Debate
Ch. 18
Group 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 PROPOSITION
The 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 verifiedㅡresults 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?
THE PROOF
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 EVIDENCE
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 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 exist
2. that adopting the proposal will help solve said problem
3. 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 Objectives
Part Two
Objectives:
1. Define debate
1. Write and test a debate proposition
1. Identify three kinds of propositions
1. Write the major issues of a proposition recommending a policy
1. Identify two kinds of affirmative cases
1. Identify two kinds of negative cases
Objective #1
Define 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 #2
Write 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 #3
Identify 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 #4
Write 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 #5
Identify 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 #6
Identify 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 Action
Learning 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
Part II
• Refutation means:
• Attacking the ideas of the opposition.
• You may refute your opposition’s:
• Quantity of Evidence
• Quality of Evidence
• Reasoning from the Evidence
• 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.
• 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.
•
•
•
•
•
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.
Judges give points based on their estimation of how well each performance met the
standard.
Affirmative team uses problem-solution pattern
• For affirmative team to win
1.
2.
3.
•
Prove that there is a significant problem
The affirmative side’s proposition will
solve the problem
The proposition offers the best solution
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.
2.
3.
Proving that no problem exists
Prove that the affirmative sides would
not solve the problem
Prove that the affirmative sides
proposition is either not the best way to
solve the problem or will cause new
problems.
• For negative team to win
1.
2.
Prove that the advantages are not
significant
Prove that the significant disadvantages
will result
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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