How to Win any Debate or Argument

3. EVALUATION AND CLOSING

Conclude the session positively, getting a commitment from participants to use
the ideas from the seminar in their future activities and relationships in business,
at home and in the community. Thank them for their participation, and make sure

How to Win any Debate or Argument

2. THE DEBATE

Debating should be both a joy and an education. A certain proposition is stated,
and its accuracy is established by a logical sequence of facts.
Each one will be involved in a debate or argument, and his or her readiness to
face opposing positions will determine the success or failure of the defense of his
or her own position.
Of course you would be happy never to argue at all. Unfortunately, this is a
crowded and disputatious world, and there will come times when we must argue
or debate in meetings with colleagues or one-on-one with peers.
A good debater must marshal his facts, condense his remarks, express himself
clearly and deliver his case with conviction. Here are some useful suggestions to
use to win a debate or argument:
A. Decide your purpose

The main reason we argue is to win a point--to state the case for or against
something so convincingly that we prevail. Other reasons people argue are to
work off aggressions or to clarify an issue or problem. Even if your only goal is to
win an argument, there are various refinements of an argument’s purpose that
need to be determined:
a. Winning at once vs. winning in the long run
b. Winning as a matter of cold logic vs. winning the audience.
Deciding your goal in advance will help you plan your argument’s strategy.

B. Size up the opposition

An important factor to consider at the outset of any argument is the precise
nature of the opponent--his general attitude, current mood, strengths and
weaknesses. This is true whether the opponent is your brother-in-law, your
employer or a rival.
Don’t assume that just because you like your opponent, your opponent will like
you. Pay attention to his general attitude toward the subject−and his attitude
toward you personally.

a. Toward the subject. Is he passionately concerned or rather indifferent?
b. Toward you. Is he an old and implacable foe? A friend who merely needs
guidance? A thoroughly professional adversary? If your opponent’s
weakness is inferior factual information, you can take advantage of that
flaw.
One danger you must guard against is overwhelming your opponent so
thoroughly that the people you are hoping to sway will be sympathetic toward
him. Another danger is creating ill will with your opponent and damaging your
relationship.
C. Marshal relevant facts
If you are going to argue, be prepared. The mistake most people make is to rush
into an argument without being sufficiently sure of the facts for the position they
are taking. The competent arguer analyses the structure of his case and knows
all of the factual data available to support his position. It will automatically tell him
what the weak points of his own case are.
A competent arguer is entitled to feel certain serenity before the argument even
begins. The argument he plans to make is one he fully understands, and he is
prepared for his opponent’s conduct.
D. Invoke a principle
To win an argument, you must either demonstrate that your position follows from
relevant facts--or demonstrate that your proposition follows from relevant
principles. A principle is based on a general experience that has been enshrined
in some permanent form.
If your opponent invokes a principle, you can attack it by citing extreme
instances, which often reveal intrinsic flaws in principles--or at least demonstrate
significant limitations on their applicability.
E. Ask questions
A question may be asked during an argument for the purpose of gaining more
information . . . (What do you mean by “aggressive”?). Or to narrow a loose
contention . . . (Are you saying it would be wrong . . . or merely that it would be
indiscreet?)
But questions can also be asked during an argument to force some answer--
usually one that is not beneficial to the person being questioned.
Questions can also force a hostile opponent to publicly corroborate negative
information you are fortunate enough to possess–such as the fact that he once
took the position opposing his present one.
Any point can be put in the form of a question–such as, Isn’t it true that . . . As a
result, you will be cast in the role of someone innocently seeking enlightenment.
Questions should be shaped to compel a desirable response or at the very least
to avoid an undesirable one.
F. Make eye contact
Displays of emotion–such as humor, pity and anger–can be used to maximize
the effect of a point. One of the most powerful physical advantages you have is
eye contact. Looking directly into a person’s eyes suggests simplicity and
sincerity.
It can also challenge the other person to be completely honest . . . and be used
to hold his attention. Conversely, an unwillingness to make eye contact is usually
a serious disadvantage; it connotes deviousness, guilt and uncertainty.
G. Be courteous
Courtesy is essential and can be demonstrated by your tone of voice, choice of
words and body language. It is important because it makes you seem rational,
gentle and in control.
Courtesy requires that you listen to your opponent for a reasonable time and
keep interruptions to a minimum. The necessary assumption in almost every
argument is that, however wrong he may be, your opponent’s points are worth
examination. If you believe your opponent is frivolous, stupid or evil, then you
shouldn’t be arguing with him at all.
H. Employ understatement
Both overstatement and understatement have exactly the same purpose--to
stress your point. Overstatement accomplishes this by exaggerating it.
Understatement achieves the same effect, but more subtly. It diminishes the
point, leaving it to the listener you wish to persuade to correct the imbalance to
its legitimate proportions.
By contrast, overstatement might lead an audience to feel manipulated and
sympathetic toward the other position. Example: If you don’t agree with me,
our organization will be set back 10 years. In such case, the audience tends
to over correct for the excessive assertion, devaluating the point. What’s more,
the audience may suspect an attempt to deceive.
I. Admit blunders, then move on
When you make a mistake, admit it promptly in as few words as possible. Then
change the subject. Do not try to defend a mistake or ignore it. An unadmitted
mistake is like a wounded man on the battlefield--it requires constant attention
and is in imminent peril.
Besides, a competent arguer will exploit your mistake to the hilt, to your
inevitable and deserved discomfort.

How to Win Any Debate or Argument Seminar ?

1. OPENING

A. Welcome

Start the session right on time. Welcome all participants and thank them for
attending this seminar. Explain that the session is about debating and arguing
skills; also mention that everybody has been involved in some kind of debate or
arguing in his life. Arguing is part of our daily life in business, dealing with family
and friends, talking sports, etc. As everybody must have some experience in the
matter, everyone is expected to share experiences and ideas. Ask them to
participate, ask questions, and try to learn as much as possible during the
session.
Active participation by contributing ideas and opinions will be an important factor
in effective learning during this seminar. To get the best results from this session,
total involvement is required. Contributions from each participant are expected
and will be the key for the development of new ways to face a debate or an
argument at any place or time.
Encourage participants to remember the ideas they will get during the seminar
and use them later when participating in a debate or when involved in an
argument.

B. Introductions

If the participants don't know each other, ask them to introduce themselves,
stating name, chapter, and their positions in the chapter. Inquire if they have had
any good or bad experiences regarding arguing or debating that they would like
to share with others. Introduce yourself and other speakers, if any.

C. Objectives

Junior Chamber is well known as an organization that develops speaking skills in
its members by giving them the opportunity to participate in meetings, speaking
contests, debates, etc.
Unfortunately, not all members know how to behave when facing people with
opposite opinions. Knowing the skills and preparations necessary to win a debate
or argument can have a significant impact on a person’s life and performance in
the organization, workplace and, most importantly, within the family.
During this seminar, participants will learn some techniques and skills needed to
win any debate or argument.
At the end of the seminar, each participant should understand the dynamics of
debate and be able to take part in an argument with great chances of winning.

How to Debate a Point

Even if you are in an office job, debate skills are vital elements to climbing up any job market (corporate, medical, or educational). Some people are better debaters than others. Consequently, they go into fields such as law or sales. Still, debating points is integral to improving your professional situation. You will need to know how to debate a point to increase your salary, you will need to debate a point to get the best position you deserve, the best desk, the best hours, the best clients, and so on. Even if your work takes you to places that argumentative skills are extraneous, they will always help you in your job pursuits. Perhaps you will need to debate a point just to get the job. You must convince an employer that you are the best candidate for the job in order to secure it and move up in the corporation (or school or hospital).

Follow these few steps to create a strong "point" or argument. From this point on, we will refer to a "point" as an argument or a theme.

• Research all information around "the point."
• Pick a side to debate. There are always two (or more) ideas to a debate or points to argue. You must select one viewpoint and follow it through. If you are a little iffy on your argument, it will appear in your debate. You do not even have to agree with your argument, you just must commit to it in order to create a strong debate.
• Once you have researched both sides to a point, you must begin creating your debate.
• Like an essay, a debate point is a formulaic. It has an introduction, evidence, and a conclusion. The main difference is that most debates are oral. You speak in public, sometimes extemporaneously.
• Your point must have an introduction, but not a flowery introduction. Usually, you just jump to the point. You can open with a general thought or anecdote, but do not veer too far from the subject matter or else people will start fidgeting. They will not listen to your debate.
• Gather at least three pieces of evidence. Have them prepared ahead of time. You may not use them all while speaking. However, you will always have more the enough information to fall back on if there is an uncomfortable silence.
• Conclude your debate by disproving the opponent's point. You will then reaffirm the certitude of your point by repeating your thesis statement aloud.

While debates are usually oral, here are a few tips to follow in order to appear calm and collected and prepared. Confidence is vital in debate. Your presentation, speech, and appearance matter almost as much as your delivery and your content.

• Dress appropriately
• Have notes prepared. You do not want your debate to be an oral presentation of a written essay.
• Practice speaking aloud in front of a mirror and then in front of other people
• Understand both sides of the debate so that you are prepared to contradict the other side.
• Be ready to concede small points. It does not matter if you lose many little battles, so long as you win the war.

Remember, debates are just like essays. There is a thesis (central argument), several pieces of evidence, and a conclusion. The main difference in a debate is the presentation. You are not reading aloud a written essay. You are presenting a theme, an argument, a point orally. You must convince the opponent that you are correct and he or she is incorrect. You do this by appearing confident, disproving the opponent's point, and overpowering your points. It is vital to understand all sides of an issue so that you can disprove your opponent's point. This difference is where debating a point differs the most from writing an essay.

Guidelines for Conducting a Debate:-

Debate can be an effective instructional method for helping participants to present and evaluate positions clearly and logically. Debate begins with the debaters having developed or been assigned a position on an issue. The intention is to persuade others that their position is the proper one. In this way debate differs from discussion, which often calls for the cooperative thinking of members of a group in search of a solution or approach to a problem or issue. A specific example of a way in which debate might be a useful method is as a follow-up to a policy-making exercise. Participants who do not agree with the adopted policy might use the debate as an effective means of trying to change public opinion, which might in turn lead to a change in policy. How to Proceed:- 1. Decide, or help participants decide upon a subject for debate. 2. Formulate the subject into a resolution, e.g., "Resolved that capital punishment should be abolished by the United States Supreme Court. " 3. Make certain that those participating in the debate are familiar with the procedures to be followed. (The form of debate described here is widely used but rather formalized. The purpose for the debate may make it desirable to use a less formal procedure, or to use some other form of debate.) 4. Select participants to take part in the debate and divide debaters into two teams, one team in support of the resolution (pro) and one team in opposition to the resolution (con). The most common number of members per team is two, but more than two may be used. 5. Select a chairperson and a timekeeper. 6. Allow sufficient time for participants in the debate to prepare "constructive arguments." Constructive arguments should be based upon three to five major points which are logically developed and substantiated by factual evidence in support of a particular position. 7. Conduct the debate according to the following procedures: a. The chairperson and the debaters are seated at the front of the class, usually with the team in favor of the resolution to the rjght of the chairperson and the team in opposition to the resolution to the left of the chairperson. b. The chairperson briefly introduces the subject and states the resolution that is to be debated. c. The chairperson introduces the first speaker from the team in support of the resolution. Each speaker is introduced when (s)he is given the floor. d. The first speaker from the team in support of the resolution is allowed a set amount of time to present the constructive argument (s)he has prepared. The timekeeper, seated with the class, indicates when the time limit has been reached. e. The first speaker from the team in opposition to the resolution is introduced and asked to give his/her constructive argument. This procedure of presenting pro and con speakers alternately is continued until each debater has given his/her constructive argument. After the first speaker, those who follow will probably need to adjust their prepared speeches to allow for what has been said by preceding speakers. f. "Rebuttal arguments" follow the series of constructive arguments given by both teams. The team in opposition to the resolution always begins the rebuttal argument series. Each debater is given an opportunity to speak extemporaneously for a set amount of time, attempting to weaken the position presented by the opposing team. Rebuttal arguments also provide an opportunity to answer attacks that have been made by the opposing team. While rebuttal arguments are presented extemporaneously, debaters should anticipate possible positions the opposition might take and be prepared with appropriate counter arguments. No new issues may be introduced during rebuttal arguments. g. Debrief and/or evaluate the debate and the performance of the debate teams by informally polling the class to determine how many agree with the team in support of the resolution and how many agree with the team in opposition to the resolution. Class members should be asked to explain whether or not their own positions were strengthened or changed as a result of hearing the debate and to explain why. Class members should also be asked to make statements which they feel could have been used as effective arguments by the debaters. Principal Responsibilities of the Instructor:- 1. Select, or help participants select, a subject or question for debate. 2. Insure that participants are familiar with the procedures for conducting a debate. 3. Help participants see the dimensions of the problem and develop clear, logical, and supportable arguments for the position they present during the debate. 4. Help participants gain an understanding of some of the educational objectives which can be achieved by debate. These objectives include learning to make convincing arguments from another frame of reference than one's own, as might be the case if one is debating a position that does not correspond with one's true position. This experience may further develop participants' abilities to understand and respect the rights of individuals to hold opinions and beliefs that are different from theirs.