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Thread ID: 101060 2009-06-30 08:21:00 Structured / Formal Debate Erayd (23) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
787403 2009-07-02 03:00:00 OK guys, lets get some teams organised.

If you would like to participate, send a PM to 'somebody' by midnight tomorrow night, and he will do a hat-draw to determine the teams. If there aren't enough submissions by then, he will wait until six people have responded.

Somebody will also decide on the moot at the same time - please indicate in your PM which category you'd prefer (one category only please), and the moot will be selected from the most popular category among participants. If you would like to suggest a moot, please send that as well, and make sure it fits one of the categories.

Categories are: Domestic Politics
International Relations/Security
Youth Issues
Economy
Environment/Science/Technology/Health
Drugs/Crime
Media/Entertainment/Arts
Sport

Affirming / negating teams will be decided by a coin toss.

You left out the subject "Understanding Women"

Ken :thumbs:
kenj (9738)
787404 2009-07-02 03:04:00 I was always told that Chairman is correct for both genders as the man
comes from the Latin word manus meaning hand, as in the the person controlling the chair?

Hmmmmm.

Latin does come in handy sometimes then to help prove a moot point.
Sweep (90)
787405 2009-07-02 03:18:00 You left out the subject "Understanding Women"

Ken :thumbs:Oh no - that one would come under 'Domestic Politics' :p.
Erayd (23)
787406 2009-07-02 05:39:00 I've just received a couple of questions via PM - answers are below. If you have more questions, can you post them in this thread please? That way everybody can benefit from them. If you need to ask, chances are you're not the only one wondering!


Will it be permissable to consult with other Team members via PM during the debate and before posted to the thread as your entry?Absolutely, although there's an ethical obligation there to make sure one person isn't carrying the entire debate. But yeah, feel free to talk to team-members via PM / IM / email / whatever.


Is there going to be a time limit between postings as in you have 24 hours to reply etc.Yes, there will be a max time limit in which to reply, but I think we should set that after we know the teams - as different people have different lifestyles, we need to come up with an interval that suits everybody, but isn't too long.
Erayd (23)
787407 2009-07-02 06:04:00 You left out the subject "Understanding Women"

Ken :thumbs:

Isn't that "Domestic Politics"? :xmouth:

OOPS - too late :lol:
Miami Steve (2128)
787408 2009-07-02 06:20:00 More questions:


I was more thinking if I am to post next whether I should try to rebut a point that another person on the team I end up in had not covered previously.Absolutely - you're more than welcome to do so, and it will help increase your chances of winning. Almost all versions of formal debating allow this, and I see no reason why here should be any different.


As to the actual debate are we going to post links, precedents, and more importantly sources as to the position taken?No, you aren't allowed to post links. The reason for this is that if you post links, the audience will click them to read the sources, which will possibly contaminate their view of the debate - the argument should stand on its own, and the outcome should not be easily influenced by how well written your sources are.

As an example, you can say stuff like "according to a ministry of social development report done in 2007, ....", but not "according to this (http://example.com) report, ..."


Will there be a word limit on posts?Yes - Somebody will be setting this. In verbal debates there is a time limit, so a word limit will serve the same function here.
Erayd (23)
787409 2009-07-02 06:29:00 When the debate is over what stops people spamming the voting? I can think of a few members on here which would inconvenience themselves enough to do that hueybot3000 (3646)
787410 2009-07-02 06:31:00 When the debate is over what stops people spamming the voting? I can think of a few members on here which would inconvenience themselves enough to do that

Nothing - but does it really matter?
somebody (208)
787411 2009-07-02 06:34:00 When the debate is over what stops people spamming the voting? I can think of a few members on here which would inconvenience themselves enough to do that
It's a poll. The only way to spam it would be to register lots of new accounts to vote on it, which the mods could spot *very* quickly (and ban the offending parties).
Erayd (23)
787412 2009-07-02 06:46:00 Nothing - but does it really matter?

It does not matter as the debate is only an exersise.

But we could have a rule where only people who have xx posts or more can vote subsequently after the debate is over maybe. Or alternatively the said votes are discounted this being a public poll so anyone can see who voted one hopes.

Just a thought and you do not have to put it in.
Sweep (90)
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