Debate Roles and
Responsibilities
Ms. Mangiliman
ERWC
Debate Overview
Affirmative team goes first
4 roles
• Opener
• Responder
• Rebuttal
• Closer
1 recess (5 minutes in before the rebuttal)
Each team will have 5-6 students. 2 students must be assigned to the responder and
rebuttal roles.
Opener
• Opens with a “hook” through the use of pathos
• Presents a general outline and summary of the team’s
argument
• Provides enough evidence to establish ethos, but does
not reveal everything
• May contain a naysayer
Responder
• States and PROVES the team’s main arguments in
DETAIL
• Provides specific evidence (logos)
• Cross examines the opposing team by posing a
naysayer, question, or criticism for the opposing team
(using ethos and logos)
• Connects emotionally with the audience (pathos)
Rebuttal
• Critiques effectiveness and validity of
opposing team’s argument (ethos and
logos)
•
•
Identify weaknesses of opposing
team’s argument
Identify opposing team’s attempt to
use logical fallacies for manipulation
• Poses questions and criticisms for the
opposing team (ethos and logos)
• Directly responds to the criticisms
made through a concession (ethos
and logos)
• Powerfully returns argument to
team’s position (logos)
• Connects emotionally with the
audience (pathos)
Round 1 of the rebuttal:
• 4 minutes open ended debate:
•
Moderator can chime in, add
questions, identify and/or penalize
logical fallacies
Round 2 of the rebuttal:
• 4 minutes AUDIENCE 'town hall'
style questioning
•
Audience can ask questions for
clarification or to address any gaps in
reasoning
Closer
• Uses pathos and ethos in a meaningful closing
statement
• Concisely synthesizes the team’s position (logos)
• Provides a “call to action” or solution