From Novice to Intermediate
Resolved: In a democracy, the public’s right to know ought to be valued above the right to privacy of candidates for public office (Negative)
Resolved: In a democracy, the public’s right to know ought to be valued above the right to privacy of candidates for public office. This topic prep is meant to stimulate ideas (and give resources) rather than hand feed you contentions to run. Check the additional...
A Beginners Guide to Debate Ethics and Etiquette
Treat your opponent with respect. Aside from that, what basic rules (do’s and don’ts) apply? This post applies to TP and LD specific rounds - but also to any debate style or format. Here is a simple starter list of things to be aware of. It is not a comprehensive...
Things I Wish I Knew: An Interview
I've known Koryn for two years now: from her first-ever debate camp through her first time debating at Regionals just a few weeks ago. I wanted to talk to Koryn because this year, she and her brother/TP partner Kaleb hit that turning point that always gets me excited:...
The Keys to Victory
Here at Ethos, we spend a lot of time talking about all the different strategies there are for winning debate rounds, and while winning shouldn’t be the only reason you debate, it’s definitely more fun when you do. In that vein, here are the 5 most important things to...
In The Bleak Midwinter: Midseason Inspiration
The biggest tournaments of the season are quickly approaching. NITOC 2018 will take place in a little over three months, while NCFCA and NSDA Nationals are set to begin in four months. This may make some of you uneasy. Perhaps you’ve already qualified to NITOC, but...
Confidence: Fake It Til You Make It
Looming ten feet tall, their steps shattered paving stones. The rumble of their debate boxes sent panicked crowds fleeing. Several witnesses reported seeing them breathe fire on at least one occasion, and their refutation skills had been known to make small children...
Crash Course Guide To Better Rebuttals: Part 1
There is no one right way to structure rebuttals, no special formula your speeches should follow so that the judge must vote for you. However, there are certain fundamental elements of great rebuttals. When well-developed, these elements will tremendously increase...
Progress: Moving Past the Plateau
We’ve all dealt with it. Whether you were working on dropping your mile time, increasing your vertical, or improving your speaking skills, you’ve probably faced the unfortunate reality of the “Law of Diminishing Returns”. Contrary to what we may think, people do not...
3 Keys to Potent Persuasion
Recently, I have been thinking more and more about how the skills we learn in formal rhetoric (i.e. debate) transcend the lectern into real-life. Primary among these skills is the ability to market an idea. Whether you realize it or not, we are constantly marketing...
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,...
