Get Involved :: Action :: Organize a Student Debate

Should UC bid to continue managing nuclear weapons laboratories?

The most essential thing for a debate is opposing viewpoints. You can either have established experts confront each other from opposite sides of the fence or find knowledgeable students willing to go head-to-head. Although dueling professors will probably draw a bigger crowd, they are harder to convince to participate in a debate and may be less lively than students. Many successful debates have been set up with several people on each side. It is important to present different perspectives on the debate so that the audience is more likely to hear something that challenges or appeals to them. Consider combining students with educators and outside experts for a balanced panel.

Before you confirm the participants on your side, make sure you've found people to present both positions. Most likely participants from different sides of the debate will have different ideas about the format and make-up of the debate. You will have to negotiate (or debate) with them before proceeding to the details of the event. There are many, many debate formats to choose from and their technical aspects can be both confusing and limiting. Some structure is needed because shouting matches can ensue without rules and limits on time. A basic format would consist of: opening arguments from each side, followed by rebuttals from each side, then proceeding to cross-examinations, and ending with concluding remarks. A question-and-answer session is an excellent way of making the audience part of the debate. If possible, keep the total running time of the debate under an hour-and-a-half. Have plenty of information on your campaign for people to pick up. Promote upcoming events and pass around a clipboard where people can sign up for your listserv.

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Get Involved :: Action :: Organize a Student Debate