Points of Information

POINTS OF INFORMATION

ALFRED C. SNIDER, UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT

A DEBATE IS A SHOW. SHOW BUSINESS – NO SHOW, NO BUSINESS.

·      DEBATE IS COMPETITION, IT IS ALL ABOUT YOU LOOKING BETTER AND BEING BETTER

·      YOU ARE ALWAYS ON DISPLAY

·      SHOW COMMAND

POINTS OF INFORMATION ARE IMPORTANT:

·      TO DEVELOP AND ADVANCE THE ARGUMENTS

·      TO ESTABLISH YOU AS THE BEST DEBATER

·      TO STAY ACTIVE IN THE DEBATE

MAKING A POINT – GENERAL GUIDELINES

·      SHORT POINT

·      HARD TO ANSWER

·      PREPARED

·      HOW WILL THEY ANSWER?

·      STAYING ACTIVE

·      RISING NO MATTER WHAT

·      RISING TOGETHER

·      LANGUAGE ON RISING – CLEVER VS. DIRECT

·      TIMING DURING SPEECH

·      LOOK AT THE JUDGE

·      POINT NEED NOT BE A QUESTION – BETTER A STATEMENT

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

·      FOLLOW UP ON POINTS DURING SPEECHES

TYPES OF POINTS TO MAKE

ARGUMENT PREVIEW

ARGUMENT ADVANCE

FACTUAL ERROR

CONTRADICTION

EXPOSING BAD ASSUMPTION

REVEAL FLAW IN EVIDENCE/EXAMPLE

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

REVEAL INADEQUATE SPECIFICATION

LEADING QUESTION WHEN TIME ALLOCATION IS BAD

RESPONDING TO A POINT – GENERAL GUIDELINES

·      SHORT ANSWER

·      TURN IT BACK ON THEM

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

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

·      HOW MANY TO TAKE.

·      WHO TO TAKE THEM FROM – COURAGE OR COWARDICE.

·      NO FOLLOW UP.

·      NEVER ASK FOR A REPEAT.

·      LOOK AT THE JUDGE.

·      FOLLOWING UP ON POINTS DURING A SPEECH.

·      TWO PART POINTS

·      PLAYING FOR TIME – EXACTLY MY POINT

TYPES OF RESPONSES

SHORT ANSWER – NO, YES

IRRELEVANT

QUESTION UNCLEAR

ALREADY ANSWERED, SAY WHERE

COMMON KNOWLEDGE – LET ME INFORM YOU

ATTACK ASSUMPTION OF POINT

EASY TO ANSWER – PLAYING FOR TIME

I’M COMING TO THAT, BUT THEN DO THAT

TURN – EXACTLY OUR POINT

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