ITM Communications II – SeoulTech
Professor Brian Raisbeck
Oxford Debate LIVE
The Oxford Debate (short version)
Motion
Proposition (for)
(for)
Opposition (against)
Write motion on white board
1) Proposition – Opening Statement
2) Opposition – Opening Statement
3) Proposition – Counterarguments
a) Restate 2 of opponent’s argument from
their opening statement.
b) Give counterarguments or ask questions
about each one.
4) Opposition – Counterarguments
a) Rebut or answer the proposition’s
counterarguments or questions.
6) Proposition – Counterarguments
c) Rebut or answer the opposition’s
counterarguments or questions.
5) Opposition – Counterarguments
b) Restate 2 of opponent’s arguments from
their opening statement.
c) Give counterarguments or ask questions
about each one.
7) Audience Questions
Participation
8) Proposition – Closing Statement
a) Summary of your arguments
b) Summary of 2 of opponent’s arguments
+ your counterarguments.
c) 1-2 strong concluding sentences.
Section
9) Opposition – Closing Statement
a) Summary of your arguments
b) Summary of 2 of opponent’s arguments
+ your counterarguments.
c) 1-2 strong concluding sentences.
Type
1-2. Opening Statement
Prepared
3-6. Counterarguments
Spontaneous
7. Audience Participation
Spontaneous
8-9. Closing Statements
Prepared + Spontaneous
Other Rules
1) Opening Statements do not need to be memorized exactly. However, you shouldn’t look at your paper more than
3-4 times.
2) Opening Statements may be modified between Week 14 and Week 15 using any resource you wish, so long as it
does not exceed the length requirement.
3) You may take notes in English or Korean while the other debater is speaking.
4) Audience members MUST ask 1 question at any point during the debates. They MUST also correctly restate the
argument they are asking about. “You said….”. If no one volunteers to ask a question, random names will be drawn.
5) The time limit for debates is 20 minutes. If it is over 25 minutes, there will be a time penalty.
DEBATE WILL TAKE PLACE IN CLASS WEEK 15.
This is a major project and will be worth 15% of your grade.
Debate Rubric (60 points)*
Criteria
Exceptional (80-80%+)
8 or 8+
Excellent (70%)
7
Good (60%)
6
Fair (50%)
5
Poor (40%)
4
Opening
Statement
(10)
Opening statement
exceeds expectations and
demonstrates exceptional
knowledge of the subject.
Arguments are compelling
and strong and supported
with evidence.
Opening statement meets
expectations and
demonstrates excellent
knowledge of the subject.
Arguments are convincing
and supported with
evidence.
Opening statement meets
some expectations and
demonstrates some
knowledge of the subject.
Arguments are somewhat
convincing and supported
with some evidence.
Opening statement meets
few expectations and
demonstrates limited
knowledge of the subject.
Arguments are weak and
supported with limited
evidence.
Opening statement
demonstrates no
knowledge of the subject
and/or has very weak
arguments with no
evidence.
Counter
Arguments /
Questions
(10)
Counter arguments and/or
questions
exceed expectations and
demonstrate exceptional
knowledge of the subject,
summarize opponent’s
views succinctly
accurately. Makes
compelling/strong counter
arguments supported with
strong evidence.
Counter arguments and/or
questions
meet expectations and
demonstrate excellent
knowledge of the subject,
summarize opponent’s
views accurately. Makes
convincing counter
arguments supported with
evidence.
Counter arguments and/or
questions
demonstrate some
knowledge of the subject,
may/may not summarize
opponent’s views
accurately. Makes
somewhat convincing
counter arguments
supported with some
evidence.
Counter arguments and/or
questions
demonstrate limited
knowledge of the subject,
do not summarize
opponent’s views
accurately. Makes weak
counter arguments
supported with limited
evidence.
Counter arguments
and/or questions are not
summarized, compelling
or convincing in any way,
and/or do not directly
address the arguments in
question.
Audience
Response
(5)
Audience responses
exceed expectations and
demonstrate exceptional
knowledge of subject and
make compelling counter
arguments and/or answers
questions in substantive
and insightful way. /
Audience responses meet
expectations and
demonstrate excellent
knowledge of subject, and
makes convincing counter
arguments and/or answers
questions directly.
Audience responses
demonstrate some
knowledge of subject,
makes a somewhat
convincing counter
arguments and/or give
limited answers that
may/may not address
questions.
Audience responses
demonstrate limited
knowledge of subject,
makes weak counter
arguments and/or give
limited answers that don’t
fully address the
questions.
Audience responses
demonstrate no
knowledge of subject
and/or do not address
the audience member’s
question or argument in
any way.
Closing
Statement
(10)
Closing statement exceeds
expectations, summarizes
both sides of argument
exceptionally well, ends
with a powerful and
insightful concluding
statement.
Closing statement meets
expectations, summarizes
both sides of the
argument, ends with an
excellent concluding
statement.
Closing statement may or
may not summarize both
sides of the argument
and/or ends with a
concluding statement that
demonstrates good but
limited insight.
Closing statement does
not fully summarize both
sides of argument and/or
ends with a weak
concluding statement.
Closing statement fails to
summarize any of the
arguments and/or has no
concluding statement.
Audience
Audience question
Participation exceeds expectations and
(5)
includes an exceptional
summary of the debater’s
argument. Question is
insightful and adds
substance to the debate.
Audience question meets
expectations and includes
an excellent summary of
the debater’s argument.
Question adds substance
to the debate.
Audience question meets
expectations but includes
a partial or inaccurate
summary of the argument
being asked about.
Question may or may not
add much substance to the
debate.
Audience question does
not include a summary of
the argument being asked
about or is not accurate.
Question does not add
much substance to the
debate.
Audience question does
not include a summary of
the argument being
asked about. Does not
add any substance at all
to the debate or covers
something that was
already mentioned.
Oral
Oral delivery, use of
Delivery (10) vocabulary and grammar,
engagement with
audience, and confidence
exceed expectations.
Oral delivery, and use of
vocabulary and grammar
are generally accurate.
Mistakes do not impede
understanding.
Engagement with audience
and confidence is excellent
Oral delivery and use of
vocabulary and grammar
have some errors that may
or may not affect understanding. Engagement
with audience and
confidence is good but
limited.
Oral delivery and use of
vocabulary and grammar
have errors that affect
under-standing.
Engagement with audience
and confidence is very
limited.
Use of vocabulary and
grammar have numerous
errors and makes
understanding difficult or
impossible. No
engagement with
audience and/or lacks
any confidence.
Physical
Use of body language (eye
Delivery (10) contact, gestures, etc.)
exceed expectations.
Use of body language (eye
contact, gestures, etc.) is
good. Has an acceptable
level of eye contact with
audience.
Uses some body language
(eye contact, gestures,
etc.). Has some eye
contact with audience.
Uses only limited amount
of body language (eye
contact, gestures, etc.).
Has only minimal eye
contact with audience.
No attempts made to use
effective body language
of any kind. Does not
make any eye contact
with audience.
*The other debater’s performance will NOT affect your score.