BP Debating

Seminar
National University Debating Championship 2019
 It’s a battle about
WHAT IS finding the most just
and effective solution
DEBATING to a problem.
 INTRODUCTION TO
BP DEBATING FORMAT
BRITISH Prime Leader of
Minister Opposition
PARLIAMENTARY
FORMAT
Deputy Deputy
1. Each side consist of 2 Prime Leader of
Minister Opposition
teams; each team consists
of 2 members
2. The opening and closing Member of Member of
team are defending the Government Opposition
same side, but they are
judged as two different
teams Government Opposition
Whip Whip
WHAT THE CLOSING TEAM SHOULD DO

1. Have the same stance (solution) with their opening. But you can
always bring additional mechanism to the solution to perfect the
solution.
2. Add new justification or effectivity to the solution.
3. Add contextualization or picturization of the condition, that brings
more urgency to the problem.
4. Bring new rebuttals to opponent teams
WHAT THE CLOSING TEAM SHOULD NOT DO

 Have completely different solution when the opening team’s solution is very debatable.
 Bring nothing new to the debate.
 • Set a clear debate:
• Problem

PRIME MINISTER
• Stance (Solution) and Mechanism
• Goal
• Bring arguments

LEADER OF
OPPOSITION
• Provide counter stance (solution)
• Bring rebuttals
• Bring arguments
KEEP IN MIND :
1. Does the problem exist ?
2. If it does exist :
1. Is the Status Quo working ?
2. Can the Status Quo be
improved ?
3. Will the solution offered by
Government Team :
1. Be effective to solve the
problem ?
2. Worsen the situation ?
 • Answer the rebuttal from your
opponent
• Rebuild your team case that has been

DEPUTY attacked by your opponent

• Bring new rebuttal and argument
• Tell the judge why the opening debate
answered the most important question
 MEMBER
• Explain where closing team
different from the opening team
• Bring new rebuttals
• Bring new arguments
KEEP IN MIND :
1. Complete your opening stance
2. Explain what is actually the
most important thing to be
discussed
3. What is lacking from the
opening team
 • Bring rebuttal
• Give bias conclusion of the debate

WHIP
• Explain how should the debate be
judged
• Explain Why your team answer that
SETTING UP THE DEBATE
TYPE OF MOTION

PROPOSAL VALUE JUDGEMENT

 There is a problem that requires a solution.  Debating whether a phenomenon brings
benefit or harm
 Example :
 THW Intervene North Korea  Example :

 THBT Parenting right should be contingent  TH Regrets the rise of consumerism

upon completing primary education  THBT Supreme court judges should be
popularly elected

NOTE :
• Just because it is a value judgment debate doesn’t mean it doesn’t need to
have mechanism.
• Just because it is a proposal debate doesn’t mean it doesn’t need a philosophy/
principle argument
DEFINITION
 Giving definition does not mean you have to translate each word of the motion
based on the dictionary. Defining a motion means you give a clear explanation
what the debate is about.
 Definition can be given in few ways :
 Translating key words into a more understandable words; e.g. TH Celebrates the rise of
Feminist Cult ; TH Regrets the decline of highly-integrated family
 Providing picturization of the problem or the phenomenon and what you will do
(solution/stance); e.g. THW Intervene in Syria
 Clarify room of debate or limitation ; specify where or when this debate takes
place, but this doesn’t mean you have to be very specific. You have to be as
general as possible.
 A definition is unfair and can be challenged if :
DEFINITION  Undebatable; e.g. THW Ban abortion

CHALLENGE  Self-proofing
 Has no link to the motion
STANCE

Stance is about what you’re proposing or what you’re trying to prove

 THW Set Truth and Reconciliation Commission to the victim of 1998
Stance : Setting up TRC and prohibits people from going to trial
 TH Regrets the rise of Choice Feminism
Stance : To prove that the concept of choice is bad in achieving the goal of
feminism
 Ban Abortion
on most cases; Allow abortion Permission on
Complete Ban unless the one to rape victim All Abortion Permission on
on All Abortion threatening and to protect before the 2nd All Abortion
the mother’s mother’s life trimester
life
OPPOSITION APPROACH

 That the problem doesn’t exist

 That the problem exists, but the Status Quo can solve that
 That the problem exists, but Government is only making things worse
 That the problem exists, but the Opposition has a better alternative
ARGUMENT AND REBUTTAL 101
ARGUMENT

An argument can be philosophical or practical. Both arguments should be equally valued by

the adjudicator.
An argument should answer :
1. How is the argument true ?
 In Practical Argument : explaining how the argument can work to achieve a goal
 In Philosophical Argument : explaining how there is a right or responsibility to fulfill
2. Why is the argument important ?
Comparing why your argument is more important than opponent’s argument
REBUTTAL

 Negation ; deny that their claim is correct

 Neutralize ; explain why their concern also applicable on their case
 Even if ; assuming their argument can work, why the outcome will not be achieved the
way they want it
 Link back is to show :
• Why your argument is relevant to the
motion;

IMPORTANT ! • Which part of your previous speaker’s

case are you strengthening

LINK BACK • Which part of your opponent’s case

are you destroying

This can also be used to show why what

you have said is important for the debate.
 An advantage for Government team that
 All the technicalities is assumed available;
 The proposal will be passed in
PROPOSITION congress/parliament

FIAT However, it doesn’t assume that :

 States have unlimited funding;
 Congress/parliament gives full support;