From Novice to Intermediate
Lessons learned from XL 2.0
A second-year team went from never advancing to qualifying to NITOC. A second-year LD student qualified to NCFCA Nationals and received second at a National Open. A third-year debater consistently placed first at their tournament. A novice LD debater became second in...
Squirrel Hunting
The life of a squirrel is a dangerous one. They have to deal with snakes, weasels, coyotes, red foxes, raccoons, birds of prey, cats, dogs and humans, depending on their species and where they live. Every squirrel has to deal with weather. Since the 1900s, a new...
Top 5 Tips for Debating Complicated Affs
Have you ever lost to a case simply because your audience didn’t understand what was happening? If you’ve debated for any time at all, chances are your answer is an emphatic yes. Complicated cases are as abundant in number as they are frustrating to hit. But it...
In-Depth How-To: Analyze an Article and Create a Brief
In this 1.5 hour video, peel back all the layers of the onion to the nitty-gritty of research: analyzing a journal article and turning it into beautiful, saved, useful selected quotations. Issues discussed include: - Evidence ethics of underlining - Proper...
The Syllogistic Case Structure
“Ships that pass in the night, and speak each other in passing, only a signal shown, and a distant voice in the darkness; So on the ocean of life, we pass and speak one another, only a look and a voice, then darkness again and a silence.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow...
Weighing Mechanism Basics Every Debater Should Know
At my day-job, statUP, today we completed a major product design, the coach dashboard. That means Monday is when we’ll decide what major design epic to pick up next. Choices include Athlete Profile+, Skilltrees, Goal-Tracking, Club Dashboard, Mobile App Improvements,...
From Beginner to Intermediate: A Personal Journey
In this video, I outline my own personal journey from being a beginner debater to an intermediate debater. I point out the highs and lows, and some key steps that helped me reach my goals. If you're a beginner debater who wants level up, feel free to contact me with...
The 7 Deadly Sins of CX
Unscripted. Fast-paced. No prep time. Cross-examination is the true test of a debater, and my personal favorite in a debate round. It forces you not only to think on your feet, but to reason. It also necessitates a very artful crafting of your questions. This article...
How to Research (basics) – Webinar by Isaiah
Have you ever sat down to research but didn't know where to begin? Have you ever spent 5 hours in front of the computer just to find 2 pages of evidence? I know the feeling. In this webinar, Isaiah explains the most effective methods and tools for researching. He...
You Won’t Win if That’s Your Goal
“In it to win it” is not a sufficient goal. And most debaters can't differentiate between preparing to win and making winning the priority. Of course, competition is good. It's a refiner, a strainer, a purifier. It sharpens your skills, weeds out bad habits, and...
A Glossary of Normalized Debate Terms
For a skill that hinges on unblurred communication, debating can be brutally muddled. Thank unexplained debate jargon, thrown around in every speech. In the 20th century, cultivated primarily by guides who experienced debate as debaters rather than audience, debate...
A Perm by Any Other Name
“Wait, they are running a topical counterplan against us? What do I do?” I said something along these lines to my debate partner in an NCFCA policy round at a national open. Arguing theory wasn’t popular in my region (I hadn’t debated a counterplan in two...
10 Commandments of Debate Etiquette
Taken/compiled from "The Debate Bible", by Jon Bruschke Partner Interaction: 1. DO NOT interrupt your prepping partner unless they explicitly ask for your help. Immediately before they get up to speak, you get 30 seconds to tell them the 3 or 4 most important...
8 Best Things for Novice Debaters
The title here is deceiving. I write this article not just for novice debaters or people who know novice debaters. I write this also for advanced debaters that are looking for ways to contribute positively to the development of junior debaters. In each section, I've...
10 Ways to Improve the “I am a Professional” Image
An Ethos Customer asked us: "Could you give tips on developing credibility while maintaining rapport with the judges? Especially for girls. Guys seem to have a slightly easier time of it. I usually give funny and rather pertinent stories as openers for my speeches,...
Negative Strategy
National Champion Ryan Collins delivers a lecture on negative strategy.