1. Debate
Formalized public speaking in which participants prepare and present speeches on opposite sides of an issue
Determine which side has the stronger arguments
Goes back to the ancient Greeks
Essential element of the democratic process
Legislative assemblies
Courtrooms
Public forums
Led to decisions on personal freedom, civil rights, and war and peace

2. 3 Primary Types of Debates
Formal/Traditional
Cross-Examination
Lincoln-Douglas

3. Key Features
Controversy
Two Sides
Status Quo
Constructive and Rebuttal Speeches
The Proposition

4. Disagreement, typically when prolonged, public, and heated
Controversy
Disagreement, typically when prolonged, public, and heated
Expressed through a proposition
A statement of fact
A value judgment
A policy recommendation
Must deal with a controversial question
Has valid evidence for two sides of an issue

5. Two sides
Affirmative: supports the debate proposition
Negative: opposes the debate proposition
Speakers take turns presenting their arguments
When in teams, the speakers have different responsibilities within the debate
The affirmative always begins and ends the debate

6. The existing state of affairs
Status Quo
The existing state of affairs
Debate assumes the status quo is satisfactory until proven otherwise
The affirmative seeks to change the status quo
Therefore, they have the burden of proof
The affirmative’s responsibility to prove a need for adoption of a resolution or that the resolution is true
Until the burden of proof is met, the negative has nothing to do

7. Constructive and Rebuttal Speeches
Constructive: builds an argument
Both sides establish reasons for the superiority of their side
Rebuttal: rebuilds the argument
Rebuilds arguments that have been questioned or attacked
Refutation: attacks an argument raised by the other side

8. The resolution or subject offered to debate 3 Types
The Proposition
The resolution or subject offered to debate
3 Types
Fact
Value
Policy

9. Statements about what has happened, is happening, or will happen
Proposition of Fact
Statements about what has happened, is happening, or will happen
Most common in courts of law
Determine what is true and false
Example:
Anita Jones is not legally bound by the terms of the contract

10. Can set up criteria for determining “best,” “effective,” or “easier”
Proposition of Value
Express judgments about the relative merit of a person, place, or thing
Include evaluative words such as: effective, good, worthy, better, or their opposites
Can set up criteria for determining “best,” “effective,” or “easier”
Cannot measure the value/merit without those criteria
Example:
Resolved, That personal freedom is more important than law

11. Focus on specific plan of action Uses the word should Example:
Proposition of Policy
Focus on specific plan of action
Uses the word should
Example:
Resolved, That more vigorous academic standards for language arts and mathematics should be established in United States secondary schools.