Before launching into your opening statement, make sure that you are properly presenting yourself and your topic of debate. Remember as well to always acknowledge your audience. You should always include the following points at the very beginning of your opening statement: * A greeting to everyone present * An expression of thanks * Your stand for or against the topic of debate Your salutation will likely change depending on the audience or event. If you are part of a debate club or team, you will most likely find yourself in a more formal setting with judges and other schools/teams present. If this is the case, make sure you provide your name at the beginning, because there will probably be a lot of speakers. Remember also to graciously acknowledge the judges, your opponents, and your audience. Setting: Debate club Good afternoon judges, my worthy opponents, and members of the audience. Thank you for your attention and consideration. My name is Claire and today I am going to explain to you why I answer “no” to the question: “Should all students be required to wear a dress code?” If the setting is more casual or informal, such as a classroom or local club where everyone knows each other, you don’t have to introduce yourself. However, you should still thank your audience and introduce your opinion of the topic. Setting: Classroom Good morning everyone, and thank you for your attention. Today, I will be talking about why I believe that history class is vital to our curriculum.