The best way to get better at debating is to enter real competitions

However, these students have only been doing debate competitively for one year; how did they get from beginners to award-winning competitive debaters? Young Post asked them for their top tips.

The benefits of debate can help you succeed in all areas of life, not just competitions

One of the hardest things about debating is the preparation phase. This is especially true if the motion is not revealed until the competition itself; debaters will have to work under time pressure to come up with relevant and effective arguments for whichever side they end up being on.

Unfortunately, one of the side effects of the time pressure is that arguments end up being too generic, and detached from the specifics of the motion. Your instinct may be to create your arguments as quickly as possible, but it’s worth using a little extra time to come up with points that are tailor-made for the debate.

“I usually construct arguments based on experience and previous motions,” says Helen. “But students around the world can ... think of unique and special [arguments] which are exclusive to the context of the motion.”

4 tips from an expert that will make you a more confident and talented debater

In most forms of debate, speaking times are usually no longer than 10 minutes. With all the information and arguments you have to include in your speech, those 10 minutes can pass quickly, so prioritise the points you want to make. You will come up with many arguments during debate preparation but the key is the identify which are more important, and put them first. Don’t get too attached to your arguments; if they aren’t vital, cut them from your speech.

“I should have prioritised more important [points]... less important arguments may not have such a big impact in the debate and may take up quite a lot of my [speaking] time,” says Helen.

Another way of balancing a speech is to divide time between expressing your team’s points and rebutting opponents’ points.

As Ngan Sze-yuen, 14, explains, “you have to make use of every moment to actively [break] down the case of your opponents; if you’re too preoccupied with explaining your own points ... the points from the other side will still stand.”

Here are the most common mistakes debaters make and how to avoid them

If you want to become a more confident debater, you need to be aware of what’s happening in the world around you. This will help you understand the arguments and evidence presented during debates, says Cheuk-lam, 14. “Debaters should read up on a wide range of societal issues through books or magazines such as The Economist.”

You can also learn a lot by simply observing debate competitions, either in person or on YouTube.

“Watching debate ... provides the opportunity to see debates as a judge [does] and be exposed to different techniques,” says Jenna, 15.

“It is important to actively listen and take notes during the debates, to look for what strategies the teams are using.”