Usually there is a statement and two or more teams or single debaters will be assigned to either agree or disagree with the idea. You’ll then take turns making your points according to a set period of time. There are a couple of different debate styles (which determine the rules and how the debate works), so you’ll need to know which one you’re using in order to be clear on the rules. It’s a good idea to look into this well in advance and do some research online. Look for words like “competitive debate”, “Parliamentary debate”, or “Oxford debate”. These are some of the styles of debate you might encounter.
If you’re having trouble staying calm, try focusing on your breathing for a minute or two.
It’s easy to catch poor enunciation when reciting tongue twisters. Try this one: “How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?”
A bad example of debating would look like: “Why should we listen to you? You broke the system last year when you were in charge of the project. You’d probably just ruin this too. ” A good example of debating would look like: “I know you’re really excited about this project but the situation is very sensitive. It would be better to use someone with more experience so that it can be done more efficiently. ”
Try to use facts, statistics, and real life examples to make logical arguments. [8] X Research source An example argument would be: “Evidence has shown that rates of teen pregnancy have decreased as more comprehensive sex education has become mandatory in schools. You can see in this chart…. ”
Try to draw on people’s hopes and fears. Use personal stories and try to make a personal connection with either your opponent or your audience by comparing the situation to something that is close to them. An example argument would be: “Backing out now would pose an infinitely greater danger to us than if we stayed and tried to fix the problem. Untold lives could be lost if we leave but if we stay, then we can save lives. ”
Try to establish your credentials and elaborate on your experience when using arguments like these. Make sure ahead of time that your opponent is not significantly more experienced than you. An example argument would be: “I’ve taught for over 30 years and I’ve seen all of these practices first hand. I know what works in the field and what doesn’t. Ideals and real life are two very different things. ”
Avoid making websites like Wikipedia your main source of information. It’s a good place to start but you should fill in your facts from sources that are experts in whatever topic you’re trying to cover. For example, if you’re going to debate about economics, don’t quote a Wikipedia fact. Quote Alberto Alesina, one of the economics professors at Harvard and co-editor of a major academic journal on the topic.
One of the most common examples of a logical fallacy is called “ad hominem”, and is about attacking the person making the argument rather than the argument itself. This is often seen in politics. Think of it like “this guy is a jerk” vs. “there is no evidence that this plan will work”. Another common logical fallacy is called “black or white”. This is when an argument is presented as having only two options, with the outcome they want being presented as the best one. This ignores middle ground and other routes, which may make more sense. Think of it like when you mom says, “You can get married and have children or you can die old and alone. " There’s probably some wiggle room in there, right?
Look for places where they’ve not thought their course of action through to its logical conclusion. An example of this is the recent Supreme Court decision that companies can have a religion and that employees should be subject to the rules of that religion. That’s maybe more acceptable if the company is traditional Christian than if it’s outrageous Pastafarians, right? Another sign of a weak argument is if they skim over a crucial point and use very little evidence to back it up. This is usually an indication that there is no evidence and they’re mainly drawing the conclusion that they want to draw. For example, someone arguing that guns prevent mass shootings and only using one example in favor of their argument is clearly missing how many examples go in the opposite direction. You want to lock in on that and talk about the evidence they passed over.
An example of this would be if you are arguing about whether guns prevent mass shootings and they start arguing that anyone that doesn’t like guns is racist. Be forceful in turning the argument around. Call them out for changing the topic. This will point the behavior out to your audience and can make you look more confident and correct.
