Write a Debate Outline
Debates are a common assignment in high school and college classes where two individuals or teams discuss an issue. In many ways, writing a debate outline is similar to the other outlines you might write for papers and speeches. However, since debates are not necessarily a familiar form of communication, it is important to know how to write a debate outline so your side is structured properly.
Contents
Steps
Creating Your Basic Outline
- Identify the form of debate you are using. Each form has its own organizational structure. You will base your debate outline on that structure. There are two common forms used in schools and competitions. Other forms are simply varieties of these two, changing the amount of time available and the organization of different segments.
- Team debates are one of the most common debate forms. In the first half of the debate, each team has two segments to present arguments for their side. In the second half of the debate, each team has two segments to rebut arguments presented in the first half.
- Lincoln-Douglas debates are set up to allow one side to present their arguments, and then the other team to cross-examine them. The second team then presents their arguments and has the first team cross-examine them. Finally, each team has an opportunity for a final rebuttal.
- Do your research. Whatever form your debate takes, you will have the opportunity to present your side of the issue. Gather all of your research and look for common arguments. On a piece of paper, list different pieces of evidence under each line of argument. This can include quotes, examples, cases, facts, and statistics. Be sure to note all bibliographical information on your notes.
- Use the best research at your disposal, not just the first entries on google, in order to find solid evidence. Visit the library and look for peer-reviewed journals for a good selection of research.
- For every supporting piece of evidence you find for your case, try to find another piece of evidence to counter it. This will help you build your argument later.
- It is better to include more points than you think you will need, than not doing enough research and lacking evidence.
- Follow outlining principles. While the order of your material will be determined by your debate form, the format for your debate outline should follow the basic guidelines for outlining. If you are doing your debate for a class, you were likely presented with a rubric which you should be making sure you are following.
- Subdivide information. Main headings will probably consist of arguments, while subheadings will contain different pieces of supporting evidence.
- Use correct symbols. Each level of the outline has a particular symbol to use. The main headings will use Roman numerals (I, II, III, IV). Subheadings use capital letters (A, B, C). Sub-sub headings use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3). Keep these consistent throughout your outline.
- Indent each level. Indentation helps you follow the line of argument and keeps your outline organized.
- Outline your case. Your case is your primary argument: the value you are trying to uphold through a variety of evidence. Start the outline of your debate by compiling a list of evidence that supports your case. Order it so that the most influential and powerful evidence is the first to be presented, mediocre evidence is in the middle, and a final powerful piece is at the end.
- If you have a fairly lengthy debate planned, break up your case evidence into categorical sections. For example, you could have legal, moral, and economic support for your case.
- Aim to have a minimum of three supporting facts or pieces of evidence in your case outline.
- In debates in particular, quality is better than quantity.
- Prepare potential rebuttals. You will have the opportunity to rebut or question the arguments presented by the other side. Identify potential arguments they may bring up. Many opposing arguments will probably be addressed in your research. Brainstorm different ways to counter these arguments during your rebuttal should the opposing side bring it up.
- Look to find rebuttals for both the individual parts of their argument in addition to the whole of it. This will fortify your position in the debate.
- Many times their argument will be the opposite of yours, so while your argument lists the pros, theirs is listing the cons of a particular value. If you pay attention to this, you will be able to not only prove their side of the argument invalid, but also help to further promote your own.
- Add detail to your outline. When you have made a bare bones outline of your case and rebuttals, begin adding a bit more detail that will benefit either essay writing or debating on the subject. Keep the outline form of headers, sections, and bulleted lists, but write in complete sentences, add in helpful questions and evidence, and make your argument more well rounded than just a list of a few words.
- Write this more detailed outline as if you were speaking in the debate. This will help you with wording and understand your own argument, and coming up with logical questions and rebuttals for your opponent.
- Be sure to avoid logical fallacies in your case outline and rebuttal/response. A sound argument will be based on solid evidence that you can back up with if necessary.
Avoiding Logical Fallacies
- Avoid using a straw man. Often used by beginning debaters in their outlines, the straw man fallacy is when you misrepresent your opponents case by describing it wrongly to the audience. Make sure you don’t do this in your rebuttal, and if your opponent does it to you be sure to call them out on it.
- For example, if you’re promoting the abolition of the death penalty, your opponent might commit the straw man by accusing you of lacking sympathy for the families of victims, and that you don’t want true criminals to pay for their crimes.
- Watch out for the slippery slope. When making your outline for your case and rebuttals, it may be easy to refer to using the slippery slope fallacy. This happens when you assume something more extreme will happen on the basis that something less extreme is about to occur.
- For example, if you’re arguing for legalizing gay marriage and your opponent says that it is a bad idea, because soon enough we will be legalizing polygamy and bestial relationships in all the states.
- Be careful of the ad hominem fallacy. Often used by the losing part of a debate, the ad hominem fallacy is when instead of attacking the merit of a case being presented, the opponent makes personal attacks against the person presenting the case.
- For example, if you’ve presented a well worded argument for your case but your opponent has not, at their time for rebuttal they may instead make light of your poor grades or drinking problem. This is unrelated, may or may not be true, and has no effect on the debate.
- Avoid asking loaded questions. When loaded questions are used in debate, they seemingly point to an obvious fault in the argument, when instead they have caught the debater off-guard. Loaded questions are those which have a presumptuous base, so that the person answering the question is forced to defend themselves even if it’s not true.
- In a debate about legalizing marijuana, your opponent accuses you of taking drugs by asking, “is it not true that you’re interested in legalizing marijuana because you yourself have done drugs in the past?”
- Avoid using ambiguous language and explanations. When someone doesn’t quite know what to say or is trying to avoid saying something that would appear detrimental to their case, they often use ambiguous language. This is where you give unclear explanations and are incredibly vague in your descriptions of things and events.
- For example, if you ask your opponent why exactly why we should convert to a socialist system and they say something about how more people will benefit from it, but they aren’t able to supply clear evidence other than emotional reasoning.
- Stay away from the bandwagon fallacy. This is one of the most commonly committed fallacies, in which you assume something is correct or good simply because it is of popular belief.
- For example, you state in your argument that because most people promote the death penalty, that it is the most effective means of punishment.
- Be careful of using the false dilemma fallacy. Often used at the end of a debate to highlight the goodness of making a decision in your favor, the false dilemma fallacy occurs when you offer only two final options (black or white) when there may indeed be several other options available.
- For example, your opponent states that as a result, the only two options are to legalize all drugs or to outlaw them.
- Avoid using anecdotes instead of evidence. When presenting to an audience, often it is easier to rely on personal experiences and stories as the basis for an argument rather than finding clear evidence that supports a belief.
- For example, your opponent argues that because their friend decided to have their baby instead of having an abortion and ended up happier, all women will feel the same way in a similar position.
Tips
- Debates are based on evidence, support, and organization. Do your best to find appropriate resources and to keep your arguments easy to follow.
- Keep track of any cases or examples you encounter as you research. This information will be useful as you construct any rebuttals.
Warnings
- Do not rely on emotional appeals. Though emotional appeals are a powerful motivator for change, debates are based on logic and evidence. Remain calm and know the information.
Related Articles
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- Rebut Better
- Argue Fairly
- Settle an Argument
- Write a Research Paper
- Prepare for a Debating Competition
