Notes from Chapter 2
Basic Debate, Ed. 4 by Leslie Phillips, William S. Hicks, and Douglas Springer,
National Textbook Company, Lincolnwood, IL 1997.
“The Skills of Analysis”
 Debate is modeled after real decision-making situations
 Before can take a side, must analyze a problem and its solutions.
 Definition of “analysis”
o The process of separating a whole into its essential parts.
o Requires active thought
o 3 areas of debate that require analysis:
 the problem area
 the problem statement
 the audience
 Problem Area
o An area of general concern to a community
 May have many “problems” as part of the general concern
o All facts germane to the concern must be determined.
 What is the goal/ideal thwarted by the problem(s)?
 How far off is that goal?
 What are the reasons that can be identified that keep from
accomplishing the goal?
 What solutions could overcome these reasons?
 Which possible solution appears most feasible?
o Answers to these questions
 Indicates what you need to know still
 Answers will focus issues to consider in own presentation
 Problem Statement
o Narrowing statement; provides focus for discussion
o Not worth seeking agreement on a plan of action until agreement on
meaning of terms used.
o Start with the determining the definition of key terms
 “Resolved” That the federal government should exclusively
control the development and distribution of energy resources
in the United States.”
 What terms in that statement are open to interpretation?
 What terms are influenced by connotation and how?
 How do experts in the field define the term?
 Use dictionaries, textbooks, encyclopedias and SPECIALIZED
dictionaries such as Black’s Law Dictionary.
 Be aware of value terms in definitions, such as fair, just, free,
new, etc.
 Come to best possible understanding of the terms as
represented by the references as a whole.
 Analyzing the audience
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o Adapt idea to intended audience
o Influences what pieces of information you select to use
 What will speak best to your audience?
o Impacts what information to gather but also what words to present it
with
Stating the problem
o “Proposition” defined:
 a statement offered for consideration, specifically a statement
made to others for the purpose of gaining acceptance after due
consideration.
 Requires explanation, discussion, proof
 Must be clear and vital.
 Serves as the focus for a debate
 It is how the problem is presented in words.
Problem characteristics
o Propositions must meet 5 criteria:
 Significant in scope (impacts large number)
 Must be within the realm of government jurisdiction (must be
able to enact a solution)
 Must be current issue (Use up-to-date research!!!)
 Must be an ongoing issue that is not likely to change quickly
 Must offer at least two sides/solutions to the issue
Types of propositions
o Each is unique
 Levels of support
 Explanation
 Development
 Proof
o Proposition of fact
 Simplest
 Involves definition and classification to prove true
 This is an objective statement that something exists
 Verifiable by others
 May be concrete or abstract in nature
 Probably truth can be measured scientifically
 Least controversial because can be verified
 Types of factual propositions
 Observation: what one observes
 Description: characteristics of what one observes
 May be about the past or the present
 Person stating the fact doesn’t have to be the one who
observed it
 Must be stated objectively and be proveable
 Can be more complex, such as when draw a conclusion based
on a set of facts (inferences)
Can use “predictions” as to how one thinks current facts can be
expected to produce certain results in the future.
 Must be able to prove the facts or refute someone else’s claims
 Issues to determine with proposition of facts
 What occurred
 What data establishes the fact
 What data is available
 Examples of propositions of facts:
 Shakespeare was not the real author of the literature
that bears his name.
 America was first discovered by the Norse.
 Playing violent video games increases violent behavior
in youth.
o Proposition of value
 More complex
 Call for application of criteria to determine worth (value) of
something
 Express judgments about the qualities of a person, place, thing,
idea, or event.
 Based on opinions and attitudes
 Knowing facts about something is vital to be able to discuss it;
value judgments guide what should be done about something
 Can never be considered literally true or false but will be
important because others believe them, which influences their
attitudes
 Artistic values – express pleasure with a person or an object
often based on beauty, symmetry, good taste, and their
opposites (taste – “I don’t like that kind of painting.”)
 Implies use of critical standards by which things are
judged
 Highly individual
 Moral/ethical values – based on right/wrong, good/bad,
just/unjust
 Political values -- judgments as to what is expedient (what
should be done for the common good)
 Examples:
 Economic stability is more important than
environmental protection.
 When they are in conflict, national security is more
important than freedom of speech.
 Vital:
 Clear understanding of value propositions
 How they guide development of arguments
 How listeners will interpret your values appeals in
comparison to their own sets of values

o Proposition of policy
 Most complex
 Must establish facts and values first, then prove practicality of
a plan and defend it
 Policy defined: “ a course of action or a set of rules, regulations,
or laws to guide government and personal decisions.”
 Policy proposition: statement of course of action to be
considered for adoption
 Rules, regulations, laws
 Policies exist and may be found “on the books” and are binding;
question is what should these policies be?
 May need modifying/updating
 Situation may have never arisen before to required a
related policy
 Remember: proposition is a statement worth considering
 Policy proposition suggests a rule to follow
 Not subject to verification by observation
 Not subjective.
 Simply a rule to guide decisions/actions
 Subject to change by the people affected by them
 3 general categories
 New policy to guide when no prior one existed
 Amendments to existing policies that are no longer
satisfactory
 Abolish an existing policy
 ***In debate, policy propositions are called resolutions