Debate Frequently Asked Questions
Can we trade team members and switch teams? No, not this time. Part of the challenge of the assignment is to “defend” your client (either Mudd or the state), so stick to the facts, and don’t let it get personal.
Are we graded on the verdict? No, bragging rights only. You each have an individual rubric for your speaking role. This is what the teacher grades. Member(s) of the debate team will evaluate the overall debate for continuity and strength of arguments. This will NOT factor into your grade.
Do we have to dress up? Yes. Effective teams coordinate in some way to make an impression in the “courtroom.” It is up to your team to decide your strategy for this.
What does “ethos” mean on the rubric? Ethos means to have an ethical argument, and this means you need to cite credible sources.
Does everyone need to have a speaking role? Yes, even the secretary needs to speak. Make sure your team has a role for you. Speak up early in the process if you are left out.
How do I cite sources in the debate? Just like you would in a speech: title, author, date, publication. Be prepared to provide this information for any facts your team presents.
What if I can’t make it on the day of the debate (planned or illness)? There is an alternative assignment that you will need to complete for debate credit in place of a missed debate. Be sure to communicate to your team as soon as possible if you will be absent.
What’s the best way to organize the team? Here are some techniques that successful groups have used in the past:
How does the timing work? Each speech has a specific amount of allotted time. Ideally, you will speak right up to the cutoff point and get all of your main points into the time frame. At the end of the time, you will be cutoff – possibly mid-sentence. It is better to speak until the end of the time, even if you are cut off. Just don’t leave the most important points for last because you may not get to say them.
If I am sharing a speech with a teammate, how much time to we get? You have the amount allotted on “Order of the Speeches” page. It is up to you how you want to divide the time.
Are the cards graded? No. Organized teams will do well, and unorganized teams will flounder. In the end, it is worth the time to organize yourselves.
Important Vocabulary:
Affirmative Team: This team argues that there should be a change made to the present system. In this case, since Samuel Mudd was found guilty in real life, the affirmative team is arguing that Samuel Mudd is NOT GUILTY.
Negative Team: This team argues that the original ruling was correct. In this case, since Mudd was found guilty in real life, the negative team is arguing that Samuel Mudd is GUILTY.
Cards: These are specific facts that you find in your research written on note cards and tagged with MLA citations. They can be glued to cover sheets (colored coded works well) and organized in a file of some sort according to category. For example, if you find something important about the boot, you could write that fact on a card, then glue it to a blue sheet of paper. All evidence related to the boot would go into one file on a blue sheet.
Luggage: When voting for your team MVP, you will also have the opportunity to let me know if someone has not pulled his/her weight on your team. Just draw a little suitcase next to the person’s name. If that person has more than one or two suitcases, I will have a private conversation with him/her about it. If I determine that a team member has not contributed in a meaningful way, a new assignment will be assigned.
MVP: After the debate, each team member will have the opportunity to vote for MVP from his/her team. Team MVP will receive a grade bonus for the debate.
Flowchart: this is basically a timeline of the debate with notes written beneath each speech of the debate. Viewed horizontally, it helps team members track the arguments of the debate as it unfolds.
Important Protocol:
-always maintain eye contact with the judges. The judges make the ruling, so all questions and comments should be addressed to them. In other words, resist the temptation to face your opponent while at the podium. You won’t change his / her mind, but you might influence the judges.
-always address your teammates as “my fellow teammate”, not as “Bud” or “Sally”.
-always address your opponent as “my opponent”, not as “Bertha” or “Bartholomew.”
-always maintain your cool. Being a hothead at the podium does not win debates. It’s embarrassing. Don’t do it.
-READ YOUR RUBRIC. Know how you will be scored. If it says you must greet the judges, then do it. If something is unclear, ask ahead of time!