Q&A for How to Debate

Confidently proceed with your speech. Remember, the judges do not know what points you had planned to say.

The first speaker does the introduction and some points; the second speaker deals with rebuttals and points; and the third speaker sums up the team's case and does a lot of rebuttals.

Typically, you would repeat what you have said to emphasise the main points underlying your argument, then say "for the reasons stated, I am proud to be on the affirmative/negative team and we firmly believe that______ (whatever the moot says)".

Research your opponent's and likely arguments so you can have an answer ready for what they say. Always ask rhetorical questions that will make them think. This means you are getting them to think of an answer quickly.

Yes, you certainly can and you should. This is a great way to get a quality rebuttal against your opponents.

Do the talk alone but imagine that you are having a conference before you. Rehearse as if the audience is there, noting which parts of your talk are best presented loudly, softly, etc. If you need to rebut, think of all the possible questions you might have on your topic and prepare answers for them ahead of time, so that you're not taken unawares. If you know your topic well, this shouldn't be too difficult.

It is very important to pose a question, state an interesting fact or statistic or quote something relevant to the resolution -- keeping your audience in mind -- to help engage them right from the start. Think about the thesis of your argument and make sure your chosen statement to begin your argument relates to it.

Take a few deep breaths and remember what you are debating for. Remember that you are confident, and that you can win the debate.

Be a go-getter! What's going to stop you from just saying, "Can I speak my opinion for a minute?". Remember, don't yell or people will just be annoyed by you.

Research plays a fundamental role in both your knowledge and your confidence. If you know your material and have done all that is in your power to understand the topic, there is a much higher chance of you being able to focus on delivering your arguments as opposed to their quality. You may also want to rehearse your arguments in front of peers, or even recording a video of yourself so you can work towards a perfect execution. It helps boost comfort, and ultimately, confidence!

Whilst you do want to sound legitimate and professional, don't use words that no one would understand. Instead, use clear, concise language to state what you mean, but don't use slang. Aim to sound calm and confident, and never interrupt. Use statistics to back up your arguments, and use linking words.

Usually the last or second to last would have the most rebuttals. They are usually near the end of the argument/debate though. However, you can change where the rebuttals are. It's your speech.

You must prepare yourself by being up-to-date on current events and hot social topics. You should be familiar with the issues on both sides of the topics to be prepared to take either side in the debate.

Try to pair up your opponent's argument with your respective counterpoints. Basically, summarize your opponent's point and then point out why it is flawed. Then circle back to the main points of your argument to tie it all together.

As for the whole body, you really shouldn't be walking around. Just standing at the podium without fidgeting creates a professional look. You should, however, use hand gestures to emphasize certain points.

The "main line" or "team line" is a short statement that essentially sums up your team's entire case.

Introduce yourself, the topic, your side. Before you start your argument, lay out what you're going to say (brief outline).

It may help to bring up a value. Something you stand for during your whole speech. Say if your value is humanity, bring up how people are getting affected and the empathy people should have for others. Beforehand, also get extra evidence so when you find out you run out of time, simply state the evidence because it also helps your speech. Third, if you forget all of that, pace yourself with the speech. It may be because you are going too fast and likely the judge may have forgotten some things. Pace and go slowly but be sure to have good flow and emphasize on certain words when necessary.

Just practice. Practice will make you confident and will help you speak well. When you are getting ready to debate, take a deep breath and don't worry too much about what is ahead of you. If you start to think too much about messing up, it is easier to get stressed out and mess up. You have practiced. You know what you are doing.

Simply knowing your topic. I am a second speaker and for me it helps to take opposing arguments before competition and write down refutes with evidence. That way when someone comes with their arguments, they are very easy to take down because you have prepared.

You can start a rebuttal by saying, "the (first, second, third) speaker of the opposition said..." or "the opposition mistakenly said...".

It depends on whether you are affirmative or negative. If you are affirmative, you could say something like: "As we are the digital age, there is increasing evidence that computers are replacing teachers." If you are negative, you could say something like: "Though computers do have a role in society, contrary to what the opposition is saying, they are not replacing teachers." In each of these stances, have arguments prepared and do as much research as possible beforehand.

The last speaker is the person who rebuts the arguments throughout the speech. They use their team members' arguments and build on them. They disagree with what is being said by the other team.

As the first speaker, that's when the team line is introduced and explained - probably after the definition, but before the allocation. As for the other speakers, the team line is said throughout their speeches. You could say it to link it with an argument of fact.

Use linking words, and link your summary with your rebuttals. Then, move onto summarizing the arguments, and end with a really short and punchy statement.

Stay confident, if you prepared your arguments, you can still win. If you don't believe you're good enough, you'll get flustered and you won't perform well. Take a deep breath and just do your best.

To do it in front of a mirror is the best thing. You get to know where your body is lacking confidence, where you are best, and where you can impress the judges. Also, record your speech and listen to it. It will help you know where you have to put more stress or where you are doing anything wrong. Judge yourself with a neutral mind and ask yourself if you are convincing or not.

Give strong statements. You want them to be convinced and to think really hard. Do not overwhelm them with too many boring facts and keep it organized. Make sure that all of your statements have an impact.

Introduce yourself with your name, the topic, and layout, and organize your speech. Refute only if time allows.

You define a topic with your framework. Usually this is used in parliamentary debate but can be used in Public Forum and Lincoln Douglas. You can use evidence to define the topic, but in parliamentary you can just narrow it down.