How to Turn the Tables in Debates

Criticizing your opponent's arguments to reinforce your own position is called rebuttal.

Debating is the cornerstone of a democratic society and a challenging activity that builds critical thinking skills. Politicians win votes by presenting plausible arguments and denouncing the reasoning of their opponents. Elementary, high school and college students who debate learn to challenge what they hear, find exceptions to general rules and think carefully for themselves. Turning the tables on your opponent involves listening to her arguments and attacking weaknesses--a skill called rebuttal. Delivering convincing rebuttals depends on your ability to do preparatory research, analyze language and break down complex ideas.

Instructions

1. Research your debate topic inside and out. Know the strengths of your own position as well as the weaknesses. Ask yourself what points your opponent will argue, and what facts and reasoning you can use to dismiss his arguments. Look at your arguments from your opponent's point of view, and ask yourself what he might say to discredit your position. The more you research, the more facts and material you'll have in your head to sidestep criticism and demolish opposing arguments.

2. Listen to your opponent's speech for generalizations that you can pick apart. Arguments and ideas often don't apply universally, so if you can think of several situations where your opponent's assertion is untrue or doubtful, you considerably weaken his argument. JCI (Junior Chamber International), a youth organization focused on building a better world, points out that many people argue on the basis of principles, "general experience[s] that ha[ve] been enshrined in some permanent form." For example, the sanctity of the traditional family unit is a principle. If your opponent argues against same-sex marriage on the grounds that it undermines the traditional, healthy family structure, you could argue that children have been raised in nontraditional, blended families for some time. You could also cite studies that prove that while same-sex marriage isn't the norm, it does produce loving families with parents who raise well-adjusted children.

3. Listen carefully to the language your opponent uses. See if he uses the word "always" when a fact isn't true in all cases. Ask for more explicit definitions for ambiguous words or phrases. For example, if your opponent says that euthanasia "attacks the moral fiber of society," ask what he means. If he says that euthanasia goes against protecting human life and dignity, point out that denying people the choice to die and forcing them to suffer takes control and personal self-worth away from the sick.

4. Examine the quality of the evidence your opponent uses to support his arguments. Ask yourself if it's unreliable, or if better, more recent evidence exists. For example, if your opponent uses a study from 2005 to prove that marijuana doesn't have significant health impacts, you could present two more recent studies that prove the opposite.

5. Your opponent's conclusions should follow logically from his arguments and evidence. For example, just because alcohol causes health problems doesn't mean that it should be banned. Lessons from history prove that making alcohol illegal only increases bootlegging. Just because teens who use marijuana experience higher rates of depression doesn't mean marijuana caused it. Rather, the mental condition could be the impetus that encouraged drug use in the first place. Look for factors left unconsidered and bring those up in your rebuttal.

References

• JCI: How to Win Any Debate or Argument
• Learning and Teaching Scotland: Debating in Schools--Rebuttal Techniques