Name: ____________________________

MEDIA Period 7

Date: _________________________

DEBATING DRAMEDY
DEBATE QUESTION: Is How I Met Your Mother a dramedy?
PROPOSITION: Yes, How I Met Your Mother is a dramedy.
OPPOSITION: No, How I Met Your Mother is not a dramedy.
THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT IN DEBATE:
You will have twenty minutes to review the pre-prepared materials and come up
with at least six talking points (arguments) to support your side of the debate.
Arguments should be specific and should be supported by appropriate evidence.
o You should have examples to support your claims.
You also have to be prepared to offer rebuttals to the arguments from the other
side.
When one side is presenting their case, the other side MUST be silent and listen
attentively (this is a sign of respect and it will help you offer your rebuttal).
EVERY PERSON MUST SPEAK AT LEAST ONCE!
THE ORDER OF THE DEBATE:
The proposition will begin the debate with one of their arguments.
After the proposition has completed their first argument, the opposition will
respond to that argument with a rebuttal.
After the opposition has completed the rebuttal, the opposition can present one of
their affirmative arguments.
The proposition then has the opportunity to present a rebuttal to the oppositions
argument.
Once the proposition has completed the rebuttal, the proposition will present their
next argument.
This cycle continues until both teams have presented their six arguments.
Each team will then have the opportunity to conclude and explain why they
should win the debate based on the arguments they have provided. The
proposition will offer their conclusion first, and then the opposition will offer their
conclusion.
EXAMPLE:
School should be year round.
PRO: School should be year round because studies have shown that teenagers lose about
two months of the knowledge they gained during the school year over the summer
(termed the summer slide) and that means educators have to re-teach large amounts of
information each year.
OPP: Schools should not be year round because the increase in cost of running the school
over the summer months (paying for electricity and AC) would negatively impact the

schools budget, detracting money from more valuable ventures such as teacher
education, student activities/extracurriculars, and new technology.
DEBATE SIDE (CIRCLE ONE):

PROPOSITION

ARGUMENTS TO SUPPORT YOUR SIDE OF THE DEBATE:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
POSSIBLE REBUTTAL ARGUMENTS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

OPPOSITION

POSSIBLE CONCLUSION: