Reflection pecah Kucha “ silence can be powerful argumentative strategy”
by Sintia Dano Mas’ud
Hello, I'm Sintia, a student in the English Education study program at Pacific University, Morotai Island. This article contains my reflections on creating a pecha kucha presentation for the Speaking for Debate course. This assignment certainly had its challenges, especially with the topic I chose. I think there will be a lot of contradictions between those who agree and disagree. My topic is titled "Silence Can Be a Powerful Argumentative Strategy." Just from the title, you're probably already thinking, "Can silence be a strategy in argumentation?"
However, after reading several related articles, it turns out it works. Strategically, it works. Because, when we remain silent, it doesn't mean we're not responding to our opponent's argument; rather, we can focus more on listening to their arguments and how we can manage our counterarguments appropriately. I'll use a debate competition as an example for my topic, so everything I explain in the pecha kucha is geared towards debate competitions.
In the process of compiling the material, I was a bit stuck with the material going in circles. Some slides were connected to the previous slides but focused on the same topic. I struggled to synchronize the images with the material, but each slide had its own material, but the images were difficult to align with the material. Some images showed debate forums and people arguing. There was also an image depicting two people arguing.
I downloaded some images from Pinterest and Opera Mini. Of these two apps, Pinterest offered a wider selection and was easy to access. In pecha kucha, we don't have much time for presentations; we have a time limit for each slide. The total presentation time is actually 20 minutes with 20 slides, but our lecturer only gave us 10 minutes to present, and the rest was spent discussing. Each slide in pecha kucha only lasts 20 seconds. This isn't a lecturer's rule, but rather a basic pecha kucha rule.
I spent three days completing this pecha kucha, but when the deadline came, I didn't have time to post it, and I ended up missing a presentation. It's a shame I wasted three days, and even when I had the final opportunity to present, I didn't show up. I'm a little disappointed with myself, but I'm grateful I was able to complete this assignment, even though I didn't have a presentation. It's just that I didn't have time to share the knowledge with my friends and lecturer; I was the only one who understood it.
Therefore, in this reflection, I will also provide material on each slide of my pecha kucha without images. So that readers can also gain knowledge. Happy reading!
SLIDE 1
Tittle topic
SLIDE 2
Let’s take silence in a debate, for example. Silence here doesn’t mean not responding to your opponent’s argument, but rather how we respond.
SLIDE 3
In a debate, we’ll be confronted with all sorts of emotions, both good and bad, with various arguments from both sides.
SLIDE 4
Silence in a debate can help manage our nervousness. A brief pause can help us calm down, as being unsettled can lead to an urge to immediately refute the opponent’s argument
SLIDE 5
As debaters, we must also pay attention to the arguments we will present, so as not to reduce points and also be rational
SLIDE 6
I think managing emotions is crucial in debate competitions. We can give our opponents the opportunity to argue, while also giving ourselves space to strategize. And we can discuss our arguments with our team mates.
SLIDE 7
A good argument must also consider how it’s communicated. For example, verbal communication includes questions, reasons, evidence/data, and conclusion.
SLIDE 8
Every argument that is spoken must also be in accordance with the time allotted, so that no sentence is left unsaid
Get Sintia Dano Mas'ud’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
SLIDE 9
To develop an argumentative strategy, debaters must also be able to face challenges. The main challenges for debaters are a deep understanding of the issue, quick and critical thinking, and emotional management
SLIDE 10
Being silent in a debate does not mean ignoring the arguments of your opponent or your team. Stable emotions will make us calm when arguing
SLIDE 11
Silence can be key to analyzing your opponent well, and avoiding distractions from the crowd
SLIDE 12
Being wise in responding to situations is a good decision, we know when to respond to arguments and when to argue.
SLIDE 13
Silence in a debate is often misinterpreted as a sign of weakness of defeat. However, in the context of high-level communication and strategic debate, silence can be a powerful weapon, demonstrating spiritual maturity, self-control, and inner strength
SLIDE 14
Silence shows that you are not emotionally provoked by your opponent, whick makey your argument appear more rational and professional
SLIDE 15
Tips for using the silent strategy
Pause before responding : don’t interrupt immediately, count a second or two before speaking to give the impression that your answer is well thought out, not reactive.
Use eye contact : being silence while maintaining calm eye contact can b more intimidating than shouting
SLIDE 16
Silence allows space to deeply assess and understand the opponent’s point of view, which allows you to find weaknesses in his logic
SLIDE 17
Calm silence indicates that your logical position is strong enough and does not require a fiery defense
SLIDE 18
Mental energy efficiency : instead of wasting energy on unimportant or dishonest arguments, silence allows you to focus on crucial core point
Giving time to think ( pause ) : a two-second pause before answering ( strategic silence technique ) helps you calm down and formulate a stronger answer
SLIDE 19
Overall, silence does not mean passivity, but rather an elegant and strategic form of resistance to win the debate mentally and logically.
SLIDE 20
Closing
Hopefully, readers can gain knowledge from the material above. I apologize for not attaching the image, because I have removed the pecha kucha image. And if possible, it would be better to present it in person so that the image can be displayed, not just the text of the material like this. It is very unfortunate, not to have a live presentation, hopefully the short material above is not unsatisfactory. So that there can be discussion from readers, THANK YOU
