If you’re part of a debate group, you may be randomly assigned a position and told to debate it with a partner. For instance, you might be asked to support school uniforms even if you don’t think they are a good thing. Some debaters find that working with unfamiliar subjects is easier than ones you’re passionate about. You may not know as much about the position you’re arguing for, but you will also be less emotionally invested in it.
Knowing your opponent’s position allows you to anticipate objections and respond with more effective counterpoints. In a formal debate, you must state your argument, followed by supporting facts with plenty of evidence. Informal debates don’t require this same sort of order or evidence, but having supporting examples will still make your point much stronger.
For example, you might say, “I believe school uniforms are bad because they take away individuality, which is an important part of developing a personal identity in childhood. ” Try following your thesis with a quick summary of your points. Use your strongest evidence-based points. For instance: “I believe the moon was once a part of the Earth because geological data shows that the moon’s rocks are similar to those found on Earth. ” If you can get your opponent to agree with your basic premise, you will be in a much better position during the debate.
If you have time to do so before a debate, jot down a quick list of the points you plan on making. Check that they flow well in an order that is easy to understand. For example, you could start off by criticizing the effect school uniforms have on individuality. You might then illustrate how they prevent children from developing and point out studies showing that uniforms don’t improve grades or reduce bullying.
For instance, you may wish to talk about how school uniforms cost money, are a burden on poor families, or feel uncomfortable. It’s difficult to work these points in while you’re talking about individuality. Informal debates aren’t scripted. Even if you make a list of points, you may not get a chance to talk about all of them. Keep in mind that your opponent may also give you an opportunity to talk about points you didn’t intend on bringing up as well!
One way to reach a resolution is to get your opponent to agree on some point. You could say, “We can all agree that school uniforms are very restrictive, right?” If you sense a diversion coming, you could say something like, “Let’s go back to your last point. ”
For example, you could say, “That’s not true” or “That logic doesn’t check out. ” You may have a chance to stop a bad argument before your debate partner has a chance to make it sound convincing. Most of the time, you’re better off listening and waiting. Let your opponent say their piece, including faulty arguments, as you plan out a response.
For instance, you might hear that school uniforms promote school safety and togetherness. You might then say, “This study shows that fights actually doubled after a school introduced uniforms. ” To take a logic-based approach, you could argue, “The fact that school uniforms look the same does not mean they succeed in making people feel like part of the group. There are many other factors that make people feel different. ”
For example, if your thesis is that uniforms are bad, your opponent might point out how they are meant to reduce barriers between students. You could mention, “Barriers like wealth, status, and ability still exist. Since your point is that these barriers exist in the first place, uniforms aren’t the solution. ”
One simple question to ask is, “Do you have evidence for that claim?” You could also try asking something like, “What would happen if everyone did that?”
One of the most common ones is a red herring, which is when your opponent tries to distract you with something irrelevant. For example, if you’re talking about choosing your own outfit, your opponent might say, “I like uniforms. They make kids look like they’re going to work. ” A straw man is when your opponent attacks an argument you didn’t make. For instance, they might say, “So you don’t want kids to dress properly for school. That just means you support immoral behavior and don’t care about kids getting laughed at for dressing poorly. ” A slippery slope argument confuses by bringing up irrelevant consequences. Your opponent might argue, “If kids can dress any way they please, first they’ll dress like they’re at home, and soon no one in the world will dress appropriately. ” Another common tactic is called begging the question, where they pretend that a conclusion is true because of another argument. One example is, “School uniforms are good because I wore one and look how I turned out. ”
Remember that you are not here to attack your opponent. You may feel like they are failing to understand your position, but keep trying to convince them instead of losing your cool. Getting upset may be taken as a sign of weakness and cause your opponent to conclude they have you on the ropes. It can make your opponent feel more confident in their position.
For instance, during a debate about school uniforms, don’t go overboard explaining specific school policies or technical details that will be confusing. Keep it simple and understandable. If you’re debating in front of an audience or a judge, look to them for signals. If they look confused or are shaking their heads at a point you made, then change your tactics.
Be aware that many debate topics don’t have easy answers. School uniforms, for instance, are controversial and have both positive and negatives to them. Your goal is to be as convincing as possible, even if you don’t personally agree with the position you may be forced to take.
Take both wins and losses as an educational experience that makes you better equipped for the next debate. If you lose a debate, it doesn’t mean you’re obliged to change your opinion. You might use it as an opportunity to figure out new ways to respond to criticisms of your beliefs.
