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When debating, there are some strategies that are useful to know and remember. You may use these strategies in all your debates, though often, it is better to select certain strategies to best present your arguments and win your debates. Not all strategies are guaranteed to bring you to success, but they are guaranteed to improve the quality of your speech.
When debating, there are some strategies that are useful to know and remember. You may use these strategies in all your debates, though often, it is better to select certain strategies to best present your arguments and win your debates. Not all strategies are guaranteed to bring you to success, but they are guaranteed to improve the quality of your speech.
1. Understand your arguments
1. Understand your arguments
Make sure that you entirely understand your arguments and the case that you and your partner are running
If you don't understand your case, the judges probably won't either
Understanding your case helps you appear more confident
Ensure that your reasoning is clear and give proper evidence
Anticipate what your opponents may say and prepare appropriately
If you predict a rebuttal that your opponent may have to your argument, try acknowledging and weakening it in your speech
If you are speaking in the closing half, make sure to not repeat any points that your opening half may have
2. Structure
2. Structure
Start off with something that both captures the audience's attention and goes into your speech
Sometimes, a simple "dear audience" may suffice, depending on how you want your speech to go
Your starting words may give the audience a glimpse into what your speech will cover
Time is often precious in debate, so if you must, go straight into your points
NOTE: Do not forget to give trigger warnings if needed!
Lead with the most relevant information
If you are the first speaker, you would want to model the motion first
Make sure to present the strongest points you have first to be memorable and to ensure that you have time to say them
If refuting the previous speaker is important, you may want to lead with a refutation to maintain a cohesive flow
Accept POIs after you complete a thought/argument
POIs can often mess up the flow of your argument, so try taking them after you finish a thought/argument
Make sure to accept POIs in general as they show that you are confident in your argument and can respond on the spot
Keep track of time and conclude smoothly
It will look bad if your speech ends abruptly
To avoid being cut off, try keeping track of your time by bringing your own timer
If you are running out of time, quickly transition into a summary or conclusion
3. Weighing and impact
3. Weighing and impact
Weighing
Weighing is important because it is how you prove that your point has actual impact and isn't just a random fact
When you want to prove that your point is better than someone else's, you can weigh your point against your opponents
Show why your point is more impactful
Practice: Weigh the argument "Dogs are good because they save human lives" OVER "Dogs are bad because they smell weird"
Some ways of weighing are to talk about the outcome of an argument:
Probability: How likely are the effects to happen?
Timeframe: When and how long will it take for the effects to happen?
Magnitude: How big is the impact of the effects?
Stakeholders
Explain who is affected and how they are affected
Show that more stakeholders benefit on your side of the argument or that less are at a detriment
It may be good to weigh why your stakeholders are more important
Long-term and Short-term
Explain the impact your side will have in the long-term and short-term
How they may apply to the stakeholders
Long-term effects are often weighed over short-term effects
Prove why it should or shouldn't be
4. Communication
4. Communication
Clarity of voice
It is important to be clear and appear confident
Avoid using filler words/stuttering
Have an assertive tone (Either be aggressive, or be calm and incredibly clear - DON'T be quiet!!!)
Eye contact
This is another way to show confidence
This also helps gain the audience's attention
If you have notes, try to only glance at them to show that you know what you are saying
Body language
Use necessary hand gestures to keep the audience's attention
Avoid any unnecessary gestures like fidgeting
Make sure to stay professional
Debate Improvement Strategies
Debate Improvement Strategies
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