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EGHS HIGH SCHOOL. Debate Introduction. At it’s most basic, what is debating?.
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EGHS HIGH SCHOOL Debate Introduction
At it’s most basic, what is debating? • Debating is the oral presentation of clear, logical, well-supported, and persuasive arguments in opposition to others who have taken a contrasting position. EGHS will participate in the Rhode Island Forensics League, which sponsors six parliamentary debate tournaments from October through March each year. Other schools in the league include Wheeler, Moses Brown, Classical, Cumberland, Exeter/West Greenwich, and Barrington, and Mount Hope
What is “parliamentary debate”? • Modeled on the rules used in the British Parliament, it involves teams of two debaters each taking individual turns in presenting and supporting a position (or “case”) on a subject of general knowledge – meaning that specific research of the subject is not allowed. Each side takes an opposing view, regardless of what their “real world” opinions are of the subject. Each speaker will be awarded points by an adult judge based on the content, organization, style, and persuasiveness of their argument. The points of teammates are combined to determine both each team’s score and the winner team in the round. There are three rounds of debate in any tournament.
Will I have to speak in front of large crowds of people? • No. Debates are held in schools (usually large, public schools – like ours!), and individual debate rounds (the session in which you speak) are held in classrooms. Typically there is a grand total of five (5) people in the room during a debate round: you and your debate partner, two debaters from another school’s debate team, and the judge. That’s it. No large crowds, no “audience,” no real pressure.
Do I have to be a genius to be a good debater? • No. One of the rules of parliamentary debate is that the subjects debated must be “general knowledge.” It is VERY useful to be generally aware of current events (did you know that there’s a war going on in Iraq?), but you do not need to be academically brilliant to be an effective debater.
Will I have to compete against experienced debaters? • No. Debating is divided into two separate divisions, Varsity and Novice. Novices are new to debating; Varsity debaters have at least a season of experience behind them. In a tournament, novices debate only against other novices, never against varsity debaters. Having someone in their first tournament compete against a senior with three years of debating experience would not be terribly fair, would it? Awards are given within each division, to the best varsity debaters and to the best novices.
Are the rules complicated, and how will I learn them? • Like many things, including most sports, the rules will seem a little complex at first, but once you see the way a typical debate round goes, how it all works will become much more obvious. You will be taught weekly in debate meetings, and you will be given handouts so that you can go over the rules at your own.
How big of a time commitment is debating? • Very little most of the time (Monday's after school) but it does take up 4-6 Saturdays through the year. Debate tournaments are held on Saturdays, and they take much of the day. Although you will not spend every moment at a tournament debating, we arrive at the host school at 8:30 AM, and the awards ceremony usually ends at 4:30 or 5 PM, if not later. There is enough “down time,” during the tournament that you can get some homework done, or use the time to socialize with teammates, to get to know students from other schools, etc.
What was that you said about an “award ceremony”? • At the end of each tournament there is an awards ceremony. Based on the points that individual speakers earned, and the combined points and win-loss record that made up each team’s score, the top one-third of individual speakers and the top one-third of teams on both the novice and varsity divisions are given awards in the form of certificates. The top five speakers and teams in each division get trophies.
Aside from the awards, what are the benefits of debating? • There are many. You will become much more comfortable with speaking in front of people. You will learn to structure and deliver convincing arguments. You will discover how to apply these skills to write better, clearer essays. You will make new friends at EGHS, get to hang out with Batman and Robin, and you will meet, get to know, and make friends with students at schools across Rhode Island. You will have something useful and fulfilling to put on college applications — especially if you win some awards — when that time comes.
Who are the judges? • They are very generous adults — usually teachers and debaters’ parents or relatives — who volunteer their time on a Saturday to make the tournament work. If they have not judged before, there is a training session, called the “judges’ meeting,” in which they are taken through the rules of parliamentary debate and instructed in how to score a debate round. PLEASE ask you parents or relatives if they would be willing to volunteer as a judge; give them the letter that I have for them!!!
WAIT! I don’t want my parents to judge my friends or me! • They won’t. One of the rules is that judges are not allowed to judge the debate rounds of debaters from the school that recruited them. Thus, EGHS judges can judge debaters from any school exceptEGHS.
Anything else I should know??? • Just that debating is fun, challenging, educational (but, you know, in a good way), and a great way to meet students from other schools. Now let’s learn about the overall debate structure and how to debate…..
WHAT IS A RESOLUTION? A resolution is a quotation, slogan, or phrase used to spark topics of debate “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” Examples:
What is a case topic? • A case topic is an actual issue of debate, which may be any topic within general knowledge, serious or frivolous • Children and Teenagers should not be allowed to dye their hair (Resolution: Blondes have more fun) EXAMPLE:
RESOLUTION -> CASE TOPIC • Resolution: “Frankly, My Dear, I don’t give a damn.” • Case Topic: • All public high schools in Rhode Island should be required to perform random locker searches every month to ensure the safety of students & faculty. • The word “God” should be taken out of the Pledge of Allegiance.
LINK • A link is a line of reasoning connecting the resolution to the case topic. • For example in the previous slide, the resolution was “Frankly, My dear, I don’t give a damn” and the Case Topic was “All public high schools in RI should be required to perform random locker searches every month to ensure the safety of students & faculty.” WHAT IS THE LINK from this Resolution to Case Topic?????
contentions • Contentions are major lines of argument to support a case topic. The government will generally introduce 3 or 4. If the opposition introduces a negative philosophy, they may have counter-contentions to support that. • Examples: • Resolution: Wag More, Bark Less • Case Topic: Animals should not be considered equal to humans WHAT WOULD BE SOME CONTENTIONS OF THE CASE TOPIC LISTED ABOVE?
Negative philosophy • A negative philosophy is a general view negating the proposition (case topic). This statement should relate the negative position to the values, attitudes, or policies of the status quo and provide them with the broadest possible basis of appeal. • Make it a snazzy saying with a philosophical twist. For example: • Case Topic: The death penalty should be abolished. • Negative Philosophy: Live and let live. • *It is usually said by the LO after he/she has formally accepted or argued the link, case topic, and definitions.
Other definitions within debate • Specific knowledge: any fact not known by the average college freshman. The government may not introduce specific knowledge, but the opposition may. • Counter-contentions: major arguments introduced by the opposition that do not support the case topic. These are optional. • Clash: strong and clear disagreement on the issue, which the government’s case topic should invite, and the opposition should make clear
Points of Order • Points of order can be raised for no reason other than those specified in these Rules of Debating and Judging. If at any time during the debate, a debater believes that his or her opponent has violated one of these Rules of Debating and Judging, he or she may address the Speaker of the House with a point of order. Once recognized by the Speaker of the House, the debater must state, but may not argue for, the point of order. At the discretion of the Speaker of the House, the accused may briefly respond to the point of order. The Speaker of the House will then rule immediately on the point of order in one of three ways: point well taken, point not well taken, or point taken under consideration. The time used to state and address a point of order will not be deducted from the speaking time of the debater with the floor. A point of order is a serious charge and should not be raised for minor violations.
Points of Personal Privilege • At any time during the debate, a debater may rise to a point of personal privilege when he or she believes that an opponent has personally insulted one of the debaters, has made an offensive or tasteless comment, or has grievously misconstrued another’s words or arguments. The Speaker will then rule on whether or not the comments were acceptable. The time used to state and address a point of personal privilege will not be deducted from the speaking time of the debater with the floor. Like a point of order, a point of personal privilege is a serious charge and should not be raised for minor transgressions. Debaters may be penalized for raising spurious points of personal privilege.
Heckling • Heckling is allowed; that is, the team not speaking at any moment may make comments on things said at the podium. Heckles should, however, be three things: brief, witty, and rare. If a team is heckling merely to distract or “throw off” the person at the podium, it should count against the team doing it. • IT SHOULD BE USED COMPLETELY SPARINGLY. • REMEMBER – NO ONE ROOTS FOR THE BULLY!
