Due 21 December 2020
The debates will be organized as follows:
Each debate will have one team debate the affirmative side, which supports the statement, and the other side debate the negative. The goal for the affirmative team is to convince the audience that the statement is true. The goal for the negative team is to convince the audience that the affirmative team has not made a strong enough argument to support the statement (this is different from proving that the statement is false!).
The format of the debate is as follows:
- Affirmative opening statement (10 min). Introduce the topic and evidence for the statement.
- Cross-examination (questions, 3 min). The negative can ask the affirmative team questions.
- Negative opening statement (8 min).
- Cross-examination (questions, 3 min). The affirmative can ask the negative team questions.
- Affirmative rebuttal (5 min)
- Negative rebuttal (5 min)
- Open questions and debate (5 min)
- Audience votes for winner
Each team should use presentation slides to make their argument. Remember that it is not enough to simply state things, nor to simply say what others have said, but a good argument presents evidence.
Due on Dec 21
Each team should submit a draft of their slides for discussion.