GIVING FEEDBACK TO THE DEBATERS

1. START WITH A POSITIVE COMPLEMENT ON THE DEBATE such as “This was a very enjoyable debate. You did great!”

2. THEN, STATE YOUR DECISION

“I voted for the Prop team.”

3. THEN, EXPLAIN THE REASON FOR YOUR DECISION

Explain what argument(s) the winning team presented that convinced you and why that was the strongest argument.

EXAMPLE:

“The prop team showed water contamination is growing and that many cities lack the funding and oversight to assure water is properly treated and safe. The opp team responded that cities are empowered to have safe drinking water—but they did not show they have the money and help to make that happen. So, I concluded that water contamination is a real problem.”

“The prop showed water contamination and weighing that argument versus the opp team’s cost argument, I vote prop because the prop showed water contamination really threatens people’s lives and can have catastrophic economic consequences whereas the opp did not really explain nor impact the cost argument.”

Best Decisions explain what a team needed to argue to win.

EXAMPLE: “The con team needed to present stronger impacts to tilt the debate to their side.”

EXAMPLE: “To win, the prop team needed stronger responses to the Inflation argument.”

4. GIVE ONE COMPLEMENT AND ONE IMPROVE TO EACH DEBATER.

NOTE: Your improvement suggestion should include what 1-2 minutes of their speech they will redo and how they will redo it better.

NOTE: Your suggestion should be a concrete thing they can actually do and practice.

NO: “You need more analysis.”

YES: “List out 3 reasons for your first point.”

NO: “You need better delivery.”

YES: “Practice speaking louder.”

Below are suggestions for your comments:

INTRODUCTION

___ I liked your introduction (state why)

___ Your intro needs to be longer-less abrupt

___ Your intro needs to be shorter-more concise.

___ Your intro needs a more persuasive angle/point

___ You need to state the topic in your introduction.

___ You should provide a preview of your speech’s main points

ARGUMENTS

___ You need clearer main points

___ You need stronger support for your points. Use experts, quotations, statistics, stronger reasons, etc. (remember that for an impromptu topic, debaters do NOT use experts/quotations/etc.—the reasoning is most important)

___ You need more source cited arguments (quotations in LD and Public Forum debate)

___ You need stronger links/solves reasons/arguments

___ You need stronger impacts

RESPONDING DEFENDING

___ You need stronger responses to this argument __________.

___ You need to defend your partner’s case contention/responses more.

___ You can’t make new contentions/arguments in the later speeches in the debate.

CONCLUSION OF THE SPEECH

___ Your conclusion needs to be shorter/more concise

___ Your conclusion should not cover new material that you didn’t cover in your speech

DELIVERY A reminder that in debate, the key thing about delivery is speaking so that arguments/reasons are presented in as clear a way possible. At all times be aware of student’s disabilities and differing styles AND RESPECT AND SUPPORT THOSE.
___ Good delivery	___ Cut out the ums and uhs
___ Read your notes less	___ Cut repeated words ok/like
___ Use better eye contact	___ Use more natural words
___ Look at the audience	___ Use more polished words
___ Work on your hand gestures	___ Speak more quickly
___ Work on your body posture	___ Speak slower/use pauses
___ Don’t lean on table/podium	___ Pronounce words clearer
___ Don’t pace during speech	___ Use voice better to get across the meaning
___ Don’t rock	___ Use more energy in voice
___ Move at key points	___ Speak louder
___ Stand closer to your judge	___ Speak softer
___ Stand further away	___ Use more natural delivery
___ Avoid sighing/breathing loud	___ Reduce set tone—vary your voice