The question of ‘Style vs Substance’ is central in debating. What sets apart great debaters is their ability to strike a balance between those two concepts. It is important to be able to provide a strong, sophisticated speech while also decorating them with your own personal touch.
Substance:
Working and developing the content of your speeches is easy to learn but hard to master. Refining the substance of your speeches is very closely tied to refining your knowledge of the speaker roles. Each speaker role, from 1st to reply, has specific goals and strategies to achieve and implement. At DebatePro, we offer various resources and guides for improving your skill set in your speaker roles. Maintaining a concise structure in your speeches is also vital, as it will keep it engaging and clear throughout.
Style:
Learning how to thread your own charm and charisma is something which you develop only through experience. The more you debate, the more you realise what works for you, and the easier it is for you to find and channel your voice. The great advantage of a speaker who knows how to maximise their style is how unique and memorable their speech becomes. Substance is, of course, the most important component of your speech, but marrying a well written speech with unique style is what differentiates you from the others.
Produced by Nikola Pandurovic (Chief Editor at DebatePro)
DebatePro 