Debate Assignments
Debate prep checklist
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Brainstorming—possible points, URLs, readings, etc.
Affirmative position statement
Negative position statement
5 pro points, with an example for one point
5 con points, with an example for one point
Note: Assignments that do not have all the above or are sloppy or carelesswill be returned
without grading.
Why debate?
At one point or another, leaders have to take a persuasive role in their communities, on the job,
or in professional societies. One of the key skills in leadership is to prepare (when possible) for a
debate, including anticipating and responding to the other side's arguments. To anticipate, you
need to be able to understand and represent other perspectives. The objective of the debate
assignment is give you practice in these persuasive skills. More generally, debates give you
practice speaking before a group, experience in teamwork, practice in thinking on your feet,
experience in using what you read to inform what you say, and experience in leadership.
Debate preparation
To prepare for debates, you need to start with some brainstorming. The easiest approach to this
is to start with two columns on a piece of paper and start listing pro and con. It's often useful to
imagine what point a debate opponent might come up with in response to your point. That is, if
you can think of a con point, imagine what pro point someone in the other team might bring to
the table. Use your readings for developing your points; other resources are also easily available
on the web. When you type your debate, it's easiest to put the pros (and example) in one section
and cons in the next section. Your points should be detailed enough that you can share them
with other people in your group and should use your reading.
After you review the results of your brainstorming, write a brief statement of position for the
afftirmative and negative sides of the question (you'll find that your position statement will
come much easier after brainstorming and notetaking. Your prep must have a list of your five
best affirmative points and five best negative points responding to the debate question. For one
each of your "pro" and your "con" points, you need to have a concrete supporting claim (e.g.,
example, statistic, etc.). In making your points, you may draw on examples from film and
everyday life as illustrations of your point, but not as proof of your point. You can’t generalize
from a single case unless it draws on experience so common that people cannot imagine
alternative cases (a bad thing). You can prepare your points using information from the web,
journals, magazines, films, etc. Cite your sources—if anyone questions you, you need to be able
to say where you got your information. You should keep in mind that there will be a vote at the
end of the class for the winner of the debate. Debate preparations (including brainstorming)
should be typed, double-spaced, with numbered pages and stapled. Papers that are not stapled
will not be accepted!
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Although you can prepare your debates based solely on your readings, you're also encouraged
to use other sources, including the Internet, to develop your arguments. Your debate preps are
evaluated with respect to their relevance to the assigned readings, your claims are justified, and
you’ve followed the format ( 5 points with an example for each side.). The following points
have come up in the previous class and might be of some help here.
1. I usually use www.google.com in my searches because it returns links in the order of
their "popularity" (measured by hits). This starts me off with a list of most-used sites
(and reduces the number of idiosyncratic and "nut" sites that I might get.)
2. Evaluating Web resources. The Internet is great for learning all sorts for things, but
evaluting web resources is an important skill. I've included a quick guides to evaluating
web resources.
3. Your debate prep shouldn't be a list of other people's words. It should be a distillation of
your best ideas and arguments. Use direct quotes as part of your examples only when
they add impact or color to your point.
4. Example of a position statement: "For a good family to exist we must stop setting
limitations that define a family and start supporting the encouraging and enriching
families/relationships that are part of our modern society."
Tip: One of the most important skills in leadership and in debating is "framing" the discussion.
Framing refers to how terms are defined, what information is considered relevant or gets
ignored, who is identified as stakeholders, what facts count, and even what counts as facts. All
of you know the old adage about a "cup half empty" or "a cup half full." The amount is the
same, but the frame is different. Similarly, I could give you a discount for paying cash or (the
same amount) charge you a surcharge for using a credit card. They're both the same, but if
you're on a budget, you're more likely to fill up at my gas station if I give you the cash discount.
Defining terms in debates and in leadership are somewhat more complex, but you want to keep
in mind that you can influence discussions by controlling frames, and you want to be able to
spot when others are controlling the frame.
How is this relevant? Terms like "traditional family" or even "leadership" have multiple
meanings and connotations. Part of the skill you can practice in debates is using and identifying
framing effects.
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Debate Structure
Preparation
5 minutes
STATEMENTS OF POSITION Pro - Statement of position—The Introducer
2 minutes
Con -Statement of position—The Introducer
2 minutes
PRO
Supporting Evidence—The Supporter
2 minutes
Summation—The Summarizer
1 minute
Cross-examination by the opposition—The Questioners,
The Responders
4 minutes
CON
Supporting Evidence—The Supporter
2 minutes
Summation—The Summarizer
1 minute
Cross-examination by the opposition—The Questioners,
The Responders
4 minutes
PRO Closing statement—The Closer
1 minute
CON Closing statement—The Closer
1 minute
Evaluators
Questions directed to each side
5 minutes
Vote and explanation of position
5 minutes
Class reflection
10 minutes
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How a Debate Works
The class will be divided into three groups. One group will play the role of “Evaluators.” Two
groups will be told which side, pro or con, they will argue and given 5 minutes to prepare their
approach. Each group needs to decide who will play each of six roles: The Introducer, The
Supporter, The Summarizer, The Responder, The Questioner, and The Closer. If a group has more
than six people, more than one person can play the roles of Responder and Questioner.
The Evaluators group plays the role of different stakeholders (e.g., a businesswoman, a
concerned parent, an engineering student. They moderate, question and judge the class debates.
While other groups are preparing for the debate, evaluators should be deciding what role they
play and preparing questions that they expect to be answered by each side. If the questions are
not addressed, they can be asked after the closing arguments.
Evaluators are responsible for running the debate, which means that it is their job to pick a
timekeeper who will call the debate to order and watch times. All evaluators are in charge of
calling to debaters' attention if they are not following the debate structure.
Following the debate, Evaluators pose questions to members of each side of the debate.
Following the question period, evaluators have three further tasks. First, a vote will be taken by a
show of hands to indicate which debate position has received the most support.Abstention is not
permitted. Second, Evaluators must introduce themselves and briefly explain what they consider
to be the strongest and weakest aspects of each side’s performance from the point of view of their
role. They should also indicate alternative ways each group could have pursued their
arguments.
Consider the following when evaluating the teams:
 Which side framed the debate and how?
 Was there valid supporting evidence and was it used effectively?
 Were there a preponderence of unsubstantiated "everyone knows" statements?
 Were good reasons and relevant evidence used for the assertions?
 Were rebuttals to the point?
 Was one person dominating questioning or responding?
 Did every member of the the group speak out, and were their comments responsive to
the questions asked?
Throughout the debate, it is important to remember that people are responsible for representing
the position assigned to their group, or for Evaluators, to speak in keeping with the kind of
person they have chosen to represent. The purpose of the debate is not to voice personal
opinions, but to learn about different positions through active engagement with the ways
different arguments are explained and presented. Obviously, personal attacks are
inappropriate, and criticisms should be directed at the substance and presentation of issues, not
at individuals.