handouts on basic debating
TRANSCRIPT
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8/10/2019 Handouts on Basic Debating
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Debating 101
What is debating?
Competitive discussion and exchange of
ideas in an attempt to prove and
defend your stance through persuasion
and reasoning
People win through wit and logicalreasoning. Not shouting nor name
calling.
Perks of being a debater
Ultimate lifehack
o Develop critical thinking and
learn how to use it for everyday
things
Essay writing
Thinking on your feet
during recitation Learn how to be more persuasive
Image
Theres a general
notion that if a person
is identified as a
debater, his/her
opinions have more
value
Being witty is very
attractive
What is in a debate?
Adjudicators (judges)
Speakers
o Representing both Government
(affirmative) side and
Opposition (negative) side
o Number of speakers per team
varies depending on the type of
debate
Stances
o The side each teams are
representing
Arguments
o The ideas and contributions
that contribute in defending
one side
o Tells the judge why our side is
right Rebuttals
o The ideas and contributions
that attack the opposing side
o Tells the judge the other side is
wrong
Point/s of Information(POIs)
o An opposing bench may offer a
POI to the current speaker in
the form of a question in whichthe aim is to undermine the
speakers speech
o Lasts for 15 seconds
o Speaker may accept or reject
the offer
o A speaker is expected to accept
at least 1 POI per speech
o
Speaker Positions and Roles
Speaker positions for government
o
Prime minister
o Deputy prime minister
o Member of government (bp)
o Government whip
o Government reply (asians)
Speaker positions for opposition
o Leader of opposition
o Deputy leader of opposition
o Member of opposition (bp)
o Opposition whip
o
Opposition reply (asians)
Prime minister
Sets up the debate
Provides the definition, limits, and
opening arguments of the debate
Leader of opposition
Provides the clash, initial responses
against government, and the necessaryarguments of oppostion
Clash - The opposing stance of the
opposition
Deputy prime minister
Responds to the stance of opposition
Provides extensions for the prime
minister through different arguments
Deputy leader of the opposition
Responds to the extensions of the DPM
Gives extensions for the leader ofopposition
Member of government (BP)
Offers summary of the debate so far
Delineates from government line of
argumentation
Responds to the previous opposition
speaker
Provides exclusive extensions for
government case line
Member of opposition (BP) Responds to the extensions of
government
Delineates from the line of
argumentation of opening opposition
Provides exclusive extensions for
opposition case line
Government whip
Summarizes issues of the debate in
favor of government bench
Deconstructs the arguments of
oppostion side
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Highlights the extensions of member of
government (BP) or the general
contributions of government bench (Am
Par and Asian par)
Opposition whip
Summarizes issues of the debate in
favor of opposition bench
Deconstructs the arguments ofgovernment side
Highlights the extensions of member of
opposition (BP) or the general
contributions of opposition bench (Am
Par and Asian par)
Government Reply(Asian Parliament)
Last speaker of the debate (Opposition
reply goes first)
Lasts for 4 minutes
Cannot take a POI Highlights the pros in the Government
bench
Opposition Reply(Asian Parliament)
Goes immediately after opposition whip
Lasts for 4 minutes
Cannot take a POI
Highlights the pros in the opposition
bench
Types of Debates
American Parliamentary Asian Parliamentary
British Parliamentary
American Parliamentary
2 houses(teams) :
government(affirmative) vs
opposition(negative)
2 speakers per house
7 minute speeches
Rarely used
Focus: defense of stances May offer a point of information(POI)
after the first minute and until the sixth
minute
Asian Parliamentary
2 houses(teams) :
government(affirmative) vs
opposition(negative)
3 speakers per house, 4 speaker roles
7 minutes til whip
4 minutes for reply Usually focused on the second semester
Focus: defense of stances
May offer a point of information(POI)
after the first minute and until the sixth
minute with the exception of reply
speakers
British Parliamentary
4 houses(teams): opening government,
opening opposition, closing
government, closing oppostion
2 persons per team
2 teams per house
Focus: contributions to issues
May offer a point of information(POI)
after the first minute and until the sixthminute
Speeches
Characteristics of a Speech
Manner
How you speak
Rhetoric or convincing factor or way
with words
Has the lowest value when it comes to
adjudication compared to matter ormethod
Matter
The content and ideas of your speech
Your main points and messages
Has the heaviest weight when it comes
to adjudication
Method
Refers to the execution of presentation
of ideas
General structure and flow of a speech
What happens after a round?
The round ends when all speakers have finished delivering
their speeches
Debaters leave the room to the adjudicator/s to give time
for deliberation
After deliberation, debaters go back to the room to hear the
oral adjudication
The adjudicator announces the win, and explains and
justifies how he/she/they reached that decision