TOPICS FOR DEBATES
TIPS FOR DEBATING
http://www.paulnoll.com/Books/Clear-English/English-debate.html
http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Krieger-Debate.html
http://www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElBeqQmONKE&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ5tiXIjMZI&feature=related
http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Krieger-Debate.html
http://www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElBeqQmONKE&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ5tiXIjMZI&feature=related
Debate Terms
Debate: a game in which two opposing teams make speeches to support their arguments and disagree with those of the other team.
Resolution: the opinion about which two teams argue.
Affirmative team: agrees with the resolution.
Negative team: disagrees with the resolution.
Rebuttal: explains why one team disagrees with the other team.
Judges: decide the winner.
Resolution: the opinion about which two teams argue.
Affirmative team: agrees with the resolution.
Negative team: disagrees with the resolution.
Rebuttal: explains why one team disagrees with the other team.
Judges: decide the winner.
Giving support for your reasons
Support consists of evidence. The four kinds of evidence, adapted from LeBeau, Harrington, Lubetsky (2000), are:
•Example: from your own experience or from what you heard or read.
•Common Sense: things that you believe everybody knows.
•Expert Opinion: the opinions of experts -- this comes from research.
•Statistics: numbers -- this also comes from research.
Smoking should be banned in all public places.
Example: For example / for instance / let me give an exampleWhenever I
go to a restaurant or bar and there are people smoking near me, I feel that I am
breathing their smoke. This makes me a smoker even though I don't want to
be.
Common Sense: Everyone knows / if...then / it's common knowledge that
Secondhand smoke is very unhealthy for nonsmokers.
Statistics: Secondhand smoke causes about 250,000 respiratory infections in
infants and children every year, resulting in about 15,000 hospitalizations each
year.
Expert Opinion: According to.../ to quote.../ the book _____ says...According
to the Environmental Protection Agency, "secondhand smoke causes approximately
3,000 lung cancer deaths in nonsmokers each year."
•Example: from your own experience or from what you heard or read.
•Common Sense: things that you believe everybody knows.
•Expert Opinion: the opinions of experts -- this comes from research.
•Statistics: numbers -- this also comes from research.
Smoking should be banned in all public places.
Example: For example / for instance / let me give an exampleWhenever I
go to a restaurant or bar and there are people smoking near me, I feel that I am
breathing their smoke. This makes me a smoker even though I don't want to
be.
Common Sense: Everyone knows / if...then / it's common knowledge that
Secondhand smoke is very unhealthy for nonsmokers.
Statistics: Secondhand smoke causes about 250,000 respiratory infections in
infants and children every year, resulting in about 15,000 hospitalizations each
year.
Expert Opinion: According to.../ to quote.../ the book _____ says...According
to the Environmental Protection Agency, "secondhand smoke causes approximately
3,000 lung cancer deaths in nonsmokers each year."
How to ....
A. How to Agree Strongly with an Opinion.
1. I couldn't agree more!
2. That's absolutely true!
3. Absolutely!
4. I agree with your point.
5. I'd go along with your point.
6. I'm with you on that point.
7. That's just what I was thinking.
8. That's exactly what I think.
9. That's a good point.
10. That's just how I see it.
11. That's exactly my opinion.
B. How to Half Agree with an Opinion.
1. Yes, perhaps, however ...
2. Well, yes, but ...
3. Yes, in a way, however ...
4. Hmm, possibly, but ...
5. Yes, I agree up to a point, however ...
6. Well, you have a point there, but ...
7. There's something there, I suppose, however ...
8. I guess your idea could be right, but ...
9. Yes, I suppose so, however ...
10. That's worth thinking about, but ...
C. How to Disagree Politely with an Opinion.
1. I am not so sure.
2. Do you think so?
3. Well, it depends.
4. I'm not so certain.
5. Well, I don't know.
6. Well, I'm not so sure about that.
7. Hmm, I'm not sure your idea is right.
8. I'm inclined to disagree with that idea.
9. No, I don't think so.
D. How to Disagree Strongly with an Opinion.
1. I disagree.
2. I disagree with your idea.
3. I'm afraid I don't agree.
4. I'm afraid your idea is wrong.
5. I can't agree with your idea.
6. I couldn't accept that idea for a minute.
7. You can't actually mean that.
8. I wouldn't go along with your idea there.
9. You can't be serious about that point.
10. You must be joking.
11. It's possible you are mistaken about that.
( http://www.paulnoll.com/Books/Clear-English/debate-suggestions.html)
1. I couldn't agree more!
2. That's absolutely true!
3. Absolutely!
4. I agree with your point.
5. I'd go along with your point.
6. I'm with you on that point.
7. That's just what I was thinking.
8. That's exactly what I think.
9. That's a good point.
10. That's just how I see it.
11. That's exactly my opinion.
B. How to Half Agree with an Opinion.
1. Yes, perhaps, however ...
2. Well, yes, but ...
3. Yes, in a way, however ...
4. Hmm, possibly, but ...
5. Yes, I agree up to a point, however ...
6. Well, you have a point there, but ...
7. There's something there, I suppose, however ...
8. I guess your idea could be right, but ...
9. Yes, I suppose so, however ...
10. That's worth thinking about, but ...
C. How to Disagree Politely with an Opinion.
1. I am not so sure.
2. Do you think so?
3. Well, it depends.
4. I'm not so certain.
5. Well, I don't know.
6. Well, I'm not so sure about that.
7. Hmm, I'm not sure your idea is right.
8. I'm inclined to disagree with that idea.
9. No, I don't think so.
D. How to Disagree Strongly with an Opinion.
1. I disagree.
2. I disagree with your idea.
3. I'm afraid I don't agree.
4. I'm afraid your idea is wrong.
5. I can't agree with your idea.
6. I couldn't accept that idea for a minute.
7. You can't actually mean that.
8. I wouldn't go along with your idea there.
9. You can't be serious about that point.
10. You must be joking.
11. It's possible you are mistaken about that.
( http://www.paulnoll.com/Books/Clear-English/debate-suggestions.html)
Formal Debate Structure
Speech 1: The first affirmative speaker introduces the topic and states the
affirmative team's first argument.
Speech 2: The first negative speaker states their first argument.
Speech 3: The second affirmative speaker states their second argument.
Speech 4: The second negative speaker states their second argument.
Give a 5-10 minute break for each team to prepare their rebuttal speech.
Speech 5: The negative team states two rebuttals for the affirmative team's
two arguments and summarizes their own two reasons.
Speech 6: The affirmative team states two rebuttals for the negative team's
two arguments and summarizes their own two reasons.
affirmative team's first argument.
Speech 2: The first negative speaker states their first argument.
Speech 3: The second affirmative speaker states their second argument.
Speech 4: The second negative speaker states their second argument.
Give a 5-10 minute break for each team to prepare their rebuttal speech.
Speech 5: The negative team states two rebuttals for the affirmative team's
two arguments and summarizes their own two reasons.
Speech 6: The affirmative team states two rebuttals for the negative team's
two arguments and summarizes their own two reasons.
What should you do?
- There are no parking spaces available in the car park. Suddenly one is free and you claim it. Someoneprotests that he/she has been waiting longer than you. Do you let the person take it?
- Your child support payments will be cut in half if you tell your "ex" about the big rise you got. Do you tell?
- Instead of the 1 $ which you have in a dormant bank account, your latest statement reads 100,000 $. Do you withdraw the money?
- The local grocer gives you 50p more change than you deserve. You discover this outside the shop. Do you return with the change?
- You are a reporter. The family of a murder victim has refused your requests for pictures and an interview. Your editor demands that you keep telephoning them. Do you?
- You lose and expensive gold watch and are reimbursed by your insurance company. Shortly afterwards you find the watch. Do you return the money?
- As a magazine publisher, you buy ALL rights to a story for $500. Unexpectedly, the story inspires a film and nets you $100,000. do you share any of your windfallwith the author?
- Your company offers you a job abroad which you know would thrill your partner. You would muchrather stay put. Do you tell him/her about the job?
- You witness a car accident in which one party is clearly to blame. Do you stop and offer yourself as a witness even though you are late for an appointment?
- You are trying to reserve the seat next to you on the train hoping the attractive person you see queuing will ask for it. An old lady asks first. Do you tell her it is taken?