Introduction SeminarHOW TO DEBATE

THE BASICS

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN TONIGHT

• BASIC DEBATE STRUCTURE• ROLES OF SPEAKERS• TYPES OF DEBATES• CONTENT OF SPEECHES• HOW TO GIVE A SPEECH• HOW TO WIN A DEBATE• POINTS OF

INFORMATION• FUNDAMENTALS

TOPICS TO COVER

GET EXCITED

HOW TO NOT LOOK LIKE A NOOBBASIC DEBATE STRUCTURE

WHAT HAPPENS IN A DEBATE?

•A debate is a competitive,

logical argument between 2 teams on a given topic

BASICS OF THAT ARE…• Two teams – one for the motion, one against it• Figure out which one you are and STICK TO IT• LOGICAL argumentation – have points, be clear• ARGUMENTATION – be persuasive. Your goal is to

convince the audience.• COMPETITIVE – you want to beat the other team.

MAIN ELEMENTS OF A DEBATE• First speaker• Second Speaker• [Third Speaker]• Replies (Negative always goes first, Affirmative always ends the debate)• Points of Information

THEN…• Adjudicator observes• Decides who wins• Decides who is the best speaker• Gives you feedback

BUT….• This is an organised, polite, and ACADEMIC debate• Westminster style• Don’t swear• Don’t shout• Don’t yell out when someone else is speaking• Don’t pull the fingers• Wear clothes (and continue to do so throughout the

debate)• Don’t be drunk• Don’t’ be generally dumb/ridiculous• Respect the institution – it is a rich, historical act which

has many followers around the world and stems from a noble tradition of intelligent discussion and fun. So do that. Not the other thing.

TURNS OUT THERE IS A POINT TO BEING A DIFFERENT SPEAKER

ROLES OF THE SPEAKERS

SPEAKER POSITIONS• Each speaker has a different role• First speaker – intro and 1-2 points• Second speaker – substantive arguments and rebuttal• Third speaker – advance some arguments and mostly rebuttal• Reply – summarise and cogent analysis

• Changes in turn if you are First Negative or First Affirmative speaker

Not a hard and fast rule – you just have to make your point the most convincingly and this formula has historically been the most convincing break-down of speaker allocations and roles.

FIRST SPEAKER• Introduction• Split• Points• Narrative• Facts and analysis• Context and definition

• Negative first speaker• Rebuttal• Own context and definition

SECOND SPEAKER• Rebuttal• 2-3 substantive points• DOES THE MOST IN TERMS OF ADVANCING THE

CASE• Facts, arguments• Split

• Negative second• More rebuttal

THIRD SPEAKER• Usually doesn’t have a substantive point• Depends the style of debating you are doing

• Focus on rebuttal• BUT• Don’t do that thing that school kids do where they read

out a list of points and tell the adjudicator why they are wrong

• This is BAD

REPLY• Can be first or second speaker• Generally tends to be first speaker• Summarises the debate• Outlines the main points• Outlines the strongest arguments and who won

them• Tells the adjudicator why their team won all the

important points

TURNS OUT NOT EVERY DEBATE IS THE SAME….TYPES OF DEBATES

SURPRISE SURPRISE• There is always a point to the debate• We don’t just want to sit around and hear all the

stuff you know on a random topic• There is a principled argument at the heart of

these debates• Find it• Debate about it

CHANGE/MODEL DEBATES• Debates where something is wrong/bad/not ideal• Saw WHY that thing needs to be changed• Propose to change it• Say HOW you are going to change• Say WHY that model for change will work• Say WHY changing the thing will be

good/better/amazing for the world/the country/a particular group of people/an institution in question.

• If you are in the negative – say the opposite of all of these things

JUDGEMENT DEBATES• Debates where you have to evaluate

something/say why something is good/bad• Will be indicated in the wording of the moot• Requires evaluation• Say what is good• Say why it is good• Say what a good x would be, and what about y

makes it a good x

• If you are in the negative, say the opposite of all of these things

WHAT KIND OF DEBATES ARE THESE?• This house would vote Republican

• This house would legalise Euthanasia

• This house would abolish all forms of taxation

• This house would criminalize adultery

• This house supports the use of force against Syria.

HOW TO SAY STUFF GOODCONTENT OF SPEECHES

WHAT YOU SAY IS IMPORTANT• Potentially the most important• Always a rough divide between what you say and

how you say it• Usually comes down to what you say

• Be clear• Be slow• Be convincing

WHAT TO SAY IN YOUR SPEECH• Facts• Analysis• Reasoning• Arguments• Develop points• Rebut other points• Use examples• Don’t just make unqualified assertions • Back up what you say

SAY SOMETHING GOODHOW TO GIVE A SPEECH

SPEAKING GOOD• Combination of what you say and how you say it

WHAT YOU SAY• Largely covered already• Make sure you FULFILL YOUR ROLE • Do all of the things I said you should do PLUS• Have points• Have a structure• Have numbers• Have a clear introduction• Have a clear conclusion

HOW YOU SAY IT• Say all the things I told you to say PLUS• Speak clearly• Speak slowly• Look up• Don’t read off paper• Look around (don’t creepily stare at the

adjudicator)• Speak loudly (or at least command attention)• Be engaging• Don’t walk around• Don’t gesticulate like a crazy person

REMEMBER• All the things you do with your body detract from

your persuasiveness as a speaker • Make sure that you are engaging and interesting

and BE CONFIDENT

IF ONLY IT WAS THIS EASY…HOW TO WIN A DEBATE

BE THE BEST AT DEBATING• That isn’t meant to be a joke – literally debate well• Fulfill your role better than the other team does• Respond to all their arguments• Be consistent down your team line• Reiterate points that the other team hasn’t

responded to• Make points stronger if they have been responded

to• Tell the adjudicator why your

understanding/conception of reality is more convincing than the other teams

• Persuade the adjudicator that you are correct and the other team is wrong

HOW DO YOU DO THAT• Adhere to the team line• Be clear• Be confident

THE BLACK HOLE OF DEBATINGPOINTS OF INFORMATION

WHAT ARE POINTS OF INFORMATION NOT?• THEY ARE NOT• A chat• A chance for you to make a point you forgot about• A chance for you to heckle the other team• An opportunity to crack a joke• A mini-debate within a debate• A conversation about something unrelated to debating• An angry yelling session• A make or break element of debating• A time-filler when you run out of things to say

POINTS OF INFORMATION• You will not lose a debate because of POIs

• But it is a way to be exceptionally more convincing than the other team AND a way to emphasise key aspects of the debate when the other team is trying to pull the debate onto their terms.

THE BASICS• Ask a question in the POI• Call out ‘Point of Information’ or ‘On that point’• Stand up• Put your hand out• WAIT TO BE ACCEPTED• Sit down if declined• If standing for more than 30 seconds, ask again• Be polite and respectful• Don’t give more than one every 20 seconds

IF YOU ARE SPEAKING• Don’t leave the opposition hanging• Accept or decline as soon as possible• Accept at least two in your speech• Don’t accept more than two• Actually answer the question• Tell the adjudicator why it is wrong or doesn’t

prove anything

POINTS OF INFORMATION ARE ARGUMENTS IN DISGUISE• Start off with ‘wouldn’t you agree…?’• ‘But isn’t it the case that…?’• ‘What would you say to …?’

• They are your arguments phrased as questions in such a way that the person speaking has to DIRECTLY ENGAGE with a key plank of your case

• It is a way to make your main points continue to seem relevant throughout the debate, and to hammer home when the other team doesn’t have an adequate answer to your argument.

KEY THINGS TO TAKE AWAY FROM THISFUNDAMENTALS

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW• Have points• Have structure• Have an argument• Have something your team STANDS FOR• Collaborate in the prep room• FIND THE PRINCIPLE• Debate about that.

IF WE GET TIME….• Tips for the prep room

• Practice at identifying the principle in debates.

PRINCIPLES• THW criminalise Holocaust denial• THW criminalise abortion• THS animal testing• TH would legalise necrophilia• THW eat meat• THW abolish religious schools• THW abolish all forms of censorship• THW invade and capture Joseph Kony• THW abolish the permanent seat on the UNSC• THW allow judges to be elected.