5. •Formal contest of
argumentation
between two teams
or individuals.
•It is a way
of persuasive commu
nication – of making
someone believe
what you are saying.
•debate embodies the
ideals of reasoned
argument, tolerance
for divergent points of
view and rigorous self-
examination.
•a way for those who
hold opposing views
to discuss
controversial issues
without descending
to insult, emotional
appeals or personal
bias.
7. Multi-faceted
knowledge cutting
across several
topics outside the
debaters’ basic
academic subjects
Increasing
debaters’
confidence,
poise, and self-
esteem
Improving
rigorous higher
order and
critical thinking
skills
ability to form
balanced,
informed
arguments and
to use
reasoning.
Encouraging
teamwork
9. •This is the most basic
part of debating to
master. Style is the
manner in which you
communicate your
arguments.
STYLE
•It is vital to talk at a
pace which is fast
enough to sound
intelligent and allow
you time to say what
you want, but slow
enough to be easily
understood.
SPEED
• Varying tone is
what makes you
sound interesting.
Listening to one
tone for an entire
presentation is
boring.
TONE
10.
11.
12. • It is important to
keep it simple.
While long words
may make you
sound clever, they
may also make
you
incomprehensible.
CLARITY
• Shouting does not
win debates.
Speaking too
quietly is clearly
disastrous since
no one will be able
to hear you.
VOLUME
• Eye contact with
the audience is
very important,
but keep shifting
your gaze. No one
likes to be stared
at.
EYE
CONTACT
13. Use of notes:
• Notes must be brief and well organized to be effective.
• Notes should never damage your contact with the audience.
• Good debaters sketch out the main headings of their speech, with brief
notes under each.
• When writing notes for rebuttal during the debate, it is usually better to
use a separate sheet of paper so you can take down the details of what the
other speakers have said and then transfer a rough outline onto the notes
you will actually be using.
15. 1. Know who is participating
• Knowing who is
participating
allows you to
accurately plan
and organize how
a debate should
run (Logistics,
timing…)
16. 2. Tell your participants to prepare
• In order for a
debate to run
smoothly, tell
your participants
to please write
some key points
they would like
to discuss.
17. 3. Have a method to the madness
• To ensure that not
only one person
leads each side of
the debate, allow
for people on each
side to switch out
every five to ten
minutes.
18. 4. Find a pleasant solution
• A debate should reach an
end when both sides
reach a conclusion or
present all of their
opinions and facts. A
solution will not always
be found, but a
compromise or general
understanding should
mark the end of a debate.
19. 5. Maintain a respective and
neutral environment
• Do not allow
participants or
audiences to
interrupt your
debate. Consider
asking such persons
to calm down, and if
necessary, to leave.
22. • Charles Lebeau helped create the "Discover
Debate" method. He says debate is
important to understanding how people
communicate in Western business.
Successful debaters learn how to
give their opinion, reasons and
support.
23. • Debaters must do
exhaustive research, be
flexible, get to the
point and have the
courage to discard just
about everything they
learn on the fly. In
other words, debate
teaches them to make
tough choices.
24. • Scott Deatherage, head of the Northwestern
University debate team, winner of six of the
last 10 national championships says :
"We teach how to make decisions
under pressure and in a timely
fashion. My sense is that CEOs are
called upon to do that."
