Debate Rubric - Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools



Public Forum Debate Planning

Name: ______________________________________________ ___Pro ___Con

Claim: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

1st Speaker (Team A) or 2nd Speaker (Team B):

• If pro speech, constructed arguments advocating the resolution’s worthiness

• If pro speech, presented major reasons why there is a problem (Change vs. risk of not changing)

• If con speech, showed disadvantages of the resolution and why it should not be adopted

• If con speech, explained why change is ill-advised (keep the status quo)

• Brief introduction to frame team’s case

• Defined relevant words that are important to understand the case

• Used appropriate sources

• Gave reasons for adopting or not adopting the topic accompanied with evidence

• Each reason was an independent reason and explained its pertinence

• Concluded with a summary

• Time limit met (4 minutes)

3rd Speaker (Team A) or 4th Speaker (Team B):

• Refuted other team’s arguments by analyzing and explaining flaws

• Identified opposition’s key arguments and attacked their legitimacy

• Speech was linked to team’s first speech

• Gave overview of the issue

• Rebuilt original case if needed

• Concluded with a summary

• Time limit met (4 minutes)

Crossfire:

• Questions were brief

• Answers met the question

• Logical questions are asked of the opposition

• Arguments made by the other team were responded to and dealt with effectively

• Respect for opponent was paramount and obvious

• Time limit met (3 minutes)

Summary Speech:

• Explained issues in the light of all that has happened so far

• New evidence, but not new arguments, presented

• Gave brief overview

• For each key argument added quote, anecdote, or fact

• Wrapped up each argument stressing its importance in arriving at a fair decision

• Time limit met (2 minutes)

Grand Crossfire:

• Participated

• Questions were brief

• Answers met the question

• Logical questions were asked of the opposition

• Arguments made by the other team were responded to and dealt with effectively

• Respect for opponent was paramount and obvious

• Time limit met (3 minutes)

Final Focus Speech:

• Framed with clarity why your team won the debate

• New evidence, but not new arguments, presented

• Strategy used (chose at least one):

1. Chose the most important argument you are winning, and summarized the analysis and evidence that made it so important

2. Turned a major argument from your opponent into the winning analysis and evidence of one of your important arguments; this technique clinched two arguments

3. Answered the most important argument you may be losing by summarizing the analysis and evidence that you believe takes out the opponent’s argument

4. Chose an argument that you believe the judge will most likely vote on

5. Exposed a major inconsistency made by your opponent—two arguments that contradict each other—at least one of which the opponent is focusing

• on to win the debate

• Time limit met (2 minutes)

Debate Elements:

• Strong evidence (statistics, witness testimony, examples from real life, narratives) used to prove and support claim with references

• Tone of voice, use of gestures, and level of enthusiasm were convincing to the audience

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download