Journal 37: Debate Vocab
- Affirmative - The side of the debate that says "yes" to change. This team will strive to show that the current system/law/rule must change. Often this team will lay out a possible plan of change.
- Brief – A summary of all the evidence to be used in a debate. Similar to what lawyers use in American courts, debaters can use this as an organizer in preparation for the formal debate.
- Burden of Proof – The affirmative or positive side is proposing a (new) position or resolution. Therefore it falls to this side to show evidence for that position. This requirement is called the burden of proof.
- Proof – evidence supporting the team’s position or used to denigrate or defeat the opposing view.
- Proposition – A suggestion that is offered for consideration or acceptance. An idea presented calling the hearer to accept a specific position or changes his actions. There are several kinds of propositions. Depending on the nature of the proposition, the evidence for the position will change. A.K.A. the resolution.
- Value - Television is harmful to kids; animals have rights too. This is a debate of opinions.
- Fact – North American cars are more trouble prone than Japanese marks. This is a debate of fact. An argument based on whether something is true or false.
- Policy – The government should include prescription medication as part of funded public health care. This is a debate proposing a change of procedure or a call to action.
- Presumption – In a debate, the positive side is an advocate for change. Therefore the negative side is defending the status quo. The negative side enjoys the presumption that they are correct. Presumption is acceptance of the correctness of a position based on prior evidence or belief. Ex. Affirmative: The world is round vs. Negative: The world is flat.
- Rebuttal – Statements claiming that some proposition is untrue or incorrect. A team uses the rebuttal time to refute statements made by the opposition.
- Resolution – A formal statement of the proposition. Ex. “Be it resolved that the government should eliminate taxes on the purchase of reading material.”
- Status Quo – The generally held opinion held prior to the start of the debate. The Affirmative argues to change it in some manner.
Research Time
Impromptus?
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