By Staff Writer | Last Updated August 4, 2015
Composing a debate introduction depends on whether or not a person is the moderator, proposer or opposition. Opening statements for individuals who are not leading the debate usually include positive or negative marks.
In a debate, the introduction section, also called the opening remarks, establishes a person’s position on the topic being debated. Moderators simply introduce the topic, name the participants and explain how the debate process works. Unlike the debaters, the moderator does not provide a personal opinion on the topic at hand. The proposer and opposition, in contrast, formulate their debate introductions based on whether they take an affirmative or negative stance on the issue at hand.
When preparing a debate statement, the goal is to persuade the audience that the debater is right. Usually, people have anywhere between 20 and 45 seconds to show to the moderators and audience members why they feel the way they do about a chosen subject and what distinguishes them from the other debaters. When composing a debate introduction, debaters should start by reiterating the question or topic at hand. This shows that they understand what the debate is about. Debaters also want to leave a good first impression with the judges. Therefore, they strive for a powerful opening statement that contains interesting and novel information. They might include some interesting facts and pieces of information that engage the audience and leave them waiting for the substantive follow-up debate.
Context is the main point of debate statements, and it is a tactic frequently utilized by speakers who will present their arguments first. For this aspect of the debate statement, speakers put the chosen topic into the context of current, real-world events. This demonstrates that they understand the issue at hand and have a plan for improving the perceived problem in the future. They can also use their position as the first speaker to their advantage by posing themselves as sympathetic, which gains traction from the audience and judges.
The subsequent debate speakers have a less aggressive opening statement. As the follow-up speaker, a person generally gives an overview of the situation. He or she reiterates the topic of discussion and explains why the previous speaker’s analysis is flawed. This critique of the opposing individual or team serves as a point of attack. This critique shows the judges that the individual understands the issue being discussed and can think creatively and critically about alternative solutions.
In addition to the opening statement, debaters can employ several other techniques to make their debates strong. They can incorporate personal anecdotes, which add a personal touch to their statements and may resonate with the audience. They can also include quotes from a famous person or powerful leader to support their argument. Some debaters use humor in their arguments to ease the audience’s tensions and make the speaker easier to relate to. At the end of the debate, speakers should provide a summary of their debate stance, which essentially serves as a conclusion. They should aim for a strong finish by reiterating their key points and why their views are correct. They can also refute the points made by the opposition to leave a lasting positive impression with judges.
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