1. DO NOW:
1. THINK ABOUT A TIME YOU WERE HEAVILY
MISUNDERSTOOD AND IT RESULTED IN AN ARGUMENT
OR ALTERCATION. WHAT WAS THE ISSUE? WHAT WAS
YOUR OPINION? WHO WERE YOU ARGUING WITH?
2. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DISCUSSION AND A
DEBATE?
3. FORMS OF DEBATE:
• POLICY DEBATE
• LINCOLN DOUGLAS
• PUBLIC FORUM
• PARLIAMENTARY
• CONGRESSIONAL
• IMPROMPTU
4. FORMS OF DEBATE:
• POLICY DEBATE
• LINCOLN DOUGLAS
• PUBLIC FORUM
• PARLIAMENTARY
• CONGRESSIONAL
• IMPROMPTU
5. CLAIM WARRANT IMPACT
WHAT YOU THE EVIDENCE WHY IT
ARE TRYING FOR WHY MATTERS
TO PROVE THE CLAIM IS
TRUE
6. DEFINITIONS 1:
POLICY DEBATE: A FORM OF DEBATE
COMPETITION IN WHICH TEAMS OF
TWO ADVOCATE FOR AND AGAINST
A RESOLUTION THAT CALLS FOR
POLICY CHANGE BY THE UNITED
STATES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
7. DEFINITIONS 2:
RESOLUTION: ALSO KNOWN AS THE
TOPIC; IT IS AN EXPRESSION OF
OPINION THAT INCLUDES THE WORD
“SHOULD.” IT SETS FORTH THE ISSUE
TO BE DISCUSSED IN THE DEBATE.
8. DEFINITIONS 3:
AFFIRMATIVE TEAM: THE SIDE IN A
DEBATE ROUND THAT SUPPORTS OR
“AFFIRMS” THE RESOLUTION.
NEGATIVE TEAM: THE SIDE IN A
DEBATE ROUND THAT OPPOSES OR
“NEGATES” THE RESOLUTION.
9. DEFINITIONS 4:
CONSTRUCTIVE SPEECH: THE FIRST SET
OF SPEECHES IN WHICH BOTH SIDES
“CONSTRUCT” THEIR ARGUMENTS AND
POSITIONS; CONSTRUCTIVE SPEECHES HAVE
A CROSS-EXAMINATION PERIOD DIRECTLY
AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE SPEECH;
EACH SIDE WILL GIVE A CONSTRUCTIVE
SPEECH.
10. DEFINITIONS 5:
CROSS-EXAMINATION: ONE DEBATER
GETS TO INTERACT WITH ANOTHER
DEBATER BY ASKING QUESTIONS;
THE TIME CAN BE USED FOR
CLARIFICATION OR TO SET UP AN
ARGUMENT. CROSS-EX AND CX ARE
BOTH SHORT FOR CROSS EXAMINATION.
11. DEFINITIONS 6:
REBUTTAL SPEECH: THE SECOND SET OF
SPEECHES IN WHICH BOTH SIDES FOCUS ON
COMPARING AND CONTRASTING ARGUMENTS
ALREADY PRESENTED IN THE DEBATE ROUND; THE
REBUTTAL SPEECHES ALLOW TEAMS TO ANALYZE THE
KEY ARGUMENTS OF THE ROUND USING LOGIC TO
EXPLAIN WHY ONE SIDE’S ARGUMENTS ARE SUPERIOR
TO THE OTHERS’; THERE SHOULD BE NO NEW
ARGUMENTS DURING THE REBUTTAL PERIOD; EACH
COMPETITOR WILL GIVE A REBUTTAL SPEECH.
12. DEFINITIONS 7:
STATUS QUO: THE CURRENT STATE
AFFAIRS; THE WAY THINGS ARE NOW.
IT IS BELIEVED TO BE WORKING UNTIL
THE AFFIRMATIVE PROVES THAT IS
NOT.
13. DEFINITIONS 8:
BURDEN OF PROOF: THE
AFFIRMATIVE’S OBLIGATION TO
PROVE THAT THEIR PLAN IS
PREFERABLE TO THE STATUS QUO
AND THAT IT IS A REASON TO
CHANGE THE CURRENT SYSTEM.
14. DEFINITIONS 9:
BURDEN OF REJOINDER: THE
NEGATIVE’S BURDEN TO PROVE THAT
THE LOGIC USED BY THE
AFFIRMATIVE IS FAULTY OR
INCORRECT.
15. DEFINITIONS 10:
CLASH: THE ARGUMENTATION
RESULTING FROM DIFFERING POINTS
OF VIEW; THE CLASH BETWEEN THE
BURDEN OF PROOF AND THE BURDEN
OF REJOINDER.
16. Policy Debate Format
1AC (8 min. for 1A) CX (3 min. for 2N to ask 1A questions)
1NC (8 min. for 1N) CX (3 min. for 2A to ask 1N questions)
2AC (8 min. for 2A) CX (3 min. for 1N to ask 2A questions)
2NC (8 min. for 2N) CX (3 min. for 1A to ask 2N questions)
1NR (4 min. for 1N)
1AR (4 min. for 1A)
2NR (4 min. for 2N)
2AR (4 min. for 2 A)
17. Scenario 1
Imagine two teams show up for a debate round. Both teams
enter the room and sit down. The round starts. The first
affirmative speaker stands up, the time starts on the clock,
but the speaker says nothing for the entire speech. Cross
examination comes and goes and neither team says a
single word. The first negative speech comes and goes and
no words are spoken. After the round, where no debater
said a single word, the judge signs the ballot, and walks out
of the round. Who did they vote for? And why?
18. Scenario 2
Think about the example above in another context. Imagine
that you were charged with a crime, and had to appear in
court. Now, imagine that both prosecutor and defense
attorney did not say anything during the entire trial. If no
arguments were made for or against you, ultimately, you
would be considered not guilty and released because in a
court of law you are innocent until proven guilty. That means
that you are presumed innocent until the other lawyer
overcomes this burden (i.e. presumption is with you).
19. Definition:
Presumption, one of the single most
important terms in debate, means that the
status quo is believed to be working until the
affirmative proves that is not.
20. GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF A STATUS
QUO. WHAT IS 1 ARGUMENT THAT
WOULD HELP PROVE THAT A
CHANGE TO THE CURRENT
SYSTEM IS THE RIGHT CHOICE?
INCLUDE A CLAIM, WARRANT,
AND IMPACT.
21. EXIT TICKET
IN COMPETITIVE DEBATING, YOU MAY NOT
CHOOSE WHICH SIDE YOU ARE ON. WHY DO
YOU THINK THAT TEAMS ARE NOT ALLOWED
TO CHOOSE THEIR SIDES IN A DEBATE? WHAT
DO YOU THINK IS CHALLENGING ABOUT
ARGUING BOTH SIDES OF AN ISSUE?
