Glossary for English Debate

1. AFFIRMATIVE SIDE. The speaker or team undertakes to secure audience acceptance of the debate proposition. 2. ANALOGY. A type of argument which asserts that if the facts relating to A and the facts relating to B are alike in certain known respects, they will be alike in another respect. 3. ANALYSIS. The process of thinking through a subject and disco ering the issues! systematic in"uiry. #. ARG MENT. An assertion which implies the result of reasoning or proof. $. ASSERTION. An unsupported statement. %. !RIEF. A carefully prepared, complete outline of one side in a debate, including the e idence to support each point. &. ! RDEN OF "OMM NI"ATION. The obligation of each debate to speak at a tone and rate which enables an audience to follow and to respond. '. ! RDEN OF #ROOF. The obligation of debaters to support each of their assertions with some sort of proof. (. ! RDEN OF RE! TTAL. The obligation of debaters to ad ance the debate by responding to the arguments of the opponents. )ometimes called burden of rejoinder. 1*. "ASE. All the assembled proof a ailable for determining the truth of the proposition +for the affirmati e, or the untruth of the proposition +for the negati e,. The brief de eloped in full with analysis, reasoning, and e idence. 11. "A SE. A type of argument which asserts that if fact A occurs, fact B will necessarily follow it. 12. "EDA. )ee -ross ./amination 0ebate Association. 13. "LAIM. The third part of Toulmin1s system for argument analysis which is the conclusion. 1#. "LAS$. The direct opposition between the affirmati e and the negati e cases which is created by narrowing the contro ersy to its essential issues. 1$. "ONSTR "TIVE S#EE"$. The main speech in a debate for each speaker in which all issues to be considered in the debate are presented. 1%. "ONTENTION. An argumentati e statement which forms a main heading in the constructi e outline and which is in turn supported by arguments and e idence. 1&. "O NTER#RO#OSAL. 2n policy debates, it is a negati e strategy which accepts the need issue, but offers an alternati e solution. 1'. "O NTER%ARRANT. 2n alue3oriented debate, it is a negati e strategy which argues for the acceptance of an alternati e alue structure from that called for by the resolution. 1(. "RITI"ISM. -omments pro ided by a judge or instructor with the intent of e/plaining an e aluation and indicating areas in need of impro ement. 2*. "ROSS E&AMINATION. The process of asking "uestions of opposing speakers in debate. 21. "ROSS E&AMINATION DE!ATE ASSO"IATION '"EDA(. A national organi4ation with the purpose of promoting educational debate and dedicated to teaching the principles of persuasi e and communicati e argumentation. -.0A selects debate propositions, usually
1

alue3oriented, for debate at appro ed tournaments and compiles rankings of schools on the basis of performance at those tournaments. 22. DATA. The first part of the Toulmin system for analy4ing argument which consists of bits of information or e idence such as statistics, "uotations, or statements. 23. DE!ATE. 5ormal oral contro ersy consisting of the systematic presentation of opposing arguments on a selected topic. 2#. DELIVERY. The communication of ideas to an audience through erbal and non erbal means. 2$. DIRE"T ) ESTIONS. 6ery specific and focused cross3e/amination "uestions. 2%. ET$OS. Aristotle1s term for the percei ed character of the speaker, credibility. 2&. EVIDEN"E. 7atters of fact or opinion offered as support or proof for assertions ad anced in the debate. 2'. E&AM#LE. A type of argument which asserts a generali4ation based on the "ualities of a specific instance or instances. 2(. FALLA"Y. Any defect in reasoning which destroys its alidity. 3*. FLO% "$ART. A tool used for taking notes during a debate which enables the debater or listener to keep track of the de elopment of an argument throughout successi e speeches. 2t represents the flow of argument in the debate. 31. FORENSI"S. )peaking for judgment, often used to designate competiti e interscholastic speech acti ities, such as debate. 2n this conte/t, forensics is an educational acti ity primarily concerned with using an argumentati e perspecti e in e/amining problems and communicating with people. 32. $IERAR"$Y. A system used to establish superior and inferior relationships between items. 2n alue3oriented debate, a hierarchy indicates which alue is held in higher regard than another. 33. ISS E. A conclusion which must be pro ed in order to establish that the proposition should be adopted! it appears in the debate as a key assertion. 3#. * DGE. The person who e aluates a debate. 3$. LEADING ) ESTIONS. -ross3e/amination "uestions which establish a se"uence or pattern, e entually building a logical conclusion. 3%. LIN"OLN+DO GLAS DE!ATE. 8ne person ersus one person debate format in the tradition of the historical debates between Abraham 9incoln and )tephen 0ouglas. 3&. NATIONAL DE!ATE TO RNAMENT 'NDT(. A term used as a shorthand reference to designate policy proposition debate and the style of presentation associated with it. 3'. NEED ISS E. 2n policy3centered debate, it is an assertion by the affirmati e side that there is need for a substantial change in the status "uo. 3(. NEGATIVE SIDE. The speaker or team which undertakes to pre ent the affirmati e side from securing acceptance of the debate proposition. #*. O!SERVATION. A preliminary remark which usually lays out a basic assumption or conte/t before the presentation of contentions in a debate case. #1. O#EN ) ESTIONS. -ross3e/amination "uestions which are ery general in nature,
2

allowing the respondent to gi e general responses. #2. O TLINE. A carefully prepared structural pattern for a speech or case which clarifies the relationship of ideas in the message by placing information in a reasoned se"uence and by indicating the coordinate and subordinate relationship of ideas. #3. #RIMA FA"IE "ASE. A case which establishes such a high degree of probability that the proposition would be accepted unless the case is refuted. 2t is usually established in the first affirmati e constructi e speech. ##. #RO!E ) ESTIONS. -ross3e/amination "uestions which re"uire the respondent to defend or justify their reasons or use of data. #$. #ROOF. )upport for an idea or argument which the speaker offers in order to create belief in an audience. 2n debate, it consists of e idence and reasoning which is offered to the audience. #%. #RO#OSITION. A judgment e/pressed in a declarati e statement. 2n debate, it appears as an affirmati e statement of the "uestion to be resol ed. #&. #RO#OSITION OF FA"T. A proposition which asserts that a fact is true or that an e ent took place, #'. #RO#OSITION OF #OLI"Y. A proposition which declares that a certain future action should be taken. #(. #RO#OSITION OF VAL E. A proposition which does not call for a future action, but makes an e aluation or judgment. $*. ) OTE. A erb meaning to use words, sentences, or material from sources other than your own. $1. REASONING. The process of drawing inferences and conclusions from a ailable information or data. 2n debate, it is the process of inferring relationships between e idence and assertions. $2. RE! TTAL. The process of defending arguments against attack. 2n debate, it is an additional speech allowed each speaker, following the constructi e speeches, in which a speaker may attack the opponents1 arguments in addition to defense, but may not introduce any new constructi e arguments. $3. REF TATION. The attempt to demonstrate the error or inade"uacy of the opponents1 case. $#. RESEAR"$. The process of finding information and material to support ideas or arguments. 2t is most effecti e when conducted as the result of a carefully focused approach. $$. RESOL TION. :sed the same as proposition. $%. SIGN. A type of argument which asserts that the e/istence of fact A reliably indicates the e/istence of fact B. $&. STAT S ) O. 9iterally, ;the state in which a thing is.< 2n debate, it refers to the situation in e/istence as the debate begins. $'. STO", ISS E. A basic issue in any debate which determines if the debate is actually concerned with the area stated by the proposition. $(. TO#I"ALITY ISS E. A basic issue in any debate which determines if the debate is actually concerned with the area stated by the proposition. %*. TO RNAMENT. The competiti e gathering of speakers for arious e ents, such as debate.
3

%1. VAL E. A general statement of principles upon which one bases actions and beliefs. %2. %ARRANT. The reasoning process by which we look at one bit of information +data, and decide what it means +claim,.