How to Debate

No matter how “official” it is, we all use our debating skills in normal everyday life don’t we? I remember being a teenager (yes, my long term memory is fine, it’s what I ate for breakfast I have trouble with) being told, on more than one occasion that the subject was not “up for debate” (meaning that I had a good argument in my opinion) but “no I couldn’t go to the party”, “yes, I was having an early night” or “no, you are not going out in that skirt, it looks more like a belt”. Some people do have better debating skills than others, and parents are often not up to the mark when it comes to teenagers are they? Well, that’s what teenagers think anyway, although I’ve since had the debate (or not) from the other side of the fence.

How to Debate

Good debating skills come in handy in all sorts of ways, trying to climb your way to the top of the career ladder, trying to get a job in the first place, trying to get your own way when decorating the hallway – just a few examples. There are even debating committees and competitions which are held for the sole purpose of having a good old argument, no, sorry, debate, and trying to beat the opposition into submission.

• There are two sides to every debate, decide which side you are on (you can’t sit on the fence in a debate, it’s not the way it works) and then stick to it, do not let your opinions waver, no matter how convincing your opposition might be. You are right, they are wrong – end of story.
• Your debate needs to have a beginning, a middle and an end, just like any good essay. You must introduce your ideas, have a strong bunch of evidence to support your claims and then come to the only conclusion which is feasible – you are right!
• Don’t be tempted to lose your temper in a debate, that’s more of an argument. Remain calm, remain focused, even if you start to get the opposition a bit rattled (ha ha, you’ll have them where you want them if that happens).
• Don’t get personal when you are in a debate. You can ridicule the ideas of your opposition, after all, they are wrong aren’t they, but you must never sink to the levels of ridiculing their choice of fashion or hygiene issues.
• If you run out of ideas – summarize. Don’t just go over and over the same thing, louder and louder, but often a quick summary will give you the chance to think up a new angle for your debate.
• Be passionate in your debate. If you truly believe in what you are saying (and you ought to, otherwise you shouldn’t have started in the first place) then you should win the debate. Be passionate, be logical and use academic research whenever possible (throwing in a few academic names always helps, especially if your opposition don’t know who you are talking about).

There’s nothing like a good debate to get your heart pumping is there?
Enjoy!