Speech and Debate Terms Basic Definitions Every Speechie Should Know!

AD HOMINEM FALLACY Attacking a person rather than the argument.

AD POPULUM FALLACY Claiming something is true because of popular belief.

AFFIRMATIVE Arguing in favor of adopting the resolution.

BALLOT The piece of paper on which judges write comments, rankings, and the decision of the round.

BLOCKING Any movements made during a performance.

to BREAK To advance to the next round.

BURDEN OF PROOF The affirmative’s responsibility to prove a need for adoption of a resolution or that the resolution is untrue.

CONSTRUCTIVE SPEECH In a debate round, the first speech given by each debater from each team.

CONTENTION A debate case may be organized into contentions – claims made for or against the resolution – usually stated in one’s declarative sentence.

COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS Analyzing the benefits of a policy versus the cost.

COUNTERPLAN The negative admits the present system should be changed and argues that the negative team’s proposal (plan) is better than what the affirmative has offered.

CRITERION Standards, rules, or tests on which a decision or judgment is based. Also, the basis for establishing or evaluating a policy.

CROSS EXAMINATION A questioning period where each side of a debate asks questions of the other.

to CUT To take only selected sections from a piece. To cut to make time limits or to cut inappropriate material.

DOUBLE ENTERED Entered in one or more event.

DRAMATIC INTERPRETATION Also called dramatic interp. You interpret a play, prose, or letters. Can have a touch of humor. You need multiple characters.

DUO ACTING Working with a partner you perform from a play or musical. You may use costumes and props.

DUO INTERPRETATION Also called duo interp or abbreviated DI. Working with a partner you interpret a piece of literature. Can be humorous or dramatic. You do NOT interact with your partner.

ETHICS The rules or standards that govern conduct.

EXTEMPORANEOUS Speaking without the benefit of a prepared or memorized manuscript.

FINALS An elimination round involving the top two teams in debate or usually the top six competitors in IEs.

FLOWING/FLOW SHEET Note-taking during a debate to accurately record the principal arguments or rebuttals.

FORENSICS Refers to competitive speech and debate and public speaking (not CSI).

HUMOROUS INTERPRETATION Often abbreviated HI. Similar to Dramatic Interp but with a humorous piece. Can include a touch of the serious.

IEs Individual Events.

INHERENCY Isolating the cause of a problem. If it stems from the system or policy in question then it is said to be inherent. Also, the requirement to prove that the problem stems from the policy in question.

INTRODUCTION The introduction to a piece, usually found in interp, extemp, etc. Intros are written by the competitors and are memorized or given extemporaneously.

JUDGING PARADIGMS The judge’s educational philosophy. The model or vies that guides their decision about what they think is important in a round and what they do not want to see or hear.

JUNIOR A competitor in their first or second year of competition. The term is used at tournaments.

LAY JUDGES Judges who are unfamiliar with debate theory; your average Joe off the street.

LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION The first and last speaker for the Opposition team.

MEMBER OF THE GOVERNMENT The second speaker for the Government team (affirmative).

MEMBER OF THE OPPOSITION The second speaker for the Opposition team (negative).

NEGATIVE The side that defends the present system and argues against the resolution.

NFL The National Forensics League – an educational honor society founded in Visit them at

NOVICE A competitor in their first year of competition. Also a division in a tournament involving only first year competitors.

OCTA-FINALS Elimination rounds comprised of the top 16 debate teams.

OPEN Indicating that all levels of experience will be competing with each other in either a division or a tournament.

OPPOSITION The side that must negate the resolution.

PATTERN Events are divided into patterns and run at different times; usually there are three patters in a tournament: Pattern A events, Pattern B events, and Debate.

PIECE The literature selection – title and author – you are performing in interpretation events (DI, HI, Duo, Prose, Poetry).

POETRY INTERPRETATION Usually referred to as poetry. You work from a central theme. Your poems can all be from one author or from a variety of authors. Must have ISBN or web address on all copies.

POWER MATCHING Teams with equal records debate each other.

PRIME MINISTER The first and last speaker for the Government (affirmative) team.

PROSE INTERPRETATION Usually referred to as prose. Your interpretation of a short story or part of a novel. Can be funny or serious. Cannot be a play or poetry.

RADIO BROADCASTING You develop a themed radio broadcast following the requirements presented at the competition. You have 30 minutes to prepare for your five minute broadcast.

REBUTTAL SPEECH This speech rebuilds an argument after attacks, refutes the arguments of the opposing team, and summarizes the debate.

REFUTATION Directly attacking the opposing teams’ arguments.

RESOLUTION The proposition or subject offered to debate.

ROUNDS A complete debate or round of individual events.

SEMI FINALS Elimination rounds consisting of the top four teams.

SENIOR A seasoned and experienced competitor. Term used at tournaments.

SPEECHIE Any competitor involved in forensics.

SPIRIT OF THE RESOLUTION Refers to the reasonable interpretation and limits of the resolution.

STATUS QUO The current state of affairs or the present system.

STORYTELLING An individual event in speech. You tell a story in your own words. The narrator is the main character.

TIME SIGNALS Hand signals showing how much time you have left.

TOPICALITY The argument presented is pertinent to the resolution in spirit or literally – it is topical.

VALUE A concept, standard, or ideal that makes a judgment.

VOTING ISSUES The key points in a debate that are crucial to the outcome. Also, reasons why a judge should give the decision to a team.

WEIGHING MECHANISM The standards by which a judge evaluates the success of the Government’s and Opposition’s cases; the standards by which a decision is made (criteria).

The End!