Debate Handouts

ATENEO DEBATE UNION A Guide to the Basic Rudiments of Parliamentary Debate ————————————————— Volume 1, Issue 1, May 2012

INSIDE Introduction to Debate How to construct arguments and rebuttals?

The Three M’s of Debate A Quick View of the Asian Parliamentary Debate Format

Introduction

By Ryan Joseph Murcia

There is no easy road for an organization a power.. It is an instrument of freedom that strives for excellence and honor while that we need in order to bring about extending itself to communities in what its change and betterment in our society. capacities may offer.

The Union has been a faithful servOn Excellence ant of excellence and service and a model of good leadership and influence in the Admittedly, most of our new entrants, Ateneo, championing the values of selfat first, saw debating as a hobby for the su- expression, self-confidence and positive perior and a very demanding and tiring task. change.

That is usually the case. They fear failure for ____________ the reason that the other union members About the author: Ryan was the president of Ateneo Debate Union the academic year 2011-2012. He also served as the executive may think poorly of them. But that is no during secretary during the academic year 2010-2011. As a debater, he longer the case now. Now, debating for them reached the grand finals of the 1st ADZU IVs, and was a semiis no longer a task or a routine that one get finalist in the 2011 Zamboanga Debate Open. used to. It is now a lifestyle, an outburst of passion, and one which gave them an opportunity to experience the warmth of a new ATENEO DEBATE UNION family.

School Year 2012-2013

On Citizenship Even if small in size, the Ateneo Debate Union is big in terms of reaching out to others by educating co-Ateneans and the youth in Zamboanga Peninsula by giving them the knowledge and confidence that they need to express themselves well. Being able to express yourself is both a gift and

President GLENN WILLIAM S. ALCALA. Vice President (Internal) KELVIN J. CULAJARA. Executive Secretary SARAH GAIL C. GALVAN. Vice President (External) ANGELICA MARIA FIDELIS G. CAMINS. Finance Officer MEL CLEOHOPE CARBALLO. UDEP Coordinator RUBY JADE CALLETOR. Moderator DR. REY REMOTIN.

5th Consecutive Most Outstanding Organization A Member of the Zamboanga Parliamentary Debate Union, Mindanao Parliamentary Debate Union, and the Philippine Debate Union.

Introduction to Debate Debate is contention in argument, dispute, controversy, discussion. [It may] especially [be] the discussion of questions of public interest in Parliament or in any assembly.

In a formal debating contest, there are rules for participants to discuss and decide on differences, within a framework defining how they will interact. Informal debate is a common occurrence, the quality and depth of a debate improves with knowledge and skill of its participants as debaters. The outcome of a contest may be decided by audience vote, by judges, or by some combination of the two.

————— Resource taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debate

WHAT A motion is the proposition which the Government side is supposed to defend, and the Opposition side is supposed to refute or oppose.

IS A MOTION? GO

VE RN ME NT

N O I T

M

Sample motions:

This house believes that the Filipino language is a tool of oppression.

DEBATE JARGONS THBT This House Believes That THW This House Would State a sovereign country with a territory and a functional government (e.g.

Philippines, US, China, Japan) Case/Paradigm/Proposal entire set of arguments and mechanisms of a bench.

Status Quo – the current situation (e.g. current situation that cases of STDs are increasing).

About the author: Myser Sarigumba was president of Ateneo Debate Union during the academic year 2010-2011. He was the champion and 4th best speaker of Visayas and Mindanao during the 2nd VMDC, and a grand-finalist—second placer of the 5th VMDC. He was also a grand-finalist—second placer in the 22nd and 23rd MPDC. He was awarded 8th best speaker of Mindanao during the 22nd MPDC.

ON ITI

This house believes that beauty pageants are a step back to women empowerment.

S PO OP

This house will legalize prostitution.

O

About the author: Leyson San Juan was the Vice President (Internal) of Ateneo Debate Union from academic years 2010-2011 to 2011-2012. He was champion and 8th best speaker of Mindanao during the 24th MPDC. He was also a grand-finalist—second placer in the 5th VMDC.

Stand claim which one bench will try to prove (the stand of legalizing abortion, or the stand of not legalizing abortion and instead encourage adoption instead) Context/Setting – the place where the debate takes place (e.g. in the Philippines; in Zamboanga; in First Worlds) Setup/ Mechanism – detail of the steps to be undertaken with a proposal (e.g. in legalizing prostitution, we will grant health

Hear! Hear! – an interjection to show assent (e.g. when one agrees with the speech of a speaker) Shame! Shame! – an interjection to show dissent (e.g. when one disagrees with a speaker)

Basic Lecture on ARGUMENT CONSTRUCTION

By Kelvin J. Culajara If a debate happens to be a castle, the arguments are the blocks that support and make the castle whole. But on a reversed perspective, these blocks are the ones that will lead the castle to crumble if the individual blocks themselves make a weak foundation for the structure to rest on.

Arguments are like these blocks—they can build and destroy if used properly.

Arguments are structured reasoning for affirming or negating the motion.

These are your bullets to win in a debate round.

Although certain wins are also factored by the quality of rebuttals and re-

sponses, but arguments are the ones which a typical adjudicator looks for in assessing the win-lose result of a debate.

The composition For an argument to be an writing an essay, concluargument, it has to have sions are the part of the premises and a definite essay where the reader is conclusion. clarified of what you really want to point out.

An argument is like a chain. Each individual Structure of a good chain link is the premises argument of an argument. The defiThe only difference benite conclusion of the artween writing an essay gument is the end-result and debating is on the of the connected links; of medium used to comthem becoming a chain municate them. The proin being. cess of coming up with an argument or assertion is The conclusion of the almost similar. argument is the bottomline of your argument. It Remember this: Every is what you really want to argument has to comply say or assert. Just like with L-B-E-E-C form.

L stands for label. This is the title of your argument.

B stands for background, this is the collective form of all your premises. E stands for explanation of your argument. The next E stands for example/s.

Examples are the real happenings or instances in the status quo that are parallel or similar with your assertion or argument. Lastly, C stands for conclusion. This your ultimate point in the argument.

Brief Demonstration of Argument-Formulation SAMPLE MOTION: This house believes that beauty pageants are a step-back to women empowerment.

Take note that the Government Side wants to prove that beauty pageants make women disempowered.

PREMISE 1

PREMISE 2

PREMISE 3

PREMISE 4

CONCLUSION

Kelvin Culajara is a title holder of three debate championships, including the 24th MPDC, 1st ADZU IVs Debates, and the 2009 Col. Salipsip Debates. He was the 9th best speaker of Mindanao and the best speaker of the grand finals in the 24th MPDC, the best speaker of the tournament in the 1st ADZU IVs, and the best speaker of the tournament and the grand finals best speaker in the 1st WMSU IVs. He was also a grand-finalist—second placer in the 5th VMDC and 23rd MPDC.

PREMISE 5

BRIEF LECTURE

rebuttals

A rebuttal is a contradictory response against the arguments of the opposing team.

It is a speaker’s tool to disarm the arguments of the opposing team.

opponents, your arguments are the blocks that build the castle of your arguments. The bottomline is, arguments are constructive while rebuttals are destructive.

rebuttals may fall as mere refutations, or simple denials of the arguments of your opponent.

Where do we find rebuttals?

Rebuttals are actually part of every debater’s speech. In a typical seven minute debate speech (but in the case of ASSPeans, we’ll cut it to five minutes only), rebuttals take about two to three minutes of the speech. Rebuttals are delivered before one proceeds to the discussion of arguments.

What rebuttals are, and what rebuttals are not Rebuttals are your weapons to destroy your opponents’ ―castle‖. Therefore, rebuttals are always targeted to the substance of your opponent’s arguments or stand. Saying, ―The previous speaker was not proficient in English,‖ or ―The previous speaker did not comply with the subject-verb agreement in his speech,‖ or ―The previous speaker was ugly,‖ are not rebuttals at all.

They are degrading and ill remarks which can merit you a penalty from the adjudicator.

For example, if your opponent argued, ―death penalty is good for society‖, then you may rebut by denying his argument, or by proving that death penalty is bad for society.

The common mistake of most neophyte debaters is, they tend to bombard the entire seven minute-speech with pure rebuttals, with little or no arguments at all. Remember that while rebuttals are what destroys the ―castle of arguments‖ of your op-

Although in higher levels of debate (should you pursue a debate career in college), rebuttals are broader than mere refutations.

Rebuttals are equally valuable as your arguments.

For purposes of basic discussion,

The three m’s

By Milarose Barraca

“Speech delivery is all about being able to communicate to the audience what you want to say.”

-Arsenia B. Tan MATTER

MANNER

METHOD

Matter is the substance or the content of your speech. It includes your arguments, rebuttals and your points of information (POI).

Manner is the way in which you deliver your speech. It includes everything that goes towards the presentation of your speech.

Method is the structure or organization of your speech, and how it fits into your team's case as a whole.

The components of matter are logic and relevance. Logic refers to whether one fact, or piece of evidence makes another more likely.

Manner can be dissected to include the following:  Voice modulation  Hand gestures  Facial expression  Eye contact  Verbal crutches

Relevance refers to whether your evidence and arguments can actually be applied to the topic at hand.

In a typical debate speech, your rebuttals go first and then followed by your arguments and the conclusion of your speech.

Method helps the audience, most especially An effective manner the adjudicator, keep keeps the audience track of the things wanting to hear more of you’re saying. your speech.

About the author: Milarose is one of ADU’s most celebrated debaters. She broke and reached the octo-finals of the 22nd MPDC in Davao City and the recently-held National Debate Championship in Cagaydn de Oro City.

THE ASIAN PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE FORMAT GOVERNMENT 5. GOV 3. DEPUTY WHIP PRIME

1. PRIME MINISTER

OPPOSITION 2. LEADER 4. DEPUTY OF OPP LEADER

6. OPP WHIP

government

opposition

1. PRIME MINISTER defines context and parameters of debate. He must provide concise background or history leading to the issue. He is also tasked to give framework of Government Bench's case. (i.e. mechanisms and argumentation flow, or what the government's first argument is and what the Deputy Prime Minister will talk about). He is tasked to introduce the stand of government, and some arguments support-

2. LEADER OR OPPOSITION rebuts Prime Minister's arguments and mechanisms. He is tasked to give framework for Opposition bench’s case. He must introduce the definite stand of the Opposition bench, and some arguments supporting that stand.

3. DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER rebuts the arguments from Leader of Opposition. He is also tasked to answer the rebuttals made to the Prime Minister's arguments. He must also introduce fresh and new arguments that would support the Government Bench.

4. DEPUTY LEADER OF OPPOSITION rebuts the arguments from Deputy Prime Minister. He is also tasked to answer the rebuttals made to the Leader of the Opposition's arguments. He must also introduce fresh and new arguments that would support the Opposition Bench.

5. GOVERNMENT WHIP rebuts Deputy Leader of Opposition and Leader of Opposition’s arguments. He is also tasked to provide a deeper level of analysis for previous arguments and rebuttals. He is not allowed to give new arguments, but he is allowed to analyze new angles of arguments given. He must also provide a brief summary of entire case of Government.

6. OPPOSITION WHIP rebuts Deputy Prime Minister and Prime Minister’s arguments. He is also tasked to provide a deeper level of analysis for previous arguments and rebuttals.

He is not allowed to give new arguments, but he is allowed to analyze new angles of arguments given. He must also provide a brief summary of entire case of Opposition.

It’s more fun in

ATENEO DEBATE UNION! For debate seminars and workshops, you may contact Ruby Calletor or Glenn William Alcala.

You may also visit the Facebook fan page of Ateneo Debate Union.