Line Debate – Instructions

A line debate is a structured debate that allows you to develop your ability to (1) use details from a text to support a point, and (2) discuss ideas intelligently and respectfully. It is vitally important that you not only discuss your opinions but that you actually discuss the ideas within a text using the text itself. Our goal for today is for you to work on a team to develop an argument which uses details for support, present your argument effectively, and rebut the other team intelligently and respectfully.

How a line debate works:

  • You are assigned to a team, to either support a position or be a judge.
  • The two teams which are supporting opposing positions meet to set up their argument and anticipate the other team’s argument.
  • The judges meet to create rules for time limits, some rules of the debate, and how points will be awarded. They are responsible at the end of the debate for declaring a winning team based on which team did a better job presenting their argument and rebutting the other teams’ argument.

Team preparation:

  • Judges will be told the “ground rules” of the debate and what kinds of decisions they need to make.
  • The two teams will meet and start by coming up with the five top ideas from the text that support their position. There may be multiple areas in the text that support on major idea. Either position could be correct, but the winning team will do a better job using the text to argue their position.
  • In your team, find the five best details in the article (text) which support your position. Talk about the order you should present them so that your arguments will make sense and be strong. Decide which team member will deliver each point and explain why it supports your position.
  • Be sure to think about what the other team might use as support from the story and talk about how you can rebut their points.
  • Each team will take turns presenting one detail supported by information from the text to support their position.
  • During the first round, “talk” time will be a maximum of two minutes.
  • Teammates who did not speak in round one MUST speak in round two.

For debate, the room will be set up as follows (and debate will proceed in a zigzag fashion):

The judges will:

  1. decide how the debate will begin
  2. decide how teams can win/lost points; will there be a winner each round and/or an overall winner?
  3. read out the “ground rules” and point system before the debate begins
  4. take notes throughout the debate
  5. decide how the second round will proceed
  6. take notes throughout the rebuttal
  7. determine the winner

Each judge is required to speak at some point before/during/after the debate.

Debate procedure:

10 min / Preparation period
2 min. / Judges will explain “ground rules” and point system
15-20 min / Round One
5 min / Judges give round two rules, then go into hallway to compare notes
Teams prepare rebuttals – what worked and what didn’t – how can you regroup?
8 min / Round Two
5 min / Judges meet, compare notes, and declare victor (and reasoning!)
Teams debrief
3 min / Debate winners do victory end-zone dance or just sit there…smugly.

In tomorrow’s debate, you may be asked to support or refute the following quotation:

“One of the reasons why the book has such a wide appeal today is that it possesses those timeless qualities which enable readers of different generations and different cultures to apply its lessons to their own circumstances. One commentator has shrewdly observed: ‘There have been, are, and always will be pigs in every society, Orwell states, and they will always grab power. Even more cruel is the conclusion that everyone in the society, wittingly or unwittingly, contributes to the pigs' tyranny.’ The book is then a profoundly pessimistic fable.”

As you do not know which it will be, prepare arguments for both sides (and rebuttal arguments for the original ones). Your goal is to win the debate rationally and intellectually (and politely) regardless of the position you take.