What did I learn about persuading others from participating in my debate?

 I learned that there are many important devices one can use in order to sway an audience’s
opinion, such as charged language, deductive reasoning and the logos/pathos/ethos
methods. Another effective persuasive device is the use of personal stories/anecdotes,
which can be woven into one’s argument to make it more relatable for the audience. I
learned that it is important to make the audience feel like you are talking to them (as
opposed to ‘at’ them), so stories help the audience to sympathize with your argument and
put themselves in your shoes, so to speak.
What did I learn by observing others’ debates?
 Frankly, I learned the importance of constantly evaluating my beliefs to see if they can be
justified. Some of the debates challenged the way I had thought beforehand, which I greatly
appreciate. I enjoyed the opportunity to think critically and reevaluate what sat right with
me and my values. I also learned how important it is to spur dialogue about potentially
taboo topics such as gun control, which came up in one of the debates. If no one talks about
an issue, there will never be a solution.