Debate Etiquette
Where do you look during speeches and cross-ex?
At the judges
What is: Appeal to the ethics?
Ethos
What are the four pillars of a formal debate? (Observations)
DEFINITIONS, HARMS, PLAN, and ADVANTAGES
What are the four stock issues?
Significance
Inherency
Topicality
Solvency
An authority that backs up your argument - includes logical, anecdotal, and recent empirical information.
Evidence
How should you refer to the opposing team?
Affirmative or negative (not by name).
What is: Appeal to emotions?
Pathos
What are the four parts of the plan?
Mandate, Agency, Enforcement, Funding
Which stock issue concerns whether or not the affirmative's HARMS or ADVANTAGES are important?
SIGNIFICANCE
What is CPR when finding evidence?
Credible, published and recent
How do you greet the opposing team and judges at the beginning of a debate?
What is: The affirmative's obligation to substantiate claims, where the negative may simply cast doubt?
Burden of Proof
How much time do you have for a constructive speech, a cross examination, and a rebuttal.
Constructive: Eight minutes
Cross examination: Three minutes
Rebuttal: Five minutes
Which stock issue concerns whether or not the affirmative case stays within the boundaries of the resolution?
Topicality
How do you know if evidence is credible if it is from an individual author?
Individual authors should have experience and should normally be unbiased.
How do you dress for a debate?
Neatly and professionally.
What is: The current system or policy that the affirmative wants to change?
Status quo
What is the purpose of a rebuttal?
A rebuttal is a shorter speech that summarizes your constructive speeches. It helps the judges understand your arguments and argues for the superiority of your side.
Which stock issue concerns whether or not the affirmative case will solve the HARMS it has identified.
Solvency
How recent should evidence normally be?
A maximum of three years old.
What should you do at the beginning of all cross-exams?
Greet the opposing speaker.
What is: a method of taking notes that traces arguments across each speech of a debate?
Flowing
What is the difference between a harm and an advantage?
A harms states a problem that exists because of the current policy.
An advantage is a positive outcome that would result from fixing its harm.
Which stock issues concerns whether or not the affirmative's HARMS are caused by the current policy and thus can be fixed by changing it.
Inherency
How many sources should you have?
As many as you want.
(Normally try to have more than five)