Thinking Strategically
Can We Debate Emotions? Yes We Can!
Photo Credit: BermixStudio (https://unsplash.com/photos/a-man-in-blue-overalls-working-on-cement-nZZfP9QiQ6w) When we debate against cases that seem to turn the judge’s emotions into a mountain, it often feels impossible to recover and dream of winning the round....
“Examples: The Key to Understanding Complex Concepts”
Credit: Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/illustrations/light-bulb-idea-inspiration-light-4514505/) “Narrative imagining — story — is the fundamental instrument of thought. Rational capacities depend upon it. It is our chief means of looking into the future, or...
Don’t Push the Elephant Off of the Cliff: Things to Remember in Cross-Examination
One thing I’ve noticed in my short time on the other side of competition is how useless cross-examination often becomes. In my experience, it is usually used as a short conversation to get to know your opponent, to have them repeat what they just spent the last 6-8...
Structure: The Essential Element of a Good Rebuttal
Picture Credit - https://pixabay.com/photos/floor-plan-construction-building-1857175/ Out of the 5 speaker categories on every debate ballot, one of the most undervalued (at least in my opinion) is that of organization. While every original constructive speech...
How Stories Changed The Way I Communicate
Photo Credit: Ben Wicks. (https://unsplash.com/photos/a-red-double-decker-bus-driving-past-a-tall-building-FF7h8jytvlg) Have you ever wondered what is the most optimal way to communicate with someone? Coming from the world of debate, one would expect that it is a...
Superior Scanning Skills
Source: Pixabay For the first time in history, the modern western world suffers not from a lack of information, but an utter abundance of it. Now, more than ever, it is critical that those who wish to find answers know how to sort through all the meaningless and...
Don’t Demonize the Other Side
Source: Pixabay When I was just getting a good grip on how to debate well, I struggled with winning the judges over. Oftentimes the ballots blamed this on my aggressiveness, but looking back on it now, I realize that that was only one facet of the problem....
Don’t Let Your Opponent Hide From Scary Examples
Pixabay.com, https://pixabay.com/photos/boy-portrait-child-hands-hide-317041/ Most LD debaters have participated in, or at least seen, an exchange like this one: AFF: “When the Soviet Union attempted to collectivize agriculture and industry in the early 20th century,...
Theory is Underutilized
Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/knight-armor-helmet-weapons-sword-1421358/ There's few things that make experienced debaters happier than a quality Topicality debate (Hereafter referred to by the common debate lingo of "T"). That's probably because T is so...
Why Mars Hill?
In Acts 17, Paul is in Athens discussing an altar to an ”unknown God.” He recognized the people of Athens acknowledged the existence of a higher power far above their own Roman deities. As a result, he used their culture to share the gospel and to further God’s...
How Do You “Value” Something?
Pixabay.com, https://pixabay.com/illustrations/silhouette-scales-justice-scale-3267887/ Many (probably most) Lincoln Douglas resolutions recommend "valuing" one of two things over the other. And most LD debaters don't elaborate on what this means, despite its...
Collapsing Is Only Scary If You’re a Building.
https://pixabay.com/photos/factory-demolition-destruction-4757647/ It's fairly often that I'll make an argument and practically be wiped across the floor by my opponent's response. Does that mean I'm a bad debater? Not at all! As much as we would like to believe...
Tiers of Concern
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,...
Storytelling: Case Theses in Value Debate
(Image Credit: Pixabay) Our hero breathes heavily, fending off blow after blow with what remains of his strength. He digs deep within himself for one last swing and lands a solid hit to his opponent’s jaw. His opponent staggers as our hero lands a second hit, and a...
Platform Perfection: Standing Out
We hear coaches (and judges) discuss the need to “stand out from the competition.” Point well taken. Just one question: What does this mean for writing, blocking, and performing our platforms? If you have ever asked or thought of a similar question, you are not alone....