by Nathanael Arroyave | Sep 21, 2021 | From Novice to Intermediate, LD, Parliamentary, Thinking Strategically
(Image Credit: Pixabay) “Yes, and…” is one of the most crucial debate phrases you can ever learn. The phrase, “Yes, and…” is one that is highly encouraged in improvisational skits. The principle is one of cooperation and team-building. The idea is that one person...
by Justin Marwad | Sep 13, 2021 | From Intermediate to Advanced, Strategy, Thinking Strategically
You’re Researching All Wrong. These 4 Steps Will Improve Your Method. When I play chess, I watch my opponent’s eyes. As they peer across the board, I can glean massive amounts of information. I can sense fear. I can sense excitement. I can sense when and...
by Kyle Lee | Mar 17, 2021 | Best Resources, Debate Blog, From Intermediate to Advanced, Strategy, Technique, Thinking Strategically
In the last article (found here), we covered why over-practice is a real threat to competitive speech & debate success. That article wasn’t saying that practice is inherently bad. It isn’t. Practice is fundamental to improving at anything. But there...
by Kyle Lee | Jan 19, 2021 | Debate Blog, From Intermediate to Advanced, LD, Thinking Strategically
One of the first logical fallacies I ever learned about was the “Part to Whole” fallacy, arguing that one part of a larger category represents the whole category. For instance: “This tire is made of rubber. Therefore the vehicle of which the tire is a part is also...
by Ben Brown | Jan 7, 2021 | Debate Blog, From Advanced to National-Class, From Intermediate to Advanced, Negative, Research, Thinking Strategically, TP
Each year, my debate club requires every student to go through the NCFCA’s “Comprehensive Guide to Policy Debate” curriculum in the fall, regardless of experience level. Having read it multiple times before, I was skimming the week’s assigned chapter twenty or...
by Jeremiah Mosbey | Dec 1, 2020 | Debate Blog, From Intermediate to Advanced, Judging/Judges, Strategy, Thinking Strategically
A critical aspect of marketing is understanding the consumer. While it may not seem like it at first glance, debate has everything to do with marketing. You present the judge with a case, and you must prove that your case, or “product,” is better than your opponent’s....
