Debate I Syllabus
ELA 1961 A & B
2011-2012 School Year
CONTACT INFORMATION
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COURSE OBJECTIVES
Policy debate teaches students a number of important academic skills, including logic,
argumentation, research, writing and public speaking, all within a social sciences context.
Drawing from the fields of government, economics, philosophy, sociology, anthropology
and psychology, students will develop evidence-based cases they will advocate at this
school year’s tournaments. This year, national high school policy debate will focus on
the following resolution:
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its
exploration and/or development of space beyond the Earth’s mesosphere.
COURSE PROCEDURES
Policy debate is an interactive and team-oriented activity. As such, students are required
to attend at least two tournaments per semester in order to receive a passing grade for the
Debate 1A and Debate 1B classes. Any student unable to meet this criterion must meet
with their instructor to explain the situation and ask for an exemption. Exemptions will
be given only in the case of extenuating personal circumstances. It is the sole
responsibility of the student to request this exemption and it will be considered on a case
by case basis.
This school year’s tournaments will be divided into two divisions: Novice, open to
beginning debaters and students who feel they need a refresher in debate basics, and
Varsity, open to all argumentation and any affirmative case. Novice will be limited to
two affirmative cases during the fall semester and four in the spring. These cases can be
found on the HUDL Wikispace under the Case Disclosure tab (see Textbook section
below). Varsity debaters must post any affirmative case (plan text only) they will run on
the HUDL Wikispace no later than the Friday prior to the tournament.
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ASSESSMENTS
A majority of the grade for this course comes from weekly research, writing and speaking
assignments but will be supplemented by quizzes and test grades.
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TEXTBOOKS
A majority of this year’s evidence and curriculum will be posted on the new HUDL
Wikispace at the following web address:
http://houstonurbandebateleague.wikispaces.com
The primary text for this course will be the Houston Urban Debate League’s Introduction
to Policy Debate. This book will be available free as an electronic copy on the HUDL
Wikispace under the curriculum tab.
OVERVIEW
Debate 1 is divided into two 16 week semesters. The first semester will teach the basics
of argument, logic, research, writing and speaking. The second semester will expand on
these skills and give the students more freedom to write their own cases and argument
extensions. Over the course of the year, students will have the opportunity to attend six
HUDL seminars and six HUDL tournaments, with an opportunity for more based on
student success and interest. At the end of the debate season, the first and second place
teams in Houston will travel free of charge to the Chase Urban Debate National
Championships in New York City, New York (see tournament schedule). Below is the
breakdown of the Debate 1 curriculum.
Semester 1
Week 1: What is debate?/What is a resolution?—Public Speaking Skills Poster
Week 2: Aff and Neg Burdens/Presumption/Topic and Potential Case Areas
Seminar #1:
Junior Varsity: On-case/Stock Issues
Varsity: Defensive v. Offensive Arguments/Case turns/T; Lab: Argumentation (Toulmin
model)/Syllogisms/Proof (Evidence)
Week 3: On-case-Stock Issues/Case Turns/Finding and labeling evidence; Prepare for
First Tournament
Tournament #1
Week 4: Building a case/Direct Clash/Defensive Arguments/Argue a mini-round
Week 5: The Topicality Debate—Listening and Flowing
Week 6: Sample debates
Seminar #2:
Junior Varsity: Case Building Workshop/Cutting Aff and Neg On-case evidence
Varsity: Case Workshop/Cutting Aff and Neg On-Case Evidence
ALL: Flow a mock debate
Week 7: Disadvantages/Clash/Timeframe, Scope, Magnitude, Probability
Week 8: Disadvantages/Link Turns, Impact Turns, Straight Turns and Double Turns
Week 9: Prepare for Second Tournament
Tournament #2
Week 10: Counterplans; CP/DA in combination
Week 11: Troubleshoot Second Tournament Problems/DA/CP Construction
Seminar #3:
DAs/Introduce Counterplans
Week 12: DA/CP/Kritik Introduction
Week 13: Prepare for Third Tournament
Tournament #3
Week 14: Strategic Argumentation
Week 15: Prepare for Fourth Tournament
Tournament #4
Week 16: Dead Week/Semester Exam Prep
Week 17: Semester Exams
Semester 2
Focus on research writing and expanding on skills learned in the first semester. Seminar
4 as well as tournaments 5 and the city, state and national championships are also this
semester.