Debating: Dos, Don

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Debating Dos, Donts and 5 Minute Speeches

• This session will give you a more detailed idea
  of how to debate and what to do in debates, and
  will finish with a proper 5 minute speech
  debate.

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Social Tonight
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NAMDA Novice

• Sign up for NAMDA Novice in York. end of week 3
• Its a good introduction to a debating
  competitions fun bits without the intensity and
  the world champions that beat everyone.
• You will get great feedback not only from us but
  from other great debaters at the other NAMDA
  universities.
• Please talk to us if you are interested.
• You must be a member of the society to go.

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Recap of last session

• 4 teams of 2 people
• 5 minute speeches
• 15 minutes preparation time
• Points of Information can and should be offered
  in the middle 3 minutes of speeches on the
  opposite side
• The aim is to persuade the judges that your
  sides view of the motion (what were debating)
  is the right one.

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Table Diagram
1st Prop
1st Opp
2nd Prop
2nd Opp
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Constructing a 5 minute Speech

• Try to think of as many points in support of your
  argument as you can during prep time.
• If you are in the first half of the debate, try
  to think of 6 points that you can split between
  yourself and your partner.
• During your speech you should
• Firstly, signpost what points you are going to
  say
• Rebuttal it is incredibly important that you
  attempt to engage with the arguments laid down by
  previous speakers on the opposite side.
• Explain your points with as much justification as
  possible try to do 60 to 90 seconds for each
  point
• Once you have said your points, summarise your
  speech briefly to reinforce your points.

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That is, in brief.

• Think of stuff to say.
• Say what youre going to say.
• Rebut
• Say what you said you were going to say.
• Say what you just said.

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In brief Special Roles on the Table

• 1st Proposition, 1st Speaker Your job is to
  define the motion What were talking about, why
  were talking about it, and exactly HOW youre
  going to do it.
• 2nd Proposition and Opposition, 1st Speaker You
  are the Extension Speakers. Your job is to
  discuss ideas that havent previously been
  discussed in first half
• 2nd Proposition and Opposition, 2nd Speaker You
  are the Summary Speakers. Your job is to re-use
  the arguments (the best 3 maybe) already set down
  by your side to persuade the judges that your
  side has won.

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1st Prop
Problem --- Mechanism ---Solution

• Dont panic in 1st Prop, it may be the most
  feared position but its easy to do it well.
• First, decide what problem the motion is trying
  to fix.
• Explain the Mechanism that your motion uses to
  help solve the problem
• Explain what sort of world youre going to create
  - your solution world. Explain why its
  better.
• For you to win, you must prove that your
  mechanism will work, and will create a better
  world than before.

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1st Opp

• The Problem Mechanism Solution model is useful to
  remember for Opposition too.
• To win, Opposition must prove that Props model
  doesnt work. They can do this by either
• Denying that the problem exists or even if it
  does it isnt the states role to fix it.
• Attacking the mechanism, either because it
  doesnt work or that it is unfair or
  unprincipled.
• Attacking the solution world explaining what
  bad things will happen if this comes into place.
• Or they can attack all 3, its up to them!

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Example 1st half skirmish
This House Would Bring Back the Death Penalty.

• Prop People who commit the most serious
  offences deserve the most serious punishment
• Opp How can we teach society to value life when
  we execute criminals? And what if they didnt do
  it?
• Prop Capital punishment is an effective
  deterrent people wont commit murder if they
  think they will die
• Opp People who commit murder often dont think
  about the consequences of their actions so
  crime wont go down.
• Prop These people are filling valuable prison
  space when there is no hope of them
  rehabilitating ever. Eventually they will be
  released and kill again.
• Opp By killing people you deny potentially
  useful members of society the chance to repent
  and rehabilitate. Furthermore, capital punishment
  costs far more than life imprisonment on average
  just build more prisons!

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Extending the debate

• You and your partner should think of as many
  points as possible before the debate.
• Keep a note of what your first half has already
  talked about. You will get no credit for
  repeating them
• You will get credit for new points or old points
  better explained. Cross out points your first
  half has made well and use your remaining points.
  If all else fails, at least try to make it sound
  new!
• Lets see what our extension speakers can talk
  about in this example debate.

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Example 1st half skirmish
Can anyone think of an extension idea for either
side?

• Prop People who commit the most serious
  offences deserve the most serious punishment
• Opp How can we teach society to value life when
  we execute criminals? This devalues the right to
  life.
• Prop Capital punishment is an effective
  deterrent people wont commit murder if they
  think they will die
• Opp People who commit murder often dont think
  about the consequences of their actions so
  crime wont go down.
• Prop These people are filling valuable prison
  space when there is no hope of them
  rehabilitating ever. Eventually they will be
  released and kill again.
• Opp By killing people you deny potentially
  useful members of society the chance to repent
  and rehabilitate. Furthermore, capital punishment
  costs far more than life imprisonment on
  average just build more prisons!

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Example Prop Extension

• Murderers forego their right to life as soon as
  they fail to recognise the right to life of
  another when they kill them. Society is affirming
  the right to life of the innocent person who
  died.
• If the murderer is released from prison, often it
  is likely that he will recommit due to the
  inability of British prisons to rehabilitate
  effectively. By valuing the life of a criminal we
  put other innocent lives in danger.
• Under the status quo, we impose sentences on a
  murderer who is terminally ill, knowing he will
  die before his release. Why is this different?

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Example Opp Extension

• It is inevitable that innocent people will end up
  being executed. All judges are fallible there
  are countless examples of miscarriages of justice
  leading to state sanctioned killing of innocent
  people.
• The criminals innocent family and friends go
  through a hellish time up to and after the
  execution. It is difficult to come to terms with
  the fact that a loved one can commit such a crime
  indeed not being able to ever see them again is
  soul destroying.
• Criminals are real people with capacity to feel
  pain and fear. If you were a judge or executioner
  how would you feel about the destruction of
  their humanity?

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In Summary...

• During prep time, the summary speaker helps his
  partner come up with ideas for the extension
• During the debate, note down what people on both
  sides. Choose your sides best 3 points
• Your 3 points should clash with the opposite
  sides case if they dont try to deal with it
  during your speech
• Opposition summary shouldnt bother with
  rebuttal, the speech should cover everything.
  Proposition summary should offer some rebuttal to
  opposition extension but otherwise should also
  summarise the debate as a whole.
• It is a biased summary, explaining why your side
  is right and the other side is wrong persuading
  the judge your side wins.

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Motion.

• THW Give All Prisoners the Right to Vote.