Debate

Debate

Welcome to the Debate Wikibook! Here we try to encompass all topics of debate, from the common parliamentary styles to the more obscure debate formats, as well as on speech structure, procedures and all other relevant information. Whether you're new to debate, a rookie, a veteran or otherwise, we hope this book will help you progress through the wonderful art of debate.

Table of contents

The first United States presidential election debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960.

1. Introduction
2. What is Debate?

Formats

Common parliamentary formats

1. American Parliamentary
2. Asian Parliamentary
3. Australasian Parliamentary
4. British Parliamentary
5. World Schools

Other formal formats

1. Classical format
2. Karl Popper format
3. Lincoln-Douglas format
4. Moot court-mock trial format
5. Oregon-Oxford format
6. Policy format
7. Public forum format
8. Student Congress format

Procedure

1. Topics
2. Preparation time
3. Speaker order
4. Adjudication

Speech structure

Elements of debate

1. Matter
2. Manner
3. Method

Case construction

1. Argument basics
2. Speech layout
3. Setup
4. Rebuttal
5. Analysis

Speech formats

Parliamentary formats

1. Opening speakers
2. Deputy speakers
3. Members
4. Whips

Policy format

1. Affirmative constructive
2. Negative constructive

Oregon-Oxford format

1. Practicability
2. Necessity
3. Beneficiality

Speeches common to more than one format

1. Cross-examination
2. Rebuttal speeches

Technicalities

1. Definitional challenges
2. Motions and resolutions
3. Points of Information

Features

1. Matterloading
2. Adjudication procedure
3. Tournament management

About the Wikibook

1. Contributors