How to tackle a motion

Training, 19/10/2011

What commonly occurs.1) Motion is announced.2) Team think up arguments for his

side of the debate.3) Team provide said arguments.4) Feedback is given; Team is told that

their arguments were very well made but that another team better fulfilled the burdens of the debate.

What to do• Consider what the debate is meant to

be about. What’s the ‘problem’ that you’re going to argue about?

• Decide what needs to be proven in order for your side to carry the motion.

• Write these burdens down (usually 2 or 3).

• Think up arguments which meet these burdens.

Motion: THW require all schools to teach safe sex to children from age 10 regardless of parental consent.

Government: 1. Children are old enough to learn about safe-sex at age 10.2. It is necessary that children know about safe-sex from age 10. 3. The state has the authority to overrule the wishes of parents on

this issue (or are better placed to)Opposition:4. Children are too young to know about safe-sex at age 10.5. It is unnecessary to teach them about it at age 10 because it is

irrelevant to their lives.6. Parents have the authority to decide if they do/do not want their

children taught about this issue at age 10 because it is controversial and is not urgent (due to 1. and 2.)

THW bring back corporal punishment.

Government:• It is legitimate to hit children.• It is legitimate for teachers to hit

children.• Corporal punishment would lead to a

(large) improvement in teaching/learning conditions.

Opposition Burdens1.It is illegitimate to hit children,

regardless of any possible benefit.2.This possible benefit does not exist

anyway because corporal punishment brings more harms than benefits – i.e. worsens teaching/learning conditions.

THW Pay Smokers to Quit Smoking

Government1) Smoking has a large negative

impact on society as a whole.2) It is legitimate/fair to pay smokers to

quit smoking.3) It will lead to a reduction in

smoking.

Stakeholder Analysis• If you’re trying to think of something new or

different, engage in stakeholder analysis• A stakeholder is someone who has an interest in

something, in debateland, it’s a person (and other like them) who are affected by a motion

• You should always do this, consider who a motion affects?

• How exactly does it affect them?• What special rights do those people have?• Why should we care about what happens to

them?

Stakeholders method• Who are the groups affected by this? Do we have an

argument about all the important groups?

• “Groups” can refer to types of people, organisations, systems (i.e. Government, the environment etc) and many other things

• Example Motion: “That we should ban junk food in schools”

Who are the relevant stakeholders in this motion about banning junk food in schools?

1. Schools2. Students3. Parents4. Junk food companies5. Health system6. Government7. General populace

Stakeholders Method

Concentric Circles Method

• Concentric circles are circles which lie within each other

• Thinking about debates as smaller and bigger circles can help find key arguments

• Example motion: That the US should intervene in Syria

That we would support the US intervening in Syria

Smallest circle: SyriaWider circle: Iran, Israel, Jordan, the USWider circle: The whole middle EastWider circle: Europe Widest circle: The world

• Note: These techniques will not give you all the most important arguments in a debate, but are useful tools

• For example, this debate may also want to talk about whether the use of nuclear weapons is moral