Author Topic: Debate Team  (Read 1506 times)

Offline Penguin

  • Persona Non Grata
  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3089
Debate Team
« on: June 19, 2011, 03:56:30 PM »
Hey guys!

I just got called up to join my highschool's new debate team.  I feel great, I've never been picked first for anything, and getting called up to my highschool's team is amazing.  I'm planning on doing extemporaneous speech and group discussion.  Do any of you have experience in these competitions?

I have a few questions:

Are there any drills that I can do?
Are there any stars that I can look up to and learn from?
Are there any pitfalls that I should avoid?

For those of you who do not, but have debated me before, do you have any pointers on how I can get an edge on my competition?

-Penguin

Offline Plawranc

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2683
      • Youtube Channel
Re: Debate Team
« Reply #1 on: June 19, 2011, 04:03:54 PM »
One piece of advice I can give you is this.

While you must support your position with factual information. Do what I do, emotional appeals shrouding fact.. will win your debates every time IF AND WHEN! it is being judged by audience consensus. When judged by a panel.. fact only..

Play an audience, convince a panel.
DaPacman - 71 Squadron RAF

"There are only two things that make life worth living. Fornication and Aviation"

Offline GNucks

  • Silver Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1324
      • VF-17 "Jolly Rogers"
Re: Debate Team
« Reply #2 on: June 19, 2011, 04:06:58 PM »
I think the biggest thing you can do to help yourself in debate is to debate against yourself. As in pretend your the other side and try to support their arguments and debunk your own. Understanding their stance is the most important thing.

Rebel - Inactive
An amateur trains until he gets it right, a professional until he can't get it wrong.
vf-17.webuda.com

Offline gyrene81

  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 11629
Re: Debate Team
« Reply #3 on: June 19, 2011, 04:25:02 PM »
gnucks has a good idea...just don't make the mistakes you have been making (i.e. japanese poop) to argue either side.
jarhed  
Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day...
Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. - Terry Pratchett

Offline FireDrgn

  • Silver Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1115
Re: Debate Team
« Reply #4 on: June 19, 2011, 05:12:03 PM »


Study logical fallacies.

"When the student is ready the teacher will appear."   I am not a teacher.

Offline M0nkey_Man

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2254
Re: Debate Team
« Reply #5 on: June 19, 2011, 10:38:35 PM »
My dad went to state a couple of times in debate. He usually judges them now
FlyKommando.com


"Tip of the dull butter knife"
delta07

Offline JOACH1M

  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 9803
Re: Debate Team
« Reply #6 on: June 19, 2011, 10:55:45 PM »
Hey guys!

I just got called up to join my highschool's new debate team.  I feel great, I've never been picked first for anything, and getting called up to my highschool's team is amazing.  I'm planning on doing extemporaneous speech and group discussion.  Do any of you have experience in these competitions?

I have a few questions:

Are there any drills that I can do?
Are there any stars that I can look up to and learn from?
Are there any pitfalls that I should avoid?

For those of you who do not, but have debated me before, do you have any pointers on how I can get an edge on my competition?

-Penguin
Well, if I'm trying to make a point I am  normally blunt with it. Be stubborn and never give up
FEW ~ BK's ~ AoM
Focke Wulf Me / Last Of The GOATS 🐐
ToC 2013 & 2017 Champ
R.I.P My Brothers <3

Offline ink

  • Persona Non Grata
  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 11274
Re: Debate Team
« Reply #7 on: June 19, 2011, 10:56:39 PM »
if you cant amaze them with brilliance, baffle em with bulls...crap :D

Offline F22RaptorDude

  • Persona Non Grata
  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3641
Re: Debate Team
« Reply #8 on: June 19, 2011, 11:51:43 PM »
I go around offending the other team, and that the reason i'm not on my schools debate team. Although I can keep up a debate with my mom going for a few days.  :rofl Maybe I should take things more seriously.
Reaper in a T-50-2 Scout tank in 10 seconds flat

Offline clerick

  • Silver Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1742
Re: Debate Team
« Reply #9 on: June 20, 2011, 02:42:42 AM »

Study logical fallacies.



+1000

Was often able to win by ripping apart the logic and leaving the facts alone.

Offline greens

  • Silver Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1413
Re: Debate Team
« Reply #10 on: June 20, 2011, 03:29:35 AM »
gnucks has a good idea...just don't make the mistakes you have been making (i.e. japanese poop) to argue either side.
ur high school must be pretty  :rolleyes:
_-=ELIM EAGLES=-_
in loving memory of OZ <Eagles21>
 miss you bro!

Offline Penguin

  • Persona Non Grata
  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3089
Re: Debate Team
« Reply #11 on: June 20, 2011, 06:21:36 AM »
+1000

Was often able to win by ripping apart the logic and leaving the facts alone.

Good, I've got a pretty good understanding of them now, but are there any drills that I can do to recognize them while under pressure?

-Penguin

Offline gyrene81

  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 11629
Re: Debate Team
« Reply #12 on: June 20, 2011, 08:27:38 AM »
ur high school must be pretty  :rolleyes:
you jealous? maybe you should have stayed in school.
jarhed  
Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day...
Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. - Terry Pratchett

Offline mthrockmor

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2649
Re: Debate Team
« Reply #13 on: June 20, 2011, 09:13:30 AM »
Echo the fallacy point. I did some debate at the university level and the good ones utilize all the other points around the framework of being brilliant at logical fallacies.

I'm sure you seen now but they have different rules, about who goes for how long, responses, etc. I would also do a lot of video work on Youtube to get comfortable with how they go about it. There are also several books that deal with fallacies. I would get one and memorize each and every fallacy, then work to find and apply those fallacies at the drop of a hat. All you need to do is find one fallacy in the opponents argument to terminate them.

Oh, and have debate on your college application is a big time bonus. I recently took my daughter to Vanderbilt for student orientation and the admissions counselor stressed these applicants get higher consideration for enrollment and frequently receive scholarships because of it.

Let us know how it goes and don't give up, no matter how bad you get manhandled in the beginning. Its like playing this game, it takes time and no matter how gifted one thinks they are someone who is better trained and prepared will always beat their brains out. Be patient and be the better trained and prepared debater. A marathon.

Boo
No poor dumb bastard wins a war by dying for his country, he wins by making the other poor, dumb, bastard die for his.
George "Blood n Guts" Patton

Offline uptown

  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 8566
Re: Debate Team
« Reply #14 on: June 20, 2011, 09:16:51 AM »
if you cant amaze them with brilliance, baffle em with bulls...crap :D
:rofl  :aok
Lighten up Francis