LD Talks
Intro to Lincoln-Douglas Debate - Why even do debate? Will it apply to any other parts of life? Debate is all about what is called "Civil Discourse" in which ideas are shared and discussed in a clear and respectful way. In today's society, there is a critical need for good civil discourse. This talk digs into this and more including resolution analysis and argumentation.
Analyzing Any Resolution - In depth analysis of the Resolution and then each AFF/Neg case is essential to developing argumentation as well as refutation. This talk will take you through seven steps of analysis which will set you up for argument development.
LD Case Structure - This talk takes a "flyover" of LD to see all of the parts and how they fit together from a birds-eye view. It is good to see the whole before we examine the individual parts.
LD Framework - The framework of LD is the heart of the debate. What is a value? What is a criterion? How do you choose them? How do they fit together? If you get the framework wrong, you will have a much harder time defending your side of the resolution.
LD Definitions and Resolution Analysis - These concepts set up how you will approach the debate. What are your burdens, what do you think your opponents burdens are will direct your overall argumentation. You need to choose carefully.
LD Contentions - Now that you have your rez analysis, definitions, and framework, you are prepared to defend your side with argumentation. The Contentions are the main arguments for your side of the round. We will explore how to set these up, and how to impact the judge.
LD Moral Philosophy - There are essentially two ways to approach your case in terms of moral philosophy, Consequentialism and Deontology. Knowing your approach as well as your opponent's is key for how you set up your case and respond to your opponent.
LD Political Philosophy - The idea of Social Contract shows up in most LD debates. There are three main philosophers who postulated their ideas of social contract. When writing your cases, it helps to stay consistent when you understand these philosophies. Both moral and political.
LD Cross Examination - Debates are many times won or lost in Cross-Ex. This is one of the most difficult aspects of debate and usually the last one mastered. There are ways and approaches to Cross-Ex that will enable your ability to get admissions you can use in your next speech.
LD Refutation - A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. LD refutation should take this approach. Find your opponent's weakest links and capitalize on them. This should also help you in strengthening your case and responding to attacks on your case.
Stakeholders, PERMS, and Why Chains - Many debaters have difficulty digging deeper into their own case as well as their opponent's to find strengths and weaknesses. Using these tools will go a long way to assist in the digging. It will apply to all aspects of research, and the debate round.
LD Resolution Discussion - This is more of a brainstorming exercise to get good case ideas so the students have a place to start researching and writing their AFF and Neg.