CATEGORY III: ARTICULATION & WRITING:
SIST DEBATES
The SIST debates will be held on the model of BBC’s ‘The Doha Debates’
“The Debates are based on a centuries-old format, refined by the famous Oxford Union. They focus on a single, controversial motion, with two speakers for and against. Once they have outlined their arguments, each speaker is questioned by the chairman and the discussion is then opened up to the audience for argument and a final vote.” (www.thedohadebates.com)
Please visit the website (www.thedohadebates.com) and familiarize yourself with the format and running of the debate.
The following is a list of rules and procedures for this category. Failure to fulfill these obligations and/or any violation of them may result in point loss or disqualification from the tournament.
1. No more than 1 student may participate from each team.
2. Debates will be in ENGLISH language only.
3. Use of agreed upon Islamic resources (the Qur’an, Tafsir Ibn Katheer, Riyad–us-Saliheen, Ahadith of Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu-Dawud and Malik's Muwatta. Check out www.searchtruth.com or www.kalamullah.com for free resources) is encouraged in order to argue one’s case; other resources can be referred to as long as they are agreed upon. Yes, religious sources can be referred to in rational discourse. Not exactly what they taught you in school, is it?
4. Competitors will be assigned topics and the stance they are to defend by. (Coming soon! Check website for topics)
5. The judges will award points based on the competitor’s persuasive abilities, rational argument, and avoidance of targeting any particular sect of Islam or other religion, and audience response in the form of voting for the most convincing side.
6. Remember to encourage your friends and family to attend and support you.
Please keep visiting our website at www.shifastudentsociety.com for more updates on topics and the debate format.
THE COMPETITION:
Round 1: Line of argument
1. Each speaker speaks for 3 minutes.
2. There shall be no rebuttals.
3. Only the moderator can ask for clarifications.
4. There shall be no interaction with the audience
Round 2: Question and answer
1. Each speaker is expected to answer at least one question; unsatisfactory answer will result in the question being rerouted to the opposite bench where the bench will have the chance to rebut and solidify their stance.
2. The moderator can skip any irrelevant question.
3. If the speaker goes against their stance the moderator can ask for clarifications.
4. There should not be any counter question.
FOR THE AUDIENCE:
1. Before asking a question, state your name and the institute; and also state who it is for.
2. The question should be brief and to the point. You’ll be given chance to ask only one question. Write it before hand and decide who it is for.
3. Ask your question only if the moderator allows.
SIST DEBATES JUDGING CRITERIA:
Marking Standard
1.1 Each speaker's substantive speech is marked for content, style and strategy.
1.2 If a debater declares that they are unable to make their speech after a debate has begun, another member of their team who was announced by the chairperson as being a speaker in that debate may speak in their place. In such a situation, judges shall award the speech the lowest possible score within the Marking Standard, regardless of the quality of the speech.
2.1 Content is the argument used by the speaker, divorced from the speaking style.
2.2 If an argument is weak it should be marked accordingly, even if the other team does not expose its weakness.
2.3 In deciding the strength or weakness of an argument, judges should not be influenced by their own personal beliefs or specialized knowledge.
3.1 Style is the way speakers speak.
3.2 Judges should make allowance for different accents, speaking styles and debating terminology.
3.3 Debaters for whom English is a second language shall be judged as if they were native English speakers.
3.4 In general, the use of palm-cards, lecterns, folders, notepads or other forms of speakers notes should not affect the mark a speaker is given.
3.5 However, speakers should not read their speeches, but should use notes that they refer to only from time to time.
4.1 Strategy covers:
4.1.1 Whether the speaker understands what are the issues of the debate, and
4.1.2 The structure and timing of the speaker's speech.
4.2 A speaker who answers the critical issues with weak responses should get poor marks for content but good marks for strategy.
4.3 Answering questions:
· Each speaker is expected to answer at least one question asked by the audience or the chairperson (a maximum of 2).
· Award an extra mark in strategy if the speaker answers a question to the satisfaction of the chair.
· Do not ask a series of questions (i.e. an answer followed by another question) once the speaker has finished his answer regardless of its relevance move on to the next question or to the next speaker.
· If a speaker fails to answer a relevant question deduct a mark from this portion of the mark sheet. If a speaker answers one but fails to answer the second reward one mark nonetheless.
Topics for SIST Debates:
(THBT: This house believes that)
1. THBT it should be a socially accepted norm for women to propose men for marriage.
2. THBT traditional methods of Dawah need major revamping.
3. THBT future of Islam lies in the east.
4. THBT governments should be responsible for appointments of imams in masajid.
5. THBT wrong interpretation of religious knowledge does more harm than no religious knowledge.
(NEXT EVENT)
For details on other categories: click here
“The Debates are based on a centuries-old format, refined by the famous Oxford Union. They focus on a single, controversial motion, with two speakers for and against. Once they have outlined their arguments, each speaker is questioned by the chairman and the discussion is then opened up to the audience for argument and a final vote.” (www.thedohadebates.com)
Please visit the website (www.thedohadebates.com) and familiarize yourself with the format and running of the debate.
The following is a list of rules and procedures for this category. Failure to fulfill these obligations and/or any violation of them may result in point loss or disqualification from the tournament.
1. No more than 1 student may participate from each team.
2. Debates will be in ENGLISH language only.
3. Use of agreed upon Islamic resources (the Qur’an, Tafsir Ibn Katheer, Riyad–us-Saliheen, Ahadith of Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu-Dawud and Malik's Muwatta. Check out www.searchtruth.com or www.kalamullah.com for free resources) is encouraged in order to argue one’s case; other resources can be referred to as long as they are agreed upon. Yes, religious sources can be referred to in rational discourse. Not exactly what they taught you in school, is it?
4. Competitors will be assigned topics and the stance they are to defend by. (Coming soon! Check website for topics)
5. The judges will award points based on the competitor’s persuasive abilities, rational argument, and avoidance of targeting any particular sect of Islam or other religion, and audience response in the form of voting for the most convincing side.
6. Remember to encourage your friends and family to attend and support you.
Please keep visiting our website at www.shifastudentsociety.com for more updates on topics and the debate format.
THE COMPETITION:
Round 1: Line of argument
1. Each speaker speaks for 3 minutes.
2. There shall be no rebuttals.
3. Only the moderator can ask for clarifications.
4. There shall be no interaction with the audience
Round 2: Question and answer
1. Each speaker is expected to answer at least one question; unsatisfactory answer will result in the question being rerouted to the opposite bench where the bench will have the chance to rebut and solidify their stance.
2. The moderator can skip any irrelevant question.
3. If the speaker goes against their stance the moderator can ask for clarifications.
4. There should not be any counter question.
FOR THE AUDIENCE:
1. Before asking a question, state your name and the institute; and also state who it is for.
2. The question should be brief and to the point. You’ll be given chance to ask only one question. Write it before hand and decide who it is for.
3. Ask your question only if the moderator allows.
SIST DEBATES JUDGING CRITERIA:
Marking Standard
1.1 Each speaker's substantive speech is marked for content, style and strategy.
1.2 If a debater declares that they are unable to make their speech after a debate has begun, another member of their team who was announced by the chairperson as being a speaker in that debate may speak in their place. In such a situation, judges shall award the speech the lowest possible score within the Marking Standard, regardless of the quality of the speech.
2.1 Content is the argument used by the speaker, divorced from the speaking style.
2.2 If an argument is weak it should be marked accordingly, even if the other team does not expose its weakness.
2.3 In deciding the strength or weakness of an argument, judges should not be influenced by their own personal beliefs or specialized knowledge.
3.1 Style is the way speakers speak.
3.2 Judges should make allowance for different accents, speaking styles and debating terminology.
3.3 Debaters for whom English is a second language shall be judged as if they were native English speakers.
3.4 In general, the use of palm-cards, lecterns, folders, notepads or other forms of speakers notes should not affect the mark a speaker is given.
3.5 However, speakers should not read their speeches, but should use notes that they refer to only from time to time.
4.1 Strategy covers:
4.1.1 Whether the speaker understands what are the issues of the debate, and
4.1.2 The structure and timing of the speaker's speech.
4.2 A speaker who answers the critical issues with weak responses should get poor marks for content but good marks for strategy.
4.3 Answering questions:
· Each speaker is expected to answer at least one question asked by the audience or the chairperson (a maximum of 2).
· Award an extra mark in strategy if the speaker answers a question to the satisfaction of the chair.
· Do not ask a series of questions (i.e. an answer followed by another question) once the speaker has finished his answer regardless of its relevance move on to the next question or to the next speaker.
· If a speaker fails to answer a relevant question deduct a mark from this portion of the mark sheet. If a speaker answers one but fails to answer the second reward one mark nonetheless.
Topics for SIST Debates:
(THBT: This house believes that)
1. THBT it should be a socially accepted norm for women to propose men for marriage.
2. THBT traditional methods of Dawah need major revamping.
3. THBT future of Islam lies in the east.
4. THBT governments should be responsible for appointments of imams in masajid.
5. THBT wrong interpretation of religious knowledge does more harm than no religious knowledge.
(NEXT EVENT)
For details on other categories: click here
