Informal Debates

• Informal debates can range from heated arguments to friendly discussions, and are characterized by their lack of explicit rules or structure. Informal debates can be carried out almost anywhere and by anyone, and do not necessarily have to have a goal.
  
  

Formal Debates

• Formal debates occur in a variety of situations. They can range from televised political debates to business meetings. They are characterized by the presence of rules, time frames and other structural constraints, and are usually mediated by a third party.
  
  

Informal Declamations

• An informal declamation is any oral annunciation that seeks to make an argument, but happens outside of an explicit venue or structure. It need not be premeditated, nor does it have to conform to any particular rules. Usually, but not always, it is composed on the spot by the speaker, or makes reference to a common or well-known argument without necessarily reconstructing the argument in full.
  
  

Formal Declamations

• Formal declamations are characterized by premeditation. They are usually speeches prepared for a particular venue, and are usually constrained by a time frame. Usually, a declamation is made in order to convince a particular audience of a point that is commonly in dispute on a well-known subject of interest.
  
  

Competitions

• Debate and declamation competitions are popular in academics. Usually, teams are put together to compete for a larger prize. In debate, teams usually are given a particular topic to debate, are assigned a standpoint, and are asked to argue against the other team. They are constrained by a variety of rules and regulations, including a time period. In declamation competitions, participants are usually asked to read a classic speech composed by a famous historical figure. Participants recite the speech for power and effect and are judged on the oratorical success of their recitation.