Meta Level Case Writing Jeffrey Miller Marist School 2015 Georgia Debate Institutes

Order of the Construction of Case You write cases in the following order: 1) Contentions 2) Framework 3) Burdens J. Miller (2015)

Contentions Each case should have two or three Contentions  You should be making at least five ways that you can win the debate (notice, that’s not five contentions.) RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH  10 or 15 sources in the case.  Diversify your sources  Realize Evidence Bias Structure your contentions using the structure of an argument (CDW) Diversify Offensive and Defensive Arguments J. Miller (2015)

Diversifying Arguments OFFENSIVE ARGUMENTS They demonstrate the value of one’s position or advocacy. They “score points” for the advocate’s side of the debate. DEFENSIVE ARGUMENTS They dispute the value of an opposing position or advocacy. They prevent one’s opponents from “scoring points” in the debate. J. Miller (2015)

Example of Offense He’s awesome.

Example of Defense He’s not doing anything

Storytelling in Contentions To improve the flow of your case you should organize each contention Uniqueness – What’s going on right now Link – How voting pro/con creates a problem (MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT) Impact – How the problem creates something good/bad. J. Miller (2015)

Using Context in Case You should NOT write your cases as essays. They are not essays, and this is not IPPF. Advantages:  Makes your case/arguments dependent on evidence  Makes giving evidence to your opponents easy because each quote is in context  Makes rebuttals/using case easier because you have the context.  Assists you in cross ex if they ask about your evidnece Disadvantage:  Makes case writing harder

Maybe if you write good cases, you can get ice cream too.