What is Debate?

Debate is a process of inquiry (получения информации) and advocacy (защиты), a way of arriving at a reasoned judgment on a proposition.

Debate or debating is a formal method of interactive and representational argument. In a formal debating contest, there are rules for people to discuss and decide on differences, within a framework defining how they will interact. Informal debate is a common occurrence, the quality and depth of a debate improves with knowledge and skill of its participants as debaters.

The major goal of the study of debate as a method or art is to develop one's ability to play from either position with equal ease.

Applied and Academic Debate

Applied Debate:

• Special

• Judicial

• Parliamentary

• Nonformal

Academic Debate conducted under the direction of an educational institution for the purpose of providing educational opportunities for its students. It is organized to argue with other teams, competing at the local, national, and international level. It is popular in English-speaking universities and high schools around the world. Many different styles (formats) of debate occur under a variety of organizations and rules.

In schools and colleges, often, it takes the form of a contest with explicit rules. It may be presided over by one or more judges. Each side seeks to win, by following the rules, and even by using some rules to break other rules, within limits. Each side is either in favor ("for, 'Affirmative' ") or opposed to ("against, 'Negative' ") a statement (proposition, moot or Resolution).

(from http://www.thediscussion.net/debate/encyclopedia.htm

http://oslodebating.org/?page_id=2&lang=en)

Ethical Standards for Debate

1. Competition. It should be remembered that competition is but a means to the more educational ends.

2. Honesty and integrity should be maintained at the highest levels.

3. All participants should treat each other with respect. ARGUMENTATION SHOULD BE DIRECTED ONLY AT OPPONENT’S ARGUMENTS AND SUPPORT, NOT AT INDIVIDUALS OR PEOPLES.

4. Fairness requires that evidence (facts, opinions) be gathered from published sources available to all participants.

How debating works?

There are different roles of the participants. They may be:

• Affirmative – the side in a debate that argues for the resolution.

• Negative – the side in a debate that argues against the resolution.

• Constructive – the first and longer of the 2 speeches presented by a debater, in which new evidence and new arguments for or against the proposition are presented.

• Rebuttal – the second and shorter of the 2 speeches presented by a debater. New evidence and new arguments may not be presented in such a speech.

Debate may use different formats. For example:

Lincoln – Douglas Format

1. Affirmative constructive 6 min

2. Cross-examination by negative 3 min

3. Negative constructive 7 min

4. Cross-examination by affirmative 3 min

5. Affirmative rebuttal 6 min

6. Negative rebuttal 6 min

7. Affirmative rebuttal 3 min

Preparation time 4 min

Common elements of various formats:

1. Both sides must have an equal number of speakers;

2. Both sides must have an equal amount of time;

3. The affirmative generally speaks first and last.

(from “Argumentation and Debate” by A. Freely and D. Steinberg, Wadsworth, 2009)

The process of Debating

Many debates begin with the constructive speeches, which are used to build the arguments that the affirmative and negative teams hope to win. The rebuttals, which occur later in the debate, are used to solidify each team’s position and to convey to the judge or audience why they should vote for one team over the other.

The first affirmative speaker has the responsibility of presenting a case that is the basis for the debate to follow. The case should involve several important reasons why the listeners should agree with the topic. The second speaker is from the negative team. She or he argues against the affirmative’s case and introduces other issues that the negative team thinks are important. Note this speaker’s dual role: to refute what the affirmative argued and to introduce other issues that would convince the judge or listeners not to agree with the topic. Depending on the debate format, each side may give additional speeches. Often a debate concludes with summary or “whip” speeches in which the sides summarize the debate and try to persuade the audience that their arguments were better and more important. Some formats include a cross-examination period between the speeches that allows speakers to ask each other questions in order to clarify arguments. Other formats allow members of the opposing team to ask questions during a speech. Other formats include questions from expert commentators or from the audience. Debaters answer these quickly and directly in a way that enhances their position.

At times, members of the audience will be asked to vote for the team they think did the better job. In other situations a formal panel of judges will decide which side won the debate. Many debates, however, have no formal judges, and each person listening will make his or her own decision.

Tips for Respondents and Questioners:

Questioner Consideration:

1. Clarification

2. Expose defects in opponent’s evidence

3. Advance your positions

4. Respond to an attack

5. Avoid “open-ended” questions

6. Elicit (вызывать) brief responses

7. Ask questions, do not make arguments

8. Keep questions brief

9. Set the stage for the question

10. Ask questions to which you know the answer

11. Do not attack unassailable

Respondent Consideration:

1. Be on guard

2. Answer reasonable questions

3. Do not answer unreasonable questions

4. Quality responses

5. Answer from your perspective

6. If you do not know the answer, admit it

7. Do not defend the indefensible

Considerations for Both Questioner and Respondent:

1. Focus questions on previous speeches

2. Be courteous

3. Face the judge and audience, not each other

4. One person asks, one person answers

5. Prepare and practice

(from “Argumentation and Debate” by A. Freely and D. Steinberg, Wadsworth, 2009)

View a debate. Many are available online. You may find debates at http://www.c-span.org/ or http://youdebate.blogspot.com/), and countless other places.