JCI Debating - Speak on your feet

The art of convincing a critical audience

©Copyright by JCI and intended for the exclusive use of JCI affiliated organizations, members and trainers

Objectives debatingObjectives debating

• Increase argumentation skills

• Improve critical thinking & listening

• Encourage effective speech

composition and delivery


Motion

Time constraints

Governmen&

opposition

Jury

Four basic elementsFour basic elements


Motion/propositionMotion/proposition

Defining,direction of the

controversy

Convince the jury to adopt

the proposition

There must be some

Controversy

“everybody has the right to carry a firearm”


Debating room set-upDebating room set-up

ChairmanChairman

JudgesJudges

OppositionOpposition

AudienceAudience

GovernmentGovernment

TimekeeperTimekeeper


ProcedureProcedure

1. Government

2. Opposition

3. Government

4. Opposition

5. Opposition

6. Government

ConclusionsConclusionsConclusionsConclusions

RebuttalsRebuttalsRebuttalsRebuttals

OpeningOpeningOpeningOpening


• Example– Motion:

“The productivity should be increased”• Whose productivity ?• What is productivity ?• How much ?

• Phrasing the debate proposition• Controversy• Only 1 central idea• Unemotional terms• Precise statement of the desired value or decision

Defining the ControversyDefining the Controversy


JCI approachJCI approach

• Determine the scope of the controversy– “France cannot wait any longer !”

– France should really address the unemployment– The French government should finance more

cultural activities

– “Pubs should be closed earlier – All pubs on Manchester square offering malt whisky after 09.00

pm should be closed at 10.00 pm

• Guidelines– Equal conflicting evidence and reasoning (no truism)– Opportunity for both sides– Interpretation must remain in line with the intended

“spirit” of the motion


GovernmentGovernment

The role you play is Determined by faithYOUR may need to put your personal

opinion aside

Define the motionPhrase the debate

proposition

The concept “if it ain’t broken, don’t

fix it” applies: the Government carries risk

of proposition: the Burden of proof


OppositionOpposition

Follow the definition of the

government

Burden of refutation

Not all black & whitePros & cons CAN agree on multiple issues but

dis-agree on one particular issue


Time constraintsTime constraints

End the debatediscussion has to end some time

doesn’t it ?

Equal speech time for each team

Articulate in a given time

speech must fit the timeslot exactly


JuryJury

A jury adds the element of competition to

a debate

the jury must remain impartial and

objective at all timesis this possible ?

FEEDBACKan academic debate

is meant to be a learning experience


Principles of judgingPrinciples of judging

• Each member of the jury has 1 vote:

you will need to individually convince every member of the jury

• Never a tie: Uneven number of jury members

• Based judgement on received arguments, not own knowledge


How to evaluate a debateHow to evaluate a debate• On Argumentation

• Content, logic, arguments• Do not forget that emotional arguments are …

arguments• Presented evidence to support an argument

– Facts– Figures – Examples– Comparisons– Quotations of authorities– Quotes

• Presentation• Voice (intonation & volume), rhythm, use of silence• Humor, use emotions• Body language, gestures

• General persuasion power


How to judge ?How to judge ?

Content•Phrasing of controversy •logic, •supporting argumentation

Strategy•refutation•teamwork•use of debating techniques

Style = the way a case is presented


Stand up while

speaking

Keep the relationship

with the audience and

jury going

Welcome the audience

Shake hands

Customs part 1Customs part 1


Time outTime out

• 1 or 2 minutes of internal consultation

• Before one’s own speech

• Time out is consider normal

• 1 time out per team


People listen to their favorite

station: WII FM

What are you talking about

Put out land-marks, make it easy for the

audience to follow

Speed of thinking > speed of speechcaptivate the audience or minds will wander

Be realistic about the audience’s capacity to comprehend arguments keep them short and sweet

Not listening ?Not listening ?


Make contact &

interact and

stimulate audience

Maintain the relationship

with the audienceKeep eye

contact

Vary the rhythm and volume of the voice

Use this ACRONYMfor success

Make people listenMake people listen


CContac

t

CAISCAIS

AAttenti

on

IInformatio

n

SSummar

y


Communication modelCommunication model

MessageMessageMessageMessage

InterpretationInterpretation InterpretationInterpretation

Emotion/ImageEmotion/ImageEmotion/ImageEmotion/Image

MediumMediumMediumMedium

DecodingDecodingDecodingDecoding

Receiver

Transmitter

SelectingSelectingSelectingSelecting

Emotion/ImageEmotion/ImageEmotion/ImageEmotion/ImageCodingCodingCodingCoding

Information

•Objective•Personal•Others•Relationship•Appeal


Convincing: 3 approachesConvincing: 3 approaches

EthosEthos



EthosEthos PathosPathos




LogosLogos




LogosLogos


Convincing: 3 weapons to useConvincing: 3 weapons to use

EthosEthos• If the look can not If the look can not

convince... convince... • From research I have From research I have

done...done...

PathosPathos• Say things so people can Say things so people can

understand themunderstand them• Facts: unknown, unlovedFacts: unknown, unloved• Use arguments and Use arguments and

evidence relevant to the evidence relevant to the audienceaudience

LogosLogos• Argumentation, Argumentation,

evidenceevidence• RebuttalsRebuttals


Arguments perceived as strongArguments perceived as strong

referring to what the majority thinks

SUPPORT with figures if you can...

complex situation are explained as a simple Profit&LOSS equationsgives the impression of

a powerful analysis

Rules & traditions have a compelling impact on

people


Play to the galleryPlay to the gallery

USE contrast, make things black & white

Use triplets:“Do not do it for me,but do it for yourself,

do it for your wifeand do it for children”

Pathosan audience can

be very sensitive to emotional arguments

EthosEthos

PathosPathos

LogosLogos


Different kinds of argumentsDifferent kinds of arguments• Example

– When company X did this, their revenue hit the roof

• Comparison– Our economy is sick. If we can reduce the labor costs the

economy will become healthy again..

• Reasoned thinking– I will get the flu because I have a fever and my throat

aches.

• Authority– A publication of the university of Harvard shows that, – I have been working for 10 year in the field...


Presentation stylePresentation style

Gesticulateuse non verbal communication

Move away from the table

maintain the relationship with the people you have to

convince “you” = the

jury,audiencethey = the other party

Expression is more convincing than

verbosity if the expression does

not convince then 1.000 words will

neither !


StyleStyleInvolve audience Change the

rhythmUse the power of

silence

Marshall your

arguments (put them in the right sequence)

HOw Many

arguments do I NEED


Communication is...Communication is...

Voice

Content

Non-verbal


ExerciseExercise

x minutes InterruptionStand up and Ask

permission to speakMake your comment

no longer then 15 sec

Sit down again

Heckle, to harass or disturb a speaker with a shout to vent your opinion like in: “hear, hear !

go home ! empty words!


PreparationPreparation

Define the terms of the controversy

phrase the debating

proposition

BRAINSTORMINGfind issues,

arguments and evidence

Decide which arguments to use and

which to leave out. Sort the arguments in the

right sequence


PreparationPreparation

Assigns roles: who will open, who

will refute, who will conclude

Think about an icebreaker or

openerThink about the

take home message

Do not write the complete speechuse keywords, or

mind maps...


Presentation: voice & contentPresentation: voice & content

Beginning Middle Conclusion

Voice


Presentation: voice and contentPresentation: voice and content

Beginning

VoiceContent

Middle Conclusion


AvoidAvoid

ToO many argument. If the opponents can

shoot more of three of them, the impression is that they have refuted

everything...

Avoid giving yourself the status and image

of an expert if you cannot back it up

avoid focusing on your own argumentation,

otherwise you forget to refute the opponents’

arguments


Claiming a statement to be

true until the opposite has been

proven

Making a maze of the speech and

arguments so that the audience cannot

follow

Keeping arguments hidden until the opposing party cannot defend itself

(last speech of the debate)

AvoidAvoid


When do I refute ?

How many arguments

must be refuted ?

When is an argument refuted ?

How Do I make it easy for the audience to follow a refutation ?

Refutations ?Refutations ?


Role of the coachRole of the coach

• During the preparation and the time out, the coach – act as source of inspiration– act as the devil’s advocate– Empowers– Pushes towards decision– Understands and manages the team

• During the debate– Short written instruction to the players (speak louder, hold your

horses !) – Provide new arguments– Verbal communication is forbidden


How to refute ?How to refute ?Well, should we do that ? I fear that weeds will grow between the joints? Besides, a pavement is less beauti-ful than an nicely cut lawn. Oh, yes what will this cost ? Grass grows for free !

It is time that we replace the grass in the garden by tiled pavement !

Step 1: describe the argument that will be attacked...Apparently you see the growing weeds as a reasonto abandon the idea of a tiled pavement.

Step 2: refute...But there are lots of ecological sound herbicides.

Step 3: conclusion (consequence of the refutation)so there is already one reason less to oppose the tiled pavement...


Training DebatingTraining Debating

Carlo van TichelenCarlo van TichelenJCI Belgium - Gheel-en-ThalsJCI Belgium - Gheel-en-Thals

[email protected]@phobos.beskype : carlovantichelenskype : carlovantichelen

with credit to : Gerrit Leman & Peter M. Van der Geerwith credit to : Gerrit Leman & Peter M. Van der Geer

mailto:[email protected]


When to refute ?When to refute ?

refutationrefutation

Own argumentation

Own argumentation

refutationrefutation

Own argumentation

Own argumentation

affirmativeaffirmative

negativenegative


RefutationRefutation

• Refute 2/3 arguments of the opposing party• At the beginning of the argumentation• A argument is refuted if

– the opposing team does not come back to this argument– the jury is convinced

• If you refute set out landmarks...1. Describe the arguments which you are attacking

2 Refute

2.1 State why the argument is flawed (incorrect/incomplete)

2.2 Support your statement with counter arguments

3. Indicate the consequence of your successful refutation


Arguments & refutationsArguments & refutationsType Example Refutation

Example When company X did this then… Counter example? Are the facts true? Is company X not an exemption? Does the example really support the argument?

Comparison Our economy is ill. If we reducethe cost of labor then oureconomy will become healthyagain

Are all facts included in the comparison? Are there important differences between the

comparison and the position of the opposingparty?

Cause/consequence

I will get the flu because I have afever and my throat aches

Is the cause present? Does the cause lead to the presented

consequence? Can the consequence be avoided?

Authorithy Universities, professors, I haveworked for years in…

Source Is the source a true authority? Self interest/hidden agenda? Do you know another authority that claims

something different? Content

Has the quote been taking out it’s context? Do you have another statement from the same

source, indicating another opinion? Is the information from the source not

obsolete?


The competitionThe competition

• Nervous– That part of the game– But once you’ve started…

• Under pressure– Boundaries are crossed– People excel– Team members grow in the competition

• Exciting• A learning experience over and over again


How to judge ?How to judge ?pros pros

cons

cons

cons

pros

opening rebuttals conclusion

Goal = evaluate the motion based upon presented arguments Arguments > presentations


Quantyfing the evaluationQuantyfing the evaluation

• On scale of 1 to 10 points ?– Does a score of “ 7” mean the same for each scorer ?– The score is subjective

• Therefore only two possibilities:– Marginally better (1-2, 2-1)– Substantially better (0-3, 3-0)

• Every member of the jury hands out 9 points– Content 3– Strategy 3– Style 3

• We have votes and points: but who wins ?


Jury 1 Jury 2 Jury 3Jury 1 Jury 2 Jury 3

ContentContent 2-1 2-1 2-1 1-2 2-1 1-2

Strategy 1-2Strategy 1-2 1-2 0-3 1-2 0-3

Style 2-1 2-1 0-3Style 2-1 2-1 0-3

TotalTotal 5-4 5-4 1-8 5-4 5-4 1-8

pro pro con pro pro con

Total points 11-16 Total points 11-16

• Example

• Who wins– Number of votes is the most important of the criteria– Total number of points: refinement

Who wins ?Who wins ?


ExerciseExercise

x’x’Time out

3 speakers


Observe these numbersObserve these numbers

12, 37, 4512, 37, 45

43, 6743, 6734, 54, 8134, 54, 81


Proposition of PolicyProposition of Policy

• Change policy X in policy Y• The affirmative (government)

– maintains that a policy or course of action should be adopted,

• while the negative (opposition) – maintains that this policy should be rejected “

• Example– It is resolved that the “government should restrict gambling”

– What ? • Who are the government ? What is gambling ? What does restrict mean ?

– Why ?• What is the problem ? Is it serious ?

– How? • Is it feasible• Is it effective ?• What are the side effects ?


Proposition of ValueProposition of Value

• The affirmative maintain that a certain belief or value is justified

• Example• It is resolved that the “press should stay out of the bedrooms”

– What is it about ?• The value of privacy (this is the value to defend)

– How to defend • Compare with an other value: freedom of press• Privacy > freedom of press

– Area of application• In which situation are these values applied

– Use supportive argumentation

Career

JCI Debating - Speak on your feet