by Joshua Anumolu | Jan 23, 2017 | Coaching, Soapbox, Technique
The ancient Greek philosopher and rhetorician Gorgias was a very talented orator. He was so persuasive that he said he could persuade people into believing him through charlatanry, which led to the term “sophistry.” Socrates labeled sophistry as a manipulative form of...
by Noah Farley | Jan 11, 2017 | Strategy
Two years ago, Stoa Value debaters dedicated themselves to debating the letter of the law vs. the spirit of the law. As you might expect, definitions were central to the understanding of the resolution. As with any generally ambiguous topic, certain debaters took...
by Joshua Anumolu | Jan 4, 2017 | Best Resources, Debate Rounds, DebateSmart, Strategy
Running fewer arguments in round helps you in two critical areas of speaking: in your content and in your delivery. Content Running fewer arguments leads to better or higher quality arguments that are more likely to persuade the audience, for the following reasons....
by Noah Howard | Dec 30, 2016 | Coaching, Communication/Rhetoric, From Intermediate to Advanced, Technique
At my first debate camp, I learned to debate within a structure that made my nerves go away and my confidence appear. At my first practice tournament, I argued within a framework that allowed me to understand the complex ideas that I was discussing. And at my first...
by Anna Johansen | Dec 28, 2016 | Coaching, Strategy
“When I was told last year that I would be the lead prosecutor on a murder case involving an 8-year-old child witness, I knew a very important member of my team would be Rikki the therapy dog…The child barely noticed us; his attention was 100 percent focused on this...
by Noah Farley | Dec 23, 2016 | Debate Rounds
Last year, Stoa’s value debate resolution was “In developing countries, economic growth ought to be prioritized over environmental protection.” Of course, this was a conservative homeschool league, making it very hard to make a case for environmental protection that...
