Oxford Oregon Debate

DEBATE
- traditional debate format used in elementary, governors debate, house

debate rules, parliamentary debate rules, high school debate, youtube
debate, presidential debate, colleges and all over the country.
- There are 2 sides in this format : the Affirmative and the Negative. The
Affirmative proves the validity of the issue or topic called the Proposition
while the Negative disproves it. Each team has two speakers and one scribe.
A Debate Moderator enforces the rules to ensure the debate’s smooth
conduct.
Format of Debate - Oxford-Oregon Type
Three Speakers from each side
First Affirmative - Constructive Speech
First Negative - Interpellation of the first affirmative Speaker
First Negative - Constructive Speech
First Affirmative - Interpellation of the first negative speaker
Second Affirmative - Constructive Speech
Second Negative - Interpellation of the second affirmative
Second Negative - Constructive
Second Affirmative - Interpellation of the second negative
Third Affirmative - Constructive Speech
Third Negative - Interpellation of the third affirmative
Third Negative - Constructive Speech
Third Affirmative - Interpellation of the third negative

Rebuttal of the Team Captain of the Negative Side
Rebuttal of the Team Captain of the Affirmative Side
Duration
Constructive Speech: Minimum of five (5) and maximum of seven (7)

minutes
Interpellation: Five (5) minutes
Rebuttal Speech: Three (3) minutes
Issues for Debate
A. Whether or not it is Necessary? (Necessity)
B. Whether or not it is Beneficial? (Beneficiality)
C. Whether or not it is practical? (Practicability)
Criteria for Judging
A. Evidence - 25%
B. Delivery - 30%
C. Interpellation - 30%
D. Rebuttal - 15%
The judges, based on their discretion, shall have the authority to determine
who will be the Best Speaker and Best Debater. The winning team shall be
determined by the majority decision of the Board of Judges.
Guides for Constructive Speech
Speech types of Constructive Speech may be:
1. Reading Method
2. Memory Method
3. Extemporaneous
4. Mix method of memory and conversational or dramatic
Poise, gestures, audience contact and voice projection are highly

recommended.
Rules on Interpellation
1. Questions should primarily be focused on arguments developed in the

speech of your opponent. However, matters relevant and material to the
proposition are admissible.
2. Questioner and opponent should treat each other with courtesy.

3. Both speakers stand and face the audience during the question or
Interpellation period.
4. Once the questioning has begun, neither the questioner nor his opponent
may consult a colleague. Consultation should be done before but as quietly
as possible.
5. Questioners should ask brief and easily understandable question.

Answers should equally be brief. Categorical questions answerable by yes or
no is allowed, however, opponent if he chooses, may qualify his answer why
yes or why no.
6. Questioner may not cut off a reasonable and qualifying answer, but he
may cut off a long us response with a statement such as a “thank you” “that
is enough information” or “your point is quite clear” or “I’m satisfied.”
7. A questioner should not comment on the response of his opponent.
8. Your opponent may refuse to answer ambiguous, irrelevant or loaded

questions by asking the questioner to rephrase or reform his question.
Rules on Rebuttal Speech
A. Rebuttal speaker should point out clearly the fallacies committed by his
opponent stating clearly what particularly statement or argument
constitute said fallacy.
B. If not familiar with the fallacies of logic, the debater may counter
arguments directly by stating what arguments or statement is incorrect or
false.
Role of the Moderator
The moderator of the debate has the following duties:
1. To reveal the issue involved in the debate;
2. To rule on points of clarification about the issues or questions and

answers made during the Interpellation; and
3. To see to it that the debate is orderly and follows the rules of

parliamentary procedures.
Role of the Timer
1. To time the speakers and debaters accurately;
2. To give the speakers a one-minute warning with the ringing of the bell
once before his/her time is up.
3. To prevent the debaters from exceeding the time allotted to them by

ringing the bell twice.
Tips on Interpellation and Rebuttal
CROSS EXAMINATION
The cross-examination period of a debate is a time when the person who is
not going to speak next in the constructive questions the person who has
just finished speaking. Consider cross examination an information
exchange period - it is not the time to role play lawyer.
Cross examination may serve six objectives:
1. To clarify points
2. To expose errors
3. To obtain admissions
4. To set-up arguments
5. To save prep time
6. To show the judge how cool you are so they WANT to vote for you.
Most debaters tend to ignore the value of good cross-examination.

Remember, 30% of the entire debate is spent in cross-examination -- it
should be a meaningful and essential part of the debate. If nothing else,
debaters tend to underestimate the importance that cross-examination may
have on the judge. Cross-examination will indicate to the judge just how
sharp and spontaneous the debaters are. Invisible bias will always occur in
a debate round and judges would always like the sharpest team to win.
Good, effective cross-examination of the opponents can play an important
psychological role in winning the ballot of the judge.
Be dynamic. Have questions and be ready to go, answer questions actively
and with confidence whenever you can. The image you project will be very
important to the audience/judge. This is the one opportunity the
audience/judge has to compare you with opponents side-by-side.
GUIDELINES FOR ASKING QUESTIONS:
1. Ask a short Q designed to get a short A
2. Indicate the object of your Q
3. Don't telegraph your argument, don't make it too obvious.
4. Don't ask Q they won't answer properly. "So, we win, right?"
5. Make Q seem important, even if it is just an attempt to clarify.
6. Politeness is a must -- emphasize the difference if they are rude.
7. Approach things from a non-obvious direction. Then trap them.
8. Mark your flow/notes as to what you want to question them about.
9. Avoid open ended Qs unless you are sure they are clueless.
10. Face the judge/audience, not your opponent.
11. CX answers must be integrated into your arguments made during a

speech.
GUIDELINES FOR ANSWERING QUESTIONS:

1. Concise A.
2. Refer to something you have already said whenever possible. This is safe.
3. Answer based on your position in the debate so far. Keep options open.
4. Don't make promises of what you or your partner will do later.
5. Qualify your answers.
6. Be willing to exchange documents read into the debate.
7. Answer only relevant questions.
8. Address the judge.
9. Try and not answer hypothetical Q. If they demand, say you will give a
hypothetical A.
10. Signal each other, don't tag-team.
11. Don't say"I don't know,"say"I am not sure at this time...."
REBUTTALS
Most debaters, coaches, and judges would agree that rebuttals are the most
difficult and yet the most important parts of the debate. Not only is there
less time within each speech, but each debater has to sort through all of the
issues to determine which ones are the most important ones! What a
debater does or does not do in rebuttals will decide who wins the debate.
Very few debaters (especially beginners) can hope to extend everything that
happened in the constructive speeches. Debaters don't have to do that and
just because a team may have dropped a point or an argument is not an
automatic reason to vote against that team. What matters is the type of
argument that is extended or dropped in rebuttals-this will determine the
winner of the round.
Think about these four issues when rebuttals happen:
1. Which arguments have more weight at the end of the round?
2. Which outcomes (disads, counterplans) are more likely given lots of

internal links?
3. What about time frame-what happens first?
4. What about the quality of evidence?
Here are some other helpful hints:
1. Avoid repetition. Don't just repeat your constructive arguments. Beat the
other team's arguments and tell the judge why your arguments are better.
2. Avoid passing ships. Don't avoid what the other team said. You must
clash directly with their responses.
3. Avoid reading evidence only. You must be explaining and telling the
judge why these issues win the debate.
4. Avoid rereading evidence that has already been read in constructives.

You can make reference to it by referring to it, but don't re-read it.
5. Avoid"lumping and dumping."Don't try to go for everything. You can't

make 12 responses to each argument in a few minutes.
6. Be organized. Don't jump from issue to issue at random. Be specific and
logical about winning issues.
7. Don't be a blabbering motor mouth. Speak quickly but not beyond your
ability. If you speak too fast, you will stumble and not get through as much.
8. Don't whine to the judge about fairness or what the other team might
have done that you think is unethical. Make responses and beat them.
9. Don't make new arguments. You can read new evidence but you can't run
new disadvantages or topicality responses. You are limiting to extending
the positions laid out in the constructive speeches.
10. Use sign posting . Make sure the judge knows where you are on the
flowsheet. This is not the time to lose the judge on the flow.
11. Use issue packages. Organize your arguments into issue packages.
Choose arguments which you want to win. Don't go for everything. Extend
those arguments that you need to win.
12. Cross-apply arguments. If you dropped an argument in a prior speech

that you think was important don't act like your losing. Cross-apply
arguments you made somewhere else in the debate to answer it.

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DEBATE

- traditional debate format used in elementary, governors debate, house

Format of Debate - Oxford-Oregon Type

Three Speakers from each side

First Affirmative - Constructive Speech

First Negative - Interpellation of the first affirmative Speaker

First Negative - Constructive Speech

First Affirmative - Interpellation of the first negative speaker

Second Affirmative - Constructive Speech

Second Negative - Interpellation of the second affirmative

Second Negative - Constructive

Second Affirmative - Interpellation of the second negative

Third Affirmative - Constructive Speech

Third Negative - Interpellation of the third affirmative

Third Negative - Constructive Speech

Third Affirmative - Interpellation of the third negative

Rebuttal of the Team Captain of the Affirmative Side

Constructive Speech: Minimum of five (5) and maximum of seven (7)

Interpellation: Five (5) minutes

Rebuttal Speech: Three (3) minutes

Issues for Debate

A. Whether or not it is Necessary? (Necessity)

B. Whether or not it is Beneficial? (Beneficiality)

C. Whether or not it is practical? (Practicability)

Criteria for Judging

Guides for Constructive Speech

Speech types of Constructive Speech may be:

4. Mix method of memory and conversational or dramatic

Poise, gestures, audience contact and voice projection are highly

1. Questions should primarily be focused on arguments developed in the

2. Questioner and opponent should treat each other with courtesy.

5. Questioners should ask brief and easily understandable question.

7. A questioner should not comment on the response of his opponent.

8. Your opponent may refuse to answer ambiguous, irrelevant or loaded

Rules on Rebuttal Speech

The moderator of the debate has the following duties:

1. To reveal the issue involved in the debate;

2. To rule on points of clarification about the issues or questions and

3. To see to it that the debate is orderly and follows the rules of

Role of the Timer

1. To time the speakers and debaters accurately;

3. To prevent the debaters from exceeding the time allotted to them by

Tips on Interpellation and Rebuttal

Cross examination may serve six objectives:

5. To save prep time

Most debaters tend to ignore the value of good cross-examination.

GUIDELINES FOR ASKING QUESTIONS:

1. Ask a short Q designed to get a short A

2. Indicate the object of your Q

3. Don't telegraph your argument, don't make it too obvious.

4. Don't ask Q they won't answer properly. "So, we win, right?"

5. Make Q seem important, even if it is just an attempt to clarify.

6. Politeness is a must -- emphasize the difference if they are rude.

7. Approach things from a non-obvious direction. Then trap them.

8. Mark your flow/notes as to what you want to question them about.

10. Face the judge/audience, not your opponent.

11. CX answers must be integrated into your arguments made during a

GUIDELINES FOR ANSWERING QUESTIONS:

4. Don't make promises of what you or your partner will do later.