One of the hardest class assignments we get is to prepare for a debate competition. It is comparable to writing an academic argument, only you will also have to speak in front of an audience. Debating calls for thorough knowledge of the subject as well as a fast intellect, critical analysis, and eloquence. Although it can be challenging to be a competent debater, there are techniques to improve your debate skills. In this article, we offer recommendations that will enable you to successfully get ready for any debate competition and ultimately for the Istanbul International Model United Nations, Turkey.
Following are the tips
Be familiar with your topic
The moderator chooses the subject for each debate. A debate always has two sides: the positive viewpoint and the opposing position. To be able to debate effectively, regardless of the stance that has been allocated for you, you ought to understand a lot about the subject. Keep in mind that information is the cornerstone of effective debating. It would be like to write a dissertation without completing any study to attend a discussion with no prior knowledge of the subject. Most frequently, the subject will be either a recent problem that has to be solved or a long-standing contentious issue. After receiving the topic, have a discussion with your team about all the knowledge you have about it.
Ace your argumentative skills before jumping in
When you have sufficient knowledge about the subject, you may start putting your arguments together. The arguments you provide to support your position are your points of contention. It is crucial to jot down every argument you can think of because you are still in the early phases of debate preparation. Along with outlining each of your arguments, you can also collaborate with your peers to come up with new arguments. This will aid in avoiding repetition and assisting in the synthesis of any pertinent points. Due to debate rules, you most likely won’t utilise every one of these arguments, but knowing them all nonetheless gives you the advantage of being able to use any of those if required.
You must assess the quality of your arguments after becoming familiar with them. Be aware that different arguments have different strengths and applications. Selecting only the most crucial reasons is necessary because you won’t be able to utilize each of them. Therefore, evaluating arguments is helpful since it enables you to pinpoint the assertions that will act as the focal points of your dispute. Start by examining the available data. Facts, scientific evidence, and study findings serve as the foundation for the strongest arguments. A good technique to assess the strength of the argument is to consider the context of the evidence.
