Role FulfillmentTRAINING SESSION 21 OCT 2014

Plan

Announcements

Quick review of last time’s stuff

Positions and their roles

How to prepare for each position

Split into rooms and debate

This House Believes that ‘the West’ and Russia are entering a

new Cold War.

Thursday, October 22 7pm MS.01

Proposition: John Lough, Chatham HouseAndrew Green, Debater

Opposition: Admiral Corder, NATOGeorg Löfflmann, Warwick

NAMDA Novice Sign-ups close tomorrow

Novice only competition

Lancaster! (they have a place that sells a 1 pound burrito)

October 31st

We pay your reg fee

and 1/3 travel costs

Last time we looked at

The BP format Position

General structure of a debate

Points of information

Structure of a speech (Speech Burger) What you are going to say

Rebuttal

Why your point is true

Why it’s relevant

What you’ve just said

Opening Government (OG)

Closing Government (CG)

Opening Opposition (OO)

Closing Opposition (CO)

1. Prime Minister

3. Deputy Prime Minister

5. Member of Government (MG)

7. Government Whip (GW)

6. Member of Opposition (MO)

8. Opposition Whip (OW)

2. Leader of Opposition (LO)

4. Deputy Leader of Opposition (DLO)

TO

P H

ALF

BO

TTO

M H

ALF

Points of Information(POIs)

Short interruptions in the speech of somebody on the opposing side

Allowed only outside of protected time

Can be accepted(in which case you say the POI) or refused(in which case you have to sit down) by the speaker

1 MIN3 MINUTES1 MIN

Opening Government (OG)

1. Prime Minister

Set up the debate i.e. definitions, mechanism, criteria.

Problem, mechanism/solution, why it works.

Two/ Three of the most important arguments

3. Deputy Prime Minister

Respond to Leader of Opposition’s arguments.

Defend PM’s arguments against LO’s refutations.

At least one key NEW argument. Plus a possible other argument.

Now

Solution

Then

How to prepare for OG

Make sure you understand the motion

What do we need to prove to win

What is the problem we are trying to solve (just think about situations in SQ where the motion affects and who it affects)

Does what we propose solve the problem? How?

Why is this the best(only) solution

Who does it affect he most(stakeholders)

Why do these groups matter the most in the debate

Let’s watch a PM speech

Motion: This House Would Grant an Immunity to Dictators Who

Voluntarily Step Down

Wise words(use sensible lines)

Opening Opposition (OO)

2. Leader of Opposition

Respond directly to Prime Minister’s arguments.

Set up team-line/principle.

Two/Three arguments.

4. Deputy Leader of Opposition

Respond to Deputy Prime Minister’s arguments.

Defend LO’s arguments against DPM’s refutations.

Provide one or two new arguments.

How can you attack this from Opp?

Usual cases feature around:

Solution does not lead to desired "then" Then is bad.

Have to say why then is better than now or vice versa.

Often Opposition teams will just explain problems in Then - without explaining why those make it worse than Now.

So even if you prove that there desired Then doesn't happen you still have to explain why that Then is worse than Now.

Prep for OO

Same as OG

Try to think about what arguments OG could bring and how to link yours to theirs

You don’t need to disprove every single point

Closing Government (CG)

5. Member of Government (Extension Speaker) Refute OO (especially DLO’s arguments) Make two/three NEW arguments OR Provide FAR more detail on OG’s argument(s).

7. Government Whip (Summary Speaker) Respond directly to Member of Opposition’s arguments (the

only one on Gov bench who can). Summarise debate, explaining why Government won BUT

emphasising in particular the arguments you brought in CG. Structure: clash points Should not bring up any new arguments

During the round

1. Listen to the other speeches.

2. Establish: gaps in argumentation,

3. Important arguments that need to be refuted,

4. Whether or not a principal/pragmatic case would be most effective,

5. Who you are fighting against for positions/ Ensure you prioritise defeating the most important arguments.

6. Work with your partner to determine your extension is going to be so you can start writing your speech asap.

During the round(2)

Summary

1. Introduction – briefly detail why your extension was new and why it wins the debate.

2. Highlight all new responses and substantive brought by your partner.

3. Expand upon analysis brought by your partner

4. Add examples to your partners analysis.

5. Emphasise how your partner’s analysis wasn’t engaged with and why it is so important.

6. Differentiate yourself from the top-half team.

Closing Opposition (CO)

6. Member of Opposition (Extension Speaker)

Refute Member of Government’s extension (has to be done here and not in the summary).

Two/three extension arguments.

8. Opposition Whip (Summary Speaker)

Defend MO’s extension against GW’s rebuttal.

Summarise debate, emphasising MO’s extension as being key to it being won by Opposition.

Should not bring up any new arguments.

Prep for closing teams

Similar to opening teams

Have to develop a few lines of extension to choose from

Make sure all of them are clear to both you and your partner so you can pick and follow them quickly