How to Structure Your Debate

HOW TO STRUCTURE YOUR DEBATE ● INTRODUCE YOURSELF ○ What proposition are you debating? ○ What side are you on? ○ Who are you? ○ What are you trying to persuade the audience to do? ● INCLUDE AN ATTENTION GRABBER ○ What are you going to say/do at the beginning of your argument to make sure the audience is paying attention to what you’re about to say? ○ You can also include an audience engager as your attention grabber. ■ What are you going to ask the audience to engage them (provide a short answer, raise their hand, etc.) ● ORGANIZE YOUR ARGUMENTS ○ Why do you think your side of the proposition (pro or con) is better? ■ Come up with at least 4 reasons. ● EVIDENCE ○ You can use either pathos, logos, or ethos to structure your evidence. ○ USE THE QUOTE SANDWICH Quote sandwich. ● PATHOS EVIDENCE - Emotional Arguments ○ Remember: Emotional arguments are stories that SHOW the audience why they should listen to you, and it should make them FEEL strong emotions. ○ You can use either a real or hypothetical event. ■ How to structure the quote sandwich: REAL EVENT WHAT REALLY HAPPENED? (Short summary) SOURCE (Where did you get this from?) EMOTION THE AUDIENCE WILL FEEL HOW THEY WERE IMPACTED BY THE SITUATION EMOTION THE AUDIENCE WILL FEEL HYPOTHETICAL EVENT MAIN CHARACTER / PROTAGONIST ● ETHOS EVIDENCE - Character Arguments ○ Character arguments present EXPERTS to the audience that support your side. Use multiple sources, not just 1 or 2. ■ How to structure the quote sandwich: WHO IS THE EXPERT? WHAT DID THE EXPERT SAY THAT SUPPORTS YOUR SIDE? WHAT ARE THEIR QUALIFICATIONS OR WHY SHOULD THE AUDIENCE TRUST THEM? IN WHAT WAY ARE THEY AN EXPERT? SOURCE (Where did you get this from?) ● LOGOS EVIDENCE - Factual Evidence to support Logical Arguments ○ Data, statistics, charts, graphs, and other facts that support your side. Use multiple sources, not just 1 or 2. ■ How to structure the quote sandwich: FACT/DIRECT QUOTE SOURCE (Where did you get this from?) WHY DOES THIS MATTER? HOW DOES THIS SUPPORT YOUR SIDE?