Definition of Debate – In everyday life, we are familiar with debating activities. From school competitions, formal events, television, and social media in our devices. The debate program that most caught the attention of Indonesian citizens was of course the debate ahead of the election.
There are many things that need to be prepared before arguing. Debate is not just talk. Debate activity is a combination of speaking skills and complete knowledge regarding the topic to be debated. Without proper preparation, it may be difficult to win a debate.
A. Definition of Debate
According to the Big Indonesian Dictionary (KBBI), the notion of debate is the exchange and discussion of opinions related to a matter by conveying arguments or reasons to each other with the aim of defending opinions and even winning opinions.
In general, debate can be understood as a strategy in arguing or arguing with the aim that our opinion can break the opponent’s opinion, and vice versa, our opinion is not broken by the opponent. There are also those who say, debate is the activity of making suggestions and defending these proposals.
There are many definitions of debate, there are many perspectives regarding the definition of debate. According to Wusu Hendrikus, debate is an argument between individuals or groups with the aim of achieving a one-sided victory. In essence, the debate aims to defend one’s opinions and reasons so that opponents, followers, and others follow them.
Meanwhile, according to JS Kamdhi (1995), the notion of debate is a discussion or exchange of opinions by each participant on a subject matter, where each participant may provide reasons or arguments to defend his opinion.
Furthermore, Henry Guntur Tarigan (1984) revealed that debate is an activity of arguing between individuals or groups to determine whether a particular proposal is good or not by bringing together supporters and denialists.
In conclusion, debate is the exchange and discussion of proposals or opinions by giving each other reasons or arguments with the aim of defending the opinion of one party. Therefore, the debate text can also be interpreted as a text that contains statements and arguments from parties who are debating about certain issues with the aim of discussing, deciding and studying differences.
B. Debate Function
Debate has several functions that will be very useful for everyday life, debates that need to be underlined. Here are the points.
- Developing speaking skills in expressing opinions well on pro and con conflicts.
- Build analytical power, related to the skills to listen and understand your opponent’s debate.
- Growing the ability to convey arguments logically with polite language and gestures.
- Stimulates skills in critical thinking
- Stimulate research on controversial issues or topics
- Understand and find out the positive and negative sides of certain issues
- Learn to think analytically and systematically
- Learn to express thoughts to others
- Increase self-confidence
- Improve skills in seeing things from another perspective
- Cultivate the skills of assessing and clarifying the opinions of others
- Practice speaking coherently and fluently
The debate function is very beneficial, speaking skills in debate can support communications with other people in the real world. However, not everyone can have debate skills. Debate depends on the mentality of each person, and you also need to know that not everyone likes to talk, especially debating.
C. Purpose of the Debate
In simple terms, debar is a debate to defend each other’s opinion to win or it can’t be broken by the opponent. Here are the broad objectives of the debate:
- Build a case accompanied by arguments as support. The tips for successfully designing a case in a debate refer to basic questions which include 4W + 1H
- Understand what is happening in society
- Train to find arguments based on strong and accurate data
- Influence the attitudes and opinions of others so that they agree and agree with the proposed arguments.
- As a way to display, enhance, and develop verbal communication
- Trying to convince others that the argument they have is the most appropriate argument to agree on and agree with
D. Characteristics of Debate
Talking about debate, there are many special terms that are only used in debating activities. Specific terms contained in debates such as debate topics or motion, there is also the term affirmative team which means pro and con team groups. In addition, when debating, the two debating teams often interrupt. Interrupting is the same as expressing an opinion.
The actual form of the debate is almost the same as when we watch the debate on television, there are two debating teams ready to argue plus a moderator and/or jury as well. The following are the characteristics of the debate that need to be known.
The debate has two points of view, namely the affirmative point of view and the negative side’s point of view. It can be said as an affirmative party when the person agrees on the topic being debated. Meanwhile, negative parties are those who do not agree with the topic of the debate itself.
- Opinions and arguments occur to defend the argument and get the victory
- There was a question and answer session that dropped or broke the opponent’s argument
- Each debate prioritizes the pros and cons
- Each other mutually defend their opinions or arguments
- How to determine the winner, can be done based on the decision of a jury or it could also be by voting from the jury team
- Every time a debate occurs, an intermediary or so-called moderator is needed. The moderator has a role to lead the debate.
- Adhere to the procedures and rules of the debate, in which the procedure aims to protect and defend the arguments of both parties.
From the characteristics of the debate described above, it can be concluded that the characteristics of the debate are that it consists of two debaters, there is a moderator as well as a jury, or the appointment of a special jury in a debate competition.
E. Elements of Debate
Not only the meaning, function, purpose, and characteristics of the debate. The debate has several important elements, as follows:
1. There is a topic or problem discussed
Debates without topics or issues being discussed are like food without spices, it will taste bland. Debates can be held if there are topics or issues raised and discussed. The term proposed topic is also known as a motion.
2. Affirmative Team
Affirmative team or pro team can be interpreted as a team that supports the topic. The task of the affirmative team or pro team is to provide opinions or arguments that support the proposal. The affirmative team role is mandatory as it will be against the contra team.
3. Negative Team or Contra Team
There is an affirmative team or a pro team, there is a negative team or a contra team, those are the elements that must be met in a debate activity. The task of the negative team or the counter team itself is to convey disagreement or opinions that reject the proposal by breaking the arguments presented by the pro team.
4. Neutral parties
Neutral parties are needed in a debate to provide support and encouragement to both parties, both the pros and cons. As the name suggests, neutral parties are not allowed to support either party.
5. Moderators
Moderator is an element that is no less important. The moderator has the function of leading a debate in accordance with the debate procedure and guiding the discussion of the topic so that it doesn’t get out of the discussion.
6. Author or Minutes.
In a debate activity requires someone whose job is to record all opinions expressed by the pros, cons, moderators, even a neutral team, namely the minutes. Basically, the minutes are tasked with writing the conclusion of the debate. However, the minutes also record statements, final conclusions, debate motions and submissions of the debating parties.
Some of the elements of the debate above must be fulfilled in a debate activity. Each element has its own duties and roles that are equally important. The elements of the debate will be very necessary if the activity of the debate is to produce something.
The above elements do not include additional technical elements. for example media controllers such as presentation screens, computers or laptops, microphones and many more technical elements.
F. Debate Structures
In addition to having elements, debate also has a structure that needs attention.
1. Introduction of the issue
The introduction of the issue or also known as the introduction of the topic. The introduction of an interesting topic to discuss is a topic or issue that is still controversial in society. If the topic does not depart from something that is still controversial in society, the debate will not be interesting and the audience will be less enthusiastic to watch.
2. The array of arguments
The series of arguments is when both teams present useful data and facts to support the arguments of the debaters. The characteristics of the argument itself, namely, must be relevant, systematic, clear, logical and accompanied by evidence
3. Reaffirmation (conclusion)
Reaffirmation or what we usually call a conclusion. Reaffirmation has a function that is at the end, with the aim of making a final statement that confirms that the rebuttal or opinion is pro or con.
The structure of the debate above provides understanding and benefits that can really require extensive knowledge. Extensive knowledge will make the quality of the discourse conveyed to be grounded and strong.
G. Debate Ethics
Arguing or arguing in front of many people requires ethics so that debate appears as an intellectual activity. Ethics needs to be adhered to because the debate relates to many people. Maintaining ethics means respecting all people. Here are four important ethics in debate:
1. Ask Seriously
The first ethical debate is to ask seriously. This is important because it can make the person who will answer give an answer wholeheartedly and make the questioner satisfied. Things that are not serious can eliminate the atmosphere of debate which is known as a heated situation.
2. Not Alluding to Physical Deficiencies
When it comes to debates, it’s common for both parties to have the potential to get emotional. In view of the battle of verbal communication, both parties are prohibited from engaging in verbal communication that may offend by discussing the opponent’s private affairs.
3. Talk Based on Data and Facts
The third debate ethics is speaking based on data and facts. Debate teaches that what has been put out of the mouth needs an accountability. As a result, everything that is said in the debate must be based on data and facts.
Submission of arguments with fabricated data is strictly avoided because it proves that the debater is behaving badly. Besides that, the use of valid data and facts will prevent the debater from attacking the opponent.
4. Obey the Rules of the Game
The last and no less important debate ethics is adhering to the rules and procedures in the debate. This is because the rules of debate are different from one another.
H. Types of Debate
Debate is a flexible activity. Here are some types or models of debate:
1. Parliamentary Debate
Parliamentary debates commonly called assembly debates (assembly or parliamentary debating) are debates that aim to support the law that will be formed, evaluated until it is passed. This parliamentary debate is more formal and more state-based, therefore the rules and procedures that apply are also stricter.
2. Cross Examination Debating
Second, namely cross examination debating or commonly called a debate for re-examination. This debate aims to find the truth in the examination that has been done before. Usually, this debate is accompanied by many questions that are interconnected with one another. The questions asked are none other than to strengthen the questioner.
3. Formal conventional, or educational debate
This third debate includes conventional formal debates, or educational debates. This educational debate is aimed at good things for both parties.
In practice, the nature of this type of debate is competitive, because it aims to form a mentality in expressing opinions and ultimately wants to develop skills among debaters. Even though it is called a conventional debate, educational debate has a process that still fulfills the elements of debate.
I. Steps in Conducting a Debate
Specifically, of course each organizer has his own way.
Here are the steps in conducting a debate for beginners:
- Develop the statement or topic raised.
- Forming three groups, consisting of pro groups, contra groups and neutral groups.
- Each group consists of a chairman and deputy as spokespersons during the debate.
- Sit facing each other with the spokesperson for the opposing group.
- One group can consist of more than two people.
- Each group expressed their assumptions or arguments before the debate started.
- During the debate, other participants can record the content of arguments, questions or potential rebuttals.
- At the end of the debate, it is not obligatory to determine a winner. It is enough for the minutes to convey the results along with the conclusions of the debate.
J. Debate Procedures
The debate procedure has several points that need attention, namely:
- Make statements or challenges in a professional manner. Professional intent means not offending racial elements or offending personally.
- Have good communication skills, opinions or arguments when debating are conveyed in fluent language, without stammering. Submission of arguments must also be delivered based on critical analysis, synthesis and rhetoric.
- Always pay attention to statements or objections from opponents. Always research the weaknesses and strengths of the opponent. This is meant to be able to determine the right strategy to attack and also defend.
- Listening to opinions based on logic, not emotion, so that you remain rational and do not experience errors in thinking.
- Present material accurately and based on data and facts.
- Something that is conveyed in the data debate must be valid, there is evidence so that it strengthens the debate.
K. Techniques and Tactics in Winning Debates
Here are some techniques and tactics in winning debates.
1. Tactics to win the debate
Technically, there are several ways to defend the proposal through basic techniques. Including the following.
2. Affirmation tactics
Affirmation tactics are tactics that seek to persuade, agreement tactics, repetition tactics as well as compromise tactics. Affirmation tactics have the aim of confirming the arguments that have been made.
3. Defensive tactics
The defensive tactic is a tactic of thanking, describing, explaining to the tactic of letting the opponent’s argument. Not only that, defensive tactics also contain ways to avoid, evade, defeat, elevate the opponent’s argument.
Techniques for Winning Debates
The technique of winning a debate can be done by asking back, shocking, provocation techniques and anticipation techniques. In fact, novice debaters are advised to try to exaggerate data which is also permitted in debating.