Debate 101: Essential Skills for the Classroom and BeyondChristian Lundberg, Ph.D.Jeff Allred Professor of Critical Thinking and Debate

What is Debate as a pedagogical practice?

o Debate is purpose directed—it is not just banter or heated exchange. Debate is organized around a QUESTION or a TOPIC.o Debate is not an “argument” in the conventional sense. It is a research based, organized, competitively driven, but cooperative exchange of ARGUMENTS around two sides of a question.o It meets both curricular and more general skill building goals

Getting started

• Pick a topic or set of topics appropriate for your students (should be balanced and accessible)

• I use a scalable assignment structure (start with a paper, have them give a speech, etc.)

• Teach them the basic debate skills (research, organization, refutation)

Debate relies on three primary skills

The three practices that distinguish academic debate from the other practices of “debate”

o Organized Structure—without this debate becomes just “heated conversation”

o Refutation across speeches—without the obligation to refute the other side, academic debate becomes “dueling speeches,” much like political debate

o Research/Argument—no claim can be made without support

Organized Structure

A debate is an exchange between two teams. One team argues for the resolution, and the other argues against it.

Though formats differ, the easiest way to start is with two teams of four students.

Ideally, the topic and teams are stable so that each team debates both sides of the topic at least once.

Students who are not debating should judge the debate.

Organized Structure—By Responsibilities

First Affirmative Speaker5 Minutes

First Negative Speaker5 Minutes

Second Aff. and Neg. Speakers5 Minutes

First Negative Rebuttal3 Minutes

1st Aff./2nd Neg./2nd Aff.Rebuttals3 Minutes

Makes their case for the topic;

Might make three majorarguments

1. x

2. y

3. z

Organized Structure

First Affirmative Speaker5 Minutes

First Negative Speaker5 Minutes

Second Aff. and Neg. Speakers5 Minutes

First Negative Rebuttal3 Minutes

1st Aff./2nd Neg./2nd Aff.Rebuttals3 Minutes

Makes their case for the topic;

Might make three majorarguments

1. x

2. y

3. z

Refutes each of the proposition’spoints

~x

~y

~z

Introduces new pointsa, b, c?

Organized Structure

First Affirmative Speaker5 Minutes

First Negative Speaker5 Minutes

Second Aff. and Neg. Speakers5 Minutes

First Negative Rebuttal3 Minutes

1st Aff./2nd Neg./2nd Aff.Rebuttals3 Minutes

Makes their case for the topic;

Might make three majorarguments

1. x

2. y

3. z

Refutes each of the proposition’spoints

~x

~y

~z

Introduces new pointsa, b, c?

Amplifies original case. Responds to objections ~~x~~y~~z

Answers new arguments~a~b~c

Organized Structure

First Affirmative Speaker5 Minutes

First Negative Speaker5 Minutes

Second Aff. and Neg. Speakers5 Minutes

First Negative Rebuttal3 Minutes

1st Aff./2nd Neg./2nd Aff.Rebuttals3 Minutes

Makes their case for the topic;

Might make three majorarguments

1. x

2. y

3. z

Refutes each of the proposition’spoints

~x

~y

~z

Introduces new pointsa, b, c?

Amplifies original case. Responds to objections ~~x~~y~~z

Answers new arguments~a~b~c

Responds to things that the 2nd Negative speaker did not address

*note: they should divide the labor based on an agreement

Organized Structure

First Affirmative Speaker5 Minutes

First Negative Speaker5 Minutes

Second Aff. and Neg. Speakers5 Minutes

First Negative Rebuttal3 Minutes

1st Aff./2nd Neg./2nd Aff.Rebuttals3 Minutes

Makes their case for the topic;

Might make three majorarguments

1. x

2. y

3. z

Refutes each of the proposition’spoints

~x

~y

~z

Introduces new pointsa, b, c?

Amplifies original case. Responds to objections ~~x~~y~~z

Answers new arguments~a~b~c

Responds to things that the 2nd Negative speaker did not address

*note: they should divide the labor based on an agreement

Explains why their side wins by summarizing and synthesizing(x, ~a, etc.)

Both last speeches attempt to “write the judge’s ballot”

How does the structure stay organized?

The answer: note taking and “scripted refutation”

You are not scripting what the student says, but how they say it so that the both teams can keep accurate notes on the debate.

The script is fairly straightforward, but forcing students to stick to it will help the debate evolve in a productive fashion

So what is the script?

Step 1: “They say…”Step 2: “But…”

Step 3: “Because…”Step 4: “Therefore…”

Refutation

An example (with a tip on note-taking). Imagine the 1st proposition speaker makes three points for pulling out of Afghanistan.

1st Affirmative 1st Negative 2nd Affirmative

1. Afghanistan is a losing battle

2. Pulling out leads to local security

3. Pulling out allows us to better fight the war on terror

Refutation

The 1st Negative speaker would say (if they are following the script):

“They say in point one that the war in Afghanistan is a losing battle, but the United States is making progress on the ground because recent evidence indicates that stability is increasing—CBS news reported on August 19 that “Well we're making progress, but got to make a lot more obviously,’ Gen. Petraeus said…we're taking away sanctuaries and safe havens that mean a great deal to the enemy.” . Therefore, pulling out now would sacrifice significant gains.” 

Refutation

In the notes of the students and judges, this should look something like this:

1st Affirmative 1st Negative 2nd Affirmative

1. Afghanistan is a losing battle

2. Pulling out leads to local security

3. Pulling out allows us to better fight the war on terror

a.t. 1:we are making gains now—taking away safe havens CBS news.

Refutation

To answer this, the 2nd Affirmative speaker would say:

They say we are making progress on the ground, but history is not on our side because even though they made small gains, both the British and the Soviets eventually lost wars in Afghanistan Therefore, even if the US makes momentary gains, we will probably eventually lose the war

Refutation

This argument would look like this in the notes:

1st Affirmative 1st Negative 2nd Affirmative

1. Afghanistan is a losing battle

2. Pulling out leads to local security

3. Pulling out allows us to better fight the war on terror

a.t. 1:we are making gains now—taking away safe havens CBS news.

a.t. 1: history proves small gains will not win the war—British and Soviets

Refutation

The whole thing would look like this:

1ac 1nc 2ac 2nc 1nr 1ar 2nr 2ar

1.

2.

3.

At: 1

At: 2

At: 3

Neg a,b,c

1.

2.

3.

At:a,b,c

a.

b.

c.

At: 1

At: 2

At: 3

123abc

123Abc

We win

123Abc

We win

Filled in…

Finally Argument

In order for an argument to count as a complete, it must contain the following:

A- Assertion (a claim)R- Reasoning (a warrant)E- Evidence (data, ideally in the form of a researched quotation or fact that is read to support the point)

If a point does not contain all these components, the other team can dismiss it as without merit

To Sum Up

Academic debate is distinguished from other forms of verbal sparring by:

*An organized structure;

*A requirement for organized refutation;

*And a by a requirement that only complete, well supported arguments “count” as arguments for the purpose of the debate.

Academic benefits of this practice

o Increased critical thinking skills, especially in regards to evaluating evidence, arguments, and justifications for belief (Allen, Louden et. al. meta-analysis found that it worked better than any other method of instruction)

o Strong added incentives to master course content and other contents involved in the debate (Goodwin found significant effects across the board, but specifically strong effects for “unmotivated” students-debate as a laboratory)

oAn incredible tool for teaching research and electronic literacy (Murray found it was the single best method for increasing perceived self efficacy with search engines)

Career Benefits

o Studies find that debate is one of the best methods for increasing oral communication skills (Bellon) which are a significant determinant of future career success

o Debate cultivates skills in high demand in the business world, government and academy: not only research and analytical capacity, but ability to resist groupthink via “contrary advocacy” (Parcher)

oOne survey of business recruiters consistently placed debate at the top of the list of desirable activities for potential recruits

Sample Resolutions (can go both ways)

Resolved: that the US should: o pull out of Afghanistano adopt a policy to curtail illegal immigrationo ratify the Kyoto Protocolo increase assistance to developing nationso lift the embargo on Cubao deploy ballistic missile defenses

For more information, contact me at:

clundber@email.unc.edu