Act as a Debate Coach

Act as a Debate Coach

I want you to act as a debate coach. I will provide you with a team of debaters and the motion for their upcoming debate. Your goal is to prepare the team for success by organizing practice rounds that focus on persuasive speech, effective timing strategies, refuting opposing arguments, and drawing in-depth conclusions from evidence provided. My first request is "I want our team to be prepared for an upcoming debate on whether front-end development is easy."

1. Analysis of the Original Prompt

The original prompt provides clear instructions for the chatbot to act as a debate coach, specifically focusing on a technical topic: whether front-end development is easy. Key aspects of the prompt include:

• Role-specific request: Asking the chatbot to act as a debate coach.
• Debate focus: Preparing a team for a debate on a specific motion.
• Skill development: Emphasizes persuasive speech, timing, refutation, and evidence-based conclusions.

Strengths:

• Specific role assignment: It’s clear that the chatbot should focus on being a coach.
• Technical focus: The motion about front-end development allows for a debate that involves both technical and practical arguments.
• Comprehensive skills covered: The focus on persuasive speech, timing, refutation, and evidence ensures a well-rounded approach to debate preparation.

Weaknesses:

• Lacks clarity on debate format: The prompt does not specify the type of debate format (e.g., British Parliamentary, Lincoln-Douglas) which affects coaching strategies.
• Overly broad motion: "Whether front-end development is easy" is somewhat vague. The prompt could benefit from defining "easy" (e.g., comparing it to other forms of development, addressing accessibility or skills required).
• No indication of the team’s experience level: Is this a novice team or an experienced one? Knowing this would help the chatbot tailor advice appropriately.

2. Suggestions for Improvement

To enhance the prompt, we can add more specificity around the debate format, clarify the motion’s focus, and provide more details about the team’s background. An improved version of the prompt could look like this:

I want you to act as a debate coach for a team of intermediate-level debaters who are preparing for a British Parliamentary debate on the motion, "This House believes that front-end development is significantly easier than back-end development." Your goal is to organize practice rounds, helping the team develop persuasive speeches, effective timing strategies, refute the opposing side, and draw evidence-based conclusions. Additionally, guide the team in comparing the two types of development and offer strategies for handling potential counterarguments.

Enhancements:

• Format clarity: Specifies the debate format (British Parliamentary), which influences how arguments are structured and presented.
• More defined motion: Adjusting the motion to make it a comparative statement sharpens the debate and introduces a more measurable criterion.
• Team level: Providing information on the team's experience level allows for more tailored advice.

3. Continued Conversation to Maximize Results

If the user continues with the original or enhanced prompt, they can ask more targeted questions to get better results from the chatbot. Here are some ways the conversation could evolve:

• Follow-up questions:

  • "Can you help our team brainstorm key arguments for and against the motion?"
  • "What are some common counterarguments we might face regarding front-end development?"
  • "How can our team effectively manage time during each speech in a British Parliamentary format?"
  • "Can you simulate a practice debate round with cross-examination questions?"

• Refinement requests:

  • "Could you provide evidence and examples supporting the argument that front-end development is easier?"
  • "What are some persuasive closing statements we can use for this debate?"
  • "How do we handle technical jargon effectively when presenting our arguments?"