Name:
Study guide #1
Debate
Directions: As you listen and participate in the lecture, fill in the blanks and
jot down the definitions and examples where indicated on the notes.
I. Debate and its Roots
A. Basic Terms
1. Argumentation _________________ giving in
communicative situations by people whose _____________ is to
___________ acts.
2. Debate- the process of ___________ and ___________ ,
the seeking of reasoned ___________ on a proposition.
B. Early Debaters- Surfaced in ___________ and carried on into
ancient Rome.
1. Debate began 2,400 years ago with ___________ of
Abdera. He is known as the ___________ of debate and he conducted
debates among his ___________ in Athens.
2. ___________ - his dialogues were an early form of
___________ ___________ debate. He defines rhetoric as “ a universal
art of winning the mind by arguments in the courts of justice, and all other
sorts of public councils, but in private conference as well.”
3. Aristotle- lists four ___________ of ___________ :
1.) It prevents the triumph of ___________ and ___________ .
2.) It is a method of ___________ for the public.
3.) It makes us see ___________ sides of the case.
4.) It is a means of ___________ .
C. Divine Right of Kings- the ___________ that rulers were
appointed by ___________ did not allow for such public debate. Progress
in technology, science, art, and thought lead to the ___________ of
Divine Right.
1. John Milton in the seventeenth century was one of the first
___________ of the Divine Right and ___________ of free speech.
2. In the nineteenth century, ___________ ___________
___________ placed great emphasis on the value of debate
D. Debate and America
1. The ___________ Amendment- shows that the Founders
valued the right to speak freely and openly. It guarantees five rights:
a.) Freedom of ___________
b.) freedom of ___________
c.) freedom of the ___________
d.) freedom to ___________ ___________
e.) freedom to ___________ the ___________ for a
redress of grievances
2. Great ___________debaters- Henry Clay, Daniel Webster,
John C. Calhoun, Robert M. La Follette, and Robert A. Taft.
Who is someone you consider a great modern debater?
What are some ways we use debate today?
II. Stating the controversy
A. In order to have a ______________ there must be a
______________ . This means that the debate must have both
______________ and ______________ viewpoints. In order for the
debate to be ______________ , the controversy must be
______________ defined.
B. Proposition- a statement of ______________ that clearly
identifies the ______________ issue in a controversy.
C. Characteristics of a proposition1. Controversy
2. One central idea
3. Unemotional terms
4. A clear ______________ of the ______________ desired
decision.
D. There are three types of propositions
1. A proposition of fact-
EX.
2. Proposition of value-
EX. Resolved: the death penalty is immoral.
3. Proposition of policy-
EX. Resolved: that the school board should change the
dress code.
III. Using Reasoning and Logic.
1. Evidence- anything that establishes a ______________ or
gives a ______________ to believe something.
2. Reasoning- is the ______________ of thinking or drawing
______________ about that evidence.
3. Logic- the ______________ of ______________ , uses a
system of ______________ to help you think correctly during the process.
A. Types of reasoning
1. Inductive reasoning
2. Deductive reasoning-
3. Reasoning by sign4. Reasoning by analogy- an ______________ in which the
characteristics of a ______________ object or event are used to
______________ or describe the characteristics of a ______________
______________ object or event.
B. Syllogism- a form of ______________ reasoning that is made up
of ______________ parts. 2 premises and a conclusion.
2014-2015 UIL Cross Examination Debate Topic:
2014 Sept-Oct TFA LD Debate Topic:
2014 Fall UIL LD Debate Topic