WHAT IS DEBATE? • DEBATE IS “A FORMAL DISCUSSION ON A PARTICULAR MATTER IN A PUBLIC MEETING OR LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, IN WHICH OPPOSING ARGUMENTS ARE PUT FORWARD AND WHICH USUALLY ENDS WITH A VOTE. DEBATE IS A DISCUSSION BETWEEN SIDES WITH DIFFERENT VIEWS. A PERSON SPEAKS FOR OR AGAINST THE GIVEN ISSUE. IN CONTRAST TO DISCUSSION, DEBATE HAS: • TIME LIMITATION • NON-INTERRUPTION • SPECIFIC POSITION • STRUCTURE • • • • • • • CONFIDENCE • ADVANTAGES OF DEBATING BELIEF IN THEMSELVES AND THEIR ABILITIES, AND THE DESIRE TO PARTICIPATE IN ALL CLASSES. CURIOSITY • THE PASSION OF DISCOVERY THROUGH EFFECTIVE TOOLS FOR RESEARCH, ORGANIZATION AND PRESENTATION. CRITICAL THINKING • HOW TO EXPLORE THE WORLD THROUGH THE LENS OF AN INQUISITIVE MIND COMMUNICATION • ORAL & WRITTEN SKILLS AND STRATEGIES FOR LIVELY YET RESPECTFUL DISCUSSIONS & DISAGREEMENTS. CONTROL • ELIMINATE THE FEARS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING. CREATIVITY • THE DESIRE TO EXPLORE, CREATE AND INVENT. LEADERSHIP • SELF-MOTIVATION AND THE ABILITY TO DELEGATE ASSIGNMENTS AND MANAGE PEERS. DEBATE FORMATS • BRITISH PARLIAMENTARY FORMAT • AMERICAN PARLIAMENTARY FORMAT • CARL POPPER FORMAT • PRESIDENTIAL FORMAT STRUCTURE OF DEBATES • DEFINITIONS • PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION • ROLE ANALYSIS • STATUS QUO • TEAM PHILOSOPHY • ARGUMENTATION • CONTRA-ARGUMENTATION • ANALYSIS • QUESTIONS OR POI (POINT OF INFORMATION) CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DEBATE 1- IT IS INFORMATIVE IN A DEBATE, COMPLETE FACTS-BASED INFORMATION IS PRESENTED THAT SERVES TO MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE OF ALL THE DETAILS THEY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE TOPIC TO BE ADDRESSED. IT ALSO AIMS TO EDUCATE VIEWERS AND HELP THEM CREATE THEIR OWN CRITERIA IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE A TOTAL AND LOGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE FACTS. THE PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE DEBATE MUST MASTER THE SUBJECT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE AUDIENCE WITH THE CONCRETE FACTS AND SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS EACH OF THEIR POSITIONS ON THE SUBJECT MATTER. IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THEM TO RELY ONLY ON THEIR PARTICULAR VIEWS AND APPROACHES, BUT TO BE ABLE TO PUT PRINCIPLES, BASES AND OTHER GENERAL ASPECTS ON THE SUBJECT TO BE DISCUSSED. 2- IT IS BASED ON FIRM ARGUMENTS ARGUMENTS ARE ALL THOSE REASONS THAT TOGETHER EXPLAIN, JUSTIFY OR REFUTE AN IDEA. IN A DEBATE, THE ARGUMENTS PUT FORWARD MUST BE LOGICAL, COMPETENT, RELEVANT AND MUST BE EXPLAINED IN AN EXTENSIVE WAY. THEY SHOULD ALSO HAVE A LINK OR DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SUBJECT BEING DEALT WITH. THE FUNCTION OF THE ARGUMENTS IS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO VERIFY THE STATEMENT THAT IS MADE, WHICH IS WHY THEY MUST BE CLEARLY EXPLAINED TO GET THE AUDIENCE TO UNDERSTAND THEM PERFECTLY. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT A DEBATE IS NOT A DISCUSSION, AS IT IS SUPPORTED BY VERIFIABLE FACTS. 3- IT IS PERSUASIVE ONE OF THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN A DEBATE IS TO CONVINCE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE OF THE POSITION OR VISION THEY HAVE ABOUT THE SUBJECT. THE DEBATE PROMOTES A THOUGHT OR OPINION, SO IT IS NECESSARY FOR PARTICIPANTS TO EFFECTIVELY AND INTELLIGENTLY PRESENT EACH OF THEIR ARGUMENTS. IT IS COMMON THAT POLITICAL DEBATES ARE USED BETWEEN DIFFERENT CANDIDATES FOR POSITIONS OF POPULAR ELECTION. OBVIOUSLY, THE IDEA IS TO PERSUADE AS MANY VOTERS TO LEAN TOWARDS THE OPTION THAT EACH ONE REPRESENTS. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT A EMPATHY WITH THE AUDIENCE AND IN SOME WAY HELP HER UNDERSTAND EACH OF THE POINTS EXPLAINED. 4- IT IS TIDY A DEBATE IS GOVERNED BY A SERIES OF RULES STRICT. THE MODERATOR OF THE DEBATE IS IN CHARGE OF ENFORCING THESE RULES, WHICH HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED PREVIOUSLY AND ARE KNOWN BY THE PARTICIPANTS. THE RULES GOVERN THE CONDUCT OF THOSE WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE DEBATE; THE TIME THAT EACH SPEAKER CAN PRESENT HIS IDEAS OR THE METHODOLOGY WITH WHICH THE INFORMATION MUST BE PRESENTED, AMONG OTHER ASPECTS. CONCLUSION THE DEBATE IS PRESENT AMONG HUMAN BEINGS SINCE CHILDHOOD. A CHILD CAN DEBATE WITH THEIR PARENTS ABOUT EATING A CANDY OR NOT, AND A STUDENT CAN DEBATE ABOUT WHICH CAREER TO STUDY. IN THE SCHOOL SETTING, DISCUSSIONS ARE DYNAMIC TOOLS FOR DEVELOPING STUDY TOPICS AND FOR PRACTICING THE ART OF PUBLIC SPEAKING. TWO TEAMS ARE FORMED. EACH OF THEM PREPARES BY GATHERING INFORMATION TO DEFEND OR ATTACK A CERTAIN IDEA. FIRST, THE PARTICIPANTS ARE EVALUATED BY A JURY AND THEN BY THE TEACHER. POLITICAL DEBATE IS VERY POPULAR DURING ELECTION CAMPAIGNS. USUALLY TWO CANDIDATES ARE PRESENTED, EACH WITH THEIR PROPOSALS, WHICH THEY DEFEND THROUGH THE PRESENTATION OF REASONS AND BENEFITS THAT JUSTIFY THEM. THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES OF THE UNITED STATES ARE WATCHED WORLDWIDE ON TELEVISION AND MANY ARE ESPECIALLY REMEMBERED. thanks for attention!!!
