has to compare you with opponents side-by-side.

GUIDELINES FOR ASKING QUESTIONS:

1. Ask a short Q designed to get a short A

2. Indicate the object of your Q
3. Don't telegraph your argument, don't make it too obvious.
4. Don't ask Q they won't answer properly."So, we win, right?"
5. Make Q seem important, even if it is just an attempt to clarify.
6. Politeness is a must -- emphasize the difference if they are rude.
7. Approach things from a non-obvious direction. Then trap them.
8. Mark your flow/notes as to what you want to question them about.
9. Avoid open ended Qs unless you are sure they are clueless.
10. Face the judge/audience, not your opponent.
11. CX answers must be integrated into your arguments made during a speech.

GUIDELINES FOR ANSWERING QUESTIONS:

1. Concise A.
2. Refer to something you have already said whenever possible. This is safe.
3. Answer based on your position in the debate so far. Keep options open.
4. Don't make promises of what you or your partner will do later.
5. Qualify your answers.
6. Be willing to exchange documents read into the debate.
7. Answer only relevant questions.
8. Address the judge.
9. Try and not answer hypothetical Q. If they demand, say you will give a hypothetical A.
10. Signal each other, don't tag-team.
11. Don't say"I don't know,"say"I am not sure at this time...."

REBUTTALS

Most debaters, coaches, and judges would agree that rebuttals are the most difficult and yet the
most important parts of the debate. Not only is there less time within each speech, but each
debater has to sort through all of the issues to determine which ones are the most important
ones! What a debater does or does not do in rebuttals will decide who wins the debate. Very few
debaters (especially beginners) can hope to extend everything that happened in the constructive
speeches. Debaters don't have to do that and just because a team may have dropped a point or
an argument is not an automatic reason to vote against that team. What matters is the type of
argument that is extended or dropped in rebuttals-this will determine the winner of the round.
 Argumentation and Debate

Think about these four issues when rebuttals happen:

1. Which arguments have more weight at the end of the round?

2. Which outcomes (disads, counterplans) are more likely given lots of internal links?
3. What about time frame-what happens first?
4. What about the quality of evidence?

Here are some other helpful hints:

1. Avoid repetition. Don't just repeat your constructive arguments. Beat the other team's arguments
and tell the judge why your arguments are better.

2. Avoid passing ships. Don't avoid what the other team said. You must clash directly with their
responses.

3. Avoid reading evidence only. You must be explaining and telling the judge why these issues win
the debate.

4. Avoid rereading evidence that has already been read in constructives. You can make reference to
it by referring to it, but don't re-read it.

5. Avoid "lumping and dumping." Don't try to go for everything. You can't make 12 responses to each
argument in a few minutes.

6. Be organized. Don't jump from issue to issue at random. Be specific and logical about winning
issues.

7. Don't be a blabbering motor mouth. Speak quickly but not beyond your ability. If you speak too
fast, you will stumble and not get through as much.

8. Don't whine to the judge about fairness or what the other team might have done that you think is
unethical. Make responses and beat them.

9. Don't make new arguments. You can read new evidence but you can't run new disadvantages or
topicality responses. You are limiting to extending the positions laid out in the constructive
speeches.

10. Use signposting. Make sure the judge knows where you are on the flow sheet. This is not the time
to lose the judge on the flow.

11. Use issue packages. Organize your arguments into issue packages. Choose arguments which you
want to win. Don't go for everything. Extend those arguments that you need to win.

12. Cross-apply arguments. If you dropped an argument in a prior speech that you think was
important, don't act like your losing. Cross-apply arguments you made somewhere else in the debate
to answer it.
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 Rules of Parliamentary Debate

A debate round has two teams with two debaters each and a Speaker. The Speaker serves as
both the judge and arbiter of the rules during the round. Note here that "Speaker" always refers
to the judge from this point forward. One team represents the Government, while the other
represents the Opposition. The Government team is composed of a Prime Minister, who speaks
twice, and a Member of Government, who speaks once. The Opposition team is composed of a
Leader of the Opposition, who speaks twice, and a Member of the Opposition, who speaks once.
The Government proposes a specific case statement, which the government team must
demonstrate to be correct. The Opposition does not have to propose anything, but must
demonstrate that the case statement is not correct. The Speaker decides at the end of the round,
based on the arguments made in the round, whether the Government has proved its case or
whether the Opposition has disproved it. The team which met its burden more convincingly wins.

 Order and Timing of Speeches

Prime Minister Constructive (PMC): 7 minutes

Leader of the Opposition Constructive (LOC): 8 minutes
Member of the Government Constructive (MG or MGC): 8 minutes
Member of the Opposition Constructive (MO or MOC): 8 minutes
Leader of Opposition Rebuttal (LOR): 4 minutes
Prime Minister Rebuttal (PMR): 5 minutes

Note: Each speech has a thirty second grace period.

 New Arguments
New arguments can be made at any time during the first four speeches. These speeches are
called constructives. New arguments cannot be made during rebuttals, the last two speeches of
the round. The Prime Minister can, however, respond to new opposition arguments that were
made during the MO. So the PMR may contain new responses, but not new arguments.

 Points of Information
During the PMC, LOC, MG, MO debaters may rise to ask the debater who is speaking a question
or insert a short statement. The procedure for this is as follows:

1. The debater who wishes to ask a Point of Information (POI) rises from his or her seat, places
one hand on top of his or her head and extends his or her other arm to signal that he or she
has a point.
2. The debater who is speaking may choose to recognize the point or not. If the debater does
not want to recognize the point, he or she simply says "No thank you," or waves the
questioner off. The questioner then sits down. A debater may not simply interrupt if his or her
point is not taken.
3. If the debater who is speaking recognizes the point, then he or she says "On that point" and
allows the questioner to give their point. At any time, the debater whose speech it is may
stop the POI and tell the questioner to sit down.
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The debater who is speaking does not have to recognize or refuse the point immediately. She/he
can leave the questioner standing until it is convenient for the debater who is speaking to
indicate whether the point will be entertained. Some debaters ask a special form of POI called a
point of clarification. Clarification means that a debater does not understand the case or a
particular argument. If possible, the speaker should try to answer the clarification to ensure a
confusion-free debate round. Do not abuse the idea of clarification by asking too many
clarification questions or disguising arguments as clarification.

 Points of Order

A point of order is raised when a competitor believes that one of the rules of debate is being
broken. There are two circumstances during a debate round under which a debater should raise a
point of order. The first is when the debater who is speaking has exceeded her/his grace period.
The second is when a debater introduces a new argument during one of the two rebuttal
speeches. The procedure for either point is as follows:

1. The debater rises from his or her seat and says "Point of Order."
2. The debater who is speaking stops their speech.
3. The debater who rose on the point indicates what rules violation they are raising the point on
by saying "the speaker is overtime" or "the speaker just made the new argument _____
which is new in rebuttal."
4. The speaker of the round, who has been judging the debate, will rule the point "Well Taken"
or "Not Well Taken." A well taken point means that the speaker must conclude their speech if
they are over time or that the new point will not be considered as it was offered during a
rebuttal. A not well taken point means that the speaker disagrees with the point and will
allow the debater to go on speaking or will consider the argument as not being new. The
speaker, not the debater who is speaking, may also rule the point "under consideration,"
which means that the speaker will determine whether the point is true at a later time. "Under
consideration" only applies to new arguments in rebuttal, not to time limits.

Although debaters may break other rules, for example, the Government may run a specific
knowledge case, debaters do not need to bring up these violations on points of order. These
violations should be mentioned during a regular speech. A debater may not argue about a point
of order. Once a debater has stated a point, all debaters must remain quiet while the speaker
rules on the point.

 Points of Personal Privilege

These are almost never used. Do not rise on a point of personal privilege unless you have been
deeply insulted on a personal level by an intentional attack on your person. The procedure for a
point of personal privilege is:
 Argumentation and Debate

1. Rise and say, "Point of personal privilege."

2. The speaker will say "Point well taken" or "Point not well taken."
3. The debate continues, while the speaker notes down any serious offences.

Points of Personal Privilege may also be used for a personal emergency.