A Manual of Debate And Oral Discussion for Schools Societies And Clubs

Defense of the present. 3. Adjustment or repairs. 4. Counter proposition. H. Winning and losing. A. The problem of analysis. Having decided upon a properly worded proposition for debate, discussion, or speech, the next problem is that of analyzing the proposition to find out precisely the work that must be done to establish it if we are on the affirmative, and to prevent its establishment if we are on the negative. B. Burden of proof and burden of rebuttal. The first consideration in this part of our work is the problem of the burden of proof. It was said inthe test chapter that the proposition should be so phrased that the burden of proof is on the affirmative. Now the burden of proof is always on the actual affirmative, on the side which has the risk of the proposition, on the side which will lose if nothing is done. The proposition should be so worded that this falls on the affirmative of the verbal proposition. This burden of proving the case rests upon the affirmative then, and never shifts. Nothing which may happen in the trial of a case or a debate on a proposition can possibly place upon the negative the burden of proving the proposition under discussion. If the affirmative succeeds in establishing what is called a prima facie case, then the burden of refuting that case is on the negative. A prima facie case is a case which is strong enough to win if it is not answered. When the affirmative has established a ...