The document provides an overview of the basics of debating, including what debating is and is not, the benefits of debating, qualities of a good debater, and key terms and concepts in debating. It discusses the structure of a debate with two teams of three members each taking opposing sides of a motion. It outlines the speech order and roles of each speaker, as well as concepts like definitions, theme lines, team splits, arguments, rebuttals, and adjudication. Adjudicators are instructed to assess the content, delivery, and organization of arguments to determine the winning team based on a marking scale and margin.
2. DEBATING IS :
About developing communication skills
About assembling and organizing effective arguments
About persuading and entertaining audience
About convincing adjudicator that your arguments are
better than your opposition
4. BENEFIT OF DEBATING
Cultivates quick, multi dimensional, and logical thinking
Improves self confidence and speaking style
Enriches leadership qualities
Improves the ability to develop reasonable opinions
Improves anticipative way of thinking
5. GOOD DEBATER POSSESS
Ability to acquire knowledge and analyze current issues
Ability to generate creative ideas
Ability to think critically and logically
Ability to present the ideas clearly and systematically
6. DEBATING BASICS
A debate is held between two
teams of three members
each
Affirmative Vs Negative
(Government) (Opposition)
Speech Order ;
1) 1st affirmative
2) 1st negative
3) 2nd affirmative
4) 2nd negative
5) 3rd affirmative
6) 3rd negative
7) Negative reply
8) Affirmative reply
7. o Affirmative team (government) must defend
and give constructive arguments to the motion.
The affirmative has a right to define the
motion and it must be reasonable definition.
o Negative team (opposition) must oppose or give
counter-case arguments to the motion.
8. IMPORTANT TERMS
Motion = topic being discussed in the debate
Members of this house = members of parliament
Adjudicator = judge (honorable adjudicators)
Rebuttal = opinion used to attack the opponent
Theme line = statement to prove a team‟s stand on the motion
Team split = arguments to support theme line
Case building = time to prepare the argument (25/30 min)
Verbal adjudication = resume from the adjudicator to decide the winner.
Margin = the score between your team with your opponent.
9. MOTION
Motion also known topic of the debate, is full propositional
statements that determines what a debate shall be about
*It is not in the form of questions or phrases
Example:
a. This house believes that education should be for free
b. This house believes that condoms should be distributed
at school
10. ROLES OF THE SPEAKER
1st affirmative
Defines the motion of the debate
Presents the affirmative‟s theme line
Outline the affirmative‟s team split
Deliver substantial argument (1st affirmative part of the split)
Provides a brief summary/recap of the speech
11. 1ST NEGATIVE
Provides a response to the definition (accepts or
challenges the definition)
Rebuts 1st affirmative
Presents the negative‟s theme line
Outlines the negative‟s team split
Delivers substantial arguments (1st negative‟s part of the
split)
Provides a brief summary/recap of the speech
12. 2ND AFFIRMATIVE
Rebuts the 1st negative‟s major arguments
Briefly restates terms the affirmative‟s team
case (reinforces the idea/ argument delivered by
1st speaker)
Delivers substantial arguments (2nd affirmative‟s
split). Most of the 2nd affirmative‟s time should
be dealing with new substantial
material/arguments
Provides a brief summary/ recap of the speech
13. 2ND NEGATIVE
Rebuts the 2nd affirmative‟s argument (could also rebuts
first two affirmative)
Briefly restates terms the negative‟s team case (reinforces
the idea/argument delivered by 1st speaker)
Delivers substantial argument (2nd negative‟s split. Most of
the 2nd negative‟s time should be dealing with new
arguments)
Provides a brief summary/ recap of the speech
14. 3RD AFFIRMATIVE
Rebuts the points/arguments raised by the first two negative
speaker. The 3rd affirmative is mainly entrusted with the
duty of responding to the arguments of the negative that
were not previously dealt with by the first two affirmative
speaker. 3rd affirmative may also reinforce rebuttals that
have been stated by teammates (could also possibly bring new
split)
Rebuild team‟s case
Summarizes the issues of the debate (summary)
15. 3RD NEGATIVE
Rebuts the point raised by all three affirmative speaker.
The 3rd negative speaker cannot bring a new
matter/argument/ split (see also duties of 3rd affirmative
which are quite similar to the duties of the 3rd negative
here). New examples are not considered to be new
matter/argument
Rebuilds team‟s case
Summarizes the issues of the debate (summary)
16. REPLY SPEECH
Reply speakers give a recap of the debate and convincing
biased adjudication. (reply speech is not rebuttal)
Reply speakers duties:
Provide summary of overview of the debate/ what is the
clash/ point of contention
Identify the issues raised by both sides (what our team
has given and what the other side has given as well)
Provide a biased adjudication of the debate and also to
convince the adjudicator that your team should win that
debate.
17. REPLY SPEECH
- May be delivered by 1st or 2nd speaker
- Reply speech is not rebuttal
- Reply speaker may not bring new matter
18. DEFINITION
The motion must be defined by affirmative team
A definition clarifies the motion
A definition gives a clear description of boundaries to the
motion; limiting what the debate will be about into a
focused discussion
It will try to avoid different interpretations from both
teams of what actually being debated
It must be debatable
Explain the key-words in motion/topic
Definition should allow the negative team to
19. A GOOD DEFINITION SHOULD NOT BE
Truistic definition; it is „true‟ by nature
Tautological or circular definition; it is logically
impossible to negate
Squirreling definition; doesn‟t have logical link to the
motion
Time and place setting; it consists of specific
knowledge
FAIR DEFINITON IS A MUST
20. THEME LINE
It used to prove a team‟s stand on the motion, and
answer the question “WHY” to the defined motion.
It is the underlying logic of a team‟s case
It is “Case In A Nutshell”
It is the main idea that links together the first,
second, and third speaker
It can be in form of short sentence (single sentence)
Ex : we agree with this motion because…………. (+)
we don‟t agree with this motion because…. (-)
21. TEAM SPLIT
- Debating is a team activity (one person/ speaker cannot
take all arguments and become the sole defender of
team‟s case)
- It is a distribution of the arguments among the speaker
(first and second speaker)
- Each individual speech must prove the motion (try to avoid
“Hung Case”)
- Ex : Social 1st speaker
Economy 2nd speaker
Politics 2nd speaker
22. REBUTTAL
Good rebuttal should be
1) Showing that the opposing argument is illogical
2) Showing that the opposing argument is based on an error of fact or a
misinterpretation of fact/ evidence
3) Showing that the opposing argument does not have strong and enough data,
fact, or evidence
4) Showing that the opposing argument is irrelevant to the proof of the topic/
motion
5) Showing that the opposing argument involves unacceptable implication and
application
23. When we rebut we must show how and why the opposition
arguments are invalid :
An argument may be wrong in fact or logic – if so, say how
and why
An argument may contradict their team
An argument may be true but completely irrelevant
It is not necessary to rebut every single point and fact
raised by the opposition.
It is not simply in the form of “questions”
24. ARGUMENT
What adjudicators look for in good argument:
1) Relevance
2) Organization
3) Consistency and internal logic-i.e. don‟t contradict
yourself or you teammates.
4) Clarity (remember, debating is about persuading
your audience and adjudicator that you‟re right –
so make sure they can understand what you‟re
saying)
5) Effective use of evidence
25. GETTING THE ARGUMENTS RIGHT
1) Identify what you have to prove under the
motion
2) Identify what helps you to prove it
3) Anticipate the questions/rebuttal
4) Block the opportunity for those
5) Present the arguments in good order
26. GOOD ARGUMENT SHOULD HAVE:
A = Assertion
R = Reason
E = Evidence/ Example
L = Link
27. ADJUDICATION
1) MATTER (the content) 40%: what you present/ say;
ARGUMENT, EVIDENCE, EXAMPLES (could be from
authentic materials) and REBUTTALS
2) MANNER (how you present/say) 40%; DELIVERY/
PUBLIC SPEAKING ABILITY: how effective and
persuasive is the speaker‟s manner in delivering the
argument
28. ELEMENTS OF MANNER
Gesture
Eye contact
Stance
Language
Vocal style; volume,
clarity, intonation, and
pronunciation
Use of notes; not to
read a lot
Expression of sincerity
Fluency
Humor
No personal attack
29. METHOD (HOW YOU ORGANIZE WHAT YOU SAY)
20%
Structure and organization includes:
- Structure of individual speech (time
management, i.e. overtime/under time)
- Structure of the team‟s case (fulfillment of the
roles of the speakers)
- Response to the dynamics of the debate
30. ADJUDICATORS BRIEFING
REMEMBER!
⋆ Assess what is in a debate only
⋆ You don‟t think for the debaters
⋆ Don‟t use personal belief
⋆ Use your common sense
⋆ Take detail notes of the debate
Adjudicator is an Average Reasonable Person
31. PHYLOSOPHY OF ADJUDICATING
Decide who wins the debate
Decide margin of the debate
Decide team‟s score
Provide decision with acceptable reason
32. SCORING METHOD;
Decide who the winner is
(compare both teams and analyze each strength
and weaknesses; advantages and disadvantages;
how team‟s advantages benefit them)
Decide the margin
Assigning score to each team (giving score for
each of the speaker according to the marking
scale; try not to give extreme score)
33. MARKING SCALE
Matter/Manner Method Meaning
27 13 Very poor
28-29 14 Below average-Poor
30 15 Average
31-32 16 Above average-very
good
33 17 Excellent
34. MARKING SCALE; MARGIN
Margin Meaning
1-4 A very close debate with only minor
differences separating both teams
5-9 A relatively clear decision with one team
having an obvious advantage
10-12 A very clear win