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DEBATING~ An Introduction ~

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SO, WHAT IS THE DEFINITION

OF DEBATE?

An argument, or discussion, usually in an

ordered or formal setting, often with more

than two people, generally ending with a vote

or other ...

A formal, oral confrontation between two

individuals, teams, or groups who presentarguments to support opposing sides of a

question ...

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HOW WILL DEBATING HELP ME IN

REAL LIFE?

You can be more

confident about speaking

in public.

You learn to listen to

other peoples points of

view.

You become better at

creating and sustaining

arguments!

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HOW WILL DEBATING HELP ME IN

REAL LIFE?

The following jobs need good debating skills:

Politicians

Lawyers

Journalists

Salespeople

Businesspeople

Teachers!

Website and internet managers

And the list keeps growing

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HOW DOES A

DEBATE LOOK?

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THE VENUE.

Speaker 1

Speaker 2

Speaker 3

Speaker 4 (silent)

Positive Team. Negative Team.

Speaker 1

Speaker 2

Speaker 3

Speaker 4 (silent)

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THE VENUE.

The adjudicator will sit with the audience (at the bottomof the diagram) as she or he is supposed to see thedebate as the audience does.

y When the adjudication is delivered, however, the adjudicatorwill come to the front of the room and address all present.

When speaking, speakers should come out from behindthe desk and stand in front of, and with their backs to,the chairperson and timekeeper.

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WHAT ARE THE

JOBS AND ROLES OF

EACH TEAM?

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THE AFFIRMATIVE

TEAM.

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THE AFFIRMATIVE TEAM.

The job of the affirmative team is to agree with (or'affirm') the topic.

The team should sit on the right hand of the chairperson.

The affirmative team should prepare by:y Brainstorming ideas together and develop a strong and clear

point of view.

y Looking up definitions using a dictionary.

y Researching the topic together.

y Formulating an argument and team line.

y Exploring a variety of views.

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THE FIRST AFFIRMATIVE SPEAKER: Defines the topic.

Presents the affirmative's team line.

Outline briefly what each speaker in their team will talk

about.

Presents the first halfof the affirmative case.

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THE SECOND AFFIRMATIVE SPEAKER: Reaffirms the affirmative's team line.

Rebuts (disagrees) with the main points presented by the

1st negative.

y The 2nd affirmative should spend about one third of their

time rebutting.

Presents the second halfof the affirmative's case.

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THE THIRD AFFIRMATIVE SPEAKER: Reaffirms the affirmative's team line.

Rebuts (disagrees) with all the remaining points of the

negative's case.

y The 3rd affirmative should spend about two thirds to three

quarters of their time rebutting.

Presents a summary of the affirmative's case.

Rounds off the debate for the affirmative.

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THE NEGATIVE

TEAM.

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THE NEGATIVE TEAM.

The job of the negative team is to disagree

with (or 'negate') the topic.

The team should sit on the left hand of the chairperson.

The negative team should prepare by:

y Brainstorming ideas together and develop a strong and clear

point of view.

y Looking up definitions using a dictionary.

y

Researching the topic together.y Formulating an argument and team line.

y Exploring a variety of views.

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THE FIRST NEGATIVE SPEAKER:

Accepts or rejects the definition. If you don't do this

it is assumed that you accept the definition.

Presents the negative team line.

Outlines briefly what each of the negative speakers will say.

Rebuts a few of the main points of the first affirmative

speaker.

The 1st negative should spend about one quarter of their time

rebutting.

Presents the first half of the negative team's case.

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THE THIRD NEGATIVE SPEAKER:

Reaffirms the negative's team line.

Rebuts (disagrees with) all the remaining points of the

affirmative's case.

The 3rd negative should spend about two thirds to three

quarters of their time rebutting.

Presents a summary of the negative's case.

Rounds off the debate for the negative.

Neither third speaker may introduce any new parts of their

team's cases.

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WHAT ARE THE

OTHER JOBS AND

ROLES IN A DEBATE?

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THE CHAIRPERSON.

The role of the chairperson is to control the debate. Sheor he should sit between the two teams.

The first duty of the chairperson is to call the debate toorder and to welcome all that are present. He or she

should then proceed to announce the topic of thedebate, the name of the adjudicator, and the names ofthe teams which are participating.

Next she or he should tell the speakers and the audience

how long each speech will be for, giving the minimumand maximum times, and calling upon the timekeeper todemonstrate the sound of the bell.

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THE CHAIRPERSON.

The chairperson should then introduce the first speaker of theaffirmative to open the debate, then sit down.

After that speaker has concluded his or her speech thechairperson should then wait for the adjudicator's nod toproceed and then announce the first speaker of the negativeteam.

This process should continue throughout the debate callingthe speakers in the following order:y 1st Affirmative.

y 1st Negative.

y

2nd Affirmative.y 2nd Negative.

y 3rd Affirmative.

y 3rd Negative.

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THE CHAIRPERSON.

At the end of the debate the chairperson should:

Wait until that adjudicator indicates his or her readiness

and then announce the adjudicator to give the result of

the debate.

At the conclusion of the result the chairperson should

congratulate everybody for attending and ask for

applause for the winning team.

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THE TIMEKEEPER.

The timekeeper keeps the time in a debate. This means that he or she times how long each speakers

speaks and rings a bell to indicate that certain amounts

of time have passed.

To ensure fairness in a debate each speaker is given aminimum time which she or he is expected to speak for

and a maximum time that he or she is allowed to speak

for.

The standard equipment of the timekeeper is:

y 1 digital stopwatch

y 1 bell

y Pen and paper

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THE ADJUDICATOR.

The adjudicator decides the outcome of the debate.

The adjudicator will mark each speaker according to the

prescribed marking scheme and will announce at the end

not only who has won but why.

The adjudicator does not bring with him or her any

expert knowledge of the topic, and always presumes the

average knowledge of the average person. However they

will bring along expert knowledge of debating.

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THE AUDIENCE.

The role of the audience is to enjoy the debate.

The audience should applaud as each speaker is

announced, as each speaker finishes speaking, and when

the result of the debate is announced.

The audience should participate as any polite audience

would, applauding, laughing and so on at appropriate

times.

The chairperson may ask any poorly behaved audience

member to leave the room.

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WHICH PART WOULD YOU

LIKE TO PLAY IN A DEBATE?

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SCHOOLS EVERYWHERE ENJOY DEBATING!

Samuel Terry Public School, NSW

Competition at Glenmore Road

Public School

Woollahra Public School Team Hong Kong!

New Zealand!

Korea stylish!

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WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF

DEBATE TOPICS?(EASY!)That homework should be banned.

That school uniforms are good for us.

That television is too violent.

That television does more harm than good.

That terrorism can be justified.

That the earth can look after itself.

That the IOC made the wrong decision for Sydney.

That a woman's place is in the home.

That Australia is a nation of bigots.

That the car is a luxury we can do without.

That all our woes have come from science.

That people who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

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WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF

DEBATE TOPICS?(HARDER!)That spectator sports are a waste of time.

That organised team sport is legalised violence.

That we are Uncle Sam's nephews and nieces.

That education is the key to success.

That education starts after school.That there is strength in diversity.

That peace depends on fear.

That we should try, try, try again.

That we should be vegetarians.

That we should put the environment first.

That green is a nice colour to be.

That good news is not news.

That pets are a pest.

That the comics are the best part of the newspaper.

That beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

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WEBSITES.

http://www.actdu.org.au/ - ACT Debating online

http://wwwfp.education.tas.gov.au/English/debating.htm- Dept of Education Tasmania Teaching Strategies Debating

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/studentlearning/teachingresources/english/literacy/strategies/tsvels3speak.htm#3

Education Victoria

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~macinnis@ozemail.com.

au/debates.htm -T

he 5 minute debate planner (and topicideas)

http://www.debating.netspace.net.au/resources/itd_definitions.php - Debaters Association of Victoria (great schoolresource guide!)