Credit for the idea of this phrase goes to Samuel Sefzik. It’s easy for your audience to get overwhelmed in a debate speech. There are a lot of points and plenty of logic floating around in any given debate round. Getting your audience to remember and care about all of your points is usually impossible (unless […]
Phrases — Outweighing their arguments
Sometimes, arguments in a debate round are like fireworks on the fourth of July. Everyone’s lighting off their little bottle rockets, roman candles, and maybe even some small mortars. None of these fireworks are really memorable, they only become memorable if they hit someone or if something important happens around one. But sometimes there’s an […]
Cross-Examination: Using first names
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: […]
Get a 5 in evidence
Evidence is undeniably one of the most important parts of Team Policy debate. I care about it particularly because a good evidence battle can win you a round, and because there’s an entire category of speaker points dedicated to evidence. Here are a few tips for getting a perfect 5 in the evidence category. 1. Vocal […]
No more debater voice
This is going to be a short post. That does not undermine its importance. The message I have today. Is. Important. For the love of all that debaters hold dear, get rid of the debater voice! Here is what I mean. After listening to the sound clip, you may be wondering what specifically makes […]
“You may be thinking…”
Here’s a cool phrase you can use in order to address any concerns that the judge has. I often used this phrase when I already knew what the judge’s objection would likely be. For example, “The result of all this is nuclear war. Now I know what you might be thinking—is that really likely? Surprisingly, […]
Keep the judge curious
They say curiosity killed the cat. Thankfully, your judge isn’t a cat. So curiosity won’t kill them. Isn’t that nice? If you’re able to keep your judge curious about what you’re going to say next, you will keep them engaged. Everyone knows an engaging speaker is a good one. That’s why so many professional speakers […]
Emphasis by positioning
When you need to make a point stand out in a judge’s mind, it’s time to pull out all stops and give them the best you have. One technique I seldom see used is positioning in order to emphasize key points. How it’s done Before I begin, this is not to be overused. Someone who […]
Run less arguments
One of the first challenges for a novice is to fill up all the time in their speech. They are drilled and pushed to get to that 8 or 5 minute time limit and fill up their speeches. And rightly so! The only problem with this approach, a problem that I hope to remedy in […]
Use power words
For sale: baby shoes, never worn. Sometimes a story told in six words can be more powerful than a speech. The concise power of the above sentence can send chills through your spine. If it had been longer, describing more of the story, it probably would have been less impactful. Although I can’t match the […]