How To Make A Debate Club

Magnum_Opus

I am needing help with this. I would like to start a school club that examines the basics and different aspects of debate and eventually holds debates. I know the way to officially start a club at my school but I need to research the subject so that I have a concrete and specific understanding as opposed to my conceptual understanding. That is what brings me here, to ask the people of the FRC Forums for resources of knowledge concerning Debate.

Kate Monster

If it were me I would:
1) Introduce concepts of critical thinking;
2) Research different debate styles and formats;
3) Choose an academic debate style or format commonly used in my area by other schools/debate groups;
4) Then I would pick a few basic topics to debate (simple, less morally/ethically complicated topics to begin to begin with that were of interest to those in the debate team); and,
5) Start holding and scheduling debates on a weekly basis (pick a topic, choose teams, have some preparation sessions, and then debate).

I would also look into local, State, and Nation debate organizations - find out there set-ups and see if I wanted to create a qualifying club with an eye toward debating against other schools OR decide to keep the debates within my own school and its club.

Li_Akahi

There are Speech and Debate Leagues all around the country and in practically every state, you would need to look into all of their rules and regulations to determine your course of action. You should also find a teacher who has either knowledge of public speaking or someone who is good at running clubs.

Magnum_Opus

I think I'll keep the debates within the club because it probably won't become too large for a while. I also am curious if there are any books that would be good?

Li_Akahi

I would look into other events before actually trying to debate people. If you are doing Lincoln-Douglas debate, Original Oratory and Exteporaneous or Impromptu speaking will be of great help. I was on my school's Speech and Debate team last year, so if you have specific questions I can help.

rhinocero

What do you mean by a debate club? Do you mean a group that trains for and attends debate competitions, or do you mean a group that meets to debate things for the hell of it? The first is pretty common; hopefully some faculty member will have experience with it, and you can probably contact the local debating league. However, keep in mind that this is structured competition, with very specific rules and strategies. It is often less about arguing skill and more about pre-planned arguments and, frankly, speaking speed.

On the other hand, if you want a group that learns impromptu and extemp speaking skills and then holds internal debates for fun, you should probably enlist whatever teacher on your staff knows the most about speaking skills, then just start. Have meetings, teach the basics of public speaking, and when people are ready, formulate some basic rules of order and go to town.

Jason

I participated in debate club in high school; it was perhaps the most valuable piece of education I received. I think you might want to check into the Model United Nations, which gives a grounding and context in which to argue and also teaches about global issues and perspectives. Here is info on starting a club.

Kate Monster

I participated in debate club in high school; it was perhaps the most valuable piece of education I received. I think you might want to check into the Model United Nations, which gives a grounding and context in which to argue and also teaches about global issues and perspectives.Here is infoon starting a club.

Model UN FTW! ZOMG I loved being the GA rep. each year! Debate Club, Model UN, Drama Club, and the "Good Works" club (a club that took on volunteer projects in the community) were the four most valuable clubs I participated in - far more than OM, Challenge Bowl, Library Club, Math Club, National Honor Society, French Club, various sports, etc.

Schnevets

I was very active on my school's speech and debate team, and I strongly encourage you to join a league. Sure, that would mean traveling during weekends, and following league rules, but it is much more interesting and productive when you have a variety of competitors.

I was a part of the National Forensics League, and they're the largest in the nation. Also, it gives students an opportunity to travel to colleges for some tournaments, and is one club many colleges look out for (something to consider when you're making a sales pitch).

NFL Online

Also, where are you from? I could probably give you some information on the area competition.

Jason

ZOMG I loved being the GA rep. each year!

Security Council is where it was at.

Rym

However, keep in mind that this is structured competition, with very specific rules and strategies. It is often less about arguing skill and more about pre-planned arguments and, frankly, speaking speed.

Yes indeed. I was on the varsity debate team for a short time, but quit as I discovered that there was in fact no actual debate taking place.

Basically, we'd read as many citations as we could within a time limit. We'd then read our canned argument. The opposing team would make points and rebut, and we would rebut back with more canned points.

For example, say we've decided to argue that US hegemony is a good thing. We take the "US HEGE GOOD" box out and read the opening statement and all of the canned main points. The enemy team tries to rebut us and makes a series of their own points.

Now, you don't actually listen to the points people are making. Basically, you just listen for keywords. If, in the course of one of their points, the enemy team cites Bill Clinton in any way, for example, we just pull out the "CLINTON BAD" folder and use the canned points within against that argument. (We, of course, also had CLINTON GOOD and CLINTON IRRELEVANT folders). If they said "independence" or "freedom," we'd pull out the "LIBERTARIANISM BAD" folder. You make specific classes of arguments and get points in a very deterministic fashion. You could totally get away with using CLINTON BAD and CLINTON GOOD in the same argument. Don't even get me started on "flowing."

There is not a single shred of debate in competitive high school debate.

Jason

No NFL team in my region used folders; there was a general policy saying you could not bring prepared materials with you. I ran into a wall when I went to the National competition in Detroit my senior year and saw teams from other states pulling the folder shit. I got eliminated right away and spent the remainder of the three-day conference in a fairly plush 34th-floor hotel room making out with a cute Catholic school girl. Viva la... something or other.

HungryJoe

Look into Moot Court, Trial Advocacy, and Teen Court. Debate for its own sake or a debate in which you can win on points is pretty stale. Debate in which you can actually persuade a tribunal and win is a lot more rewarding.

Magnum_Opus

The tribunal idea seems pretty good that way everyone can do something without having the teams getting too large. I was kind of thinking towards the impromptu debate because I thought of this idea when the improve acting club went under.

I wanted to know if there was some universal/standard/official book to read about debate, I know there are quite a few wikis about it, but you all know how academia is about wiki.

In the episode about logical fallacies Rym and Scott(what is Scrym?) mention the debate between Sophocles and Calycles, the debating for truth and debating to win, how is 'calycles' spelled because I have had no luck in finding out how to spell it.

I live in the Bay Area(CA) Socha.

HungryJoe

(what is Scrym?)

Angus Scrimm is the Tall Man.