A quick guide to debate
Debating is a team sport – you must work together when preparing you case and during the debate. It
also means that each speaker within the team has certain roles to play. It is important that each
speaker understands and fulfils their role. These speaker roles might sound a bit restrictive, but they
help the debate run smoothly and clearly so that everyone in the room understands what the debate is
about and what each team stands for.
Student Name_________________________
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Speaker roles:
First Affirmative
Define the topic
The first task of the first speaker is to clearly set out the affirmative’s interpretation of the topic and
specifying the important issue(s) are that in contention in the debate. The definition should treat the
topic as a phrase, rather than just a collection of individual words. Key words however may need to be
individually defined.
Outline team line & split
The team line is a brief statement that summarizes the main arguments of your team. It may be closely
related to the team split. The split is the way the arguments have been divided between the first and
second speakers. It is essential to let the audience know early on in the debate exactly which way your
team will be heading and the approach they will be taking to the debate.
Present positive material
The speaker should deal with those elements of the case allocated to the first speaker.
First Negative
Deal with any necessary definitional issues
If the negative has any substantial disagreements with the definition provided by the Affirmative then
these must be dealt with immediately. If they wish to challenge the definition, they must prove to the
adjudicator that they have the most reasonable definition. There are three steps in a definitional
challenge:
1. Clearly state the alternative definition being proposed by the Negative.
2. Give arguments to show why their definition is the most reasonable definition.
3. Rebut the arguments presented by the Affirmative.
Rebuttal
The speaker should attack the main theme of the affirmative argument, as well as the specific issues
raised by the first affirmative speaker.
Outline team line & split
Like the first affirmative, they should give an outline of the team case and the arguments to be dealt
with by each speaker.
Present positive material
The speaker should deal with those elements of the case allocated to the first speaker.
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Second Affirmative & Second Negative
Defend the definition if necessary
If there are any definitional issues in the debate, then these need to be dealt with and hopefully fully
cleared up. Both speakers should keep in mind, like the first negative, that they are trying to prove
that their definition is the most reasonable.
Rebuttal
Each speaker should attack the main arguments of their opponents. The second affirmative should
clearly identify the major areas of disagreement with the with the negative case and attack the specific
arguments of the first negative. The second negative needs to attack the main arguments of the
affirmative, focusing on the specific arguments raised by the second affirmative. They should spend
approximately one third of their speech on rebuttal.
Present positive material
The speaker should then present the elements of their case allocated to them.
Third Affirmative & Negative
Both speakers should aim to present an overview by analysing the main themes of the debate. They
should identify the essential issues on which the teams have disagreed, rebut the important
arguments of the opposing team (it is important that the third affirmative attack the specific issues
raised by the second negative) and defend any important attacks made against their own team’s case.
Both speakers should conclude their speech with a brief summary (about one to two minutes) of their
teams’ case.
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To prepare:
1. Define the topic.
During preparation, both teams should think about the
definition. The first affirmative speaker must define the
topic, and the negative team should be thinking about how they would define the topic if they were
the affirmative team. This is so the negative team will be prepared for any definitional issues that
might arise in the debate.
The definition should not be taken out of the dictionary! You should think about the definition by
asking the question “What is the debate about?” Look at the key words in the topic and ask yourselves
what they mean. Here are a few examples.
Topic 1: Smoking in public places should be banned
What is a “public place?” What does “should be banned” mean? What does “smoking” mean? Hopefully
this will not be a debate about smoking bacon!
Topic 2: Languages other than English should be compulsory at school
We all know what a school is! But is the topic suggesting that it should be compulsory in all schools, or
just secondary ones? What does “compulsory” mean? You should be thinking about how you would
define this topic in terms of precisely how students will be made to study another language.
The defintional rule: the "most reasonable" definition prevails. You can’t try to win a debate
‘That smoking in public places should be banned’ by saying that campfires should be banned.
Topic 3: Digital technology makes children’s lives better.
Based on previous examples, define this topic and ask yourself what each key word means.
2. Team Line and Team split
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2. Team Line
The team line will give your team case overall consistency. Simply, a team line is a general statement
of what your team is arguing in the debate. Often, it is as simple as saying, “Tonight, the Affirmative
team believes that…” or saying “the Negative team will prove to you tonight that….” All of the
arguments that you make should be consistent with the team line.
Some debaters think that a team line is a clever little one-liner that each speaker gives during their
speech, using exactly the same words every time. This is not what a team line is meant to be! The
different speakers should phrase the team line differently as it makes it less repetitive (and hence less
boring for your adjudicator).
3. Team split
The first two speakers from each team need to present new arguments. So that the speakers don’t end
up saying the same things, you should divide up your material between the speakers. Try to group
similar arguments together and consider theme.
You should not allocate the third speaker ANY new arguments in the split! If it is an important
argument, it should not be left to the last speaker in your team!
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4. Write your speech
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Use cue cards.
Make sure you’ve used evidence, elaboration, logic and rhetoric.
Use connectives to sequence/order your speech.
You will be assessed on your MATTER and your METHOD which relates to your writing.
Top Five Matter Hints
1. Relevance! Make sure that you link each argument to the topic.
2. Check the resource guide on the DAV website for hints and links to useful websites.
3. Put yourself in the shoes of your opponents and try to think about what arguments they will make.
How will you respond to their main arguments?
4. Ask your teachers, parents and friends for ideas if you get stuck.
5. Make sure each point is backed up by a relevant example!
Top Five Method Hints
1. Outline to the audience what your main points will be
2. Summarise at the end of your speech what your arguments were
3. Make sure you give the team split and stick to it!
4. Make sure everyone in the team understands your definition, and is prepared to defend it if
necessary
5. Be careful not to contradict the previous speaker (or speakers) from your team
Third speakers should have a prepared summary of the main arguments of their team and have
thought about possible rebuttal topics.
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5. Practise your speech
You are also assessed on you MANNER which is essentially your public speaking ability.
Top Five Manner Hints
1. Smile at the audience.
2. Slow Down! Most speakers go too fast.
3. Pause between ideas to let them sink into the audience.
4. Vary your voice when you start a new point.
5. Use body language and gestures to liven up your speech.
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Rebuttal
Rebuttal is one of the hardest things about debate. Every speaker except the first affirmative needs to
rebut at the START of their speech.
Think of debate like a tennis match. Every argument that the opposing team puts forward needs to be
acknowledged and refuted, otherwise they’ve scored a point against you.
When you rebut, approach it like a TEEL essay. Your topic sentence should be restating the opposing
team’s argument. For example: “The opposing team has said that making learning a second language
in High school compulsory will increase the number of Australians who can speak a second language”
Then, provide evidence and elaboration as to why they’re wrong. This can be based on a number of
principles:
1) The argument is factually wrong
2) The argument is not supported by any evidence
3) The consequences of the argument are unacceptable
4) The argument is correct, but should be accorded little weight
5) The argument is illogical – the conclusions don’t follow from the premises
You can combine a number of these principles if needed.
For example: “However, they have not provided evidence to support this claim. Most students who
graduate High school with a second language as a VCE subject are not fluent in that language and will
lose proficiency over time.”
You then link back to your team’s main arguments so that the audience is left with your ideas in their
minds. For example: “Forcing students to take a language until the end of year 12 will only increase
their frustration and disengagement with school, it is unlikely it will genuinely affect the rates of
people speaking another language.”
Remember: Rebuttal should always be polite and respectful. This isn’t a clap-back on twitter.
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