Module: Practicing Sociology
Week 10 – Debating the Causes of Poverty
Debating
Debating is a great academic skill to have
It is a structured verbal argument
Opposing views are raised
Debating skills help you develop an argumentative mindset
Persuade people that your views are right
Generally, a debate has one core statement.
Debates form a discussion between two sides
Three points from each side are pre-prepared. The referee then decides
which team was most persuasive.
There are opportunities to rebut statements made from the opposing team.
You will need to explain why that statement is a poor analysis.
Why debate?
Improves speaking and presenting skills
Improves your research skills
It gets you out of your comfort zone
Builds group work skills
Structuring your argument
1. Claim – a clear statement about what you think. It speaks directly to the motion.
Make one claim at a time.
2. Evidence – state why your claim is correct backed up with evidence such as
statistics and reports.
3. Impact – explain the significance of the evidence.
How to debate well
Use of persuasive language – asking rhetorical questions (a question that
doesn’t need an answer); presenting a strong confident case; appeals to
emotion, authority, morality; use of lists (itemised list) which makes the
argument sound powerful and organised e.g. Tony Blair’s ‘education,
education, education’ speech.
Evidence – back your claim with evidence. When using statistics, make sure
they come from valid places.
Week 10 – Debating the Causes of Poverty
Debating
Debating is a great academic skill to have
It is a structured verbal argument
Opposing views are raised
Debating skills help you develop an argumentative mindset
Persuade people that your views are right
Generally, a debate has one core statement.
Debates form a discussion between two sides
Three points from each side are pre-prepared. The referee then decides
which team was most persuasive.
There are opportunities to rebut statements made from the opposing team.
You will need to explain why that statement is a poor analysis.
Why debate?
Improves speaking and presenting skills
Improves your research skills
It gets you out of your comfort zone
Builds group work skills
Structuring your argument
1. Claim – a clear statement about what you think. It speaks directly to the motion.
Make one claim at a time.
2. Evidence – state why your claim is correct backed up with evidence such as
statistics and reports.
3. Impact – explain the significance of the evidence.
How to debate well
Use of persuasive language – asking rhetorical questions (a question that
doesn’t need an answer); presenting a strong confident case; appeals to
emotion, authority, morality; use of lists (itemised list) which makes the
argument sound powerful and organised e.g. Tony Blair’s ‘education,
education, education’ speech.
Evidence – back your claim with evidence. When using statistics, make sure
they come from valid places.
