ALOY’S AUSTRALS LECTURE
I. INTRODUCTION TO AUSTRALASIAN FORMAT
A. Arguments
- PH debating= execution, operationalization, levels, impacts, one core issue
- Australs debating= less about proving, more about how great the idea is, multiple arguments
and issues (multiple stakeholders, etc)
- Less about thinking of details, more of brilliance of arguments and nuance to motion
B. Topics
- Topics more philosophical
- Hard econ (access, stocks)
- Not classic IR, bolder IR (eg. invasions, military strikes)
C. Responses
- PH style: Argument, conclusion, rebuttal
- Other countries have different styles of debating
- Need to actively detect argument and conclusions, international more eloquent speeches vs
structured debate speech
D. Noticeable Trends
- PH= generally aggressive
- Australs= many calm and subtle
- May need to adjust manner
- Cannot assume that people will automatically understand your example (eg. Marcos, what is
ASEAN), need to explain the matter
- Don’t just use examples from your country, need relatability (eg. don’t assume other
democracies are like PH democracy)
- NO FALSE MATTER!!!!!!!
- Strategy is important!
- Research stuff about Australia huehue (adjcore usually sets one motion or at one motion set
about that country)
- No laughing at arguments you don’t understand!!!
- LOOK PRESENTABLE SKSKS
- Always get feedback from the adj
II. BEFORE THE DEBATE
A. Veto
- Consider your strengths and the opponent’s strengths
- Consider if you can execute a winning strategy
- If you have a motion you really believe in, choose that motion
- Suggest 1st speaker in charge of 1st motion, 2nd speaker 2nd motion, 3rd motion 3rd speaker
- In general, most important in the veto is which motion you’re cancelling = which motion you
absolutely cannot debate
- Consider if you can effectively respond to the caselines of the other side
B. Prepping
- Use your time wisely
- Pick the big issues (consider NUANCE) and focus on them
- Who are the most important actors in the debate?
- Whips are important!!! Though they don’t prepare their speeches during prep, they should be
helping the teams with pre-emptions
- Don’t phrase issues just as one word, issues should be well crafted questions
III. THE KILLER CASE
A. Anatomy of a Killer Case
- Problem, solution, the clash
- Impetus/Problem: Urgency, actors affected, explain and dissect the problem, effects of
the problem on people and the system
- Solution: Detailed policies, levels of arguments, plausibility (cause and effect), detailed
impacts
- Clash: trade-offs and conclusions
- Australians say the word causation a lot= really give cause and effect analysis
- Consider hard and soft lines= your principled concessions
- Baseline things you will not concede to (or else will cost you the round)
- Things we can get the other side to concede to that will help our strategy
- Soft lines= things you will concede to, eg. some casualties, lives will be lost BUT it’s worth
it in the long run
- Hard line= certain things are really unacceptable, willing to take the harms
- Need to master the art of trade-offs (why this harm or imperfection in the policy are okay, etc)
B. Strength n Steal Strategy
- Need to analyze what is the strength of the other side of the house and how do we make that
the basis of our caseline
- Ex. THC pornography, assume opp will center on feminism = PM should make the basis of your
argument feminism and why your policy is the best for women
- Be comparative as early as PM
- Don’t just think of your model, already pre-empt their values
- Ex. THS the death penalty, if opp’s main case will center around rehabilitation, make an
argument na on rehabilitation on affirmative side (eg. rn prisons are overcrowded, having
death penalty means better prison conditions, etc)
- Note however that not all values are co-optable, so just prove why their value isn’t as important
C. Coming Up with Arguments
- 1st: : Analyze parties (stakeholders and different actors)
- 2nd : Consider trends that exist because of the policy (eg. Tulfo justice has brought about what
culture?) or other trends that currently exist
- 3rd : Levels= micro macro,
- 4th: Think of opp cases and spin them around
- AN ARGUMENT IS ONLY AS PERSUASIVE AS IT IS TRUE, LOGICAL, AND RELEVANT. EXECUTION
MATTERS
IV. TEAM DYNAMICS
- Preparation, during debates, frank and fearless, and de-briefing
- Consider best way to communicate with team during the round
- You have to know the debate style of your team mates and the best way to explain arguments
to them
- Be very honest with your teammates, tell them saan sila nagkulang or what they need to do
- After each round or each day, talk to each other and consider which behaviors you liked and
which behaviors are unacceptable
- Talk about the general comments of the adjes
- Really need to be a better team as you progress
Q&As
- Australs is less strict when it comes to new analyses and responses coming from whips
- For replies, talk about the missing link or response from the opposition that will make them
lose
- DO NOT PANIC AND DO NOT SOUND LIKE YOU’RE LOSING
