Determine the direction being taken in the debate. Since debating consists of taking either a "pro" side or a "con" side, deciding on a pro side or a con side is imperative to presenting a coherent debating argument..
Find newspaper articles relating to the chosen topic. Newspaper articles can either be accessed through online sources, such as newspaper sites, or can be accessed through either public or private libraries. An excellent source to finding the right newspaper article to use in the debate is to use the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature. This is a guide to every major newspaper and periodical in print, with referencing provided by either article title, article author or article subject.
Read the article completely once through. Before taking any notes, make sure the article pertains to the debate subject. Sometimes, the title of an article might be misleading. In other words, an article titled "The End of Video Games" might have very little to do with video games and might be about video games evolving into a new form of entertainment radically different from previous incarnations of video games.
Take notes, determining whether your material supports your debate views either directly or indirectly. Direct support is when the newspaper article coincides with your debate tactic. For example, if debating the end of video games, the article titled "The End of Video Games" might provide direct support. Indirect support is information needing individual interpretation to support your position. For example, an article dealing with the increase in Internet viewing times as opposed to playing video games might provide indirect support of the debating argument. This might occur even if the majority of the article deals with how much time people currently spend online; information about the increase of online time also leading to a decrease in activity relating to video games can be argued using indirect support.
Highlight pertinent information. In a debate, information must be accessed as quickly as possible, especially when the opposing view is speaking. For example, if the opposing view claims that video games are more popular than ever, your articles on the reduction in video games should have figures and data highlighted. In a debate, using hard numbers is an effective technique to presenting a point of view.
Print out information from online sources. Do not always rely upon mainstream newspapers. Important information can be found in alternative media newspapers, such as ethnic newspapers --- especially if the debate is in areas directly related to non-mainstream issues. Print out the information if it is online and read it the same way as reading a copy of The New York Times.