(c) 2010 Sabine Van Der Eijk. On photo: Simone van Elk
What is debating?
Debate is a formal argument, in which two opposing teams propose or attack a given proposition or motion in a series of speeches. It is governed by a set of rules, which permit interruptions or “points of information” by the opposition. Debates can be judged by a panel of judges (competitive debate) or by an audience (show debate).
Competitive debating uses the skills of argument to debate and discuss important issues about our beliefs, government policies and proposals on how to improve the world or face up to problems in society. A competitive debate should be rational, focused, and structured. Debating builds a unique set of skills, helping people to analyze problems, think critically, synthesize arguments and present these ideas in a cogent and convincing manner.
Why debate?
There are a huge number of different reasons to debate, from learning to make interesting arguments, to travelling to countries thousands of miles away for debating competitions. Everyone has their own reasons to debate, but here are three of our reasons why you might want to try debating.
Debating creates opportunities – Debating competitions take place all over the world and so debating offers the opportunity to travel to far-flung reaches of the globe to discuss important issues with groups of people from every country in the world.
Debating gives you skills – In education and work, being able to structure arguments, make convincing analysis and present your thoughts or argument to a group are all rare and highly valued skills.
Debating is fun – Making arguments, defending your views, winning debates in front of an audience are all exciting.
