FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Anyone who wants to argue better. That includes:

• Adults curious about debate who never had formal training
• Former competitive debaters looking to refresh their skills
• Professionals who need to persuade colleagues, clients, or stakeholders
• Educators teaching critical thinking or communication
• Citizens who want to engage more productively in civic discourse
• Anyone tired of unproductive arguments who wants a better way

No. The guide assumes no prior knowledge. We introduce Greek rhetorical terms because they name concepts English lacks good words for, but every term is defined when it first appears. Start with the Introduction and Chapter 1, and everything will build from there.

The complete guide is about 8-10 hours of reading. But you don't have to read it straight through. Each chapter stands alone, so you can jump to topics that interest you. See the Introduction for suggested reading paths based on your goals.

The web version is the primary format, optimized for reading on any device. You can use your browser's print function to create PDFs of individual chapters. A complete downloadable version may be available in the future.

Yes. The Debate Guide is free and always will be. It's part of SuperDebate's mission to make debate education accessible to everyone.

An argument is any attempt to support a claim with reasons. Debate is structured argument—a format with rules, time limits, and often judges. Think of it like the difference between playing catch and playing baseball. Both involve throwing, but one has structure that makes it a sport.

Oxford-Style: Two teams argue for and against a motion before an audience that votes before and after. The team that changes more minds wins. Popular at Intelligence Squared events.

Parliamentary: Based on British Parliament traditions. Two teams (Government and Opposition) debate a motion with defined speaking roles. Common in universities worldwide.

Lincoln-Douglas: One-on-one format focused on values and philosophy. Named after the famous 1858 debates. Common in American high school competition.

Policy: Team format with extensive research and evidence. Debates specific policy proposals. Known for fast speaking ("spreading").

Public Forum: Accessible team format on current events. Designed to be understandable to general audiences.

Most adult debate clubs use Oxford-Style or Parliamentary formats because they're accessible and engaging for audiences.

Often, yes—and that's one of debate's greatest benefits. Arguing for positions you disagree with forces you to understand them deeply. You'll discover that most positions have stronger arguments than you assumed. This builds intellectual empathy and guards against blind spots in your own thinking.

The Greeks called this practice dissoi logoi—arguing both sides. It's not about being dishonest; it's about being thorough.

These are Aristotle's three modes of persuasion:

• Ethos (character): Persuasion through credibility and trustworthiness
• Pathos (emotion): Persuasion through emotional connection
• Logos (logic): Persuasion through reasoning and evidence

Effective persuasion usually combines all three. Chapters 5-10 explore each in depth.

Steelmanning means presenting the strongest possible version of an opposing argument before responding to it. It's the opposite of strawmanning (attacking a weak or distorted version). When you steelman, you show intellectual honesty and make your own counterarguments more credible. Chapter 15 covers this technique in detail.

You need less than you think:

1. Find 3-5 interested people. Colleagues, friends, neighbors—anyone curious about arguing better.
2. Pick a regular time and place. Weekly or biweekly works best. A living room, coffee shop, or library meeting room is fine.
3. Start simple. Your first meetings can be informal discussions. Add structure gradually.
4. Register with SuperDebate to connect with the broader community, find resources, and eventually participate in tournaments.

Good debate topics are:

• Debatable: Reasonable people can disagree
• Specific: Clear enough to argue meaningfully
• Balanced: Both sides have strong arguments

Start with topics your group finds interesting. Current events work well, as do perennial questions about policy, ethics, and society. Avoid topics where the group unanimously agrees—there's no debate if everyone's on the same side.

For casual club debates, you can simply vote on which side was more persuasive. As you get more formal, consider judging on:

• Argument quality: Were claims supported with reasoning and evidence?
• Refutation: Did speakers engage with opposing arguments?
• Delivery: Was the presentation clear and engaging?
• Strategy: Did the team structure its case effectively?

SuperDebate provides judging rubrics and training for clubs that want more structured evaluation.

You don't need to be. Adult debate clubs are learning communities, not elite competitions. Everyone improves together. The exercises in this guide give you plenty of material to structure meetings around. And SuperDebate connects new organizers with experienced mentors.

SuperDebate is the platform for adult debate clubs. It connects organizers who want to start clubs, debaters looking for intellectual community, and judges who mentor speakers. The platform provides infrastructure for everything from local meetups to global championships.

The Debate Guide is SuperDebate's educational foundation—the shared understanding of good argument that makes productive debate possible.

Yes, joining SuperDebate is free. You can find clubs, connect with debaters, and access basic resources at no cost. Premium features for serious competitors and large organizations may have fees, but the core platform is free.

Visit superdebate.org and search for clubs in your area. If there isn't one nearby, consider starting one—SuperDebate provides resources to help you launch.

Visit the SuperDebate contact page or email john@superdebate.org. The team typically responds within 24 hours.

The chapters build on each other, so reading straight through works well. But if you're short on time, the Introduction offers four reading paths based on your goals: The Complete Journey, The Busy Professional, The Digital Debater, and The Philosophical Reader.

Yes. Reading about debate is like reading about swimming—useful, but not the same as getting wet. The exercises move knowledge from understanding to ability. Even doing one exercise per chapter will dramatically increase how much you retain and can apply.

Absolutely. Educators are welcome to use The Debate Guide in classrooms, workshops, and training programs. The chapter structure, exercises, and vocabulary boxes are designed to support instruction. If you're building a curriculum around the guide, reach out—we may be able to provide additional resources.

We appreciate corrections. Please contact us with the chapter, the error, and the suggested correction. We'll review and update the guide as needed.

The guide automatically tracks which chapters you've read using your browser's local storage. Visit the Progress page to see your reading history. Your data stays on your device—we don't track your reading on our servers.