What Makes a Debate?

1
What Makes a Debate

• Although millions of people all over the world
  enjoy a good debate they do not all debate in
  the same way in the same format or even in the
  same language.
• Most debates have a few characteristics in
  common
• Usually on a fixed topic or proposition.
• Try to persuade a third party audience
• or judge.

2
Who Wins a Debate

• Because youre trying to convince some third
  party whos watching the debate this means its
  not the same as a simple argument with your
  friends youre not trying to convince your
  opponent or opponents that youre right.
• Who will judge your debate

3
What Are Debates On

• A fixed topic or proposition. It might be vague
  or imprecise such as school safety or
  television. It might also suggest a direction
  for the debate such as School safety should be
  improved or Television should be abolished.
• They usually deal with controversial issues
  (international issues like global warming or
  local issues to do with your community)
• They constrain the issues that will be debated
  generally judges and audiences expect youll
  stick to the assigned topic.

4
The Building Blocks

• Basic building blocks Arguments
• The question you need to ask is
• How do you make successful arguments and how do
  you make these work in debates

5
Unsuccessful Arguments

• Often arguments are not successful because they
  are incomplete.
• Important difference an argument is not a simple
  assertion or statement that something is so for
  e.g.
• The death penalty is justified.
• Hyacinths are better than roses.
• The USA should eliminate its nuclear arsenal.

6
From Novice to Advanced Debater

• A novice might offer assertions to prove her
  point The death penalty is justified.
• A more sophisticated debater knows her argument
  will be more persuasive with reasoning The
  death penalty is justified because it reduces
  crime.

7
The Advanced Debater

• The advanced debater offers proof to cement the
  credibility of her argument
• The death penalty is justified because it
  reduces crime. Credible university studies
  conducted across the nation strongly point to
  this effect.

8
Offer Proof Win Over Your Audience

• If this argument works (is persuasive) it will
  be in part because it plays on the audiences
  assumption that policies that reduce crime are
  good. It may also be persuasive because the data
  is credible or from a credible source.

9
Successful Arguments Complete Arguments

• 3 basic parts necessary (A R - E)
• Assertion - a statement that
• something is so.
• Reasoning - the reason why the assertion is
  valid. Reasoning is the because part of an
  argument.
• Evidence - the proof of the reasoning .

10
A-R-E Activity

• Have a look at Worksheet 1.
• Complete the table by adding info for the three
  categories (A R E)
• Choose some topics that you brainstormed last
  week
• Outline the argument(s) that an advanced debater
  would put forward.

11
The CLASH

• Debates need a clash. Why
• Debate deals with arguments that are in dispute
• That is why refutation or counter-argument is
  necessary - because it promotes direct clash
  between arguments

12
Introduction To Refutation

• There are many ways to answer an argument.
• Firstly you could provide a counterclaim e.g.
• Speaker 1 Bananas are better than oranges
  because they contain more potassium.
• Speaker 2 Speaker 1 says that bananas are better
  than oranges but I disagree. Oranges are better
  than bananas.

13
Who Wins

• Speaker 2 has simply provided an assertion to
  counter the assertion of the first speaker.
  Clearly Speaker 1 has the edge since she is the
  only debater to have actually provided reasoning
  for her claim (because they contain more
  potassium). Good reasoning always trumps no
  reasoning at all.

14
A More Advanced Method

• Provide reasoning for your counter-assertion
• Speaker 1 Bananas are better than oranges
  because they contain more potassium.
• Speaker 2 Speaker 1 says that bananas are better
  than oranges but I disagree. Oranges are better
  than bananas because they contain more vitamin C.
• Has complete refutation been achieved

15
Complete refutation

• In order to refute an argument you must include
  what we call a therefore component. This
  component is where you explain why your argument
  trumps the argument of your opponent.

16
Example of complete refutation

• Speaker 1 Bananas are better than oranges
  because they contain more potassium.
• Speaker 2 Speaker 1 says that bananas are better
  than oranges but I disagree. Oranges are better
  than bananas because they contain more vitamin C.
  Therefore you should prefer oranges because
  while many foods in an ordinary diet contain
  potassium few contain an appreciable amount of
  vitamin C. It is more important to eat oranges
  whenever possible than it is to eat bananas.
  (Comparison)
• Who wins

17
Counter-argument Activity

• Have a look at the summary of the four steps in
  Worksheet 2.
• Go back to the A-R-E worksheet and use the steps
  to develop counter-argument to some of the
  arguments.

18
What About Your Debate

• Obviously there are two sides in the debate.
  These are the proposition side and the opposition
  side.
• In your debate there will be four debaters per
  side. Everyone gives one speech.
• This is the order of the speeches

19
First proposition first opposition

• First proposition constructive 3 minutes
• This speaker makes a case for the motion for
  the debate providing a proof of the topic with
  three or four major points.
• First opposition constructive - 3 minutes
• This speaker makes several arguments against
  the proposition teams case and refutes the
  propositions major points.

20
Second proposition second opposition

• Second proposition constructive 3 minutes
• This speaker should rebuild and extend upon
  the propositions case. This means they must
  extend and amplify the original proposition
  points and refute the oppositions major
  arguments against the case.
• Second opposition constructive 3 minutes
• This speaker amplifies the opposition
  arguments against the case providing new
  information about why the opposition team should
  win the debate. This speaker should answer the
  propositions answers to the opposition teams
  original arguments.

21
Third proposition third opposition

• Third proposition constructive 3 minutes
• This speaker should rebuild and extend upon
  the propositions case. This means that this
  speaker must extend and amplify the original
  proposition points and refute the (first and
  second) oppositions major arguments against the
  case.
• Third opposition constructive 3 minutes
• This speaker amplifies the opposition
  arguments against the case providing new
  information about why the opposition team should
  win the debate. This speaker should answer the
  propositions answers to the (first and second)
  opposition teams original arguments.

22
Opposition rebuttal proposition rebuttal

• Opposition rebuttal 3 minutes
• Must put the debate together and explain why
  given all of the arguments in the debate the
  opposition teams should still win the debate.
  Should finalize refutation of the propositions
  major points.
• Proposition rebuttal 3 minutes
• Should summarise the issues in the debate and
  explain why even with the oppositions
  arguments the proposition teams should win the
  debate. Should refute the oppositions major
  points.

23
Points Of Info

• Have a look at the Worksheet 3 on Points of
  Information
• Can anyone interrupt while you are speaking
• If so how do they do this
• Can they always do this
• Can you say no

24
Useful Summary Sheets

• Listening and Speaking
• Debate Preparation Sheets

25
And finally.

• If you need any further help
• Thisshow will remain on the SLU Blog
• Will add further links etc for you
• scott.mcdonald_at_vu.edu.au