Use This Collection of Terms and Add Your Own As You Learn Through the Course of This Unit

Debate Terms

Use this collection of terms and add your own as you learn through the course of this unit.

Term

/

Definition

Resolution / A statement of the point to be argued.
Affirmative / The team supporting the resolution.
Negative / The team opposing the resolution.
Status Quo / The way things are; the present state of affairs.
Minor Repairs / A strategy used by the negative team which generally says that there is no need for significant change to the status quo, just small adjustments.
Plan / The particular course of action proposed by the affirmative team to meet the needs for change it has outlined.
Counterplan / A proposal advanced by the negative side that a solution different from the affirmative be accepted.
It must be significantly different and more desirable than the affirmative plan. As well, the need for change must first be admitted.
Constructive Speech / The main speech in a debate for each speaker. The debater employs proof to convince the audience and judges to believe his/her case.
Rebuttal Speech / A speech following the constructive speeches – the speaker attacks his/her opponent’s arguments and defends their own. No new constructive arguments may be presented.
Refutation (refute) / The attempt to demonstrate the error or inadequacy of the opponent’s case using logic and evidence.
Contentions / Statements used by both affirmative and negative speakers to support their position on the issues of the debate. Contentions can only be introduced during constructive speeches.
Case / The body of the argument, or the general approach to the resolution.
Clash / Direct and specific response to the opponent’s arguments and evidence.
Definitional Challenge / This happens when the 1st negative speaker claims that the affirmative definitions are illogical and unreasonable. The 1st negative must then provide and prove better definitions.
Support / To be in agreement of an idea or position.
Oppose / To disagree with an idea or position.
Issue / The idea being debated (for and against)
Course of Action / The way of doing things.
Contest / (pronounced con-TEST) To argue or disagree over something.
Valid / A point that is true and supported with evidence.
Relevant / Evidence or statements that fit the definition of the debate.
Debate / An organized competition between two opposing sides, each arguing for or against a statement of policy. (Be it resolved that cats should be required to remain on leash when outdoors.)
“BIRT” / Shortcut acronym for Be it Resolved That… (this is the beginning statement for every debate.)
Proof / A collection of facts and statistics that defends your team’s position on the issue.
Argument / The cornerstone of debate; to attack your opponent’s case and proof.
Counterargument / To refute (fight against) an opponent’s objection to your case and proof.
Inductive reasoning / http://changingminds.org/disciplines/argument/types_reasoning/induction.htm
Inductive reasoning is reasoning from a specific case or cases and deriving a general rule.
Say this / Not this
Look at how those people are behaving. They must be mad. / Those people are all mad.
All of your friends are good. You can be good, too. / Be good.
Deductive reasoning / http://changingminds.org/disciplines/argument/types_reasoning/deduction.htm
Deductive reasoning, ordeduction, starts with a general case and deduces specific instances.
Say this / Not this
Gravity makes things fall. The apple that hit my head was due to gravity. / The apple hit my head. Gravity works!
They are all like that -- just look at him! / Look at him. They are all like that.
Toyota makes wonderful cars. Let me show you this one. / These cars are all wonderful. They are made by Toyota, it seems.
There is a law against smoking. Stop it now. / Stop smoking, please.
Analogy / To create a comparison between two things, based on similar characteristics. This is a powerful tool in the discussion portion of debate.
E.g. “Putting a cat on a leash is like putting a lion into shackles!”
Faulty reasoning / It is reasoning used to manipulate how you feel about someone or something. It gives some main ideas that don't support the conclusion.
For example, let's say there was an advertisement for a shampoo.
"If you don't use our hair products, your hair will thin, you'll lose your hair, and nobody will want to be your friend."
That doesn't support the conclusion, by saying that by not using the shampoo, nobody will like you.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_faulty_reasoning