by Nathanael Morgan | Feb 6, 2023 | Concept Analysis, Research Tips, Technique, Uncategorized
According to data from Renaissance Learning, the average college freshman in the United States reads at a 7th grade level. Statistics like these don’t just appear overnight; this is one part of a larger trend of illiteracy among students in America—not illiteracy in...
by Joel Erickson | Feb 28, 2022 | Concept Analysis
In October 2021, we published an article interrogating trichotomy, debate lingo for the classic tripartite categorization of resolutions as fact, value, or policy. Before you continue reading, make sure you revisit the original piece—this analysis depends on...
by Zachary Kos | Feb 18, 2022 | Coaching a Club, Concept Analysis, Lincoln-Douglas, Parliamentary, Strategy, Thinking Strategically, Uncategorized
How do you view debate? Which type of argument(s) do you prioritize? Have you lost a round on what you thought was an insignificant argument? If there was consensus over debaters’ most strongly disliked reason for decision, it would be the round lost on an argument,...
by Ben Brown | Jan 19, 2022 | Concept Analysis, From Advanced to National-Class
I’ve found that a major downside of dedicating time to speech and debate instead of some other high school extracurricular is that it’s painful not being able to tell everyone about my amazing escapades in certain rounds. Sure, if I played basketball, anybody...
by Patrick McDonald | Dec 17, 2021 | Concept Analysis, Lincoln-Douglas
I don’t like definition debates. Never have. That’s why I find it such a shame how often high-school debate devolves from a sophisticated discussion about real-world, high-stakes issues into an esoteric shouting match about what words mean. If you’ve competed in LD...
by Justin Marwad | Nov 24, 2021 | Concept Analysis, From Advanced to National-Class, Thinking Strategically
When it’s my opponent’s turn in chess, I don’t just look at the board. I look at my opponent’s eyes. His eyes betray him; through his eyes I can see everything. I can see which pieces he’s worried about, which pieces he might move next, and which pieces are going to...
