MUSC Debate Presentation
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This document provides guidance on how to effectively prepare for and participate in a debate. It recommends that debaters 1) prepare before and during a discussion by focusing on key issues, 2) use active listening skills to understand both sides of an argument, and 3) structure arguments using the A.R.E. model of making an assertion, providing reasons to support it, and citing evidence. Following these guidelines can generate constructive debate and continual learning.
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MUSC Debate Presentation
- 3. You will be able to: 1. effectively prepare for a debate. 2. demonstrate active listening to both sides of an argument. 3. structure a logically sound argument.
- 4. Preparation before and during a discussion generates constructive debate. The A.R.E. Model gives a solid argument. Focusing on key issues creates productive debate.
- 5. Preparation before and during a discussion generates constructive debate.
- 7. If I have only one side of the case to study before the trial, let it be that of my opponent.
- 9. ● Short attention span ● Passive listening ● Distractions ● Impatience ● Stereotyping, prejudices
- 10. Use colors Emphasize keywords Use abbreviations Record statistics & facts
- 12. Gives you a solid argument
- 13. Assertion: claim Reason: connects A + E Evidence: supports A
- 16. Logical Connection Often Omitted Most Powerful
- 17. Focusing on key issues creates a productive debate.
- 21. RESOLUTION: JUNKANOO IS A BETTER REPRESENTATION OF THE BAHAMAS POSTCOLONIALITY THAN RAKE- N-SCRAPE (GOOMBAY) AND SHOULD BE THE COUNTRY’S NATIONAL MUSIC.
- 22. DEBATE ENCOURAGES CONTINUAL LEARNING. Preparation A.R.E. Model Focus
Editor's Notes
- Junkanoo Parade in the Bahamas
- The big idea
- This workshop will teach you to use your voice successfully and effectively prepare for a debate. You will also learn to actively listen to both sides of an argument and structure a logically sound argument that can trump any faulty argument used against you.
- First thing we’ll talk about is how to prepare for a debate. Debate might seem like this overly formal and difficult activity where you have to think on your toes and speak convincingly in front of a large crowd, but this is honestly not the case. You can ALWAYS prepare for a debate, and preparation before and during a discussion generates constructive debate.
- Debate is like chess – cannot play one move at a time, must be able to plan several moves ahead Repeated debates in history - values argued are the same Therefore, you can always prepare arguments
- The first way to effectively prepare for a debate is by anticipation, and this means anticipating your opponent’s arguments. By thinking ahead about what your opponent might argue, you won’t be caught off guard with arguments used against you, and you will be ready to fire back with evidence or better arguments that weaken his points. As Cicero, a Roman philosopher, once said, “If I have only one side of the case to study before the trial, let it be that of my opponent” All great debaters study their adversary’s case with greater intensity than their own. The trick is therefore to adopt the viewpoint of you opponent (let’s say you were pro uniforms, you’d pretend you were arguing against uniforms) and then prepare as if you were debating against yourself. This will ensure that you have a counterargument ready to all arguments used against you.
- The second major component in preparation is listening. Listening is an essential part of effective communication and you MUST listen very carefully in any sort of debate. This is because listening helps you to gather information, understand your opponent’s arguments, assess his/her ideas and then evaluate it. This will enable you to respond more thoughtfully and intelligently. It has been shown that good listening has been linked to effective leadership in the business/professional world and in the public. Purpose: gathering information, critical assessment of ideas, enjoyment - An essential part of effective communication à better-informed with info and ideas, make better decisions - Benefits: i. Listening carefully helps you become better informed à allows you to respond more thoughtfully and intelligently ii. By becoming a better listener, you can become a better speaker à helps to better understand your audience, gather information that will help you frame your own ideas and arguments, able to observe how others communicate and you learn to communicate more effectively yourself - Listening has been linked to effective leadership in the business and professional world and in the public
- All of them!
- The third big component of preparation is note taking. Taking notes during a speech ensures that you are listening actively. Effective notetaking helps you to follow the speech better and record critical information and ideas, and it no doubt keeps you better engaged. To ensure that you are an an active listener, you must take notes Effective note taking can help you follow the speech better and record critical info and ideas for future use à keeps you better engaged Also helps you to record the speaker’s ideas and assess their quality - Write down ideas and key points that are most important - Use keywords to record main ideas (omit prepositions, articles - Abbreviate and use symbols whenever possible (without, and, more than, approximately) - Particularly useful for recording stats, facts and particular examples that you want to remember
- Note taking is a prerequisite skill for debate success. Taking notes during a debate is a little different from taking notes in class or in a meeting, where you only take down keywords and what is important for yourself. In a debate, you must take notes in a specific format and not just jot down the arguments that you are going to make, but also your opponent’s arguments so that you can think about how you are going to respond and write that down. To do this the easiest way, you use your paper in the landscape form and divide the paper into columns, as shown in this image. You will then jot down the main points of your argument into the first column, along with your evidence, statistics, quotes to back up your main point. Then, in the next column, you will write down arguments used against your side. Using arrows, you will link the arguments that are related to each other, and in the next column, you will write down your counter-arguments or rebuttals to what your opponent said in the second column. After the entire debate you will have a line of arguments that all relate to each other. The easiest way for you to understand this is by practice! Flowing is what we call taking notes in debate - Flowing helps better organize arguments à label which arguments respond to which arguments that your opponent made - Must note down all your opponents arguments - what you need to advance → Follow the entire line of arguments - Difference between note taking and flowing: i) Format - landscape ii) Columns and rows iii) BUT still write in short form, not in full sentences - How to flow: During the first speech, take notes in the first column. Include the main points, evidence, names of quoted experts and statistics. Write each point on its own line, leaving ample space for more information from future speeches to be added in each column across the page without interfering with points farther down on the page. During the second speech, write refutations to the first speech in the second column beside the first speech points. Draw arrows or rows to connect refutations with the appropriate points. When the second speaker introduces new points, write these at the bottom of the second column or on a separate piece of paper.
- How can you tell when an argument is solid?? use this model and you will always have a sound argument. Doesn’t mean people won’t disagree with it, but you can make a full argument in good faith. Sound reasoning if disagreeable conclusion. AND this ensures that both sides of the debate understand what’s going on. You have standardized your communication. Key for progress.
- three components. Assertion is the claim, what you’re selling, needs to be compelling and concise. Reason is the logic that connects your assertion and your evidence, also called a warrant, hardest thing to wrap your head around and many people leave it out. Evidence: the data or fact(s) supporting your claim. to have an argument, you need all three component. A claim alone is just as good as an opinion. often the Reason is implied, but the best debaters always understand that their reason is; ALSO, the reason is often a fairly general logical process; may repeat Reasons in different settings.
- A: You should put a sweater on. E: Because the sun is going down. R: When the sun goes down, it gets cold.
- Assertion: I am an American citizen. Evidence: I was born in Maryland. Reason: By law, people born in the US are citizens. Reason logically connects A and E.
- this is the logical basis for all arguments. As you could see in the balance picture, without it, the whole thing falls apart. And yet it is often omitted. People sometimes get lazy and don’t think their arguments through. This gives you a good area to attack. If it is solid though, very powerful. This gets to the heart of correlation and causality debates. If you can establish good reason via use of the ARE model, you will have a strong argument.
- Focusing on key issues creates a productive debate. Because we also want to focus ourselves, we are going to be looking at two specific areas: ground and strategic agreement.
- If you are speaking first, usually the affirmative (pro) side does, you have the chance to establish exactly what those key issues are. Perhaps you want to start by saying what is NOT at issue (disclaimers) in order to define the scope. Negative (con) has no reason to narrow it down because if they can refuse a broad array of ideas, then the main ideas won’t hold up, even if the cons are not that relevant. **unless the resolution is poorly worded and biased towards the affirmative—then negative should narrow the scope This can also be a great advantage for pro side because if your opponent is planning on highlighting a certain issue but you establish that it is not even part of the argument, then you automatically have an advantage
- Once ground is established and you begin debating, as you recall from earlier, you should be listening closely and focusing on your opponent’s argument. One of the strongest argument you can give is one that is taken straight from your opponent and turned in your favor.
- deductive, inductive, causal, analogical
- PRO = JUNKANOO CON = RAKE-N-SCRAPE 33 MINUTES OVER 3 ROUNDS AND 2 BREAKS ROTATING PARTS COME WITH OPENING AND 2 MAIN POINTS-PREPARE FOR REBUTTALS AND COUNTER ARGUMENTS