Debating is About Persuading. Debating is not About Rules

People are persuaded by various means, rational and irrational, logocal and illogical. Persuation may differ depending on cultural context and local customs. 

 

The purpose of this guide is to provide some objetivity about what constitutes effective debating. It allows debaters and adjudicators to hold certain expectation sabout how  to prepare, present and judge debates.

 

Debaters will gnerally be more persuasive if they comply with the rules in this guide. However the guide will not always tell us the answers. Debaters and adjudicators should be aware that each role has a purpose and that sometimes the same purpose can be achieved in contradiction of the rule. In these instances, debaters should be rewarded for achieving the objective of the rule. 

 

The rule provide the framework within which adjudicators make objective assessments and limit their subjectivity. Debating is a means by which our community discusses and analyses issues of public importance. Setting out rule that promote fairness between teams and speakers is more likely to lead to better public debate and enchance the reputation of debate as an affective means of communication.