Debate is a form of persuasive argumentation in which students examine two sides of an issue and argue for or against a topic. In a classroom debate, students prepare in advance by researching their positions, examining pro/con resources and current, “popular” takes on the topic (such as newspaper articles), and then writing and presenting their arguments.
A good debate essay includes several essential qualities: clear structure, strong arguments that make logical sense, effective rebuttals to counter-arguments, and engaging presentations. Debate essays also demonstrate a command of the elements of persuasion: ethos, pathos, and logos.
A debate begins with an introduction, and the best introductions have a hook that catches the audience’s attention and makes them want to keep listening. This might be a provocative question, an eye-opening statistic, or a personal anecdote related to the debate topic.
Once you have grabbed the audience’s attention, it is important to clearly state your main points or arguments in a speech. This is a technique called signposting and it helps audiences follow your line of reasoning and anticipate the flow of your arguments.
During the debate, the audience will likely ask questions and you will need to respond quickly and logically. This is a great opportunity to use the debating skill of ‘Point of Information’ (POI) where you briefly interrupt your opponent mid-speech to present new information that supports your arguments.