Types of Debate

You may not be aware of it but you use debates even in your daily activities. You hear
people argue in different domains –home, school, office, market, church, and in the
government. This is so because a debate, loosely defined, involves the exchange of
opposing ideas or arguments. A debate, which is carried out in a formal manner, usually
takes place in a public meeting. The exchange of arguments follows a certain procedure
or a set of rules and has a definite format.

There are two types of debate: the formal and the informal. Formal debates are held in
formal settings such as in school, in the House of Representatives, and in the Senate.
Debaters come prepared, equipped with the knowledge they need to be able to reason
out effectively. A topic is debated upon and the debaters listen to the arguments raised
by the other debaters from which they build their arguments and argue their position.

Informal debates, on the other hand, do not follow strictly a structure. While there are
also two sides - the affirmative and the negative – it takes place anywhere and does not
have to involve two teams. It may take place between two or more people, arguing for
or against a certain issue. An example would be two friends, deciding where to eat their
lunch for the day.

Skills Needed in Debate

You need all the language macro-skills to be an effective debater. The productive and
receptive skills work together and are not independent of each other. Certainly, these
skills should go with critical thinking especially since listening, speaking, reading, writing,
and viewing can only be successful if practiced with critical thinking. As you listen, speak,
and read, you also need to take down notes so note-taking is imperative.

1.    Reading - For you to become a successful debater, you should be a wide reader. Sir
Francis Bacon once said: "Reading maketh a full man, writing an exact man." What does
this mean? From what angle or perspective can you explain this quote? Many say that
through reading, you can visit places, experience other cultures, and learn new things. In
fact, if you read extensively, you are able to look at things differently. Your knowledge of
things is not restricted to a single perspective but to many. You are able to weigh things
more objectively because you have gained a deeper understanding of life. Such is the
beauty of being a book lover a passionate reader.

2.    Speaking - Your being a voracious reader or a bookworm will certainly manifest

itself in the way you speak. You never run out of thoughts and words once you are
asked on a certain topic. The knowledge you have gained from reading can manifest in
your wide vocabulary and in a distinct use of a speaking style that can change the minds
of your listeners, sway and win them over to your side. When you speak, always
remember that you should articulate your thoughts very well, pronounce clearly the
words you utter, use the appropriate rate and volume, speak with grammatical accuracy,
maintain the correct bearing or poise, and employ non-verbal code such as gestures,
facial expression, and movement.

3.    Writing - It is in the writing skill where the 'making of a full man' is achieved.
Reading and writing are skills that go together. As a passionate reader, you increase
your vocabulary significantly. You are able to express in writing your full understanding
of yourself, the world you are in, your views about lite, and your perspectives of people.
But you become only a full man if you are able to adjust to the needs of the time and
are mindful of your shared responsibility to help improve other people's lives.

4.    Listening - Though not usually emphasized, listening is equally important as the

other skills. Thus, it should not be taken for granted. Just like reading and writing,
listening and speaking go together. In a debate, if you do not listen carefully to the
arguments of your colleagues and the members of the opposing team, you cannot build
on your teammate's arguments and refute convincingly the claims of the other team,
respectively. Jimmy Hendrix once said: "Knowledge speaks but wisdom listens.” Indeed,
this is true.  For aside from reading, it is only through listening intently that you are able
to gain knowledge and wisdom. It is also through listening that you are able to show
respect to others.

Ethical Considerations

Freely and Steinberg (2014) in their book Argumentation and Debate: Critical Thinking
for Reasoned Decision Making define ethics as “a set of constructs that guide our
decision making by providing standards of behavior telling us how we ought to act" (p.
105).

However, they have added different ways of conceptualizing ethics as follows:

1. Ethics may be thought of as a complex foundation of morally based rules, as might be

adhered to within a culture of a group.

2. Ethics may provide specific guidelines for individuals or groups engaged in similar
activities or with occupational concerns, for example, business ethics or sportsmanship.
3. Ethics may characterize the way people think of themselves and the self-applied
measures for right behavior based in personality or experience which guide them to
virtuous or appropriate behavior.

4. Ethics may construct a general or universal set of values, guiding a broader

understanding about the human condition born of philosophical commitment,
constructs, and motives.

Debates, therefore, question issues of right and wrong including the applications of
standards of ethics. At times, people also find themselves challenging their own ethical
standards. It is difficult to assume that just because a debater sees something to be
unacceptable, then it really is. Assumptions lead to poor arguments and poor decision-
making. Remember that people have differing ethical assumptions about this world.
They have different ways of viewing things.

It is essential not to make sweeping statements when laying down arguments as these
may pave the way for the opposing team to question the claims.

Dress and Appearance

You should be mindful of how you look in a forma debate. Your appearance is just as
important as the paralinguistic cues and non-verbal behavior. If you are a female
speaker, wear a business attire that will make you look respectable. Do not wear color
that are ostentatiously attractive. Very high-heeled shoes and flat shoes should also be
avoided. Instead, wear heels that are manageable, for example, 1 1/2 to 2 inches. Make-
up and jewelry should also be worn conservatively.

For males, you also need to wear business attire, avoiding loud colors. Should you wear
a coat and tie, do not wear a tie that comes in flashy or glaring colors. You should be
able to match your inner clothes with your outer clothes. Do not wear large ornaments.
Your nails should be cut, hair well-combed, and shoes neatly-polished.