Debating
Debating is an excellent way of practising English. It forces you to present
information and arguments, it challenges your listening comprehension,
and it helps you to communicate confidently.
What is debating?
Debating is a structured exchange of arguments with specific rules.
In a debate, participants are usually divided into two sides: one supporting
a resolution and the other opposing it.
There are rules about speaking times and the order in which participants
speak- this ensures that the debate is fair and that each side has equal
opportunity to present their case
Points should be based on evidence, rather than just your feelings or
opinions.
Personal comments or attacks are not permitted. You are not allowed to
be rude or unkind to your opponent.
Roles in a Debate
The debaters present arguments and counter-arguments. Debaters
need to research their topic, organise their points and
deliver their speeches confidently.
The moderators ensure that the debate follows the rules and stays on
track. They manage the speaking time, introduce each
speaker and can pose questions to the debaters.
The judges evaluate the performance of the debaters and decide
the winner of the debate.
Argument
The word `argument´ can mean an angry exchange of different opinions,
however, in a debate the word refers to a line of reasoning or a reason
given in reaction to an idea, action or theory.
In a debate when we talk about ´arguments´, we mean your reasons and
evidence rather than an angry exchange of views.
A good debating argument has three stages.
First is the ´claim´. This is a clear and direct statement of your argument.
Second is the ´evidence`. You could use statistics, quotes, personal
anecdotes or something similar to support and prove your argument.
Third is the ´impact´. Explain how the evidence supports your argument
and why it is important.
Key Features of a Debate
The resolution or motion is the statement or topic being debated.
Your motion is;
`Young people should be allowed to vote from the age of 16´
There are two sides to a debate; the affirmative side and the negative
side.
Team 1/Student A will argue for the affirmative side. The affirmative side
supports the motion and argues in favour of it.
Team 2/ Student B will argue for the negative side. This means opposing
the motion and presenting counter-arguments.
Each side will begin with an opening statement where they introduce the
key points and arguments. (2-3minutes)
After the opening statements, each side has the opportunity to respond to
their opponents´ arguments. This is known as the rebuttal stage. (2
minutes)
The judges will then have the opportunity to ask each side some
questions. This is known as cross-examination.
At the end of the debate each side has the opportunity to deliver a brief
closing statement. (1 minute) This is a summary of the main points and a
final opportunity to persuade the judges.
When introducing an argument, we can use key phrases like;
• I firmly believe that…
• My position is that…
• I contend that…
• I would argue that…
If you want to support an argument with evidence;
• Research shows that…
• According to…
• This is evident from…
When countering or rebutting an argument;
• On the contrary, evidence shows that…
• However, we must consider…
• On the other hand, it can be said that…
• In response to that point, it is important to note that…
And when concluding or summarising your arguments;
• To finish, I have shown that…
• To conclude, I have demonstrated that..
• Therefore, I strongly suggest that…
• Finally, I´d like to stress that…
Material adapted from;
Wilkinson, T. (2024) How to Debate in English.
[Link]
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