Guide to Lincoln Douglas Debate
Casing
Intro: Should just be a quote that states your position on the topic. You should also state your position and state the resolution
{Ex. Intro. “The University’s responsibility for ensuring that students receive an equal educational opportunity provides a compelling justification for regulations that ensure the [students] safe passage in all common areas.” It is because I strongly concur with Charles R. Lawrence, Professor of Law, that giving individuals the capacity to gain an education is essential towards morality on a college campus that I affirm the resolution that colleges and universities have a moral obligation to prohibit the public expression of hate speech on their campuses.}
Definitions: (Neg. has no definitions although if the speaker finds problems with the affirmatives definitions, he or she can bring up counter-definitions)
Should clarify the debate and be fair to both sides
Make sure you know the sources of your definitions.
Observations:
Should be fair to both sides
Don’t use something too generic
Make sure its relevant (LE saying this resolution is U.S specific does not mean much)
Explain why the observation is true and why its important 10 debate
Value:
This is really important: Your Value should be something inherent within the resolution
It should be your key to achieving the “burdens” of the resolution
Do three things in your Value Statement
1. State why the value is implicit/explicit within the resolution
2. Define your value specifically to the context of the resolution
3. State why your value is important
Value Criterion:
Your standard for achieving your value.
This is very important: It provides the judge with a standard (a weighing mechanism to determine the outcome of the round)
Its key that you establish why your standard is paramount
Make it fair to both sides
Do three things in your criterion statement
State why your criterion achieves your value
Define your criterion specifically and show what needs to be done for it to be achieved
Show why your criterion is important within the round
Sample Value/Value Criterion Statement:
Since the resolution questions a moral obligation, the paramount value in today’s round is that of Morality defined as a college or university fulfilling its obligations to students.
Since the agent of acting is clearly defined as a university, it is clear that colleges need to remain consistent with their goals. Thus, my criterion for achieving morality is that of education, or allowing students the capacity to learn. Since students pay money to go to a university to obtain a higher education, colleges are contractually obligated to give students the capacity to learn.
Contentions:
On average, you want about two or three contentions with about 2 subpoints in each
You should have a tagline summarizing what you’re saying in your contention. It should be brief.
Start of each argument with a claim
Expand on the claim by showing why its actually true.(this is the warrant)
Use evidence/examples to verify those claims.
Show why the argument is important (Impacting)
Impact your arguments to your criterion, contention and the resolution
Sample Contention
Contention one: Hate Speech harms minorities to such a degree that they lose the capacity to gain an education.
Hate speech can harm an individual so severe that it can jeopardize an individual’s ability to gain an education. It is difficult to expect students to concentrate on education and interaction with different students when they know that there are others on campus that despise them because of some arbitrary feature that they have. Knowing that there are people who hate them can make it cliff cult for students to properly interact with one and other and thus they are forced into submission due to hate speech. Karen Mahoney, Professor of Law, writes in a 1996 Illinois Law Review, “People who are targeted by hate propaganda respond to it by being fearful and withdrawing from full participation in society. They are humiliated and degraded, and their self worth undermined.” These harms towards a student affect not only the student but also the community as this withdrawal affects as it limits interaction among social groups. Furthermore, hate speech puts minorities in a situation where they are fearful of participating in the events of a university, making it difficult for them to experience the true educational benefits of a university.
These harms are greater towards college students because college students are in unique situation. They often are living on their own for the first time and need time to get accustomed to doing so. Professor Alice K Ma supports this notion, when she writes. “College students may lack the self confidence and self-esteem necessary to shield themselves from hate speech.”
When colleges morally obligate themselves to prohibit hate speech they can alleviate this silencing effect hate speech has towards minorities. Furthermore, hate speech codes can ameliorate some of the psychological harms caused by hate speech. Charles R. Lawrence. Professor of Law writes. “Racial epithets and harassment often cause deep emotional scarring, and feelings of anxiety and fear that pervade every aspect of a victim’s life.” With this constant fear within an individual’s life, it is almost impossible for an individual to concentrate on education and interaction. Thus, by allowing hate speech on campus, individuals lose the capacity to gain an education, undermining Morality.
The claim is bolded, the warrant is italicized and the impact is underlined.
Rebutta1
This is what determines whether or not you win the round
In refuting your opponents arguments, do the following
State where on the flow you are (ex. Looking to my opponents contention one subpoint A)
State the argument in YOUR OPPONENTS RHETORIC
Point out the analysis or argumentation he misses (IE my opponent doesn’t show how hate speech codes stops psychological harms.)
Refute the argument with your own claim, warrant and impact (you can do this more than once)
Use evidence if you need to strengthen your point
Impact your arguments to show how your opponent does not achieve his position or how he or she doesn’t meet the standard of the round
Strategies
Prioritize key issues that are relevant towards the standard in the round
Show why your opponents arguments are irrelevant or unimportant
Use Word Economy (don’t constantly ramble on - be succinct)
Extend arguments that your opponent drops
Flow well, the better you flow, the better you debate.
Crystallization
This is the process of condensing the round into two or three key issues
Use a tagline for each issue (IE My first issue is the idea of diversity)
Point Out our opponents responses to the issues and show why they are false or unimportant
Emphasize your own arguments and point out arguments that your opponent did not refute
Out-weigh your opponents arguments
Show why your issue is important to the standard of the round
You want to show why you win each issue and why winning this issue should win you the round.
Cross Examination
Each debater has their own purpose for it
Use it to point Out logical flaws within your opponent’s arguments, establish a standard within the round. etc.
Remember to be persuasive, look at the judge, be confident, smile arid have fun—don’t be mean to your opponent, look professional and act professional.