Debate Terms 1
Side of a debate that supports the resolution
Affirmative
Arguing that something is true or right because many people believe or do it
Bandwagon
Students perform a published short story, novel excerpt, or other works
Prose
Side of a debate that is against the resolution
Negative
Continuing a course of action simply because time, money, or effort has already been invested, even when changing course would be wiser
Sunk Cost Fallacy
The reasoning that explains why a claim is true
Warrant
Arguing that something is good or right because it is natural
Appeal to Nature
A competitive, two-team format of academic debate
CX (cross-examination)
The statement or proposition being debated
Resolution
Drawing a broad conclusion based on too little or unrepresentative evidence
Hasty Generalization
Why the argument matters; its significance or consequences
Impact
Attacking the person making the argument instead of addressing the argument itself
Ad Hominem
Students receive a new topic shortly before each round and have 30 minutes to prepare a 7-minute argument
Extemp
The main point being asserted
Claim
Viewing a complex issue as having only two extreme possibilities while ignoring nuance
Black-or-White Thinking
Comparing impacts to determine which arguments are more important
Weighing
Claiming an idea is wrong because it is associated with an unpopular person or group
Guilt by Association
Student performs a compilation of poems
Poetry
An alternate proposal offered instead of the affirmative's plan
Counterplan
Applying different standards or making exceptions without adequate justification
Special Pleading
An argument shows that an opponent's point actually supports your side and/or harms theirs
Turn
Claiming that one event will inevitably lead to a series of extreme consequences without sufficient evidence
Slippery Slope
A one-on-one competitive debate format focused on ethics, morality, and political philosophy
Lincoln-Douglas
The obligation to prove a claim that is typically held by the affirmative
Burden of Proof
Misrepresenting or oversimplifying an opponent's argument to make it easier to attack
Straw Man