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Drawing a line in the sand using false equivalence

06Mar

March 6, 2018 by PotentSpeaking Leave a Comment

If you know anything about fallacies, you’ve probably heard of false equivalence. This fallacy occurs frequently in casual arguments and formal debates. False equivalence is when you compare two unlike things to make a point. While usually you want to avoid fallacies, let me explain why this one might actually be a useful tool. Let’s […]

7 Debate Tactics You Probably Don’t Use (but Should)

22Feb

February 22, 2017 by PotentSpeaking Leave a Comment

This is a guest post by Isaiah McPeak of Ethos Debate.  I’ve been coaching debate since 2003. Tactics and strategies have come in and out of style. Giovanni asked me to identify some tactics that are underused right now but should be used more often. Here’s what I came up with! Hope it helps 🙂 […]

Cross-Examination: Drawing a line

01Mar

March 1, 2016 by PotentSpeaking Leave a Comment

There are plenty of benefits of being the Negative team. One of these benefits is that you have a lot less to prove. The other benefit is that you don’t necessarily have to take a fierce stand on anything until the Affirmative team has. When the Affirmative team proposes their plan, they are taking a […]

Cross-Examination: Cunning argument rephrase

14Apr

April 14, 2015 by PotentSpeaking Leave a Comment

What do you do once you have nailed down the opponent’s argument, and you want to make it look bad in cross-examination? Obviously, asking your opponent if their argument is wrong (given certain facts you’ve established) is a disastrous plan. But is there a way to get your opponent to admit to their argument being […]

Cross-Examination: Asking for the warrant

24Mar

March 24, 2015 by PotentSpeaking Leave a Comment

Many debaters are only prepared for some basic questions they’re used to, and haven’t really given their arguments much thought. If you can expose this to the judge, you’ll leave yourself in a position of credibility. I’m going to teach you a type of question which can cut right through the act and straight to […]

Don’t be a weasel

20Mar

March 20, 2015 by PotentSpeaking Leave a Comment

I’ll get right to the point. By “don’t be a weasel”, I mean don’t be one of those debaters who is constantly looking for a way out of things. I also mean: don’t seem like one of those debaters, because it reduces the judge’s trust in you. Principles Avoid using the word “well” too much. […]

Cross-Examination: Using first names

13Mar

March 13, 2015 by PotentSpeaking Leave a Comment

Sometimes your opponent is simply being unreasonable in cross-examination. Often times, everyone knows he/she’s being unreasonable. One of the ways to make them snap to their senses is to use their first name. I’ll provide a few examples of how using first names can project your confidence and control over the round. Examples Setting the stage: […]

Cross-Examination: Question bluff

27Feb

February 27, 2015 by PotentSpeaking 4 Comments

All credit goes to Simon Sefzik for coming up with this Cross-Examination tip.  The question bluff is a way of getting the other team to impact your arguments for you. Here’s an example: Situation: Affirmative mandate unintentionally alienates, say, Iran. It’s in an effort to get Iran to stop their nuclear program, and their plan is […]

Cross-Examination: Don’t Waste Time

13Feb

February 13, 2015 by PotentSpeaking 2 Comments

Cross-Examination is the smallest portion of the round, but can be one of the best ways to show the judge you know your stuff. For that reason, it’s important to capitalize the most you can on that time. Here are a few tips for using your time wisely in Cross-Examination. 1. Change your introduction to […]

Cross-Examination: Chance to Rephrase

10Feb

February 10, 2015 by PotentSpeaking 2 Comments

Have you ever been in a round where the opposing team made a completely inaccurate statement, and you can prove it’s inaccurate? While many people would simply get up in the next speech and start refuting the statement, this can cause problems. What if the other team denies ever having said it? Cross-examination can be […]

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  • Drawing a line in the sand using false equivalence
  • Debate traditions that you need to drop
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