Magazine Bantayan
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EFFECTIVE CROSS-EXAMINATION
By Jurate Motiejunaite
Debaters frequently fail to cross-examine effectively. Often, debaters ignore the role of cross-examination and use it simply as more preparation time while their teammate engages in an unproductive discussion with an opponent. However, cross-examination can be a powerful tool, not only a means to demonstrate a debater’s ability to think critically and on the spot, but also an aid for a team’s refutation and argumentation techniques. This article discusses the goals of cross-examination and effective cross-examination techniques. Beginning debaters can be afraid of cross-examination periods. Oftentimes, this is because they misperceive them as impromptu discussions. This is incorrect: cross-examination is just as much an impromptu process as it is prepared. There are two distinctive groups of debaters who often perform two opposite mistakes. One group does not prepare for cross-examinations at all—when debates start, they end up using all their preparation time to prepare for a cross-examination. This is not an effective strategy: these debaters worry intensely about the quality of the questions they prepare, and fail to pay attention to their opponents’ arguments while preparing them. Guided by their fear of the impromptu, such debaters present weaker arguments and weaker refutations; they come up short as attentive listeners and active questioners. As a judge, I have witnessed many debates where debaters could not refute their opponents’ arguments because they did not understand them, though, had they paid attention, things would have been clear. The other group of debaters relies excessively on precautionary strategies and prepares all their questions in advance. Then, equally stressed, they read out their pre-prepared questions even when these do not address the arguments presented by the debaters of the opposing team. Debaters in both groups need to realize that cross-examination has both prepared
EFFECTIVE CROSS-EXAMINATION
By Jurate Motiejunaite
Debaters frequently fail to cross-examine effectively. Often, debaters ignore the role of cross-examination and use it simply as more preparation time while their teammate engages in an unproductive discussion with an opponent. However, cross-examination can be a powerful tool, not only a means to demonstrate a debater’s ability to think critically and on the spot, but also an aid for a team’s refutation and argumentation techniques. This article discusses the goals of cross-examination and effective cross-examination techniques. Beginning debaters can be afraid of cross-examination periods. Oftentimes, this is because they misperceive them as impromptu discussions. This is incorrect: cross-examination is just as much an impromptu process as it is prepared. There are two distinctive groups of debaters who often perform two opposite mistakes. One group does not prepare for cross-examinations at all—when debates start, they end up using all their preparation time to prepare for a cross-examination. This is not an effective strategy: these debaters worry intensely about the quality of the questions they prepare, and fail to pay attention to their opponents’ arguments while preparing them. Guided by their fear of the impromptu, such debaters present weaker arguments and weaker refutations; they come up short as attentive listeners and active questioners. As a judge, I have witnessed many debates where debaters could not refute their opponents’ arguments because they did not understand them, though, had they paid attention, things would have been clear. The other group of debaters relies excessively on precautionary strategies and prepares all their questions in advance. Then, equally stressed, they read out their pre-prepared questions even when these do not address the arguments presented by the debaters of the opposing team. Debaters in both groups need to realize that cross-examination has both prepared