Advanced Debating Techniques

Thomas Baker
profesorbaker@gmail.com
09/27/16

Workshop Purpose
In this workshop,
we will learn how to
make arguments
more persuasive.

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How are arguments judged?

A basic argument is judged in three basic
areas:
1. Content,
2. Organization,
3. Delivery.
Lets review these three areas briefly:

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Content
Content: The amount of understanding of,
and support for, the topic.
Content can be called, the Argument.

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Organization
Organization: The planning and preparation
of the Argument.
Organization can be called, the Reason(s)
and the Evidence.

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A-R-E
Thus, we have the acronym, ARE:
A = Argument
R = Reason
E = Evidence

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ARE: This is the basic

argument structure.
Argument Marijuana should be legalized.
Reason It does not harm the human body.
Evidence Frequent marijuana use is
unlikely to be neurotoxic to the normal
developing adolescent brain
(Harm Reduction Journal, May 9, 2006).
Therefore, marijuana is safe to use and should
be legalized.
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Delivery
Delivery = How the debater speaks: Clear,
confident, near-native pronunciation, tone,
pace, gestures, & eye contact.
There are five (5) things a speaker needs to
consider in their delivery: Audibility,
Engagement, Conviction, Authority, &
Likability (AECAL).
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(A-E-C-A-L)
A is for Audibility
Audibility:
Everyone in the
room judges,
audience members,
your team, and
opposing team
needs to be able to
hear you.
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(A-E-C-A-L)
E is for Engagement
Engagement: All the things
you do to keep the audiences
attention. Examples: tone of
voice, volume, rate of speech,
hand gestures, posture, eye
contact, body language,
pronouns (you-we), rhetorical
questions, emotion, etc.

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(A-E-C-A-L)
C is for Conviction
Conviction: All
speakers must speak
and behave in a
manner that shows
true concern for, and
belief in, what they
are talking about.
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Samantha Bookes Example

No, the time for
justice, the time for
freedom, and the
time for equality, is
always -- is always
-- right now!
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(A-E-C-A-L)
A is for Authority
Authority:
You know what you
are talking about.
Examples: Facts,
figures, quotations,
personal experience,
real life experiences
of other people, etc.
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Samantha Bookes Example

...the state is currently spending
five times more for the education
of a white child than it is
spending to educate a colored
child. That means better
textbooks for that (white) child
than that (black) child. Oh, I
say thats a shame.
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(A-E-C-A-L)
L is for Likability
Likability: Kind, nice
gentlemanly/ladylike
behaviour, that is both
respectful & courteous
while being verbally at
odds (clashing) with your
opponents ideas not the
persons themselves.
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Henry Lowes Example

My opponent so
conveniently chose to
ignore the fact that W. E.
B. Dubois is the first
Negro to receive a PhD
from a white college
called Harvard.
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THE BIG QUESTION

If both debating teams are
using the formula:
ARE + AECAL,
then who wins the
debate?
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How Can We Make Our Arguments

More Persuasive?

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THE ANSWER: CHUNKING

Chunking refers to how specific your
arguments are.
There are three (3) levels:
1. Chunking up,
2. Chunking down, and
3. Chunking sideways.

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Chunking Up
Chunking up is the level of abstract
principles.
For example, consider the motion: THB
Marijuana should be legalized. What is the
abstract principle?

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Answer
We live in a society that allows us to have
things that do not harm us.
Therefore, if we can prove that marijuana
(MJ) is safe, then it should be legalized.
By proving MJ is safe, my team wins this
debate.

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Chunking Down
Chunking down is the concrete, real world
level. All debates are about the real world.
Debate judges are real people. So how does
this work then?

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Example:
THB MJ should be legalized.
(Speech) How many of you have
used MJ? (dramatic pause) You
seem to be perfectly normal to me.

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Example:
THB MJ should be legalized.
Do you know that Barack Obama,
Bill Gates, Queen Victoria, Pamela
Anderson, Carlos Santana, William
Shakespeare, Albert Einstein and even
Popeye the Sailor Man, have all used
Marijuana? These people also seem to
be perfectly normal to me.

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Chunking Sideways
This is the level of the Analogy.
Find something similar to the
motion and compare them.

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Example:
THB MJ should be legalized.
(Speech) Ladies and gentlemen, imagine
someone who has been drinking and they
are drunk. They get in their car, drive
drunk, and then kill or maim someone you
love in an accident. Let me tell you about
Jacqueline.

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Jacqueline: A True Story

Example:
THB MJ should be legalized.
On the other hand,
people who smoke
MJ get high, get in
their car (dramatic
pause), and make
love. Thank you.
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DEBATING DRILLS
1. MA MA MOO
Debaters are given an emotion written on a
slip of paper. The debater must convey this
emotion by speaking only the three words:
ma ma moo.

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DEBATING DRILLS
2. Defending The Indefensible
Debaters are given an indefensible motion to defend
in a spontaneous argument (ARE + AECAL).
Example: Children under five (5) years of age
should be given alcohol.
Example: People should ride zebras to work.
Example: Bread should become the new currency
of Chile.
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DEBATING DRILLS
3. Chunking Motions (Pair-Share-Square)
Debaters (in pairs) are given a motion to
chunk up, chunk down and chunk sideways.
Debaters share their chunked (more
persuasive arguments) with a new pair.

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Summary
Basic Debating (for all debaters)
ARE + AECAL
Advanced Debating (to win close debates)
Chunking:
1. Up Abstract Principles
2. Down Real World
3. Sideways Analogy
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CONCLUSION
Persuasive arguments win debates.
Always ask yourself the question:
How can I make my argument more
persuasive?
You know the answer:
Chunk up, down & sideways!
Thank You For Your Attention!
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THE GREAT DEBATERS

References
Debbie Newman Coach of Team England, World Schools Debating Champion,
2008.
Movie The Great Debaters.

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