Outline of Debate

OUTLINE OF A DEBATE
Use this as a guideline in planning your speeches. For two-person teams, each person will give one constructive speech, and you may either have one person do the rebuttal or share it. For three-person teams, each person gets one speech.

FIRST AFFIRMATIVE CONSTRUCTIVE SPEECH (1AC)
• 4 minutes
• Establishes affirmative’s advocacy of resolution.—STATE RESOLUTION “Resolved, that capital punishment should be abolished…,” etc.
• There is a problem that could be solved
• The status quo isn’t going to solve this problem without change
• Here is our specific proposal of what ought to be done
• Our plan will solve the problem/harm SECOND NEGATIVE SPEAKER CROSS EXAMINES 1AC
• 2 minutes (time for one, maybe two questions)
• Ask question to help you understand their arguments. GET INFORMATION
• Ask question to set up your arguments to come. USE ANSWERS AGAINST THEM LATER
• Show the judge what a wonderful person you are. ACT LIKE A POLITE, FRIENDLY PERSON.

FIRST NEGATIVE CONSTRUCTIVE SPEECH (1NC)
• 4 minutes
• Attacks affirmative and begins laying out additional issues
• Make arguments against the specifics of the affirmative case.
• Argue that if the plan is adopted bad things will happen. DISADVANTAGES.
• Argue that the fundamental assumptions of the affirmative are flawed/incorrect.
• Argue that the plan is not a representation of the topic.
• Argue that there could be a better alternative to the plan. COUNTERPLAN OPTION

FIRST AFFIRMATIVE SPEAKER CROSS EXAMINES 1NC
• 2 minutes SECOND AFFIRMATIVE CONSTRUCTIVE SPEECH (2AC)
• 4 minutes
• Defend affirmative positions, attack negative positions, last chance to introduce new issues for affirmative.
• Argue that the disadvantages are really reasons to vote affirmative.
• Argue that the counterplan and the affirmative plan can co-exist.

FIRST NEGATIVE SPEAKER CROSS EXAMINES 2AC
• 2 minutes

SECOND NEGATIVE CONSTRUCTIVE SPEECH (2NC)
• 4