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Whole Resolution Cases: The Whys & Wherefores

I was originally asked to write about whole resolution cases – what they are, how to recognize them, how to argue against them, etc. But what I quickly came to realize is that in order for you to truly have a firm grasp on what a Whole Resolution case is there is a...

Affirmative In-Round Mechanics

Here are some good ways to shock me when I am your judge (and lose speakerpoints, and probably get a paragraph of berating, and maybe even end up losing the round): – Use no prep time before your aff speech because you have all your stuff, but then your speech...

Multiple Case Versions for Your Judges

So once in awhile students in the club I coach (Vector) surprise me by really putting the extra work into planning for their debates. Last year I was impressed when teams put into Excel ALL possible refutations of their case, then ALL refutations to those, then ALL...

Let It Be Done

Every year, teams face confusion over exactly what fiat power is and how it works. Many teams think that fiat power is the ability to “pass” the plan and put it in effect. This misunderstanding leads to some negative teams utilizing arguments to show the...

Mastering the Fundamentals

“A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals.” ~ Larry Bird As a high school student, Larry Bird practiced free throws constantly. He practiced in his driveway...

Topicality for Dummies: The Basics

Due to the breadth of this year’s resolution, a general understanding of topicality will be useful. At first this might excite affirmative teams, at least until they realize that topicality will become an issue in (hopefully) every round. I’d like to strongly...