Research on the Comparison of Critical Thinking and Logical Expression Skills Before and After Debate Participation

Abstract

With the advancement of globalization, university students need not only to master English language skills but also to develop critical thinking and logical expression skills, both of which are crucial for academic and professional success. As an interactive and structured learning activity, English debates provide an effective platform for enhancing these cognitive and linguistic skills. This study investigates the impact of English debates on students’ critical thinking and logical expression skills by analyzing pre- and post-debate assessments, survey data, and in-depth interviews with debate participants. The results indicate significant improvements in critical thinking skills, including argumentation logic, rebuttal techniques, and problem awareness. Students also demonstrated notable progress in organizing and expressing complex ideas logically in English. These findings offer valuable insights for English teaching in higher education, suggesting that debates can serve as an effective pedagogical tool for fostering both language and cognitive development in university students.