It doesn't matter if you're talking from a stage or if you're just arguing with your mom in the house. Just apply a few simple rules to argue like a pro. When you use communication effectively, place a topic at the right time, and pay close attention to what your opponent says, you can make practically every opinion the right one.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Communicate Effectively
Step 1. If you are engaged in a formal debate, follow the structure.
If you have to participate in a formal debate, perhaps in class or in an association, be sure of how it actually works. Formal debates follow a practice and, therefore, you will have to know it by heart so as not to be caught unprepared. It's also important because you risk losing points if you don't respect it.
- There is usually a theme and two or more teams, or individual speakers, must make arguments to support or disagree with the main idea. After that, everyone will have to expose their points based on a certain period of time.
- There are different styles of debate (which determine the rules and how they work), so you will need to know which one to stick to in order for the rules to be clear. It wouldn't be a bad idea to check these things out in advance and do some research online. Look for phrases like "competitive debate", "parliamentary debate" or "Oxford debate". They are some styles you may come across.
Step 2. Rest assured
Stay calm during the debate. Don't start yelling or getting angry, or you will be weak in front of your opponent. Instead, keep your tone of voice balanced and facial expressions neutral. In some parts of the world, it's called "poker face" - if you take it, it will be much more difficult for the other side to hit the right buttons to make you fall.
If you have a hard time staying calm, try focusing on your breathing for a minute or two
Step 3. Speak clearly
Express yourself clearly so that people can understand. This way you will also appear smarter and more confident. When you speak, use a tone loud enough for people to hear you. Don't mumble or gibberish, but say every word calmly and every syllable carefully.
Tongue twisters let you know if you mispronounce words. Try this: "If the archbishop of Constantinople were to disarchbishop of Constantinople, would you disarchbishop of Constantinopolize you as the Archbishop of Constantinople did?"
Step 4. Explain your reasoning
When you explain to someone how you came to a certain conclusion, calmly and gradually, you force their mind to think in the same way as you. If your reasoning is valid at first glance, it can be one of the most effective ways to get someone to agree with what you are saying.
Step 5. Be respectful and honest
When arguing with someone, be respectful. Don't insult him, don't speak over and don't judge him. Otherwise, those present will have the impression that your arguments are not so valid, and you risk that people get defensive and are less willing to listen to you or agree with you. You should also be honest when presenting your arguments. Don't twist the facts. To refute a thesis, use recent and directly related evidence, not old and outdated.
- A bad example can be: "Why should we listen to you? You destroyed the system last year when you were in charge of the project. You will probably screw that too."
- Instead, a good example would be: "I know you are really excited about this project, but the situation is very delicate. It would be better to use someone who has more experience so that they can lead it more efficiently."
Step 6. Act with confidence
While you don't need to actually be confident, however, showing confidence will make your arguments much more enticing and credible. Otherwise, you will give the impression that you don't believe what you say (even if it's not true). However, you can take some steps to appear more confident. Make eye contact with your opponent, but also with the audience if they are present. Don't fidget, but use your hands to communicate or hold them still in front of you. Speak clearly while arriving at a purpose, avoiding fillers like "uhm" and "uhm". By using a few tricks, you will seem much more confident.
Part 2 of 3: Choosing the Topics
Step 1. Use logic-based arguments
Logic-based arguments, which fall into the rhetorical category of "logos", use examples and ideas rooted in simple, straightforward reasoning. These kinds of arguments are especially useful when you are arguing with someone who considers themselves intelligent and rational. They are also good when a "serious" topic is at stake, such as politics and economics.
- Try using real-life facts, statistics, and examples to build logical arguments.
- An example might be: "Evidence shows that teenage pregnancy rates have decreased since a more careful approach to sex education was introduced in schools. In fact, it can be seen in this graph ….".
Step 2. Use suggestion-based arguments
The suggestion-based arguments, which fall into the rhetorical category of "pathos", appeal to people's hearts and emotions. These kinds of arguments are mainly useful when you are arguing with someone who is prone to emotion (showing joy and sadness in a very obvious way). They are also fine when the subject of discussion involves more "human" aspects, such as social justice, discrimination or events that have a strong social impact (such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict).
- Try to stimulate people's hopes and fears. Use personal stories and try to make personal contact with both the opponent and the audience, comparing a certain situation to something that affects everyone closely.
- An example would be: "Retreating now would be an infinitely greater danger to us than if we stopped to try to solve the problem. There is the risk of losing an untold number of lives if we back down. However, if we stay, the human cost will not be high ".
Step 3. Use authority-based arguments
Arguments based on authority, which are part of the rhetorical category of "ethos", appeal to your authority and credibility, or to those of those who support your ideas. They are particularly useful when you are discussing with someone who has no direct experience in the field or who has a rather weak thesis. They are also fine when the topic is purely "academic", such as medicine, science or history.
- Try to show your credentials and share your background when using arguments like this. Make sure first that your opponent doesn't have a more meaningful experience than yours.
- An example would be: "I have been teaching for over 30 years and I am a first-hand witness to this practice. I know which aspects work in this industry and which do not. Ideals and real life are two very different things."
Part 3 of 3: Winning in a Debate
Step 1. Do your research
The more you prepare for a debate, the better you will support your arguments. If you really want to guarantee victory, do your research. When you delve into an argument and dissect it from every perspective, you will be much more ready to counter any argument your opponent might come up with. It is very important to know how the pros and cons relate to the problem to be analyzed. When you know what your opponent will highlight, you can explain why he is wrong.
Avoid using websites such as Wikipedia as your primary source of information. This might be a good place to start, but you need to get the facts from valid sources on the topic you are trying to investigate. For example, if you have to discuss economics, don't mention an incident reported on Wikipedia. He cites Alberto Alesina, one of the economics professors at Harvard and editor of a leading academic journal in this field
Step 2. Identify the fallacies
Fallacies are those hidden errors in reasoning that follow a wrong logic. While the conclusions may be right, the way to get there is wrong. You can use them to create doubts about the conclusion reached by the other side and put your arguments in a good light. There are different types of fallacies, so it is best to study them individually in order to recognize and refute them.
- One of the most common examples of fallacy is called "ad hominem" and involves attacking the person making arguments rather than replying to his statements. It is often observed in politics. For example, a fallacy could be a sentence like: "This guy is an idiot" instead of "There is no evidence that this strategy will work."
- Another common fallacy is called "black or white" (or false dilemma). It arises when the speaker presents the problem with only two solutions, making the one he predicts the best. This ignores alternatives and intermediate positions that might make more sense. Think about when your mother says, "It is possible to marry and have children or die old and alone." There is probably some leeway between these two scenarios, right?
Step 3. Look for weaknesses in the arguments put forward
Arguments can fall for several reasons. If you find weaknesses, you can highlight them and strengthen your reasoning by comparison. Try the following:
- Look for places where your opponent's logical path isn't so perfect. One example is the recent decision of the US Supreme Court, which stated that companies can profess a certain religion and that employees should be subject to the rules of that faith. Perhaps it would be more acceptable if the company were Christian rather than Mormon and, perhaps, adherent to polygamy, right?
- Another sign of weakness in the arguments is evident when the opponent touches a crucial point, using little evidence to support. He usually reports that there is no evidence to come to the conclusion he wants. For example, when someone argues that the use of weapons helps prevent shootings and uses only one example in favor of his thesis, he clearly omits the examples that go in the opposite direction. Try to squeeze him on this point and talk about the evidence he didn't mention.
Step 4. Direct the topic in the right direction
You can do this when your opponent starts discussing a topic that strays from the main topic. When a debate goes off topic, perhaps it indicates that the opposing party has no solid reasoning and, as a result, begins to give in. Keep the argument in the right direction and you will have a better chance of winning. Ask yourself if the arguments have a direct link to the topic of discussion. If they don't support anywhere, they are off track.
- For example, you are debating whether the use of guns prevents mass shootings and your opponent is starting to argue that those who don't like guns are racist.
- Be determined to turn your opponent's arguments against him. Use them to return to the main theme. In this way, you will allow the audience to understand the play of the other side and you will appear more confident and fair.
Advice
- Don't start questions with "suppose". It's an old rhetorical tactic known as grooming. Most speakers don't take the bait.
- Make sure everyone can understand and empathize with what you say. By using big words to enrich the reasoning, you will not seem more intelligent, in fact fewer people will understand you. Don't be afraid to use metaphors or everyday happenings to prove your point as long as you can explain how it relates to the debate.
- Debating does not mean convincing the opponent that he is wrong. It's about convincing the public that your position is much more logical than the one presented by the other party and bringing information they didn't know before to the attention of people.
- If the debate takes place between teams, be careful not to use arguments that may contradict those of your partner or otherwise complicate the situation.
- Learn from your wins and losses.
- There are some online sites that deal with debate and, therefore, can be a great way to learn how various realities compare to each other. See this page
- Choose the most important point you intend to prove and back it up with as many arguments as you can. Describe "the big picture" to the audience. If you spend your time proving the various points of your thesis, you will have to invest a lot of energy in each of them. Furthermore, you will give your opponent more material that he can attack you on, also risking to make your arguments contradictory. Take a main idea and follow it throughout the debate.
- ALWAYS treat your opponent and the audience with respect. They are the reason why you participate in the debate!
- Don't explain every single word. You risk being pedantic and confusing the public about your general thesis.
- Don't repeat your statements too much. If the public has not understood your position, it is because you have not explained yourself well enough, not because they have not heard you. If you repeat what you said, be sure to convince people why a certain topic is worth bringing up a second time.
- If your speaking style doesn't work, try a new one. As Einstein said, "insanity is always doing the same thing and expecting different results".
- Don't use morality as an argument. Your morale or that of your opponent may not necessarily match that of everyone in the audience.
Warnings
- Don't use blasphemous expressions or offensive words. They won't back up the points in your discussion, but they risk distracting and offending the audience.
- NEVER provoke a debate. Your arguments will only have value if your opponent is willing to argue and the audience to listen. This means that you shouldn't launch public debates to provoke those you don't know. Chances are they won't realize you're just trying to discuss sports and will take it as a personal attack. If you want to discuss, join a debate association.
- Make sure you present each fact correctly.
