Being part of a debate team is much more than just turning up and speaking. You need to work as a team to reseach the topic, refine your arguments and prepare for the debate itself.
Getting started
So you have agreed to be on a debate team, well done!
Your first steps should be:
- Make sure you have the contact details for your team members.
- Talk to the VPE to get a coach - they are a good sounding board to help develop your ideas.
- Arrange an initial meeting with your team (asap)
- Create a shared space to share information (Google doc, google drive), One Note.
- Find your commuincation channels (WhatsApp groups work well, slack, or email depending on the team members).
How often and how much to meet.
Ideally you want to meeting at least twice as a team before the debate - remember typically you only have two weeks until the debate.
Keep in touch with each other.
1) Team members meet (first time) to brainstorm the issues for their side of the debate, 5 or 6 days before the debate.
2) Team members then do research to find concrete supporting materials
3) Team members meet again (second time) 3 or 4 days before the debate to
a) review research
b) throw away issues which do not have concrete supporting materials
…… The plural of anecdote is not data - anecdotes may be relevant but not proper evidence.
…… If 67% of people vote for something in a poll, it doesn't mean it is true or valid.
c) decide who takes which roles in the debate team
d) divide issues (approx. 5-8) between the main two speakers (the least experienced speaker should have first choice).
4) Then team members individually begin to prepare their own Speech with its Objectives (separate documents for Proposition and Opposition teams) in line with the team approach.
5) Teams consider the language to be used as a team slogan 1 or 2 days before the debate.
A coach may be available to assist with this.
Prepared by O.K.