Respectful Audience Member
To avoid disrupting the round, you must keep this part of your body completely closed while someone else is speaking.
What is your mouth?
This first part of the CER structure is a one-sentence statement that directly answers a debate resolution or question without including any data yet.
What is the Claim?
True or false: If I find one source that makes a claim, I do not need to make sure that another source makes the same claim.
False
This term describes how loudly or softly you speak to ensure everyone in the back of the room can easily hear your arguments.
What is volume?
Unlike team debates, a Lincoln-Douglas (LD) round features this exact number of competing debaters.
What is two?
You should always do this with your hands immediately after a speaker finishes to show your appreciation.
What is clapping/applauding
This second component of the structure consists of facts, statistics, quotes, or expert testimony used to prove your initial statement is true.
What is the Evidence?
This social media site is a terrible place to find evidence and/or sources.
What is (TikTok/Instagram/YouTube)?
This delivery skill refers to how fast or slow you speak; rushing too quickly can confuse the judge, while going too slow might prevent you from finishing your case.
What is pace?
Because Lincoln-Douglas is a one-on-one event, you must rely entirely on yourself because you do not have one of these.
What is a partner/classmate/teammate?
Doing this with your eyes during a classmate's speech shows the speaker that you are actively engaged and paying attention.
What is making eye contact?
This final piece of the CER puzzle connects your data back to your main point, explicitly explaining why and how your facts prove your argument.
What is the Reasoning?
When it comes to sources/evidence this Q word is more important than the other Q word.
What is quality?
These repetitive, empty words—like "um," "uh," "like," and "so"—should be avoided during delivery because they distract from your message.
What are filler words?
True or false: Lincoln-Douglas debate should be completed at or under 15 minutes time.
If you have questions during a debate or speech you should do this.
What is raising your hand?
This side in a debate has the job of supporting, defending, and arguing in favor of the debate resolution.
What is the Affirmative?
Websites ending in this extension belong to official branches of the United States government and are considered highly credible for statistics and laws.
What is .gov?
To keep from sounding bored or robotic, a debater must vary this—the highness or lowness of their voice—to add emotion and emphasis to key points.
What is pitch?
PREP stands for this.
What is point, reason, example, point?
List three disrespectful and distracting things an audience member can while someone else is talking.
This side in a debate has the job of opposing, refuting, and arguing against the proposed resolution.
What is the Negative?
If a book or article is filled with angry language, name-calling, or clear favoritism, the source is likely untrustworthy due to this six-letter word.
What is bias?
This non-verbal delivery skill involves using your hands and arms naturally to emphasize a major point, rather than keeping them locked at your sides or in your pockets.
What is using gestures?
In Impromptu speaking, this is the short period of time you spend sitting silently at your desk planning out your speech.
What is prep/preparation time?