1. ORDER AND PURPOSE OF POLICY SPEECHES
Pam have other suggestions for this?
Developed by Jenny Alme, The Harker School

2. Affirmative vs. negative
The job of the affirmative is to prove that their proposal (which must fit under the resolution) is a good idea.
The job of the negative is to prove that the affirmative proposal is either a bad idea or does not fit under the resolution.
The judge votes for whichever team does a better job of proving their point.
Language from Pam and Joe
Why slide – overall goal

3. Affirmative vs. negative
Each team gets a set amount of time to prove their point, they must also speak in a set order.
This will be a little confusing at first but will go smoothly after your first tournament. For the first one, you should print off this PowerPoint to keep with you.
Language from Pam and Joe
Why slide – overall goal

4. 1A, 1N, 2A, 2N
There are four participants in the debate. Each person gives one constructive speech, one rebuttal speech, asks questions once and answers questions once.
Each person has a role in the debate. They can be the:
1A – First affirmative speaker
2A – Second affirmative speaker
1N – First negative speaker
2N – Second negative speaker
Language from Pam and Joe
Why slide – overall goal

5. Map of the Round 1AC (first affirmative constructive) —8 min
1A stays standing, CX by 2N —3 min
1NC (first negative constructive) —8 min
1N stays standing, CX by 1A —3 min
2AC (second affirmative constructive) —8 min
2A stays standing, CX by 1N —3 min
2NC (second negative constructive) —8 min
2N stays standing, CX by 2A —3 min
1NR (first negative rebuttal) —5 min
1AR (first affirmative rebuttal) —5 min
2NR (second negative rebuttal) —5 min
2AR (second affirmative rebuttal) —5 min
Language from Pam and Joe
Why slide – overall goal

6. Map of the Round Color coded by person
1AC (first affirmative constructive) —8 min
1A stays standing, CX by 2N —3 min
1NC (first negative constructive) —8 min
1N stays standing, CX by 1A —3 min
2AC (second affirmative constructive) —8 min
2A stays standing, CX by 1N —3 min
2NC (second negative constructive) —8 min
2N stays standing, CX by 2A —3 min
1NR (first negative rebuttal) —5 min
1AR (first affirmative rebuttal) —5 min
2NR (second negative rebuttal) —5 min
2AR (second affirmative rebuttal) —5 min
Language from Pam and Joe
Why slide – overall goal

7. Constructives & rebuttals
A constructive is one of the first four speeches. In these speeches, debaters initiate the key arguments that they plan to make.
A rebuttal is one of the last four speeches. In these speeches, debaters refute points made by the other side and use logic and evidence comparisons to prove that their core arguments are correct.
The core difference is that new arguments are allowed in constructives while rebuttals build on arguments that were previously introduced.
Language from Pam and Joe
Why slide – overall goal

8. When do you write speeches?
Each team is given prep time. Most judges give each side 8 or 10 minutes. Share the time well with your partner and try to leave more for rebuttals.
How can 8 or 10 minutes be enough? Quite a bit of debate work is done ahead of time. During the round, you will need to think of logical points on the spot and put your arguments in order but all of that is facilitated by work done before the tournament.
Research is done before tournaments.
The 1AC and major components of the 1NC are pre-written.
You can write out anything that you like and use it during debates. If you hear an new argument, write answers to it so that you do not need prep next time.
Language from Pam and Joe
Why slide – overall goal

9. When do you write speeches?
Most importantly, all debaters take extensive notes during speeches. This is called flowing. Taking careful notes is absolutely essential to be able to respond to arguments made by the other side (and to remember what you said earlier in the debate).
Learning how to structure these notes will give you an automatic way to organize your speeches.
Language from Pam and Joe
Why slide – overall goal

10. first affirmative constructive
1AC
first affirmative constructive
First speech of the debate
The affirmative team lays out their proposal and why they think that their proposal would have advantages over the current system. Here is a common order of their presentation:
Inherency (factual description of the current situation—points to laws responsible for current problems)
Harms (outlines problems with the current situation)
Plan (short statement of what the affirmative team plans to do about the problems they outlined)
Solvency (reasons why the affirmative plan will solve the problems they outlined)
Language from Pam and Joe
Why slide – overall goal

11. first affirmative constructive
1AC
first affirmative constructive
Here is an even more common order of their presentation:
Inherency (factual description of the current situation—points to laws responsible for current problems)
Plan
Advantages (which combine harms and solvency into one story of what a problem is and how the plan resolves it—so, each advantage is about one area of the topic)
Language from Pam and Joe
Why slide – overall goal

12. first negative constructive
1NC
first negative constructive
The negative responds to the 1AC. The basic goal is to demonstrate that the problems caused by the affirmative are more substantial than the benefits of the affirmative. You might also:
Philosophically object to the affirmative (called critiques)
Prove that the affirmative is not topical
Prove that there is a better alternative to the affirmative (called a counterplan)
To respond to the case you make “on case” arguments. New reasons why the affirmative plan would cause problems are “off case” arguments.
Language from Pam and Joe
Why slide – overall goal

13. Second affirmative constructive
2AC
Second affirmative constructive
The main goal of the 2AC is to respond to all of the arguments made in the 1NC. The 2AC needs to go point by point and respond to each of the case arguments. The 2AC also needs to go to each off case argument, group the position, and respond to the argument.
Most of the 2AC is original but you can write out arguments that you would like to use ahead of time.
Remember that you made arguments in the 1AC that will be applicable. Extend any 1AC arguments that will help you beat negative positions—there is no sense reading cards that repeat earlier ones.
Language from Pam and Joe
Why slide – overall goal

14. 2NC second negative constructive
& 1NR first negative Rebuttal
These two speeches are the only ones given by the same side back-to-back. It is nicknamed the “negative block.”
Your job is to respond to each argument made by the 2AC on the positions that you plan to extend.
Your goal is to continue to defend a winning package (such as a DA and case defense, so that you can argue that the DA outweighs the case in the 2NR).
Language from Pam and Joe
Why slide – overall goal

15. 2NC second negative constructive
& 1NR first negative Rebuttal
The 2NC and 1NR should divide up positions and decide what each person will extend. How do you make the decision?
After the 2AC but before CX (so that the 2N uses CX as productive prep time), the negative team should take a moment of prep to discuss who will extend which argument.
Keep in mind that the 1NR has less time to speak but more time to prepare—it is often wise to give them the argument that will be the most prep intensive.
Language from Pam and Joe
Why slide – overall goal

16. first affirmative rebuttal
1AR
first affirmative rebuttal
The 1AR builds on 2AC arguments + can make new answers to anything new brought up in the negative block.
The 1AR does not have to extend every 2AC argument--there simply will not be time! Instead, focus on arguments that you are both ahead on and that will win you the debate. For instance, winning that the affirmative does not link (will not cause) the disadvantage is much more important than winning a nit-picky point.
Language from Pam and Joe
Why slide – overall goal

17. second negative rebuttal
2NR
second negative rebuttal
The goal of the 2NR is to extend a winning package. If you prove that the aff plan is, on balance, a bad idea, then the judge will vote negative.
You should begin with an overview that explains why the impact of the DA outweighs the case.
Refute every 1AR argument made on the DA and case arguments that you wish to extend.
Language from Pam and Joe
Why slide – overall goal

18. second affirmative rebuttal
2AR
second affirmative rebuttal
The goal of the 2AR is to extend a winning package. If you prove that the aff plan is, on balance, a good idea, then the judge will vote negative.
You should begin with an overview that explains why the impact of the case outweighs the DA.
Build on previously made affirmative arguments. You do not need to win every point but you do need to
win arguments that defeat the DA, and
prove that your case is a good idea.
Language from Pam and Joe
Why slide – overall goal

19. What about cross-examination?
For your first tournament, preparing for cross-examination is your lowest priority. Debates are won or lost during the speeches. Cross-examination is important, but for now, just think about your speeches.
Make up cross-examination questions on the spot. If you get totally stuck, you can always ask the other side to clarify their arguments. It might not be an exciting exchange but it will fill the 3 minutes while your partner is preparing to give a speech.
Language from Pam and Joe
Why slide – overall goal

20. Information overload?
Imagine having someone describe a basketball game to you if you had never seen a ball or the court, let alone an actual game. That is a little what it is like to have a debate described to you.
The best way to learn is by actually doing it. Attend as many tournaments as possible, as soon an possible. Novices learn a TON from participating.
Language from Pam and Joe
Why slide – overall goal

21. Pam have other suggestions for this?