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POINTS OF INFORMATION

ALFRED C. SNIDER, UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT

POINTS OF INFORMATION ARE IMPORTANT:

1.    TO DEVELOP AND ADVANCE THE ARGUMENTS

2.    TO ESTABLISH YOU AS THE BEST DEBATER

3.    TO STAY ACTIVE IN THE DEBATE

MAKING A POINT – GENERAL GUIDELINES

1.   SHORT AND SWEET – SHOWS COMMAND

2.   DIFFICULT TO ANSWER, NOT THE OBVIOUS.

3.   STAYING ACTIVE

4.   RISING NO MATTER WHAT

5.   RISING TOGETHER

6.   LANGUAGE ON RISING – CLEVER VS. DIRECT

7.   PLANNING FOR POINTS

8.   TIMING DURING SPEECH

9.   LOOK AT THE JUDGE

10.                POINT NEED NOT BE A QUESTION – BETTER A STATEMENT

11.                RARELY A REQUEST FOR EXPLANATIONS – UNLESS THEY DON’T KNOW

12.                ANTICIPATE HOW THEY WILL ANSWER YOUR POINT

13.                FOLLOW UP ON POINTS DURING SPEECHES

TYPES OF POINTS TO MAKE

1.   ARGUMENT PREVIEW

2.   ARGUMENT ADVANCE

3.   FACTUAL ERROR

4.   CONTRADICTION

5.   REVEAL FLAW IN EVIDENCE/EXAMPLE

6.   SET UP FOR FUTURE ARGUMENT – GET THEM TO SAY SOMETHING YOU NEED TO MAKE AN ARGUMENT

RESPONDING TO A POINT – GENERAL GUIDELINES

1.   SHORT AND SWEET

2.   OFFENSIVE ANSWERS.

3.   DISMISSING POINTS – POLITE, BRUTAL, VERBAL, NON-VERBAL.

4.   WHEN TO TAKE THEM – TIMING – FLOW OF SPEECH.

5.   HOW MANY TO TAKE.

6.   WHO TO TAKE THEM FROM – COURAGE OR COWARDICE.

7.   NO FOLLOW UP.

8.   NEVER ASK FOR A REPEAT.

9.   LOOK AT THE JUDGE.

10.                FOLLOWING UP ON POINTS DURING A LATER SPEECH.

TYPES OF RESPONSES

1.   SHORT ANSWER – NO, YES

2.   I AM GLAD YOU ASKED THAT…WHILE YOU THINK

3.   QUESTION UNCLEAR, ANSWER A RELATED POINT

4.   ALREADY ANSWERED, SAY WHERE

5.   COMMON KNOWLEDGE – LET ME INFORM YOU

6.   ATTACK ASSUMPTION OF POINT

7.   I’M COMING TO THAT, BUT THEN DO THAT