DebateCh. 18Group One

Chapter Outlines Part One

WHAT IS DEBATE? ● Debate: Formalized public speaking in which participants prepare and present speeches on opposite sides of

an issue to determine which side has the strongest argument.

● Controversy: Formal debate begins with a controversy expressed as a proposition.

o Proposition: A persuasive specific purpose that establishes a fact, establishes or changes a belief, or recommends a policy.

● Two Sides: The two sides in a debate are called the affirmative and the negative.

● Speakers: Each side has at least two speakers, except in the Lincoln-Douglas debate, in which each side has only one speaker.

● Status Quo: The existing state or affairs - Currently held beliefs and currently followed courses of action.

o Burden of proof: The obligation of the affirmative team to present sufficient reason for changing the existing system.

● Constructive and Rebuttal Speeches: Each speaker has a chance to speak twice; During a formal debate each speaker presents a constructive speech and a rebuttal speech.

THE PROPOSITIONThe Proposition: Propositions are extremely important. They determine the scope of the debate, therefore precisely wording the proposition is crucial.

● Types of Propositions: There are three types of propositions organized by purpose: 1) To establish a fact 2) To establish or change belief 3) To recommend a policy

o Propositions Affirming a Fact: These propositions determine what is true or false. These propositions are mostly seen in courts of law.

o Propositions Establishing or Changing Belief: These propositions seek to establish or change a belief. Most of these propositions include evaluative words. The propositions cannot be verified ㅡ results are a matter of judgement.

o Propositions Recommending a Policy: These propositions determine what action should be taken. By far, the greatest number of propositions facing debaters in real world settings are

propositions of policy.● Wording Propositions

o The proposition must be worded to give the “burden of proof” to the affirmative.o the proposition must be focused on one topic only.o The meaning of the words used in the proposition should be clear to debaters and listeners.

PREPARING YOURSELF FOR DEBATE

Discovering Key Issues

● In debates, Issues are key questions that must be answered to determine who will

win the debates.

● The two key issues could be worded as...

o Do present conditions create significant problems that cannot be solved under

the status quo?

o Will the suggested policy solve the problem?

Once the issue is clear, you must gather information to support your position.

● Reasons are statements that justify the proposition.

o Affirmative Reasons

o Negative Reasons

● Evidence includes the facts and the opinions given to support each

reason.

THE PROOF

Before using facts and quotations as evidence and proof, you must make sure…

● Is the evidence recent enough to be relevant to issue?

● Is the evidence well documented?

● Is the source reliable?

● Is the evidence objective?

THE EVIDENCE

THE CONSTRUCTIVE SPEECH

● Constructive speech: a speech that builds an argument for an affirmative or a negative case.o Case: consists of arguments and evidence on which a team bases its stand on a given

proposition

● Affirmative case: presents reasons and evidence that indicate a problem with the present system and that show why the action stated in the proposition offers the best solution to that problem.o Prima facie case: is one that contains sufficient evidence to win a debate if the other side

presented no argument.

Problem-Solution Pattern (also called “need-plan pattern”): organizes information to demonstrate that the problem cannot be solved by the status quo and to show that the proposal stated in the proposition will solve the problem both practically and beneficially.

1. a problem must exist2. that adopting the proposal will help solve said problem3. that adopting the proposal is the best way of solving said problem

Comparative-Advantages Pattern: organizes information to demonstrate that the proposal would have significant advantages over the status quo.

THE CONSTRUCTIVE SPEECH - CONT.

● Negative case: gives reasons and evidence that (1) acts as straight refutation of the affirmative case, (2) defends the status quo, or (3) presents a counterpoint.

Straight-Refutation Approach: straight refutation means that the entire negative case will be a denial of each affirmative argument stated. In other words, the negative side will deny any points made by the affirmative team.

Defense of the Status Quo: The negative team that elects to defend the status quo will explain what the status quo is and will show either how it is already meeting the alleged problems or how it could meet them.

Counterplan: a counterplan is the presentation of a different solution.

Side Note: Your choice of approach will depend on the material you have. Most of the time, you will use either straight refutation or defense of the status quo.

THE ART OF DEBATE

Learning ObjectivesPart Two

Objectives:1. Define debate

2. Write and test a debate proposition

3. Identify three kinds of propositions

4. Write the major issues of a proposition recommending a policy

5. Identify two kinds of affirmative cases

6. Identify two kinds of negative cases

Objective #1Define Debate:● Debate is a formalized public speaking in which participants prepare and

present speeches on opposite sides of an issue to determine which side has the stronger argument. o Debate is one of the major ways people in a democratic society makes

decisions.

Objective #2Write and test a debate proposition:Proposition: a persuasive specific purpose that establishes a fact. establishes or changes beliefs, or recommends a policy. For a debate, the proposition must be controversial; that is, a proposition must deal with a question that has valid evidence for at least two solutions that divide public opinion relatively evenly.

Which one would be a better proposition? ● “Resolved,That students should get paid for getting good grades in

school.”● “Resolves, Murder should be legal”

Objective #3Identify three kinds of propositions:

● Proposition - A persuasive specific purpose that establishes a fact, establishes or changes a belief, or recommends a policy. For a debate, it must be controversial.

● 3 Types:o Propositions Affirming a Fact: determines what is true or false; most common in

courts of law where the prosecution tries to prove such propositions as “Marie is guilty of taking Sam’s pencil from Sam’s desk.”

o Propositions Establishing or Changing Belief: states the relative merit of a person, place, or thing; always includes evaluative words such as “good”, “worthy”, “better”, or “the opposites”.

o Propositions Recommending a Policy: recommends a policy that determines what action should be taken; focuses on a specific plan of action that is to be considered by the debaters.

Objective #4Write the major issues of a proposition recommending a policy● Propositions should be worded as a question but propositions

recommending a policy have both a problem and a solution.o Also, there are two key issues that are very broad so they have to be

narrowed down. The two key questions are: 1) DO presented conditions create

significant problems? 2) Would greater freedom for law enforcement agencies solve the problems?

o When these questions are narrowed down they have to be more specific issues.

Objective #5Identify two kinds of affirmative cases

Affirmative case- reasons and evidence presented to indicate a problem with the present system and show why the action stated in the proposition is the best solution

Types of affirmative cases:1. Problem-Solution Pattern: organizes information to show that the

problem cannot be solved by status quo instead by the proposition given

2. Comparative-Advantages Pattern: organizes information to demonstrate that the proposal would have significant advantages over the status quo

Objective #6Identify two kinds of negative cases

Negative Case- gives reason and evidence that act as straight refutation of affirmative case, defends the status quo, or presents a counterplan

Types of negative cases:1. Straight-Refutation Approach: the entire negative case will be a denial of

each affirmative case stated.2. Counterplan: presentation of a different solution

Plan of ActionLearning Objectives:

● Andrea: Objectives 1, 2

● Morgaine: Objectives 3, 4

● Marie: Objectives 5, 6

Section Outlines:

● Ryan: What is Debate

● Mirae: The Proposition

● Eunho: Preparing Yourself for Debate (The Proof, The Evidence)

● Sam: The Constructure Speech

Speech Communication: Chapter 18

Part II

Refutation• Refutation means:

• Attacking the ideas of the opposition.

• You may refute your opposition’s:• Quantity of Evidence• Quality of Evidence• Reasoning from the Evidence

Four Most Common Types of Arguments• Generalization:

• A conclusion based on one or more specific instances. • Causation:

• Provides a conclusion that is a direct result of one or more given sources or conditions.

• Analogy:• An argument based on a comparison of something with a

similar event, state, or set of circumstances.• Sign:

• Draws a conclusion based on certain signs or indicators.

The Four Steps of Refutation• 1. State clearly and concisely the argument you

are going to refute.• 2. State what you will prove.• 3. Present the proof completely with documented

evidence.• 4. Draw a conclusion.

The Five Steps of Rebuttal• 1. Restate the argument you made originally.• 2. State what your opponent said against your

original point.• 3. State your position on your opponent’s attack.• 4. Present the proof completely with documented

evidence.• 5. Draw a conclusion.

Judging Debates

Affirmative team uses problem-solution pattern

• For affirmative team to win 1. Prove that there is a significant problem 2. The affirmative side’s proposition will

solve the problem 3. The proposition offers the best solution

• For negative team to win 1. Proving that no problem exists 2. Prove that the affirmative sides would

not solve the problem 3. Prove that the affirmative sides

proposition is either not the best way to solve the problem or will cause new problems.

Affirmative team uses comparative-advantages pattern

• For affirmative team to win 1.Prove that the proposition offers

significant advantages over the status quo

2.Prove that its proposition will not create significant problems when implemented

• For negative team to win 1. Prove that the advantages are not

significant2. Prove that the significant

disadvantages will result

Judges give points based on their estimation of how well each performance met the standard.

Responsibilities• Claudia

• 10. List the five steps of rebuttal• Clicker

• Katie• 8. List the four most common types of arguments used in debate

• Dejure• 9. List the four steps of refutation

• Brent• 7. Define refutation

• Matthew• 12. Judge a debate• Speaker

• Viniana• 11. Prepare a flow sheet