Name:_________________________________________________
AUDL Middle School
Debate Team
Tournament Handbook
Debate Tournament
Schedule
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Arrive at tournament &
wait in cafeteria.
Round 1
Round 2
Lunch Break in Cafeteria
Round 3
Round 4
Awards Ceremony in
cafeteria.
Return Home.
What should I wear to the tournament?
School Uniforms
or
Clothes that fit your school’s Dress Code
(remember that parents, teachers, principals, college
students, high school students, and community members
will judge your rounds—you can only make one first
impression with what you wear)
How do I read the tournament “pairings?”
•
Your team name is a combination of your school name plus the first letter of your last name
and the first letter of your partner’s last name in alphabetical order (for example, if Barack Obama
and Hillary Clinton were a debate team at Harper-Archer, their team name would be Harper CO).
•
•
Look at the top of the pairings page for your division (novice, junior varsity, or varsity) and
for the round (round 1, 2, 3, or 4).
The first column is affirmative, the second column is negative, the third column is the judge’s
name, and the 4th column is the classroom number.
AFF
Meadows BH
Harper CO
Woodward LW
NEG
STRIVE AM
Long NT
Inman EK
JUDGE
Sherman, J
Jones, C
Robinson, S
ROOM
403
100
409
Don’t forget to RESPECT yourself and others.
Most importantly, don’t forget to HAVE FUN!
Policy Debate Speech Order
1AC – First Affirmative Constructive (4 minutes)
Cross Examination – 1AC & 2NC (2 minutes)
No 1AC
Prep Time
No 1NC
Prep Time
1NC – First Negative Constructive (4 minutes)
Cross Examination – 1NC & 1AC (2 minutes)
Yes 2AC
Prep Time
if Needed
2AC – Second Affirmative Constructive (4 minutes)
Cross Examination – 2AC & 1NC (2 minutes)
Yes 2NC
Prep Time
if Needed
2NC – Second Negative Constructive (4 minutes)
Cross Examination – 2NC & 2AC (2 minutes)
No 1NR
Prep Time
1NR – First Negative Rebuttal (2 minutes)
1AR – First Affirmative Rebuttal (2 minutes)
2NR – Second Negative Rebuttal (2 minutes)
Yes 1AR
Prep Time
Yes 2NR
Prep Time
2AR – Second Affirmative Rebuttal (2 minutes)
Affirmative Team – 5 minutes preparation time
Negative Team – 5 minutes preparation time
You and your partner choose how to “spend” your 5 minutes of prep time. Prep
time is available right before your or your partner’s speeches. For example, you are
the 2AC and you take 2 minutes of prep time before your speech. Then you and
your partner have 3 minutes of prep time remaining for the 1AR and the 2AR.
Yes 2AR
Prep Time
Policy Debate – Affirmative Basics
What is the 1AC and what are the main parts of the 1AC case?
1AC = 1st Affirmative Constructive
The 1AC is the first person to speak in a debate
round and sets the stage and arguments for the
rest of the debate.
Main parts of the 1AC Case:
Plan: This is the plan or policy you are presenting to solve
the problem at hand.
Inherency: This explains what is going on in the world today.
Also known as the “status quo.”
Harms: This explains what bad things will happen if the
plan/policy is not accepted.
Solvency: This explains that the plan/policy that has been
presented will solve the problems that are stated in the
inherency & harms. The solvency can also explain that the
plan is feasible and will work.
What do the parts of the Cuban Embargo 1AC Case say?
Plan:
Inherency:
Harms:
Solvency:
Negative Guidelines
Tips and Strategies for Negative Teams
What MUST I do to win a round on the negative?
Run at least one offcase argument (a
disadvantage)
China or Democracy.
Take out at least one
part of the case (oncase argument):
Solvency, Harms, or
Inherency.
The 1NC should try to do both of these steps. If the 1NC runs out of time, the
2NC can finish what the 1NC does not get to during his/her speech.
Negative Speaker Speech Order
The 1N and the 2N should organize all their speeches in this order (this is what
you should tell the judge when you give your “road map” or are “sign posting”):
1. Off-Case Argument (the disadvantage you have chosen).
2. On-Case Argument (the part of the 1AC you are focusing on).
How do we choose what arguments to run?
1. BECOME VERY COMFORTABLE WITH PARTS OF THE NEGATIVE PACKET!
 Some of the arguments in the negative packet are better or more convincing than others.
 Choose one disadvantage and one on-case argument that you think is the best and
become an expert on those two parts of the packet (DA suggestion: Democracy DA, OnCase suggestions: Harm: Soft Power is Ineffective p.22 & Solvency -Can’t Control Soft
Power p.29.)
2. LISTEN & FLOW! – Listen to what the Affirmative Team says & take notes during the
round.
 The affirmative team may not read the same cards as you do when you are affirmative.
• For example, if the 1 AC does not talk about soft power, do not read evidence
against the soft power argument in the 1NC.
 The affirmative team may forget to include all parts of their 1AC or they may drop one of
your arguments.
• The 1AC must include: 1) a PLAN, 2) INHERENCY, 3) HARMS, and 4) SOLVENCY. If
the 1AC forgets any of these pieces, make sure to tell the judge during your
speech.
• If the 2AC or 1AR do not answer your DA or one of the case arguments during
their speeches, make sure to tell the judge during your speech.
Policy Debate – Negative Basics
What is the 1NC and what are the main parts of the 1NC disad?
1NC = 1st Negative Constructive
The 1NC is the second person to speak in a
debate round and introduces the negative
disadvantages and case take-outs in a round.
Main parts of the 1NC Disadvantage:
Uniqueness: This explains what is going on in the world right now.
Also known as the “status quo.”
Link: This explains how the 1AC case causes a change to the
uniqueness and leads to the impact.
Impact: This explains the bad things that will happen if the 1AC
case is accepted.
The 1NC is also responsible for taking out ONE of the
parts of the affirmative case. For a better strategy
think of the
S.H.I.P.!
S – Solvency
H – Harms
I – Inherency
P – Plan
What do the parts of the China Disadvantage say?
Uniqueness:
Link:
Impact:
MR. T
All the Muscle You Need for Your Rebuttals
How do I make my side of the
debate sound more
convincing than my
opponents’ during rebuttals?
MR. T
(a.k.a. Impact
Analysis)
M = Magnitude:
The
problem/issue my team talks about
during the debate is bigger than
the other team’s problem/issue.
R = Risk:
The problem/issue my
team talks about during the debate
is more likely to happen than the
other team’s problem/issue.
T = Timeframe: The problem/issue
my team talks about during the
debate will happen much sooner
than the other team’s
problem/issue.
Don’t
forget to
explain
WHY your
arguments
are better
than the
other
team’s
arguments!
This impact analysis method can be used in all
speeches in debate, but are especially
effective during the 2NR & the 2AR.
Rebuttal Guidelines
•
Rebuttal
Reminders:
•
•
Rebuttals are NOT the time to
read evidence. Extend evidence
that your team has already
read in an earlier speech.
You should tell the judge why
your arguments are better than
your opponent’s using MR. T.
Rebuttals are a good time to
use your story telling skills.
Tips for using MR. T during rebuttals:
• You only have to choose 2 of the 3 parts of MR. T to win the impact analysis in a debate.
Chose the 2 parts that you are winning. If you can win all three parts of MR. T, then you
should use all three parts!
• You need to use impact analysis (MR. T) for all of the arguments in a round. You need to
include both the case arguments and the disadvantages when doing impact analysis to
win.
Judge, you should vote for us, the ___________ (affirmative/negative) team because our
arguments outweigh and I will explain how using impact analysis.
M
If you evaluate the MAGNITUDE of both sides of the debate, you will see that the
___________ (affirmative/negative) side’s impact of _________________________ is a much
bigger problem than our opponent’s impact because ____________.
R.
Next, if you evaluate the RISK of both sides of the debate, you will see that the
___________ (affirmative/negative) side’s impact of _________________________ is a much
more realistic problem that is more likely to happen than our opponent’s impact
because ____________.
T
Next, if you evaluate the TIMEFRAME of both sides of the debate, you will see that the
___________ (affirmative/negative) side’s impact of _________________________ is going
to happen sooner than our opponent’s impact because ____________. This means
that it is important to vote for us to avoid this disaster in the short-term.