School DEBATE help? ANY INFO!?

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ezrakey_07

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Okay, in History right now we're working on debates, and I have absolutely no idea! I'm with a non-comprehensive team, and one guy knows how to do it, but won't help.

We get 1 scenario, and we have to prepare for both sides. Affirmative and Negative. I have to fill in the following for both sides :

Opening Line:
3 Points will you present to show that there is a problem:
What points to expect the negative team will present?
What arguments to use to counter attack the opposing team? List at least 3 questions to use during cross examination - Additional points, and Concluding statement. PLEASE, if you have ANY HELP, on how to debate, or what to do, please help me! If you know anything!
 
When we did our debates, one of the tips our teacher told us was in the cross examination, make up a question for the opposing team that will get them to admit something against them that will make them look bad.
He also said to find out the weaknesses on your own side and research them to find out how to counter any questions the other team may throw at you.
 
there are set of rules to do in debating. it depends on what type of debate you're going to have. is it an australian debate, or asian debate, or else.

basically there are three major adjudication, namely: manner, matter, and content. the three speakers should give their speech according to the rules. first chance is for the first speaker of the affirmative team, (give the theme line, definition, team split, accepting or rejecting the motion, and his/her point of speech), then the first speaker of the negative team (speak clearly whether the negative team accept/reject the theme line, and definition from the affirmative team, if rejected, then what the negative team has a say to propose the better one, rebutt the speech given by the first speaker of the affirmative team, and lastly give his/her speech).

then the second speaker of the affirmative team, gives the rebuttal for the speech given by th first speaker of negative team and give his/her own speech as firstly being dealt and said by the first speaker of the affirmative. After that, the second speaker of the negative team, give the rebuttal to the speech given by the 2nd speaker affirmative and his/her speech.

Then the 3rd speaker of the affirmative team, give ONLY the rebuttal to the speeches given by the 1st and 2nd speaker of negative team. then the 3rd speaker of the negative team, he/she gives ONLY the rebuttal to the speeches given by the 1st; 2nd; and 3rd speaker of the affirmative team. It should be remembered, that the 3rd speaker of both team MAY NOT bring up a new matter/content, he/she may only gives new examples.

Then it is time for the reply speaker of the negative team, and last but not least followed by the reply speaker of the affirmative team. The reply speaker's job is to highlight the plus side of their own team and the defect things of the other team and also summing up the whole idea of their matter of debate.

The reply speaker is 1st or the 2nd speaker of both team. The 3rd speaker MAY NOT run as the reply speaker.

Also you may not squirreling, give the truistic reasoning.

for a more complete guidance, you may refer to the source below.
And good luck!!
 
What I like to do in debates is use an analogy of some sort to get them thinking about the wrong ideas. Example: George BUsh is bad for making war against Iraq so war is bad. Counter: Roosvelt Made war against Nazis so he is also bad as he waged war. Counter to that: Iraq didnt invade anyone or anything. Counter to that: Saddam killed his own citizens and we though they had WMD's and they hate us mcuh like the Nazis they had weapons killed their own citizens and they hated us.
 
Knowing the topic would help quite a bit.

Counter attacks are generally easy - you criticise the bias and/or honesty of the sources they may cite.

Statistics can be made to prove anything. If they bring out stats, make sure they are current.\

I've found anecdotes or small stories help in a debate - if you put a face to the issue it's harder to discredit an individual than it is a study. You'll find that in the professional debates of Presidential candidates, they do this all the time "oh poor mary needed a lung transplant and the evil healthcare system couldn't help" sorta stuff.

If you get in a bind, you could try a Straw Man argument to trap your opponent - but if they're good they might catch on.
 
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