Transcript WELCOME TO DEBATE! - Amazon Web Services

WELCOME TO DEBATE!
ORDER AND PURPOSE OF THE SPEECHES
AFFIRMATIVE VS NEGATIVE
Remember…
 The job of the affirmative is to prove that their
proposal (which must fit under the resolution)
is a good idea.
 The job of the negative is to prove that the
affirmative proposal is either a bad idea or
does not fit under the resolution.
 The judge votes for whichever team does a
better job of proving their point.
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AFFIRMATIVE VS NEGATIVE
Each team gets a set amount of time to prove their
point (they must also speak in a set order).
 This will be a little confusing at first but will go
smoothly after your first tournament. For the first
one, you should print off this power point to keep
with you.
 Also, keep in mind that the novice packet provides
an excellent initial limit on the number of
arguments a team can make. Learn the packet
well enough and not much will surprise you at the
first tournament.
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1A, 1N, 2A, 2N
There are four participants in the debate. Each
person gives one constructive speech, one
rebuttal speech, asks questions once and
answers questions once.
 Each person has a role in the debate. They can
be the 1A, 2A, 1N, or 2N. (First affirmative
speaker, Second affirmative speaker, First
negative speaker, Second negative speaker).
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MAP OF THE ROUND
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1AC (first affirmative constructive)—8 min
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1NC (first negative constructive)—8 min
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2A stays standing, CX by 1N—3 min
2NC (second negative constructive)—8 min
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1N stays standing, CX by 1A—3 min
2AC (second affirmative constructive)—8 min
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1A stays standing, CX by 2N—3 min
2N stays standing, CX by 2A—3 min
1NR (first negative rebuttal)—5 min
1AR (first affirmative rebuttal)—5 min
2NR (second negative rebuttal)—5 min
2AR (second affirmative rebuttal)—5 min
CONSTRUCTIVES & REBUTTALS
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A constructive is one of the first four speeches. In these
speeches, debaters initiate the key arguments that they plan to
make.
There is a big difference between the first two and last two
constructives. The first two speeches (1AC, 1NC) mostly
consist of reading pre-written material and the last two
constructives (2AC, 2NC) are written on the spot to counter
arguments made by your opponent.
A rebuttal is one of the last four speeches. In these speeches,
debaters refute points made by the other side and use logic
and evidence comparisons to prove that their core arguments
are correct.
MAP OF THE ROUND (COLOR CODED BY PERSON)
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1AC (first affirmative constructive)—8 min
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1NC (first negative constructive)—8 min
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2A stays standing, CX by 1N—3 min
2NC (second negative constructive)—8 min
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1N stays standing, CX by 1A—3 min
2AC (second affirmative constructive)—8 min
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1A stays standing, CX by 2N—3 min
2N stays standing, CX by 2A—3 min
1NR (first negative rebuttal)—5 min
1AR (first affirmative rebuttal)—5 min
2NR (second negative rebuttal)—5 min
2AR (second affirmative rebuttal)—5 min
ACTIVITY
 Activity…
I give the four participants name tags that
say 1A, 1N, 2A, 2N and have them go through the
process of just standing up and announcing what
speech they are giving. I have the partners sit
together. F
 or this first time, I do not have them actually say
anything besides the aff “I support the resolution
and my plan is a great idea” and the neg “I think
that the resolution is a bad idea and the plan
stinks!” I would skip CX for now.
WHEN DO YOU WRITE SPEECHES?
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Each team is given prep time to use how they like. Most
judges give each side 8 or 10 minutes. Share the time well
with your partner and try to leave more for rebuttals.
How can 8 or 10 minutes be enough? Quite a bit of debate
work is done ahead of time. During the round, you will need
to think of logical points on the spot and put your arguments
in order but all of that is facilitated by work done before the
tournament.
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Research is done before tournaments.
The 1AC and major components of the 1NC are pre-written.
You can write out anything that you like. If you hear an new
argument, write answers to it so that you do not need prep next
time!
Careful filing means that you can find what you need quickly.
WHEN DO YOU WRITE SPEECHES?
Most importantly, all debaters take extensive
notes during speeches. This is called flowing.
Taking careful notes is absolutely essential to
be able to respond to arguments made by the
other side (and to remember what you said
earlier in the debate).
 Learning how to structure these notes will give
you an automatic way to organize your
speeches.
 We will talk more about that later.
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1AC (FIRST AFFIRMATIVE CONSTRUCTIVE)
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First speech of the debate
The affirmative team lays out their proposal and why
they think that their proposal would have advantages
over the current system. Here is the usual order of their
presentation:
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Inherency (factual description of the current situation—
points to laws responsible for current problems)
Harms (outlines problems with the current situation)
Plan (short statement of what the affirmative team plans to
do about the problems they outlined)
Solvency (reasons why the affirmative plan will solve the
problems they outlined)
1NC (FIRST NEGATIVE CONSTRUCTIVE)
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The negative responds to the 1AC. After you graduate from
novice, there will be a large number of arguments that you
can use on the negative. For now, you need to pick out
arguments from the packet.
Your basic strategy is to demonstrate that the problems
caused by the affirmative plan (disadvantages) are more
substantial than the benefits of the plan (advantages).
To do this, you need to both respond to the affirmative case
and demonstrate that it would cause substantial problems.
To respond to the case you make “on case” arguments. New
reasons why the affirmative plan would cause problems are
“off case arguments.”
2AC (SECOND AFFIRMATIVE CONSTRUCTIVE)
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The main goal of the 2AC is to respond to all of the
arguments made in the 1NC. The 2AC needs to go point
by point and respond to each of the case arguments.
The 2AC also needs to go to each off case argument,
group the position, and respond to the argument.
Most of the 2AC is original but you can write out
arguments that you would like to use ahead of time.
Look at each DA in the packet and pick out arguments
that you would like to make in response.
Remember that you made arguments in the 1AC that
will be applicable. Extend any 1AC arguments that will
help you beat negative positions—there is no sense
reading cards that repeat earlier ones.
2NC (SECOND NEGATIVE CONSTRUCTIVE) &
1NR (FIRST NEGATIVE REBUTTAL)
These two speeches are the only ones given by
the same side back-to-back. It is nicknamed
the “negative block.”
 Your job is to respond to each argument made
by the 2AC on the positions that you plan to
extend.
 Your goal is to continue to defend a winning
package (such as a DA and case defense, so
that you can argue that the DA outweighs the
case in the 2NR).
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2NC (SECOND NEGATIVE CONSTRUCTIVE) &
1NR (FIRST NEGATIVE REBUTTAL)
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The 2NC and 1NR should divide up flows and decide
what each person will extend. How do you make the
decision?
 After the 2AC but before CX (so that the 2N uses
CX as productive prep time), the negative team
should take a moment of prep to discuss who will
extend which argument.
 Keep in mind that the 1NR has less time to speak
but more time to prepare—it is often wise to give
them the argument that will be the most prep
intensive.
1AR (FIRST AFFIRMATIVE REBUTTAL)
The 1AR builds on 2AC arguments + can make
new answers to anything new brought up in the
negative block.
 The 1AR does not have to extend every 2AC
argument--there simply will not be time! Instead,
focus on arguments that you are both ahead on
and that will win you the debate. For instance,
winning that the affirmative does not link (will not
cause) the disadvantage is much more important
than winning a nit-picky point.
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2NR (SECOND NEGATIVE REBUTTAL)
The goal of the 2NR is to extend a winning
package. If you prove that the aff plan is, on
balance, a bad idea, then the judge will vote
negative.
 You should begin with an overview that explains
why the impact of the DA outweighs the case.
 Refute every 1AR argument made on the DA
and case arguments that you wish to extend.
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2AR (SECOND AFFIRMATIVE REBUTTAL)
The goal of the 2AR is to extend a winning
package. If you prove that the aff plan is, on
balance, a good idea, then the judge will vote
negative.
 You should begin with an overview that explains
why the impact of the case outweighs the DA.
 Build on previously made affirmative arguments.
You do not need to win every point but you do
need to a) win arguments that defeat the DA, and
b) prove that your case is a good idea.
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ACTIVITY
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In the mean time, can we have four more volunteers to give
each speech?
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1AC: Make a statement about why the federal government should
provide health care to persons living in poverty.
1NC: Refute the point made by the 1AC and make an additional
point about why the plan is too expensive.
2AC: Defend the point made in the 1AC and answer the expense
argument made by the 1NC.
2NC: Continue the attack on the 1AC.
1NR: Continue supporting your additional point about why the
plan is too expensive.
1AR: Respond to the previous two negative speeches.
2NR: State why your arguments are more correct than theirs and
why the judge should vote for you (and avoid spending too much
money).
2AR: State why your arguments are more correct than theirs and
why the judge should vote for you (and help the poor even if it is
expensive).
WHAT ABOUT CROSS-EXAMINATION?
For your first tournament, preparing for crossexamination is your lowest priority. Debates are
won or lost during the speeches. Crossexamination is important and we will work on it
later, but for now, just think about your speeches.
 Make up cross-examination questions on the spot.
If you get totally stuck, you can always ask the
other side to clarify their arguments. It might not
be an exciting exchange but it will fill the 3
minutes while your partner is preparing to give a
speech.
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INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Imagine having someone describe a basketball
game to you if you had never seen a ball or the
court, let alone an actual game. That is a little
what it is like to have a debate described to
you.
 The best way to learn is by actually doing it.
Attend as many tournaments as possible, as
soon an possible. Novices learn a TON from
participating.
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