2. Debate is a venue of reasoned discussion from two
opposing sides on a well-defined context, where
parties deliver their arguments in an organized
fashion with the primary purpose of convincing and
persuading the parliament or the audience to give
merit on the contention of their cause.
3. It is an educated exercise where parties outline their
arguments and offer dynamism by contributing and
responding to the different issues raised by each
side.
4. Debate is tool for advocating a defined view of
a particular issue with the intent of providing the
relevant information and supporting details that will
convince the listener to support their view.
5. In order to have a debate, the following must be
present:
1. Topic- the subject to be discussed and debated
upon.
2. Format- the certain type of debate rule that will
govern the conduct and proceedings of the debate.
3. Opposing teams- they will either support or
negate the topic to be debated upon.
6. 4. Arguments- the substance which both sides will
present.
5. Venue- place to be debated upon.
6. Audience- the people who will witness and assess
the issues of the debate.
7. Debate must have the following characteristics:
1. Informative- a good debate presents complete
information and factual setting. Debate is supposed
to inform the public of what they should know, to
educate the people, and to help them reach a logical
understanding of the facts.
8. Debaters should feed the audience the necessary
facts and evidence to will properly aid the latter in
learning, grasping and appreciating the novelty of
the motion.
Debaters should not rely merely on their own
opinions but on the general principles laid down by
the authorities and experts.
9. 2. Well-reasoned- arguments raised in a debate
must be logical, relevant, competent and well
explained.
Arguments must show a direct link on the motion
that is debated upon. Arguments must support the
core that will aid the team prove their claims.
10. Arguments raised must be acceptable to an average
reasonable person who has an average analysis of the
issues presented.
All questions that will lead to the conclusion of the
debate must be clarified, answered, and analyzed.
Debaters should make all their points clear and
understandable.
11. 3. Persuasive- Debate should give emphasis and
force to strong arguments that need the support of
the people. In order to convince the people in the
position that debaters are supporting, debaters must
be firy in presenting their issues.
Debaters should build rapport with their audience
and help them follow the points raised by the
debaters.
12. 4. Orderly- A debate must follow a certain format
that will govern the proceeding of the debate and the
conduct of the debaters. The rules should among
others set the task of each speaker and the time limit
all noted to each of them.
Speeches must be organized, structured and presented
in a methodological form.
13. 5. Dynamic- Since in a debate, two teams present
opposing views, said views must be responded to
by both teams respectively.
All important points must be questioned and
answered by each team and teams must directly
clash with the points raised by their opponent.
Each speaker must contribute and respond to the
requirements and necessities of the debate.
14. What is a Case? Motion?
This is the word you will hear thrown around most
often in debating. A case is the motion that the
government team has put forward for debate. The
case will define the topic of debate, it's place and
time and the actors involved.
15. The government has a responsibility to define
all of these things (known as 'defining the
debate') as clearly as possible. A case can be a
moral judgement or a detailed plan, or
somewhere in between.
An example of a moral judgment or 'principled'
case is: Be it resolved that (BIRT) this House
believes that pre-emtpive war is wrong. An
example of a plan or 'model' case is: BIRT the
United States should ratify the Kyoto Protocol.
16. You can see that the plan case calls for a specific
course of action, whereas the principled case merely
takes an ethical stance on one side or another of a
particular issue. Both types of cases are equally valid.
17. Open and Closed Motions
As a matter of formal parliamentary procedure, there
must always be an 'official' motion before the house.
At a tournament, the tournament director (TD) will
give the debaters the motion for each round of
debate. These motions can be open or closed. This
will be announced before the debate begins. Most
tournaments will use only one or the other type of
motion, although some tournaments will mix and
match.
18. A closed motion (also known as a 'straight' or 'tight-link'
motion) is one where the government team must use the
motion given as the basis for it's case. Sometimes the
motion will be very narrow, and the government team
will have nothing to do but come up with arguments. For
example: BIRT Canada should completely ban the sale
and manufacture and consumption of cigarettes. There is
no margin for maneuvre here at all. However, other
times the motion will be less strictly defined, and the
government team will have some latitude as to how it
interprets it. For example: BIRT The world should
intervene in the Sudan.
19. Here, the government team will have to explain what
it means by 'world' and 'intervene'. Does 'world'
mean the UN, or Nato, or the African Union, or the
EU? Does 'intervene' mean invasion, diplomatic
sanctions, economic sanctions, etc. An open motion
(also known as a 'squirrellable' motion) is one where
the TD is merely respecting the formalities of
parliamentary debate, but intends to leave it up
entirely to the government team what the debate
shall be about.
20. They are usually silly, or will follow some theme for
the tournament. For example: This House would
dance with the devil by the pale moonlight. With an
open motion, the government team is expected to
provide its own case for debate. These cases will
usually be prepared beforehand.
21. Making valid arguments is the basic skill of debating.
Without this ability the best you will be is a
stylistically wonderful bag of hot air. An argument
should contain the three elements below– then it will
be a SEXI argument.
22. Motions debated in international and local debate
competitions are rooted on issues and topics
that currently controversial and debated
upon.
23. These topics may relate to a policy that is to be
implemented by a certain country or a
situation that is viewed differently in the
international community.
These topics are socially relevant to all whether
directly or indirectly.
24. These topics when debated upon are worded in the
form of a motion. Motions are worded in different
forms. The following are the types of
motions:
1. Positive motion- this motion is worded in a
manner that a positive act must be done, or that a
certain situation must be assessed as true.
25. examples:
a. This House believes that we should trade with
Myanmar.
b. This House believes that democracy in Iraq
succeeds.
26. 2. Negative motion- a motion proposing that
something must not be done, or that which describes
the situation negatively or as false.
examples:
a. This will not negotiate with the terrorist
b. THBT that Islam has had a bad press.
27. 3. Abstract motion - a motion wherein the subject is
not apparent in its meaning.
example:
a. THTB we should plant cabbages rather than roses.
28. 4. Direct motion - the motion is worded wherein the
subject and issue is clear.
example:
a. THBT EU should sanction Russia for using energy
as a tool for blackmail.
29. 5. Value judgment - a motion wherein a certain
situation, person, or place is assessed. It calls for the
measuring of a certain act whether it is good or bad.
True or false.
example:
a. THBT conditional economic aid is futile.
30. 6. Policy motion - a motion which porses that
something must be done or undone. That should be
supported or not. It calls for an action.
example:
a. This House would use racial profiling in the war
against terror.
31. 7. Local motion - a motion that concerns only issues
of national interest.
example:
a. That people power is nothing but the revolution of
the rich.
32. 8. International motion - a motion which is a
global concern.
example:
a. That globalization defeats its own purpose.
33. 9. Subjective motions - political, civil society,
human rights, powers of the state, international
diplomacy, religion, science and technology,
economics, international policies, environment,
etc.
examples:
a. This would prosecute extrajudicial killings.
b. That Vatican upholds religious conquest and not
religious conversion.
c. That spy satellite is the way to go.
d. This house would grant amnesty to war crimes
offenders.
34. State your point:
What is it that you are trying to say? Make it clear and brief.
"Prostitutes will be safer in legal licensed brothels.“
Explain your point:
Why do you think this? What is the basis for your statement?
"This is because it will be easier to arrest anyone assaulting them if
the police know where they are and prostitutes feel more comfortable
contacting the police.“
Illustrate your point:
Give an example or analogy which backs up your point.
"In Germany, where prostitution is legal, the number of prostitutes
assaulted by their clients has fallen."
35. Assertions and Assumptions vs. Arguments
One of the most common accusations that your
opponents will throw at you is that you are merely
asserting something rather than arguing it. The
difference between the two is fairly easy to understand.
Imagine that, instead of going through the steps of
point, argument, evidence, I merely stated my point
and left it at that. That is called an assertion: when one
simply asserts the truth of a statement, without
bothering to provide evidence of its truth. It is
inevitable that at some point, some things will be
assertions, because you are limited in the time you
have to support your arguments and your means of
providing evidence.
36. Every single case, and every single argument, no
matter how good a debater the person who built it is,
will be full of assertions and assumptions. So the best
advice I can give a new debater is: look for the
assumptions. That is your best and simplest strategy
for undermining your opponents' logic.
37. Asian Parliamentary Style
There are 2 teams:
1. Government- proposes and defends the motion.
2. Opposition- refute and negates the motion.
38. Each team has 3 members and each team
gives 4 speeches.
Limited preparation format
- the topic is announced, depending on the
tournament, roughly 30 minutes before the
debate.
39. The 3 members of the Government should
defend the motion.
The 3 members of the team, each of which
gives a 7 minute speech, are:
1) Prime Minister (PM)
2) Deputy Prime Minister (DPM)
3) Government Whip (GW)
40. One speaker from the Government team - either the Prime
Minister or Deputy Prime Minister - is charged with
giving a 5 minutes reply speech that clarifies the debate
from the Government perspective without bringing forth
new arguments.
41. Reply Speech:
Reply speech is a comparative analysis of the
strength and weaknesses of the case of both sides.
The aim of the speech is to give a bias judgment as to
why should the people support the team's claim. The
speech is first delivered by the opposition side and
followed by the government side who will close the
debate.
42. The 3 members of the Opposition team
should negate the motion and refute
arguments brought forth by the
Government.
The 3 members of the team, each of which
gives a 7 minute speech, are:
1) Leader of Opposition (LO)
2) Deputy Leader of Opposition (DLO)
3) Opposition Whip (OW)
43. Matter, Manner, Method:
Asian Parliamentary Debate is assessed by an
Adjudicator Panel composed of an odd
number according to the following criteria:
1. Matter (40)- substance of the debate, the
arguments and evidence presented, and the
logical reasoning and presentation of said
arguments.
44. 2. Manner (40)- the style of delivery, the persuasion
skills, and the conduct of the debaters.
3. Method (20)- the response to the dynamics of the
debate, and the observance of the rules of debate.
45. The Members of the government side are the
following:
1. Prime minister (PM)- opens the debate, defines
the motion and advances arguments;
46. 2. Deputy prime Minister(DPM)- refute at first
instance the case of the opposition, re-establish the
government's claim, and advances arguments;
3. Government whip(GW)- makes an issue-based
rebuttal of the opposition's case and summarizes the
case of the government.
47. The Members of the Opposition side are the
following:
1. Leader of the Opposition(LO)- responds
directly to the case of the government by
giving a direct clash, and advances
arguments. May challenge the motion if the
definition is challengeable;
48. 2. Deputy Leader of the Opposition(DPL)- refutes
the case of the DPM, reestablishes the case of the
opposition, and advances an argument;
3. Opposition Whip (OW)- makes an issues-based
rebuttal of the government's and summarizes the
case of the opposition.
49. Prime Minister:
1. What is the motion all about? (Simplify it)
2. Give the background of the debate. State the
problem.
3. Define the issues.
4. Give a Model: Mechanism/Standards.
5. Give the outline of your arguments
6. Discuss arguments 1 by 1
7. Summarize your points by reiterating your
outline.
8. Throw a burden
50. Leader of the Opposition
1. Overview, try to recontextualise the debate.
2. Rebut: bash the model; attack substantive case.
Sometimes a counter-model will be introduced.
Sample Rebuttal:
“Will taxing church property solve the budget deficit?
No – for two reasons ...”
3. Give the outline of your arguments
a. Discuss arguments 1 by 1
b. Summarize your points by reiterating your outline.
4. Throw a burden
51. Deputies
1. Give a brief rebuttal (integrate rebuilding of
arguments)
2. Give the outline of your arguments
3. Discuss arguments 1 by 1
4. Summarize your points by reiterating your outline.
5. Throw a burden
52. Whips
1. Lay down the issues in the debate
2. Discuss each issue by:
a. presenting the analysis of the opponent on said
issue
b. Rebut their analysis (by using the case presented
by your team or by giving supplements)
53. Reply
1. Why should you win the debate?
Criteria:
a. Greater contribution to the debate.
b. Responsiveness to the motion and the issues
presented.
2. Comparative analysis:
a. How your team had advantage over the other?
b. What is the problem with the case of the
opponent? (Causal links, Assertions,
Contradictions)
54. What is a “good” definition?
A definition that is in the spirit of the motion and
clearly explains the contention of the debate.
Definitely not a definition that wins the debate, as
that means no debate occurs.
55. Can team parameterise definitions?
Yes. Teams are allowed to set parameters to limit the
grounds of the debate, as long as those parameters
are fair.
56. Do you have to include every word in the
motion during the definition?
You do not have to define every word, but the words
in the motion define the potential scope of the debate
and the onus of the teams.
57. On what basis can you challenge a definition?
A definition can be challenged on the basis that a
definition is: (take definitions from rules)
a) time set/place set
b) truistic/tautological
c) wholly unreasonable/squirrel
58. Who can challenge and who can’t?
Any team in the debate can challenge the definition,
because each team is a unique entity. Thus, a debate
could have 4 definitions.
59. What happens during a definition debate?
To challenge the definition, one has to
a) explicitly state that you are challenging the
definition
b) state why (time or place set, truistic,
unreasonable) and explain
c) provide a new definition
60. You still maintain your positions in the debate and
have to argue appropriately. Thus the Opening
Opposition, after challenging the definition and
providing a new one would then proceed to oppose
the motion, not support it.
Once you challenge a definition, other than to show
why the previous definition is inaccurate, you do
not have to address the issues/arguments that fall
under it. One basically ignores that definition.
61. Matter & Manner
What is good matter?
Good matter is matter that is logically developed,
relevant to the case at hand and substantiated.
What is good manner?
Good manner is manner that is effective in
strengthening the argument/case, is entertaining.
62. Which is more important?
They are both equally important (check section on
scoring). Thus a team could win on manner just as
easily as a team could win on matter.
63. Scoring
Matter Manner Total Range
25-30 25-30 50-59 poor
30-35 30-35 60-69 below average
35-40 35-40 70-79 average
40-45 40-45 80-89 break worthy
good (semi-
45-50 45-50 90-100
finals level)
64. What part do POIs play in a debate?
To give and take Points of Information is the role
of every speaker. Not doing either is failing to fulfill
your role. POIs contribute matter to the debate,
and the way in which they are given or taken is a
reflection of manner.
65. Thus not taking any POIs means a failure to fulfill
your role and potentially lower contribution in
matter (however that does not mean an automatic
last place).
66. How long should POIs be?
POIs are not a place to make an argument, just a
point, an example, an accusation or to ask a
question.
Typically Points Of Information are about 2
sentences long or 15 seconds in length. If a POI is
too long, it eats into the time allocated for the
speaker and the adjudicator may call order and
request the person asking the POI to quit.
67. How many must I take?
It is recommended that each speaker takes 2 points
of information, 1 from the opening team and another
from the closing team. This is fairest and most
optimum for interactivity in the debate.
68. Elimination Rounds:
Round 1: Gender
· THBT gay rights movements should compel
openly gay celebrities to actively support their
causes
· THBT feminist politics must transition from the
halls of Congress to the bedroom
· THBT Muslim universities should grant
professional subsidies to feminist scholars living in
radically conservative Muslim states.
69. Round 3: Culpability
· THBT sober passengers of a drunk driver should be
held criminally liable
· THW punish bystanders of a crime
· THW allow witnesses of gruesome murders to claim
emotional damages against the criminal
70. Round 4: Environment
· TH celebrates the use of emotional blackmail as
part of environmental strategies
· THBT Earth Hour is a meaningless, faddish,
exercise
· THW make waste-disposal a mandatory
requirement for free trade agreements
71. Round 5: Print Media
· THBT print media is dead
· THW ban government officials from obtaining
board positions in print media
· THW require print media to grant criticized
individuals compulsory reply space
72. Round 6: Pop Culture
· THW remove the foreign films category in the
Academy Awards
· TH regrets the rise of vegetarianism
· THW shut down the World Wrestling
Entertainment for good
73. Round 7: Geopolitics
· THBT China should revise its amoral foreign policy
by sanctioning North Korea
· TH regrets Obama’s stance of reducing investments
for foreign policy initiatives
· THBT it’s time to grant statehood to Taiwan
74. Quarterfinals: Rights
· THW lift the moratorium on blood donations for
men who have sex with men
· THBT parents who are minors should be allowed to
retain custody of their offspring
· TH supports the preferential disclosure of sexual
harassment issues to religious leaders over state
authorities within some religious communities
75. Finals: Education
· TH celebrates the rise of political activism among
students in public universities
· THW accommodate student-teacher relationships
among consenting adults in universities
· THB in mandatory sex education in all religious
schools
76. Final : That this house would allow abortion at all stages of pregnancy
Semi Final: This house believes governments should subsidise private
home ownership.
Qtr Final: This house believes that the international criminal court should
prosecute crimes against the democratic process.
Octo Final: This house would arm local militia to fight the taliban in
Afghanistan.
ESL Final: This house would implement quotas for domestic players in
national football leagues.
EFL Final: This house would prohibit all private health care.
Round 9: This house would ban the publication of political opinion polls.
77. Round 8: This house would apply a lower rate of income tax to women.
Round 7: This house believes that the west should recognise the
independence of Abkhazia.
Round 6: This house would criminalise adultery.
Round 5: This house believes that China and India should bear the same
obligations as the West in fighting climate change
Round 4: This house would force the religious desegregation of Northern
Irish schools.
Round 3: This house would allow soldiers to sue their government for
negligence.
Round 2: This house would fire the senior managements of all
corporations which receive government bailouts.
Round 1: This house would ban all forms of gambling.
Womens Debate: This house would ban all forms of religious gender
discrimination.
