The debate

1
The debate

• An opportunity to show your brilliance, strut
  your stuff, and grind the opposition beneath your
  intellectual heels

2
Outline

• Each team will have 4-5 members
• The class period will be completely set aside for
  the debate
• You will be given two eight-minute periods to
  provide your argument
• You may include audiovisual material
• You will have an opportunity to challenge your
  opposition after the official presentation
• You will have the opportunity to respond to the
  challenges as well

3
Timing

• The affirmative team will have the first 8-minute
  period to present its case
• The negative will then be provided 8 minutes to
  make its opening case
• 2 minute break
• The affirmative team will then be given 8 minutes
  to conclude its arguments and to respond to
  negative comments
• The negative will then have 8 minutes
• 5-minute recess
• Each team has 4 minutes to close, negative first
• Teams take turns asking questions of the other,
  starting with the negative team
• 1-minute responses
• After 2 questions per team, audience may ask
  questions

4
Opening remarks

• Affirmative
• Define terms
• When we say video games lead to war, we mean . .
  .
• State what you will show
• We will demonstrate that not only are video
  games more harmful than any earlier violent
  media, but that they directly contribute to war
  fever. . .
• Identify major evidence, logical flow of argument
• We will introduce poll data, experiments linking
  video game playing to violent behavior and . . .
• Begin the presentation of evidence

5
Opening remarks

• Negative
• Define terms
• Identify any discrepancies with affirmative
• State what you will show
• Flaws in affirmative claims
• Evidence directly in opposition to basic
  statement
• Begin presentation of evidence
• Tie to beginning of affirmative presentation

6
Affirmative response

• Be certain to conclude your basic remarks before
  responding to negative statements
• Follow logical flow outlined in your opening
• Be selective about evidencestrongest and most
  compelling is most valuable
• Most arresting for presentation style
• Once through with your basic presentation, attack
  most critical and weakest negative points
• Prepare your responses to most likely negative
  points in advance of debate
• Disconfirming evidence
• Take points to their illogical end
• Watch out for ad hominem attacks, guilt by
  association, etc.
• Learn propaganda ploys, watch for them

7
Negative response

• Follow your game plan first, then respond to the
  affirmative
• Do your best to provide a structure for your
  criticismdont just engage in scattershot
  sniping
• Those not speaking should be actively working out
  response while speaker goes through basic
  arguments
• Make sure you understand the critique before you
  try to rebut it

8
Negative closing

• Bring all your points together into categories
  and restate
• We can see from the evidence presented earlier,
  that the affirmative has depended on false
  premises ( XXXX), incorrect logic (XXX), biased
  reading of the research record (XXXX) and wishful
  thinking (XXXX)
• We note once again that . . . (Give your
  strongest evidence)
• And so, when these points are taken together, it
  is clear that we must reject the statement
  (restate the original statement) because it does
  not . . .
• Recommended close Thank you, oh wise and
  wonderful sage of media theory for allowing we
  who are not worthy to present our case to your
  exalted personage.

9
Affirmative closing

• Reiterate your initial statement about how you
  would prove the assertion
• Remind your audience of the evidence you have
  presented that demonstrates that the assertion is
  true
• Be briefjust note the major points
• And so, as we have shown, the evidence proves
  beyond a doubt that . . .
• Recommended Thank the Great One even more
  felicitously than your opposition.

10
Questioning period

• Ask your most devastating question first. Be
  sure to ask it in a way that favors your outcome
  or makes it difficult to answer.
• Prepare your best responses to the most likely
  questions beforehand.
• Simple, direct answer
• Evidence
• Answer in way that questions opposition position

11
Support for a statement/position

• The best evidence is empirical research evidence
• The next best is logic (be sure that it is
  compelling)
• The next best is statements by experts, etc.
• Demonstrating a point in the debate itself can be
  effective, but is risky
• Beyond that, personal experience, news stories,
  historical examples, etc. All of these are
  pretty weak.

12
What I will look for

• A consistent, logically coordinated position
• Big holes or arguing against yourself hurt
• Powerful evidence/support for the position
• Demonstration of background research
• Compelling presentation
• Including audiovisual materials