"[CLICK HERE AND TYPE YOUR NAME]"
"[CLICK HERE AND TYPE DATE]"
H A R MS -S O LV E N CY
A FFI RM ATI VE C A SE
R E S O L V E D : T H A T T H E U N I T E D S TA T E S S H O U L D C H A N G E I T S
E N E RG Y P O L I C Y T O S U B S TA N T I A L LY R E D U C E I T S
DEPENDENCE ON FOREIG N OIL.
How to Use This Template
Welcome to Training Minds Ministry's Harms-Solvency Affirmative Case Template. We
hope you find this template useful in creating your debate case. This template is designed
to be used alongside TMM's Blue Book (U.S. Energy Policy: Debating the 2004-2005
Homeschool Resolution), Vance Trefethen's Strategic Debate, and/or TMM's Midseason
Briefs. If you do not have these publications, ctrl + click here.
The Blue Book has 13 debate cases, one of which is offered free online (ctrl + click here
to view). You can refer to these cases as models on how to write your own case. This
template is one of many ways you can outline a debate case. Change the information on
this template to contain the information you would like. For the body of your case, use
Styles such as Heading 1-5, Body Text, Block Quotation, List Bullet, and List Number
from the Style control on the Formatting toolbar. For evidence quotations, use Styles
such as Contention, Citation and Evidence "Char" (abbreviation for "Characters").
This report template is complete with Styles for a Table of Contents and an Index. From
the Insert menu, choose Reference, Index and Tables. Click on the tab you would like.
How to Customize This Report
This template is a tool to use to get you going on debate case development, but it is
important to note that this template isn't the only way to write a debate case. Don't think
you need to stick with TMM's version of this template. You are free to modify this
template as much as you want. To create your own customized version of this template,
select File New General Templates and choose this template. Be sure to indicate
"template" as the document type in the bottom right corner of the dialog. You will then
be able to make changes and save the template with a custom name.
1) Insert your name and the date in place of the text on the cover page by clicking
once and typing.
2) Choose File Save As. At the bottom of the menu, choose Document Template in
the Save File as Type: box. (The filename extension should change from .doc to
.dot.) Save the file under a new name to protect the original version, or use the same
template name to replace the existing version.
When Finished
When you are finished writing your case, take the time to read it aloud, timing yourself
along the way. Your case should be read smoothly (no speed reading) within an 8-minute
constructive. Be sure to use a convincing voice as you are giving a polished rhetorical
speech to the judge. You may find that you need to cut a little here, revise a little there,
do whatever needed to make your debate case persuadable and convincing.
Standard Debate Case - 2
Have Your Case Critiqued!
Don't settle with having your only critique be your bedroom mirror. Read it to your
parents, your siblings, your classmates and your coach. You have worked hard on your
case so far, but you must understand that you may have your blinders as you are intensely
involved. Others may see some obvious flaws that you are not able to see, so be open to
constructive criticism. Think about what your audience is saying, and ask yourself how
their observations can make your case more convincing. All cases should change quite a
bit from the first draft and especially after the first time debated. Champion debaters
never let their case remain the same; they are always modifying and revising. In fact, this
is a secret to their success!
Don't Stop Here
Don't ever think you have a fool-proof case. You don't, no matter how good you think it
is. In fact, jump the gun and start writing a negative brief against your own case. Surely
you came across evidence that argued against your case. Keep this evidence and write
briefs that attack your case. Then write defenses to these briefs. This will prepare you for
the tournament when you hear these arguments from your opponents.
Standard Debate Case - 3
AFFIRMATIVE TITLE
USE THIS SPACE TO TY PE A THESIS STATEMEN T THAT EXPLAINS IN
ONE OR TWO SENT ENCES YOUR ENTIRE CASE.
Write your introduction. Though this appears at the beginning of your case, you may
want to wait to write this till you have filled out the rest of your case. An introduction
gives a general preview of your case as well as provides the opportunity to persuade the
judge in principle. You will be leading the judge through a structured, 8-minute
argument, so present the introduction in simple terms that will give the judge a general
understanding of where you are taking this.
OBSERVATION 1. TOPICALITY:
THE AFFIRMATIVE CASE MEETS A REASONABLE DEFINITION OF THE RESOLUTION
A. Definitions
Here you want to define the various terms within the resolution, as the Blue Book goes
into detail explaining.
B. Analysis
Take the time to analyze the resolution. This is the attempt by your team to assess the
resolution for what it says and give confidence to the judge that your case is topical.
OBSERVATION 2. HARMS
The harms of the case shows that these flaws in the status quo (the inherency you just
proved) are significantly harmful (often referred to as significance). Just like with
inherency, the evidence should be properly cited and should support the case's thesis.
A. X is happening to the status quo
Citation
Evidence
B. X causes Y (Y = loss of human rights, economic loss, death, sickness, etc.)
Citation
Evidence
C. X causes Z (another negative impact)
Citation
Evidence
Standard Debate Case - 4
OBSERVATION 3. INHERENCY
This section will be backed up with evidence that shows that the status quo is flawed. The
important thing to prove is that a change in policy is needed, not just a simple fix of the
current policy. This can be done using Supreme Court cases, governmental
documentation, periodical opinions, and the like. All evidence used to prove inherency
should be properly cited and should support the case's thesis.
A. Current policy is X
Citation
Evidence
B. X is failing
Citation
Evidence
C. Attempts to fix X are not working
Citation
Evidence
To solve these harms, we offer the following plan. Here you will give your plan to
solve the harms you just presented. You do this by presenting a number of "planks,"
which are given implementations to your overall plan. Like the contentions of your
observations, your planks must be topical and should be written to support your thesis.
Plank 1
Write your plank here.
Plank 2
Write your plank here.
Plank 3
Write your plank here.
Plank 4
And so on…
OBSERVATION 4. SOLVENCY
Solvency does exactly what the term implies: it solves the case. The contentions provided
in the solvency often directly relates to your case's harms and inherency. Harm 1 often is
solved with contention 1 of solvency, and so on through this section. Continue to support
your thesis with every contention, never veering into extra-topical areas.
A. Subpoint 1
Citation
Evidence
Standard Debate Case - 5
B. Subpoint 2
Citation
Evidence
Now take the time to write your conclusion. You may want to state, word-for-word, the
thesis of your entire case. Revisit your introduction and ask yourself, "How does this case
convince the judge that the plan should be implemented?" Then write this argument down
in the conclusion.
Standard Debate Case - 6