BPD

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BPD

• British Parliamentary Debating
• By
• Lio Kaufman

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Introduction

• Who am I?
• Study at the University of Glamorgan in Wales
• I am the 1st Chair of our Debating Society
• Agnes Debating Partner in the Welsh Mace
• What am I Going to Tell You?
• Present a Basic Introduction to BPD
• The Role of the positions and their Structure
• Fulfilling your Roles in the eyes of the judge

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What is BPD?
A competitive sport whereby 4 teams in opposing
sides try to convince an audience that a point of
view regarding a controversial issue is better
than the alternative provided.

• Discuss v Debate
• Discuss Negotiate or compromise conflicting
  points of view in order to cooperate.
• Debate Highlight the opposing opinions
  surrounding a topic as a tool for decision making
  and analysis.

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Terminology

• This House
• The British House of Common
• The EU (UN?... US?)
• Motions
• The given topic or subject being talked about.
• Potential Areas Covered
• Social / Moral
• Political
• Entertainment (Sports / Art)
• Speakers Take Turns 5 min 7 min

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Debate Structure
Proposition
Opposition
Leader of the Opposition or 1st Speaker 1st Opp.
Prime Minister or 1st Speaker 1st Prop.
2
1
1st Prop.
1st Opp.
Deputy of the Opposition or 2nd Speaker 1st Opp.
Deputy Prime Minister or 2nd Speaker 1st Prop.
3
4
Member of the Opposition or 1st Speaker 2nd Opp.
Member of Government or 1st Speaker 2nd Prop.

6
5
2nd Prop.
2nd Opp.
Government Chief Whip or 2nd Speaker 2nd Prop.
7
8
Opposition Chief Whip or 2nd Speaker 2nd Opp.
Points of Information P.O.I
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3 Types of Debates

• Factual debate Is it or is it not the case?
  Did it or did it not happen?
• THBT Germany is to blame for WW2
• THBT the capitalist system is doomed to collapse
• THBT our education system is a failure
• Value debate What should our values be why?
  Is it Better or Worse for us (and / or Society
  as a whole?)
• THBT the sanctity of life ought to be valued over
  the quality of life
• THBT parents should have the final say over the
  medical treatment of their children
• THBT we should have more freedom
• Policy Debate What is the problem and how do we
  fix it?
• THW ban smoking
• THW outlaw experimentation on chimpanzees
• THW impose democracy

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3 Types of Motions

• Closed Motion
• THBT there is no such thing as universal human
  rights
• THBT mandatory drug testing of public officials
  is justified
• THBT child labour can never be justified
• Semi (Opened / Closed) Motion
• This House supports privatisation
• This House would adopt a green agenda
• This House believes that art is a diversion
• Open Motion
• THBT we have no reverse
• THW gain a burst of knowledge
• THB in the more the Merrier

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Prime Minister

• Role
• Setup the Debate
• Present the Most Important Arguments (Normally 2)
• Structure
• Definition / Introduction
• Sign Post
• Present 1st Substantive
• Present 2nd Substantive
• Conclusion

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Prime Minister

• Definition
• Provide Sufficient Background
• Define Contentious Terminology
• Identify The Problem (Why is it a problem?)
• Provide Policy (Find a Solution)
• Explain Who dose What and When,
• How does it solve the problem,
• Why is this a better situation than before
• Who is going to be affected by this and how is
  that better?
• (Easiest Solution is to Provide an Existing
  Model)
• E.g.
• THW use children in the front line during war
  times

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Prime Minister

• Sign-Posting Conclusions
• Rhetoric Rule of 3
• Letting others know what you are going to say.
• Explaining Associating the topic.
• Reminding them of what you said.
• Silly say easy to follow

1
2
3
4
6
5
7
8
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Prime Minister

• Substantive
• Title
• Premises
• Inference
• Conclusion
• Supportive Statistics / Examples
• Link Back
• Example
• Legalise Drugs

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Supporting the Substantive

• Research on bread indicates that
• More than 98 percent of convicted felons are
  bread users.
• Fully HALF of all children who grow up in
  bread-consuming households score below average on
  standardized tests.
• More than 90 percent of violent crimes are
  committed within 24 hours of eating bread.
• Bread is an addictive substance. Subjects
  deprived of bread and given only water to eat
  begged for bread after as little as two days.
• Bread is often a "gateway" food item, leading the
  user to "harder" items such as butter, jelly,
  peanut butter, and even cold cuts.
• Primitive tribal societies that have no bread
  exhibit a low incidence of cancer, Alzheimer's,
  Parkinson's disease, and osteoporosis.
• Newborn babies can choke on bread.

Source http//www.eskimo.com/spban/bread.html
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Policy

• In light of these frightening statistics, it
• has been proposed that the following
• bread restrictions be made
• No sale of bread to minors.
• A nationwide "Just Say No To Toast" campaign,
  complete celebrity TV spots and bumper stickers.
• A 300 percent federal tax on all bread to pay for
  all the societal ills we might associate with
  bread.
• No animal or human images, nor any primary
  colours (which may appeal to children) may be
  used to promote bread usage.
• The establishment of "Bread-free" zones around
  schools.

Source http//www.eskimo.com/spban/bread.html
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Leader of the Opposition

• Role
• Set the tone of the Opposition
• Following the 1st Speaker
• Good / Clear / Structured
• Bad / Unclear / Unstructured
• No Debate / Truism / Ridiculous

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Leader of the Opposition

• Following a Good Prime-Minister
• Structure
• Sign Post
• Reiterate
• Rebut
• Present Substantive
• Conclusion

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Leader of the Opposition

• Following a Good Prime-Minister
• Rebut
• Time line Now ? Action ? Then
• Wont work / Impractical / cant be done
• Wont solve the problem
• Outcome / Side-Effects worse than Solution.
• E.g. Co-operations Control The Future
• Big Blue Ball
• E.g. Child labour can never be justified
• E.g. Abolish Capital Punishment

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Leader of the Opposition

• Bad / Unclear Prime-Minister
• Clarify
• No Problem Exists / Factually inaccurate
• Suggest Most Logical Conflict
• Rebut it as before
• Must be logical criteria
• E.g. Africa in UN Security Council
• Not Relevant to the Debate
• E.g. THW Lift the arms embargo off China

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Leader of the Opposition

• Following a Truism / Ridiculous Def
• E.g. THBT Multiculturalism has Failed
• E.g. THBT the poor will always exist
• Definition Debate
• Challenge the Definition (Prop it)
• 2 debates running in tandem
• The Right Definition wins the debate
• (Not Necessarily the best arguments)

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The Deputies

• Role
• Develop the Case
• Rebut the Opponents
• Structure
• Sign Post
• Rebut
• Reinforce
• Add Substantive
• Conclusion

2
1
4
3
6
5
7
8
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Extensions

• Role
• Extension Shift the focus of the Debate
• Deeper Analysis
• Different Point of View (Global / Local)
• Additional (Better) Arguments
• Must be the same Motion !
• Structure
• Sign Post
• Rebut
• Extension (Normally 2 Substantives)
• Conclusion

2
1
4
3
6
5
7
8
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Extensions

• Deeper Analysis
• Who does it affect?
• What can / will they do about it?
• Who is going against them?
• Is this better or worse Why?
• Different Point of View
• Global / National / Local
• National / Conservative / Labour / Liberal
• Communist / Socialist / Capitalist
• Show a deeper understanding of the motion and its
  issues

2
1
4
3
6
5
7
8
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Extensions

• Additional (Better) Arguments
• PEESTLE
• Political
• Economical
• Environmental
• Social
• Technological
• Legal
• Ecological
• Why is this point more important?

2
1
4
3
6
5
7
8
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Summators

• Role
• Show Your side (Team) won the debate
• Speaker by Speaker
• 3 Main Themes
• Time line Now ? Action ? Then
• New Information
• Answer a rebuttal or P.O.I.
• Give a new analogy / example (to an existing
  issue / argument)

2
1
4
3
6
5
8
7
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Judging Criteria

• Manner Matter Method
• Manner Style
• Confidence, Confidence, Confidence
• Tone of Voice Pace, Pitch Pause
• Body Language Stand Upright, Eye Contact, Hand
  Gestures
• Energy Level
• Matter Content
• Backup / Support to Argument
• Validity of Argument
• Level of Analysis / Understanding
• Method Strategy
• Timing
• Structure / Signposting
• P.O.I (Taken Received)
• Teamwork

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Thank You.

• Any Questions?