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Debating in the World Schools Style: A Guide
Debating in the World Schools Style is a how-to guide to the most popular style of debating among school students across the world. Written by a former winner of the World Schools Championships, the guide covers all aspects of debating: Preparation (including sections on team preparation, individual preparation and teamwork)
Rebuttal
Style
Points of Information and Reply Speeches
Rebuttal
Style
Points of Information and Reply Speeches
273 pages, ebook
First published September 28, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 13, 2023
I would like to preface this review by saying I am not really a non-fiction reader and therefore, my opinion on this book might not be as valuable as coming from someone who actually reads non-fiction and knows what's good. What I am, though, is an aspiring coach who loves debate and wants to get more familiar with the World Schools Style.
First of all, I quite liked this book! I think one of the initial concerns might be that this book is outdated – at least that was what I was worried about – but honestly, I didn't notice it as much. I guess if the book was written today, it would be a bit longer with chapters about online debating etc. but those are only minor topics and I didn't particularly miss it in the book.
The second thing is – should you read this book as a debater who wants to learn how to debate World Style? To be honest, probably not. Firstly, as a debater, you can learn to debate firsthand by debating which is far more valuable, secondly, if you are a high school debater, chances are, this book could bore you. But it definitely doesn't apply to every debater, I think the chapters read by itself could be useful for all debaters but reading the whole book would probably be too much for a novice debater.
This book is good for future judges and coaches and maybe very passionate advanced debaters who want to understand this format from a judge's point of view. As for me, I liked a lot of the explanations of the more advanced techniques and the examples provided with it in context with some past debates, motions etc. I also like how the book is structured – very logically and you can really understand the format when reading the book as a whole, chapter by chapter. At the end, there is also an exhaustive list of motions which I find very helpful as well.
I was pretty driven to finish this book because I don't have a lot of complex sources from which I can learn about this format, therefore I enjoyed and valued reading it but I can understand how to some, it can be boring, too theoretical or repetitive of what they already know.
Even if you can't get through the book as a whole, I would still recommend looking up certain chapters which you are curious about and read only certain parts because by themselves, they can be very helpful as well.
First of all, I quite liked this book! I think one of the initial concerns might be that this book is outdated – at least that was what I was worried about – but honestly, I didn't notice it as much. I guess if the book was written today, it would be a bit longer with chapters about online debating etc. but those are only minor topics and I didn't particularly miss it in the book.
The second thing is – should you read this book as a debater who wants to learn how to debate World Style? To be honest, probably not. Firstly, as a debater, you can learn to debate firsthand by debating which is far more valuable, secondly, if you are a high school debater, chances are, this book could bore you. But it definitely doesn't apply to every debater, I think the chapters read by itself could be useful for all debaters but reading the whole book would probably be too much for a novice debater.
This book is good for future judges and coaches and maybe very passionate advanced debaters who want to understand this format from a judge's point of view. As for me, I liked a lot of the explanations of the more advanced techniques and the examples provided with it in context with some past debates, motions etc. I also like how the book is structured – very logically and you can really understand the format when reading the book as a whole, chapter by chapter. At the end, there is also an exhaustive list of motions which I find very helpful as well.
I was pretty driven to finish this book because I don't have a lot of complex sources from which I can learn about this format, therefore I enjoyed and valued reading it but I can understand how to some, it can be boring, too theoretical or repetitive of what they already know.
Even if you can't get through the book as a whole, I would still recommend looking up certain chapters which you are curious about and read only certain parts because by themselves, they can be very helpful as well.
November 11, 2013
Ata Tuna L9-1
Genre: Debating ( Other than debaters shouldn't read ) Will bore you, No certain setting.
3 Main topics: Debating, Planning, Style
This book is divided to different sections such are beginners, intermediate and advanced. It will give information you need about both basic and advanced debating. A book a beginner debater can have benefit from.
No characters since there's no story.
Best quotes from the book:
Every idea is an incitement. It offers itself to belief and if believed is acted upon unless some other belief outweighs it or some failure of energy stifles the movement at its birth. The only difference between the expression of an opinion and an incitement in the narrowest sense is the speaker’s enthusiasm for the result; eloquence may set fire to reason. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, dissenting in Gitlow v The State of New York (1925) 268 US 652
Free speech is life itself. Salman Rushdie
Since it wasn't a story book, intro was exteremely boring. Then the book became more entertaining but still below my standards. However, it does give you the info you want very well.
The whole book is a connection to the life since you are developing the skill of expressing yourself and convincing others in any issue.
Would be better if it was a bit more entertaining.
Genre: Debating ( Other than debaters shouldn't read ) Will bore you, No certain setting.
3 Main topics: Debating, Planning, Style
This book is divided to different sections such are beginners, intermediate and advanced. It will give information you need about both basic and advanced debating. A book a beginner debater can have benefit from.
No characters since there's no story.
Best quotes from the book:
Every idea is an incitement. It offers itself to belief and if believed is acted upon unless some other belief outweighs it or some failure of energy stifles the movement at its birth. The only difference between the expression of an opinion and an incitement in the narrowest sense is the speaker’s enthusiasm for the result; eloquence may set fire to reason. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, dissenting in Gitlow v The State of New York (1925) 268 US 652
Free speech is life itself. Salman Rushdie
Since it wasn't a story book, intro was exteremely boring. Then the book became more entertaining but still below my standards. However, it does give you the info you want very well.
The whole book is a connection to the life since you are developing the skill of expressing yourself and convincing others in any issue.
Would be better if it was a bit more entertaining.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews