Styles-of-Debate-PowerPoint Presentation

1. Honing Critical Educators Through
Debate Workshop
December 2, 2022
1:00-4:30 PM, NAB

2. “With words,
we govern man.”
~ Benjamin Disraeli
 Voltaire B. Jacinto
 Social Science
Department,
WVSU

3. A debate is a competitive event wherein contenders
argue over specific statements or policies.
Debate is any type of
disagreement wherein individuals
attempt to convince one another
of an idea.

4. The purpose of debates:
to discuss complex ideas,
initiate quality research, and
engage in strategic yet respectful
dialogue with opponents.

5. Different debate types include
varying parameters, such as a limit on
access to research, time for each
or the number of team members.

6. Four distinct types of debate topics
Empirical: That flattening the curve justifies the freedoms we
have to give up.
Comparative: That obesity is the highest risk factor for COVID-
19.
Model: That a COVID-19 vaccine should be mandatory when it
is released.
Abstract: That an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of
cure.

7. Subject of Debate
Motion, Proposition,
Resolution.

8. Styles of Debate
Some of the most common types of debate:
1. team policy,
2. cross-examination,
3. Lincoln-Douglas,
4. spontaneous Argumentation,
5. public forum, and
6. parliamentary debates.
These debates are differentiated by topics, the number of
debaters, time limits, and access to resources.

9. 1. Team Policy debate
The primary objective of team policy
debate is to present a huge amount of
evidence quickly and coherently.
Team policy debates consist of two teams, each with two debaters.
The structure includes the following elements.
Eight speeches
Four constructive speeches
Four rebuttals
Four periods of cross-examination

10. 2. Cross-Examination Debate
The opponent debaters ask questions to clarify
and understand each other’s points of
information.
 a cross-examination debate provides you with an opportunity
to engage with your opponent. It further demonstrates your
confidence to become a persuasive speaker that helps you
win more points.

11. 3. Lincoln-Douglas Debate
 Lincoln-Douglas is an open style of debate. It is mainly inspired by the debates
between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas in the 1850s.
It is a one-on-one debate that focuses on
arguing for or against a topic.
The participants agree on the time limits
and topics beforehand.

12. 4. Spontaneous Argumentation
Spontaneous argumentation includes
two debaters that argue on a particular
topic.
Debaters take enough prep time for a
debate topic and then present the
argument.

13. 5. Public Forum Debate
 Public forum debate is considered as audience friendly and a
current events debate.
 It includes two teams of debaters that argue on
monthly controversial topics.
 The round begins with a coin toss between the competing debate
teams. It is required to determine which side, either Pro or Con,
will present their argument first.
 Each debate team will be given 3 minutes to prepare the topic.

14. 6. Parliamentary Debate
 Similar to the spontaneous types of debate arguments,
parliamentary debates do not require thorough research.
 The resolutions are decided only 10 minutes before a round of
debate starts. Similarly, it greatly emphasized logic and
persuasiveness.
 They are referred to as “parliamentary” because of their similar
nature to the debates that occur in the British parliament.

16. 2 Main/Common Debate Formats
1. Cross-Examination Debate (Interpellation)
2. Parliamentary Debate
a. British Parliamentary Debate
b. Asian-Australian Parliamentary Debate

17. 1. Cross-Examination Debate (Interpellation)
Oxford-Oregon
(NBT)Necessity-beneficiality-
practicability
Interpellation/cross examination
Rebuttals /Fallacies

18. Cross-examination
debate highlights
these qualities:
It rewards speakers who
can think on their feet,
communicate effectively,
prepare thoroughly and
organize their thoughts;
.
Cross-Examination Debate
places emphasis on
questioning or cross-
examination between
constructive speeches.
Cross-Examination Debate
typically rewards intensive
use of evidence, and is
more focused on content
than on delivery.

19. Debaters must answer questions immediately - without
destroying their own case or aiding their opponent’s.
 They must use their best poker face to conceal any damaging admissions.
 And they must know their case sufficiently well to answer unexpected questions with
compelling facts.
 It stands out from other styles of debate in that it was designed to accentuate a
clash of arguments.

20. SPEECHES

21. WARNING!!!!!!!!!

22. In a Cross-examination debate,
a debater will gain points for:
1. Questioning based on
what was said in the
debate.
2. Ability to
handle questions.
The debater will lose
points for:
• Monologues (instead of
asking questions).
• Being flustered by
questions.

23. 2. Parliamentary Debate
The emphasis in this form of debate is on persuasiveness,
logic, and wit.
Criteria: Manner, Matter, Method.

24. GOVERNMNET v. OPPOSITION

26. Impromptu
The resolution/motion is usually not established until
10 minutes before the debate round begins, and
there is a new resolution for every round of debate.
Since it would be unreasonable to expect teams to
research every topic they could be possibly be asked
to debate, parliamentary debate requires no evidence
whatsoever.

27. All that is required is that the
government team must establish
a topic that has two (or more)
clashing sides and is debatable.

28. There are only three types of cases that the
government team cannot run:
 1. A tautology. A tautological case is one that is immediately and logically true by construction.
 For example, "Bill Clinton is the best Democratic president since 1981" would be a tautology, since Bill is the only Democrat to have attained the
presidency in the specified time period.
 2. A truism. A truistic case is one that no moral person could possibly disagree with.
 For example, "Infants should not be skinned alive for entertainment purposes" would be a truism. Of course, the definition of truistic is
contentious, because it is almost always possible to find someone who disagrees with a proposition, and what is considered moral is often culture-
specific.
 3. A specific-knowledge case.
 A specific-knowledge case is one that would require the opposition to know more about a topic than it could reasonably be expected to know. In
general, debaters are expected to be familiar with current events and popular culture.
 If the case requires more particularistic information, the government must provide all necessary information in the first speech of the round. If the
government fails to do so, then the case is deemed specific-knowledge and hence against the rules.
 An example of a specific-knowledge case would be, "The U.S. Air Force should discontinue use of the V26 Osprey helicopter because of its low
flight-to-thrust ratio." Another would be, "My partner should dump his girlfriend." Unless the evils and advantages of his girlfriend were well
known, it would be unreasonable to expect the opposition to refute the case.

29. Points of information (POI) are a dynamic and
enjoyable part of parliamentary debate.
 Reminders:
 A point of information is a brief rejoinder (seven seconds or less) to the point then being
made by the person speaking.
 It may be a concise statement or a pointed question and there is no follow-up.
 Points of information are an integral part of parliamentary debating. A speaker who declines
to accept any points may seem to fear the opponents arguments. On the other hand, a
speaker who accepts too many points of information loses control of his or her speech.
 Usually, a constructive speaker will accept two points of information.
 Accepting them when offered shows that you are confident of your arguments and prepared
to defend them.

30. To make a Point
of Information;
the member
wishing to make
the POI stands.
The member speaking
can either:
1. Accept by acknowledging
the member,
2. Defer by saying “wait a
moment please,” or
3. Reject the POI by saying “no
thank you” or wave them
down.

31. BRITISH PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE
British Parliamentary debates
consist of four teams, containing
two speakers each, which are
divided into two sides that speak
for and against the motion.
Due to the style's origins in British
parliamentary procedure, the two
sides are called the Government
and the Opposition.

32. Two teams, called the “First Proposition” and
the “Second Proposition” teams, are charged
with the responsibility of supporting the
proposition while two other teams, “First
Opposition” and “Second Opposition,” are
charged with opposing it.

34. ASIAN-AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE
There two opposing teams in an Asians
format of debate:
Government side- proposes and defends the
motion;
Opposition side- refute and negates the
motion.

35. The speakers speak in the following order:
Prime minister
Leader of opposition
Deputy prime minister
Deputy leader of opposition
Government whip
Opposition whip

37. Prime minister presents the case,
Leader of opposition presents its own arguments and
rebuttals the government’s.
Deputy PM has also his own argument(s)
and makes some rebuttal, of course he/she
should not forget that she has to speak
about the arguments of the PM and
reaffirm them.
Deputy leader of opposition has the same
task, meaning new argument(s), rebuttal,
own previous arguments.
The government whip
is allowed to present
“new matter” but is
advised not to, and the
opposition whip is not
allowed to do that.

38. Two reply speeches
First the oppositional and then the
governmental reply.
The speeches are given by the first or
the second speaker from each side.
The speeches should focus on the great
ideas, arguments, clashes in the debate
and present them.

39. THANK YOU