Debating TutorialDebating Tutorial

Presented By : KIAN

What Should I Know as a What Should I Know as a Debater ????Debater ????

What is Debate?

What is Motion?

What is Case?

How to compose arguments?

How to manage a rebuttal?

How to debate in British Parliamentary System?

The duty of each team

Point of Information (POI)

Tournament Format & Adjudicators’ Decision

That’s All….

What is Debate?What is Debate?Debating is a way to express your idea

Assembling & organizing effective

arguments

Persuading & entertaining an audience

Convincing audience that your idea is

better than your opponent’s

What is motion?What is motion?

Full propositional statements

Affirmative : Support the motion

Negative : Backlash the motion

Example of motions :

THBT Lapindo is a national disaster

TH commends night life

What is Case?What is Case?Case : The collection of arguments

(including facts, examples, and logical explanations)

Anatomy of a case :Definition : Clarifies the motion / Limits debate

scope

Theme Line : Core argumentation / basic stances

Team Split : Distribution of each speakers

arguments

Arguments and rebuttals

About How to DefineAbout How to Define

Motion should be analyze in to some key words and define it as a whole

Definition may contain : Definition of key lexical units (words/phrases) Parameters

Definition must be reasonable : Have clear and logical link to motion Debatable (a reasonable opposition exists)

Definition can’t Definition can’t bebe

Truistic Tautological Squirreling Time and place setting

Challenge the Challenge the definition...definition...

State clearly that you’re challenging the definition Justify your challenge (by one of the four reasons) Provide your own definition (which must also be reasonable) and build a case based on its negation)

What will you do if it is What will you do if it is really happen ...really happen ...

If definitional challenge debatehappen to respond your oppositioncase do “EVEN-IF” rebuttals

Above all…Definitional challenge is discouraged so that’s why the prime minister should give fair definition

Underlining a theme line...Underlining a theme line...

Theme line should… The underlying logic of a team’s case Explains team’s strategy Links together 1st, 2nd speakers Answers “WHY?” to the (defined) motion Should be stated in one liner only

Theme line may be in the form of… Words / phrases, a complete sentence, a complete logical syllogism

Delegate your task...Delegate your task...

Team split : distribution of each speakers arguments : 1st : Smaller part (because 1st speaker also has to explain definition, theme line, and team split) 2nd : Larger part (bulk of case/inner side of the whole case)

Each speaker must prove case but beware of : Invalid case (arguing besides the point, not proving case) Hung case (case proven only after 1st & 2nd combined) Swaying (only respond to other side case not develop their own case)

How to compose arguments?How to compose arguments?

A good argument should havethe combination of A-R-E-L:

Assertion - Statement of the argument (What) Reasoning - Explanation of the argument (Why) Evidence - Facts, statistics, etc. (How) Link Back - The logical link between an argument

with a case (So…)

What adjudicators want ……. Logic and Relevance

How to manage a rebuttal?How to manage a rebuttal?It consist of offensive rebuttal &

defensive rebuttal

Argument attacking the opposing team’s argument, by showing :

Based on an error of fact Irrelevant to the proof of the topic Illogical Involves unacceptable implications Should be accorded little weight

Doesn’t have to be point-by-point Rebutt the theme line or main arguments

1. Prime Minister 2. Leader of

Opposition

3. Deputy Prime 4. Deputy Leader of

Minister Opposition

5. Member of Gov 6. Member of Op

7. Gov Whip 8. Opposition Whip

How to Debate in British How to Debate in British Parliamentary System ?Parliamentary System ?

The Duty of Each TeamThe Duty of Each TeamRoles of OpeningRoles of Opening

Define the issue of the debate (The Prime Minister)Define the issue of the debate (The Prime Minister)Present their casePresent their case

Respond to the key arguments introduced by their Respond to the key arguments introduced by their opposing openingopposing opening

Use points of information to maintain relevance in Use points of information to maintain relevance in the debatethe debate

Roles of ClosingRoles of Closingintroduce a ‘case extensionintroduce a ‘case extension’’

use points of information to maintain relevance in use points of information to maintain relevance in the debatethe debate

respond to the key arguments introduced by the respond to the key arguments introduced by the openingopening

respond to the case extension of their opposing respond to the case extension of their opposing closingclosing

Point of Information (POI)Point of Information (POI)First and last minutes of speech are

protectedTime signal to indicate these pointsSpeaker may accept or declineSpeaker should attempt to answer at

least 2 POIs in their speech

Member offering POI should standPOI should not exceed 15 seconds

FormatFormat 3 Rounds (Preliminary - Elimination -

Grand Final)

Round 1 is randomly drawn

Round 2 is power matched

3 VP for 1st place2 VP for 2nd place1 VP for 3rd place0 VP for 4th place

Adjudicators’ Adjudicators’ DecisionDecision

Good Luck and Good Luck and Happy Debating!!!Happy Debating!!!