EggoWaffle
10-02-2008, 09:59 PM
It seems like debates have gained some acceptance as a method to increase the IQ in the Off Topic section. I have yet to understand why there hasn't been any more being posted so there is a list of guidelines that will help you create your own debate.
1. A topic should have some sort of relevance to our community or their lives. No debate should turn into a political or religious argument so debates about McCain vs Obama should be avoided.
A list of debate topics can be found here but try to be creative :P
http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_index.php?page=1
2. To judge a winner side you should get pen and paper and start writing down the main arguments used and how each argument countered each. A good negative side should have attacked all points of the affirmative side and proposed a better model. On the contrary, for the affirmative side to do a good job, they must present arguments that the negating side should not be able to take down easily and a better model should be presented.
3. Team work contributes to 30% of an adjudicators (the debate judge) decision. If you see your team mate is in trouble, think of ways to back them up. Always relate to what your team mate says in your argument if possible.
4. Never bash, flame or swear at the opposing side. Manner and style also contributes to one's winning side. Internet etiquette are considered apart of manner and style, so using CAPS or bold letters all through your arguments may not be a good idea.
5. Remember, take down your opponent by attacking their ideas as a whole. Metaphorically speaking, don't attack their full stops or grammatical mistakes, attack their sentence.
6. Use the font color Green for affirmative and Dark Red for the negative side.
7. For a taster of what debating is about, watch the movie: _The Great Debaters_
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427309/
1. A topic should have some sort of relevance to our community or their lives. No debate should turn into a political or religious argument so debates about McCain vs Obama should be avoided.
A list of debate topics can be found here but try to be creative :P
http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_index.php?page=1
2. To judge a winner side you should get pen and paper and start writing down the main arguments used and how each argument countered each. A good negative side should have attacked all points of the affirmative side and proposed a better model. On the contrary, for the affirmative side to do a good job, they must present arguments that the negating side should not be able to take down easily and a better model should be presented.
3. Team work contributes to 30% of an adjudicators (the debate judge) decision. If you see your team mate is in trouble, think of ways to back them up. Always relate to what your team mate says in your argument if possible.
4. Never bash, flame or swear at the opposing side. Manner and style also contributes to one's winning side. Internet etiquette are considered apart of manner and style, so using CAPS or bold letters all through your arguments may not be a good idea.
5. Remember, take down your opponent by attacking their ideas as a whole. Metaphorically speaking, don't attack their full stops or grammatical mistakes, attack their sentence.
6. Use the font color Green for affirmative and Dark Red for the negative side.
7. For a taster of what debating is about, watch the movie: _The Great Debaters_
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427309/