A public debate is a discussion in which members of a group of people present opposing arguments about a particular issue or policy. Public debate is an important part of a democracy because it allows the public to become informed about issues that affect them. Often, the participants in debates are experts in the subject matter and members of society with an interest or stake in the topic. Participants may also include politicians, activists, journalists, academics, and others.
In general, debates are divided into teams of two or more speakers who speak for and against a given proposition. Each team has a set of rules for how they are to argue. Each speaker is allotted a specific amount of time to speak. During the debate, each speaker will present his or her arguments to the judge (a panel of students). The judges then vote on which team did the best debating.
To help debaters practice these skills, a preparation period is provided for all participants prior to the actual event. During this time, debaters can practice their speaking ability as well as learn how to listen to other speakers. Speakers are encouraged to write their speeches on paper with different colors. This helps to ensure that all debaters are prepared equally.
Debate organizers generally claim that the for and against sides represented in a debate are representative of available opinion on a topic. The for and against sides are selected by the organization staging the debate based on pre-established objective criteria. These criteria may limit candidates to those seeking a particular party’s nomination, or they may use factors such as national newsworthiness and competitiveness.
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