Building Strong Arguments
What is the main statement that a debater wants the audience or judge to believe?
The main statement that a debater wants the audience or judge to believe is called the claim.
What does “flowing” mean in debate?
Flowing means taking organized notes during a debate so that a debater can track arguments, responses, and clash.
What is the main purpose of crossfire in debate?
The main purpose of crossfire is to clarify arguments, challenge reasoning, and test the strength of each side’s ideas through questions and answers.
What is evidence in a debate?
Evidence is information, proof, data, or a reliable example that supports an argument.
What was the main conflict in our debate about convenience stores?
The main conflict was whether convenience stores make life easier by providing quick access to food and services, or encourage people to buy too much through convenience and impulse spending.
What is the difference between an opinion and an argument?
An opinion states what a person believes or chooses, while an argument supports that belief or choice with reasons and explanation.
Why should debaters write keywords and short phrases instead of complete sentences on a flow?
Debaters should use keywords and short phrases because writing complete sentences takes too long and may cause them to miss important arguments.
What should a debater do before challenging an opponent’s argument?
Before challenging an argument, a debater should listen carefully and make sure that they understand the opponent’s claim and reasoning.
What three qualities usually make evidence strong?
Strong evidence is relevant to the claim, specific enough to be useful, and credible or believable.
What does “planned obsolescence” mean?
Planned obsolescence means designing or producing a product so that it becomes outdated, difficult to repair, or unusable sooner, encouraging consumers to buy a replacement.
What four main parts can be used to build a complete debate argument?
A complete debate argument can include a claim, a reason, an example or piece of evidence, and an explanation of why the argument matters.
Name at least four things that a debater may record on a flow.
A debater may record the claim, evidence, impact, response, speaker, side, contention, and clash on a flow.
An opponent says, “Phones improve learning because students can research information quickly.” Give one targeted question that tests this reasoning.
A targeted question could be, “How do you know that students will use their phones for research instead of games or social media?”
Identify the weak reasoning in this statement: “My friend never studies and still gets good grades, so studying is unnecessary.”
This statement uses anecdotal evidence because it treats one person’s experience as proof that the same idea is true for everyone.
In our debate about toys and games, why might someone argue that making toys is worth the pollution it creates?
Someone might argue that making toys is worth the pollution because toys can support creativity, learning, social development, and enjoyment for children. However, this benefit must be compared with the plastic waste and environmental damage created during production and disposal.
Consider this argument: “Students should have longer recess because recess is fun.” Which part of the argument needs more development, and how could it be improved?
The reason and impact need more development. The argument could explain that longer recess gives students time to rest and exercise, which may help them return to class with better focus.
Where should a rebuttal response be written on a flow?
A rebuttal response should be written beside or near the original argument that it answers so that the clash is easy to follow.
What is the difference between a clarifying question and a probing or targeted question?
A clarifying question asks the speaker to explain what an argument means, while a probing or targeted question tests the reasoning, evidence, assumption, or weakness behind the argument.
Identify the fallacy in this statement: “Either schools ban homework, or students will suffer forever.”
This statement uses a false dilemma because it presents only two extreme choices and ignores other possible solutions, such as reducing or improving homework.
What is shrinkflation, and why does it create a conflict between company profit and consumer fairness?
Shrinkflation happens when a company reduces the amount or size of a product while keeping its price the same or increasing it. Companies may use it to manage rising costs and protect their business, but consumers may consider it unfair because they receive less value without an obvious price change.
Extend the argument “Schools should use group projects because teamwork is useful” by explaining WHY, HOW, and WHAT changes.
Schools should use group projects because students need to learn how to cooperate with others. Group projects teach teamwork by requiring students to share responsibilities, communicate, and solve problems together. As a result, students become better prepared for future classes, jobs, and situations where they must work with other people.
Pro argues, “Schools should have longer lunch breaks because students need rest to focus.” Con argues, “Longer lunch breaks reduce teaching time and may harm learning.” What is the main clash between the two sides?
The main clash is whether the improved focus students may gain from more rest is more important than the teaching and learning time that may be lost.
An opponent says, “School uniforms stop bullying because everyone looks the same.” Create a two-question chain that tests this argument.
The first question could be, “Do uniforms stop bullying that is based on personality, grades, or friendships?” The follow-up question could be, “If those other types of bullying continue, how can you prove that uniforms stop bullying overall?”
What is wrong with this argument: “Everyone buys snacks every day, so convenience stores are the main cause of poor student health”? Explain at least two weaknesses and suggest better evidence.
The argument overgeneralizes by claiming that everyone buys snacks every day, and it assumes that convenience stores directly cause poor health without proving the connection. Better evidence would include reliable data about how often students buy unhealthy snacks, what they eat overall, and how those eating habits affect their health.
A city wants to host a major international event. Give one short-term benefit, one possible long-term problem, and explain what the city should compare before making its decision.
A short-term benefit could be increased tourism, new jobs, or international attention. A possible long-term problem could be public debt, environmental damage, maintenance costs, or unused venues. Before deciding, the city should compare the size and likelihood of the economic benefits with the total cost, effects on local residents, environmental consequences, and the event’s long-term value after it ends.