SPEECH/DEBATE PAIRING The semester-long courses Speech and Debate are paired. Students who enroll in Speech will automatically be enrolled in Debate. 

The debate course covers basic principles and techniques of argumentation and persuasion, including both classical and contemporary theories and approaches with emphases on message construction, critical thinking, analysis, and presentation.

Students learn how to develop reasoning skills and practice formal and informal argumentation and persuasion.  While the course content includes an analysis of standard debate techniques (Parliamentary, cross-examined, Lincoln-Douglas) requiring two matched sides for and against a proposition.  The emphasis of this course is on the argumentative mode of persuasion that enables an individual to reach decisions based on good reasoning and evidence.