Australasian Australasian Parliamentary English Parliamentary English Debate SystemDebate System

Johanes Leonardi T., S.Pd, M.Sc

English Education Study ProgramFaculty of Teacher Training & EducationWIDYA MANDALA CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY - SURABAYA

Definition

A formal method of interactive and representational argument.

Consist of two teams debating over an issue, more commonly called a topic or proposition.

Encouraged in high schools and colleges

The Advantages

A means of encouraging critical thinking.

A means of personal expressions.

Tolerance of others' opinions.

Formation

Affirmative

Team

Negative

Team

Adjudicators

Chair Person Time Keeper

Australasian Debating

Affirmative:

1st Speaker

2nd Speaker

3rd Speaker

Reply Speaker

Negative:

1st Speaker

2nd Speaker

3rd Speaker

Reply Speaker

Speech Delivery

Substantive Speech: 5-8 minutes

Reply Speech: 3-5 minutes

Affirmative (“The Government”)

Has the right to define the motion.

Support it with constructive arguments.

Negative (“The Opposition”)

Oppose the motion defined by the Affirmative.

Build a counter-case against the Affirmative.

Challenge the definition if invalid only.

Motion (Topic)

A prepositional statement that determines what a debate shall be about:

That we should give President SBY a chance.

That American pop culture is a threat to civilization.

Defining the Motion

Must be debatable. Must not a bizarre

distortion of the motion.

Defining the Motion

That what goes up must come down. what being the President of RI. goes up takes power come down step down from the

power “That the Indonesian presidency

should be limited to 2 terms”

Challenging the Definition

Truistic Tautological/ Circular Squirreling Time & Place Setting

Truistic Definition

It is ‘true’ by nature thus make the arguments unarguable.

That we should eat, drink, and be merry.

That we should eat because otherwise we starve to death; drink because otherwise we would die; and be merry because we are alive.

Tautological/Circular Definition

The given definition is circling to the motion.

That technology is killing our work ethic.

That all scientific advancements that make life easier and therefore kill our work ethic are killing our work ethic.

Squirreling Definition

It isn’t tied down to the spirit of the motion & doesn’t have a proper logical link to the motion.

That the USA is opening up to the PRC. USA: Untidy Students of Asia PRC: Pretty Room Cleaners

Time & Place Setting Definition

The subject matter of the debate cannot be confined to a very particular time & place.

Limiting the subject matter to only the economic development of Japan during the specific period of the Meiji restoration.

Theme Line

It is the underlying logic of a team’s case.

Used to prove a team’s stand on the motion.

Key question: Why is it true? Indonesia’s presidency should be

limited to 2 terms in respect to democracy, balance of power, and adapting to the world changes.

Team Split

Distribution of arguments to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd speaker.

Argumentation

The process of explaining why a point of view should be accepted.

Valid by its supporting logic & facts.

Good argumentation

Relevance Organization Consistency & internal

logic Clarity Effective use of

evidence

Rebuttal

The process of proving that the opposing team’s arguments should be accorded less weight than its claim.

Showing how & why the opposition’s arguments are invalid.

Rebuttal: The arguments are…

Based on a wrong of facts/ interpretation of facts.

Irrelevant to the topic. Illogical. Involving unacceptable implications.

Role of the First Speaker

Affirmative: Defines the motion. Presents the team’s theme line

why the case is logically correct. Outlines the team split. Delivers 1st substantial argument. Provide a brief summary of the case.

Role of the First Speaker

Negative: Accepts/challenges the definition. Rebut 1st affirmative’s arguments. Presents the theme line. Outlines the theme split. Delivers 1st substantial arguments. Provides a brief summary.

Role of the Second Speaker

Affirmative: Rebuts the 1st negative’s arguments. Restates the affirmative team’s case. Delivers 2nd substantial speech. Provides a brief summary.

Role of the Second Speaker

Negative: Rebuts the two affirmative speakers. Restates the team’s case. Delivers the 2nd substantial

arguments. Provides a brief summary.

Role of the Third Speaker

Affirmative: Rebuts the two negative speakers. Restates the theme line & the two

speakers’ arguments. Summarizes the issues of the debate.

Role of the Third Speaker

Negative: Rebuts all three affirmative speakers. Restates the theme line & the two

speakers’ arguments. Summarizes the issues of the debate

Reply Speakers

Provide an overview of the debate. Identify the issues by both sides. Provide a biased adjudication of the

debate.

Adjudication

The process of determining which team wins the debate.

Matter: 40 Manner: 40 Method: 20

HAPPY DEBATING!!!