Debate

Your first month

New to debate? Read these in order, and do the practice at the end of each one. By the end you can hold a practice round.

1. 🗣️ What a Debate IsA debate is a contest of reasons with rules: two sides, one question, fair turns, and a judge who decides which side argued better, not which side is right.
2. 📜 Reading a ResolutionBefore you argue, read the resolution word by word: what kind of claim it makes (fact, value or policy), what its key words mean, who has to prove what, and where the line between the sides falls.
3. 🧱 Building a CaseA case is a short speech of a few strong arguments. Each one has a claim, a warrant (the reason), evidence, and an impact (why it matters), and good signposting lets the judge follow every step.
4. 🥊 Refutation and RebuttalAnswer arguments in four steps (they say, but, because, therefore), know the different ways to answer, and use rebuttals to rebuild your case and tell the judge what the round comes down to.
5. 🎙️ Speaking WellDelivery is how your arguments reach the judge: a steady pace, a clear voice, eye contact, purposeful pauses, and a plan for nerves.
6. 🤝 Ethics and SportsmanshipDebate only works if everyone argues in good faith: real evidence, quoted fairly, opponents treated with respect, and wins and losses taken with grace.

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Debates with both sides

Each topic gives neutral background, then the strongest arguments on each side as their best advocates would make them, with the best answer from the other side. No side is declared the winner: that's your job in the round.

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Formats at a glance