1. Introduction to the Negative

2. What's the Job of the Negative?
Brainstorm as a group….

3. Order of Speeches: A Review
Speech + Acronym
Speaker (given by)
Length Of Speech
1st Affirmative Constructive (1AC) 1A
8 Mins
Cross Examination (CX)
2N Cross Examines the 1A
3 Mins
1st Negative Constructive (1NC) 1N
1A Cross Examines the 1N
2nd Affirmative Constructive (2AC) 2A
1N Cross Examines the 2A
2nd Negative Constructive (2NC) 2N
2A Cross Examines the 2N
1st Negative Rebuttal (1NR)
5 Mins
1st Affirmative Rebuttal (1AR)
2nd Negative Rebuttal (2NR)
2nd Affirmative Rebuttal (2AR)
The Negative Block

4. Purpose of the Speeches:
First Negative Constructive- Constructed before the debate. Uses a mixture of on case and off case positions to attack the affirmative. Second Negative Constructive- Takes a few of the negative positions and uses additional evidence to expand upon them. Answers all of the affirmative arguments made against the positions they’re extending. First Negative Rebuttal- Takes a few of the negative positions and uses additional evidence to expand upon them. Answers all of the affirmative arguments made against the positions they’re extending *The Block should be split amongst the two debaters Second Negative Rebuttal- Final speech for the negative. The negative uses this speech to convince the judge that the disadvantages to doing the affirmative’s plan are worse than its benefits.
1NC- The purpose of this speech is to set up the main arguments the negative will make in the debate. This speech will respond directly to the 1AC. The negative gets 8 mins to construct their positions by reading evidence. Typically, these speeches are pre-written using materials produced before the debate or even before attending the tournament.
The 1NC should have a diversity of arguments but also attempt to answer the main advantages brought up by the affirmative. Your basic strategy is to demonstrate that the problems caused by the Affirmative’s plan are worse than the benefits the plan would create.
The Negative can read two types of arguments- “on case” and “off case.” -On Case Arguments- are those that directly respond to the advantages that the affirmative presents or attacks the ability of the plan to solve Examples of on case positions: Attacking the affirmative’s ability to solve their advantages or whether or not there is an impact to the advantages the affirmative presented) -Off Case Arguments- are those that demonstrate a substantial disadvantage to doing the plan or provides an alternative to doing the plan. Challenging whether or not the plan fits under the resolution is also considered an off case position.
Examples of off case positions: Disadvantages, Counterplans, Critiques, Topicality (See future lessons for explanations of each positions)
During this speech, the second negative speaker should be flowing as well as preparing their 2nd constructive speech.
2NC/1NR- The 2NC and the 1NR are frequently talked about together. Called “the block” this 13 min chunk of time allows the negative to expand upon their main positions, read additional pieces of evidence and answer the affirmative responses. Splitting the negative block is very important as to not be repetitive. (More on this in the next part of the lesson).
During the 2NC, the 1NR will spend time preparing for their portion of the block.
2NR- The 2NR is the final negative rebuttal in the debate. In order to win the debate, the negative must prove that on balance, the affirmative’s plan is a bad idea. The 2NR should first identify which arguments they would like to go for. They should not attempt to extend every argument, but pick one winning strategy. The 2NR should spend time answering each affirmative point made against their chosen strategy in the 1AR. The 2NR should focus on impacting their arguments and minimizing the impact of their opponent’s arguments.
During this speech, the 1NR should continue to flow the debate and help identify if the 2NR is missing anything.

5. Offense vs Defense
Arguments can be categorized as offensive or defensive based on their function within a debate. Both types of arguments are necessary to construct a winning position.
Offensive arguments demonstrate the value of one’s position or advocacy. They “score points” for the advocate’s side of the debate.
Defensive arguments dispute the value of an opposing position or advocacy. They prevent one’s opponents from “scoring points” in the debate.
An effective position or advocacy combines both types of arguments to build a complete case. When resolving the debate, the affirmative’s net offense is compared to the negative’s net offense. Each side must build as much offense as possible while minimizing the weight of their opponent’s offense.
Affirmative Net Offense vs. Negative Net Offense
Debaters should respond to their opponents’ claims using a balance of offensive and defensive arguments.

6. Preparing the 1AC The 2NR Time Constraints Strategy On Case Materials
Things to consider:
The 2NR
Time Constraints
Strategy
On Case Materials

7. The Negative Block Examples of how to split the block: Speech #1 #2 #3
1NC
-Oil Prices DA
-Global Warming Advantage Answers -Economy Advantage Answers
-Solvency Answers
-Oil Prices DA -Chinese Nationalism DA
-Economic Growth Advantage Answers
-Global Warming Advantage Answers
-Oil Prices DA -US Only Counterplan
2NC
-Russian Oil DA
-US Only Counterplan
1NR
-Chinese Nationalism DA
Teacher Lecture Notes:
The negative block is comprised of the second negative constructive (2NC) and the first negative rebuttal (1NR). It is called “the block” because it is a large block of time (13 Mins) in which the negative gives back-to-back speeches without the affirmative getting to respond.
Splitting The Negative Block
The strategic value of the block is that it gives the negative a chance to develop their arguments in a great deal of depth. In order to make effective use of this advantage, the negative must “split” the block: the second negative should extend some of the negative’s arguments that were presented in the 1NC and the first negative should extend other arguments in the 1NR. Redundancy between the arguments extended in the 2NC and 1NR negates the benefits of the block.
How Should the Arguments Be Divided?
Negative teams should establish a plan before the debate for which arguments will be in the 2NC and which will be in the 1NR. Both partners should flow the whole 2AC. After it has concluded, the debaters should discuss (during prep time) whether to alter the pre-round plan. In most cases, negative teams should stick to the original plan. Sometimes, however, the 2AC will do something to change that calculation (spend a lot of time on a certain position, drop something, etc.). If that happens, it is okay to switch away from the pre-round plan. In those cases, it is important that both partners are on the same page so that they know what to prep.
When deciding how to divide the arguments, there are several things to keep in mind:
Comfort/Competence — sometimes one partner is better prepared to extend a particular argument. Ideally, both partners will be equally ready to debate all of the negative’s arguments. Realistically, it is smart to delegate positions based on relative levels of comfort/competence.
Speech Time — the 2NC has eight minutes and the 1NR has five minutes. Because the 2NC has more speech time, they should generally take more arguments or should take the arguments that require more time to extend. On the other hand, the 1NR needs to be more careful about biting off more than they can chew.
Prep Time — the 1NR has the whole 2NC and the cross-ex of the 2NC to prepare their speech. Arguments which generally require more prep time are therefore usually better fits for the 1NR.
Cross-Ex — some arguments are better when not subjected to cross-examination. While ideally it would be better to only make arguments that you can vigorously defend in the cross-ex, sometimes it is better to put a weaker argument in the 1NR so that the other team can’t confront it directly.
There is not a “right” answer. As long as the 2NC and 1NR take different arguments, the block has been “divided” and its strategic utility has been maintained.

8. Extending Arguments Formula:
Extend 1NC number [#] — [brief argument label] — [explanation of the argument] — that’s [Author from 1NC evidence citation]. They say “[brief reference to the 2AC’s response],” but [answer]. Prefer our evidence — [argument]. This [impact].
Teacher Notes: Extending Negative Case Arguments
A big part of most negative blocks is the extension of case arguments. These arguments are those that the negative presents to dispute the affirmative case; they are also called “on-case” to differentiate them from “off-case” arguments like disadvantages.

9. Extending an Argument:
The Affirmative team read an advantage that claimed trade solved war because it created cooperative channels between countries. The negative team read the Fordham card on the right in the 1NC. Assuming you are negative, write out your extension of the Fordham evidence using the formula on the last page.