How to Destroy Your
Opponents
By: Alexandra McCarthy
BEGIN WITH THE RESOLUTION:
This is the topic of your debate.
RESOLVED: Santa Clara County High
Schools should adopt a school uniform for
all high schools within the county.
BUILD A THESIS STATEMENT
AFFIRMATIVE THESIS STATEMENT: Santa
Clara County High Schools should adopt a school
uniform for all high schools within the county because
it will lead to higher test scores, create equality
amongst students, and it will create an overall better
learning environment.
BUILDING A CONTENTION
CLAIM
WARRANT
IMPACT
CLAIM:
- a statement you are advancing as true
Example:
CLAIM: Santa Clara County High Schools should
adopt a school uniform for all high schools within the
county because it will lead to higher test scores.
Warrant:
- Typically an Appeal to Authority
- THIS IS YOUR EVIDENCE
Example:
“Studies have shown that in schools with dictated uniforms test
scores were x% higher than those who did not implicate school
uniforms into their schools.”
Impact:
- why someone should care about your argument
Example:
America, on a global scale, over the past decade has been lacking in
the high school education department. We owe it to the future of
America to ensure that we provide a long term stable and growing
learning environment that ensure the highest test scores possible
going into the next decade.
All Impacts must contain…
MAGNITUDE
TIME FRAME
RISK PROBABILITY
Magnitude:
In this particular argument, your MAGNITUDE
would be the x value of the percentage in your
WARRANT.
TIME FRAME:
Your TIME FRAME argument would be added to
your WARRANT. Explain how long it took after
uniforms were mandated for test scores to change.
Were these results long term or did the fetter off after
a few years? It is always best to keep the time frame
in mind.
RISK PROBABILITY:
Before the opposing side can hit you on your
risks, hit and explain them yourself. Talk
about the unlikeliness of the greatest risks
happening and steps that can be taken to
prevent them.
PRO TIPS
DO NOT USE THE PODIUM
- Engage with your audience
- Still be an authoritative figure, but
conversational
- You are talking to your peers
THINK LIKE A HUMAN NOT A DEBATER
- You do not always have to be politically correct
- Think of how you would respond if a friend had asked
- Debate is not an argument, it is an intellectual
conversation. Focus on proving your point.
- You are presenting to your peers, explain things
clearly.
MOST DEBATES ARE TIES… BREAK THEM.
- If you find yourself in a position where the
ballot could go either way explain to your
judges clearly and often why you have won
- I hit x,y,z on my opponents side and my a,b,c
arguments still stands therefore, I win.
YOU ARE A STORYTELLER
- be entertaining
- you want to captivate your audience and
make them interested in what you have to
say
- this is why your IMPACT is so important
WHEN IN DOUBT, NEGATE!
- if their IMPACT is economic growth,
prove economic growth is bad
- if you destroy their impact the entire
contention falls
GOOD LUCK
ON YOUR
DEBATES!