Debating

1
Debating

• Some introductory notes

2
Basic Terms

• Debate
• A game in which two teams make speeches for or
  against a particular statement.
• Resolution
• The statement being argued by the teams
• Affirmative Team
• Argues in favour of the resolution.
• Negative Team
• Argues against the resolution.
• Rebuttal
• Explains why one team disagrees with the other.
• Judges
• Decide the winner

3
Debate

• Fairly self-explanatory. Its the process, its
  what we will be doing. Two teams prepare
  speeches and make speeches on opposing sides of a
  particular topic, trying to convince each other/
  judges that their side is right. Each person on
  each team has around 3 minutes to speak.

4
Resolution

• The topic being debated.
• Frequently presented in the Be It Resolved
  That form. This sets up one side to agree with
  the resolution, and the other side against it.
• Example Be It Resolved that coffee is unhealthy.

5
Affirmative Side

• Argues in favour of the resolution.
• Example Coffee is unhealthy because it is
  addictive and can make your heart work too hard.

6
Negative Side

• Argues against the resolution.
• Ex Used responsibly, coffee is a safe and
  enjoyable beverage. No one ever died as a result
  of drinking coffee and driving. In fact, coffee
  can be useful to help people wake up in the
  morning.

7
Rebuttal

• Explains why one team disagrees with the other.
• Ex While coffee, if overused, may be cause for
  concern, the benefits it gives are far more
  important. Thus, coffee should not be banned.
• Points made by the opposing team can be
  challenged/responded to here.

8
Judges

• People who listen to the arguments and decide the
  winners, based on criteria such as argument and
  organization.

9
Next up

• A few things to consider

10
Opinions and Reasons

• Opinion
• A point of view, an idea, a statement held by a
  person. Sometimes can be used as a resolution.
• Reason
• Explains the opinion.
• Reasons make more effective arguments than
  opinions.

11
Strong Reasons

• A strong reason has 3 qualities
• Logically, it gives support to the opinion.
• It is specific and clearly states the idea.
• A majority of people would find it to be
  convincing.

12
Exercise- for the brain

• At your table, come up with a few strong reasons
  for the following opinions
• Smoking should be banned in crowded, public
  places.
• Detentions should be stopped.
• Personality is more important than looks.

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Now, share

• Get together with another table and share your
  reasons behind the topics. Who has the strongest
  reasons? Why?

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A few ways to state reasons

• Comparing X is ____er than Y, or X is more ____
  than why
• Cause and Effect X causes Y, or if you do X, why
  will happen.
• Example Public health is more important than
  smoking, or not smoking is healthier than
  smoking.
• Example Smoking causes cancer, or if you smoke,
  you could develop cancer.

15
Classwork

• At your tables, come up with resolutions you
  would like to debate.
• The resolutions can be controversial or fun, or
  somewhere in between.
• At the end of the class, we will compile a full
  list and select people into groups for them and
  go over what we will be doing on Wednesday.

16
Bibliography

• Krieger, Daniel, in The Internet TESL Journal.
  Vol XI, No. 2, February, 2005. http//iteslj.org/T
  echniques/Krieger-Debate.html