Debate Format

Debate Central Website:  http://debate.uvm.edu/

General Rules

During debates, speakers will have their nametags in front of them as they speak, and will refer to all other speakers using their titles – e.g., Mr. Smith or Ms. Kimball.

 

April 17th       

 

One issue will be argued:  Practical experience is more useful than knowledge of theory.

 

All class members are to be prepared to argue either side of the issue.

 

On April 17th, the class will be divided into 4 groups of 3 students.  Members will rotate tables between debates, so they have new opponents each time.

 

There will be 3 roles within each debate.  Members of the group will switch roles so that each person has a chance to perform each role.

 

            Affirmative – These people are charged with arguing in support of the question.

            Negative  – These people are charged with arguing against the question.

 Judge – These people are charged with evaluating the weight of the evidence presented by each side.  They address issues related to sources of information, omitted information, and statistics.  They may also introduce evidence not introduced by either side and show how it might strengthen or weaken either side’s argument  They are also charged with evaluating the logic of the arguments presented by each side and identifying differences in fundamental values.  They identify fallacies in reasoning, rival causes, and reasonableness of conclusions.  They also identify values assumptions and values conflicts.

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The sequence of speeches will proceed as follows, with a 2 minute break between speeches to give others time to make notes and prepare responses. 

 

1.  Affirmative 1: Define terms, provide overview of argument, and provide facts to support argument.  (3 minutes)

2 minute silence

2.  Negative 1:  Define terms, provide overview of argument, provide facts to support argument, and identify errors in affirmative’s argument.  (3 minutes)

2 minute silence

3.  Judge:  Identify which facts are unsupported by the evidence presented (or by evidence independently reviewed by the judge). Identify which conclusions are not logically supported and explain where there are differences in fundamental values.  (3 minutes)

 

Debate 1 – 7:10 – 7:25

Debate 2 – 7:35 – 7:50

Debate 3 – 8:00 – 8:15

Break – 8:15 - 8:30

Debate 4 – 8:30 – 8:45

Debriefing – 9:15 – 9:30

Assignment to teams for May 1st– 9:30 – 9:45

 

 

April 24th

           

We will arrange our seats in a circle.  I will pull a topic at random, and that will be our first topic, then, I will pull a name at random, and that person will have one minute to make an argument FOR the topic named.  We will proceed with one minute breaks between arguments.  Names will be called for each of the subsequent speeches: AGAINST, CRITICIZE 1st “FOR”, CRITICIZE 1st “AGAINST”, 2nd FOR, 2nd AGAINST, CRITICIZE 2nd FOR, CRITICIZE 2nd AGAINST 

Then we will stop, I will pull another topic, and we will begin with the same format:

FOR, AGAINST, CRITICIZE 1st “FOR”, CRITICIZE 1st “AGAINST”, 2nd FOR, 2nd AGAINST, CRITICIZE 2nd “FOR,” CRITICIZE 2nd “AGAINST”

 

Topics: 

Descriptive:  Position power is more effective than personal power.

Prescriptive:  Organizations should limit personal relationships between employees.

Descriptive:  Leaders are born, not made.

Prescriptive: Conflict should be avoided in organizations.

 

 

 

May 1st

 

Topics and groups will be assigned on April 17th.  Groups will be assigned topics on April 17th, but Affirmative/Negative roles will not be assigned until the beginning of the debate.

 

Topics: 

Descriptive:  Diversity makes organizations more productive.  Perry, Colletti, Reale, Hendricksen

Prescriptive:  Management should be a licensed profession.  Felder, Favreau, Radomska, Mendenhall

Descriptive:  Happy employees are more productive than unhappy employees. Wolter, Mama, Perez, McCarthy

Prescriptive:  Friedman was right:  "there is one and only one social responsibility of business–to use it resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud."  Clark, Surprenant

 

There will be 4, ˝-hour debates, with debaters facing the rest of the class as they present their arguments.  There will be no prep time between speeches.  Students not participating as debaters will vote on the outcome of the debates.

 

1.  Affirmative Speech 1: Define terms, provide overview of argument, and provide facts to support argument.  (8 minutes)

 

2.  Negative Speech 1:  Define terms, provide overview of argument, provide facts to support argument, and identify errors in affirmative’s argument.  (8 minutes)

 

3.  Affirmative Speech 2:  Respond to criticisms of negative speaker, identify errors in logic or facts of negative speaker, return to original argument, and show how it is still correct. (7 minutes)

 

4.  Negative Speech 2:  Respond to criticisms of affirmative speaker, identify errors in logic or facts of affirmative speaker, return to original argument, and show how it is still correct. (7 minutes)