1. Affirmative Strategy Austin Layton

2. Overview At least, take two things from this lecture Main Advantage of Being Aff: Familiarity – Preparation Matters – Practice Matters Three-Move Game: Always have an idea how are you going to win the debate

3. PART I: WRITING THE AFFIRMATIVE Defining Negative Strategy and Choosing an Aff

4. Defining the Negative’s Strategy What is the negative’s approach? --What does the resolution tell us? --What is the predictable negative ground?

5. Choosing the Affirmative What are the strategic decisions? There are always trade-offs: --Main literature aff versus squirrely aff --Avoiding core ground versus topicality Advantages – taste or preference

6. PART II: THE 1AC What goes into the First Affirmative Constructive?

7. How Many Advantages? One to Two Pros --Focus and development --More evidence --Simple Cons --Lack of diversity --Stale and boring 3 or More Advantages Pros --Run and gun style --Pressures the negative Cons --Complex --Lack of development --Susceptible to neg strategy

8. How To Write the Plan Is there a strategy to writing the plan? --Word choice is important (PICs, DAs and topicality) --Do not include unnecessary resolution words Ex: The USFG should substantially increase economic engagement to Cuba by authorizing joint oil contracts between the United States and Cuba. --Specificity necessitates a defense

9. Pre-Empt the Negative How can you save time for the 2AC? -Include Common Case Cards in the 1AC -Include Common CP Answers in the 1AC (US Key, Certainty Key, Etc.) Impact calculus: build the value of 1AC impacts relative to predictable negative impact claims. --High probability, magnitude outweighs… --Environment affs & Mandelbaum Answer common neg arguments: removes the time needed in the 2AC. (Maduro/Venezuela example)

10. PART III: THE 2AC Defending Your House

11. Assess the 1NC Strategy What are they trying to do? --Counterplans and their net benefits --Is topicality a viable option --What DA’s must defend the status quo How could the strategy develop? Can you isolate or limit the negative strategy? Ex: Three-Off (China CP, Politics DA, China DA) and Two Arguments on Each Advantage. What does the neg HAVE to go for?

12. Add-Ons, Add-Ons, Add-Ons! An add-on is a smaller advantage that describes a benefit of the affirmative plan. What? Obama Credibility Add-on. What is this Useful Against? Why? --Increases pressure on the negative team --Access negative impacts in the debate --Affirmative safety net Where? On almost any flow.

13. How To Order the 2AC 1.Topicality – if you lose this, the debate is over. 2.Your Case – this is your offense. There are many others like it. But this one is yours. 3.Counterplans/Kritiks – this can solve all your offense. 4.Disadvantages – if you undercover these positions, you can still win the debate if you did a good job from 1-3.

14. Other Tips Write Blocks and Backflow Just do it

15. Tips on How to Answer… Topicality --Always have a counter-interpretation. Counterplans --Theory --Always have a perm. Disadvantages --Prioritize impact defense --Access their impact

16. 1AR Tips Ask your 2A, what argument do you want to go for? Put Pressure on the 2NR – Theory arguments have increased value – Pick and Choose, But Be Diverse – Straight Turn arguments Read Evidence on Crucial Questions – Politics Uniqueness – Solvency/CP Deficit

17. 2AR Tips Consult with the 1A, but you are the captain and you pick what argument you go for? Don’t Spend Time on Arguments that Don’t Win You the Debate – Theory arguments have decreased value, unless it is all of the 2AR – Pick and Choose, But Be Decisive – Ex. 20 secs on three arguments or 1 min on one argument Don’t read evidence, argument should be development Tell a Story, Make “Even-if” Statements

18. QUESTIONS?