ACADEMIC DEBATE 2023-

2024
First grade student of Zakho university
Civil and Environmental Engineering department

By: Avaa Sulaiman

19- Oct- 2023
DEFINITION OF ACADEMIC DEBATE
Academic is used to describe things that relate to the work done in schools, colleges, and
universities, especially work which involves studying and reasoning rather than practical or
technical skills.
Debate is a discussion about a subject on which people have different views.
Academic debate: is a structured discussion where two opposing teams present and defend
their arguments on a specific topic. It's a way to explore different perspectives, analyze
evidence, and improve critical thinking and communication skills. In academic debates,
teams work to persuade the audience and judges that their side of the argument is more
logical, well-supported, and convincing.
AIM OF COURSE
• To foster critical thinking and thoughtful
expression.
• To appreciate the diversity of social
relations in communities.
• To develop intellectualism and confidence
of expression.
 GENERAL OUTLINES IN DEBATE
• A debate topic would
generally has two sides
one is positive while the
other one is negative.
• During the debate the
teams are generally
divided into two groups, of
which one group speaks or
supports the positive
points and the other
highlights the negative
points.
 GENERAL OUTLINES IN DEBATE
• The participants not only communicate among themselves but, they also put forward
points and explain that to the audience.
 GENERAL OUTLINES IN DEBATE
• The topics for the debate must be well formed with great creativity.
• The point stressed over in the topic should be conveying one single idea.
• Proof reading is very important and affirmative and negative sentences must be well
categorized to avoid errors.
• Time limit must be maintained.
KIND OF DEBATE

• Academic
• Campaign
• Political
• Others
 FORMS OF DEBATE TOPICS
1. A good debate topic does not necessarily need to be a political topic. It can be funny, informative,
contemplative, social, economical – the categories are endless.
2. Topics need to be chosen, keeping in mind the maturity level and understanding that participants are
expected to have.
3. Always make a shortlist of topics that will seem interesting to the target audience.
4. When you finalize a debate topic ensure that it has a focus area. With some topics the area to cover can be
too wide making it an unsuitable topic for a debate with time limiting.
5. Try to avoid topics that are too controversial, at least for debate competitions at school levels. At a younger
age it may not be possible for kids to understand the gravity and seriousness of certain issues and while
they need the exposure, they also need proper understanding of the topic.
6. A debate is, and always should be a battle of wits ( abilities). It should make the participants and the
audience think. And for that to happen, it is important that the topics go beyond the obvious.
 EVIDENCE IN DEBATES
1. Debate teaches cutting-edge (newest design) research skills.
2. Debaters quickly learn to find the best evidence. This means going beyond: Internet sources to
government hearings, law reviews, professional journal articles, and book-length treatments of
subjects.
3. Debaters learn how to evaluate study methodology and source credibility.
4. Debaters also learn how to process massive amounts of data into usable argument briefs.
Argument briefs bring together the strongest Logical reasons and evidence supporting various
positions.
5. The ability to gather and organize evidence into logical units is a skill that is treasured by
business makers, government policy-makers, legal practitioners, scientists, and educators
 HISTORY OF DEBATING
• Debating is an ancient institution that can be traced back to the early Greek
democracies.
• Great philosophers such as Socrates and Plato were often engaged in political and
social discourse through debate.
• Throughout history, democratic civilizations have used debate as a means to
reach decisions on issues and ponder greater intellectual issues .
• The United States has a tradition of holding debates to allow political candidates
to voice their platforms and confront one another about issues important to the
voting population.
• Debate is often seen not only as a means of reaching conclusions, but as a
practice to expand one's mind and develop tolerance.
 HISTORY OF DEBATING
French moralist and essayist Joseph
Joubert once said,” It is better to debate a
question without settling it than to settle a
question without debating it.” He was not
alone in thinking this. For centuries
debate has been an accepted, and often
encouraged, form of communication and
discussion.
 BENEFITS OF ACADEMIC DEBATE.
• Who participate in academic debate are learning to interact in a democratic society.
• Allows learner to develop a tolerance of new or alternative ideas.
• To value competition and gain a broader knowledge of a topic. It may introduce the student to
concepts previously unexplored.
• Offering the opportunity to view the world from different perspectives
• Gaining an understanding of the notion of "agreeing to disagree.”
• The flow of reasoned argument around the issues facing society allows academic debate to play a
role in critical decision-making.
• When used to good effect, academic debate can empower individuals to help shape the world
through language.
• In the debating arena, learners are able to express their opinions in a safe environment. This
prepares them to participate in wider society and in the democratic process.
 BENEFITS OF ACADEMIC DEBATE.
• It can also train them for future leadership roles.
• Academic debate develops a number of skills such as reasoning, articulation and critical
thinking.
• It encourages broad social skills and personal development by increasing self-confidence.
• A study by the Open Society Institute in 1999 found that students in New York who
actively participated in debate were more likely to speak out because they believed that
they had something useful to say. Thus, they exhibited a greater contribution to society.
• Students engaged in academic debate are generally found to have greater research and
questioning skills over their peers (same age or job).
 BENEFITS OF ACADEMIC DEBATE.
• By debating prominent social issues, students gain a more well-rounded education
than those who do not participate.
• They are also thought to have greater ability to remain focused under pressure and
work through challenging issues.
• The student who has learned the art of debate is better able to evaluate the
information available around them in everyday life.
• Research shows that students who engage in academic debate experience
professional success.
 ARGUMENTATION
• Statement of possible truth
• Supporting your statement
• Explain why the audience should care
about the statement.
 ARGUMENTATION
1. is a disagreement, especially one in which people are angry
and shout.
Example: an argument with your husband such as
Mohammad and his wife Nazdar had a big argument last
night.
2. is a set of reasons you use to try to prove that something is
right or wrong , true or false , etc.
Example: The arguments for / against becoming a
vegetarian , or the policy discriminates against women.
3. is the process where by, humans use reason to communicate
claims to another.
Example: when two friends argue about where to have picnic.
CRITICAL THINKING
 CRITICAL THINKING
Critical Thinking is the ability to systematically analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information
and ideas in a thoughtful, reflective, and logical manner. It involves using a combination of
skills such as observation, analysis, interpretation, reflection, evaluation, problem-solving, and
decision-making to form well-founded judgments and make reasoned decisions.
Key component of critical thinking
1. Analysis
2. Evaluation
3. Interpretation
4. Inference
5. Problem-solving
6. Reflection
7. Decision-making
 CLAIM
An arguable statement.
Generally speaking, there are three primary types of persuasive
(satisfy) claims:
 Claims of fact assert that something is true or not true.
 Claims of value assert that something is good or bad, more
or less desirable.
 Claims of policy assert that one course of action is superior
to another.

In rational arguments, all three types of claims must be

supported by facts.
PERSUASION (IKNAA)
 PERSUASION (IKNAA)
The use of appeals to reasons, values, beliefs, and emotions to convince a listener or
reader to think or act in a particular way.
as Ahmed and his brother are of different political persuasions

More in persuasion:
• Persuasion is the act of using a message or messages in order to influence other people
to take a certain action or change a certain belief.
• The end result is achieved by presenting persuasive ideas and concepts to convince
another person to see one's way.
• Advertising is one form of persuasion whereby a company tries to persuade consumers
to purchase its products or services.
 PERSUASION (IKNAA)
Aristotle's definition of rhetoric, "the ability
to discover the available means of
persuasion" means that rhetoric is the skill
of finding and using various methods to
convince or persuade others effectively. In
other words, it's the art of identifying and
utilizing the tools and techniques of
persuasion to communicate and argue in a
compelling manner. Aristotle believed that
rhetoric was a learnable skill and that it
involved understanding and applying
different strategies to influence an
audience's beliefs, attitudes, and actions.
 PROPOSITION (IKTRAH)
Definition
• a statement in which you express a judgment or opinion.
Ex. The proposition that all people are created equal under the law.
- A proposition is agreed - upon topic of discussion.
- A proposition suggests a need to change from the status quo (state of a situation
at a particular time).
- Reasonable people may accept arguments on either side.
- In an argument or debate, a statement that affirms or denies something.
A regulated discussion of a proposition by
two matched sides:
1. The affirmative team ( positive team side ) argues for the acceptance of the
proposition like those who treated unfairly.
2. The (negative team side) argues for the rejection of the proposition.
 DIALECTIC
The practice of arriving at a conclusion by the exchange of logical arguments, usually in the
form of questions and answers.

One of the most famous sentences in Aristotle's Rhetoric is the first one: "Rhetoric is a
counterpart (antistrophos) of dialectic."
•Dialectic: Primarily concerned with finding the truth or reaching logical conclusions
through a structured, often Socratic, dialogue.
•Rhetoric: Primarily concerned with persuasion and convincing an audience, often in a less
systematic and more emotionally engaging manner.
PERCEPTION
 PERCEPTION
What is the perception ? (Idrak, waee)
1. The way you understand something and your beliefs about what it is like such as:
Our eating habits and our perception of nutrition have changed in the last 50 years.
2. The way you use your senses to notice things such as:
Drugs that alter perception
3. The natural ability to understand or notice something quickly such as:
I was impressed by her perception and her grasp of the facts.
 IMPORTANCE OF PERCEPTION
Judges are not willing to consider theory arguments if they perceive the arguments as being cheap
tricks presented by desperate children. To be taken seriously, you need to create legitimacy and
respect for yourself and for your arguments. This requires, at a minimum, that:
1. You prove that you are capable of winning rounds on substantive issues (for example,
after two years of conventional success, a University of Massachusetts debater won
thirty-five debates as a junior with the argument that specified funding for a plan was
extra-topical and should result in a negative ballot). If you're viewed as a loser when
it comes to non-theory debating, it's unlikely that judges will give great weight to
your opinions on theoretical matters.
2. You prove that your arguments meet reasonable burdens (i.e., they're fair to both
sides, they enhance the educational content of the activity, they produce "good"
debates).
 IMPORTANCE OF PERCEPTION
3. You present your arguments seriously (as opposed to tossing them off as one of many
bad arguments in a speech).
4. You have your arguments briefed (with implies foresight and planning), rather than
advancing made-up standards produced in the heat of a round.

While these suggestions won't guarantee you success with your theory argument, they will
increase your chances of being taken seriously.
 TIPS OF GOOD DEBATING
1. Well preparation
2. Research very well
3. Understand the topic and your position very well
4. Organize your notes
5. Read, listen and speak to be a good debater and critical thinker.
6. Practice alone or with someone
7. Get feedback and make use of it
 TIPS OF GOOD DEBATING
PPPPP
Preparation and Practice Prevent Poor Performance
ACADEMIC DEBATE

Writing the
Debate
Report

Seminar & Ppt Poster

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