DEATH DRILLS: Also Known as 4-point Refutation Drills https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/man-using-electronic-drill_2910767.htm#fromView=search&page=1&position=0&uuid=8e03a54c-aad2-4745-a0ad-85f9e908b442 I’m not going to lie: the first time I heard of this drill, I was a bit scared. Not because of the name, but because this was when I was still scared to speak without having every word written out in advance. Needless to say, I ..read more

Photo Credit: BermixStudio (https://unsplash.com/photos/a-man-in-blue-overalls-working-on-cement-nZZfP9QiQ6w) When we debate against cases that seem to turn the judge’s emotions into a mountain, it often feels impossible to recover and dream of winning the round. However, I believe that by harnessing the power of Cognitive Dissonance, you can create effective strategies for winning these rounds. Not only has Cognitive ..read more

Image from Pixabay.com https://pixabay.com/photos/glasses-book-education-eyeglasses-1052010/ There’s been controversy in the NCFCA recently about the use of theological arguments in Lincoln-Douglas debate rounds, so much so that the NCFCA released an official letter addressing the issue. The verdict of the letter is, in my view, basically right. But the main rationale offered for the verdict is deeply ..read more

Image Credit: Pixabay  One of the most common complaints I’ve heard as a coach can be roughly summed up as follows: “None of my judges bought my framing of the resolution; they’re so biased!” I absolutely sympathize with your frustration. This is a tough resolution, and explaining these terms is even tougher, but it is ..read more

Credit: Pixabay What do you value? This is the question that at its core Lincoln-Douglas strives to answer. While in Lincoln-Douglas you can have a very effective debate where you are both arguing for the same value, there are also situations in which it makes more sense to disagree with your opponent’s value and offer ..read more

https://www.freepik.com/premium-vector/flat-earth_20405414.htm#fromView=search&page=1&position=31&uuid=f0c243fc-d4c1-4706-951c-825161a3e47e During my senior year, several of my friends and I got bored of the same old humdrum of trying to argue an arguable point. We wanted a challenge! So we began arguing some of the most ridiculous premises we could think of. A month or so later we had won debate rounds on numerous ..read more

Image from Pixabay.com Practically everyone thinks that democracy is in danger these days. If asked why they think so, most people will cite the sins of their least favorite politicians. Trump tried to violently overthrow the federal government; the Democrats rigged the 2020 presidential election; Biden is just a dictator with a pen and a ..read more

Image: istockphoto.com/photo/staring-at-the-screen-but-nothings-going-in-gm1022048344-274421509?utm_source=pixabay&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=SRP_image_sponsored&utm_content=https%3A%2F%2Fpixabay.com%2Fimages%2Fsearch%2Fbored%2F&utm_term=bored   “There are, then, these three means of effecting persuasion. The man who is to be in command of them must, it is clear, be able (1) to reason logically, (2) to understand human character and goodness in their various forms, and (3) to understand the emotions-that is, to name them” (Aristotle). One of ..read more

Photo Credits: Henry & Co. https://unsplash.com/photos/wall-with-broken-bricks-M3KfixgdCko Let’s pretend that you have a workout routine and suddenly realize that today is leg day. I know, not a great start to an article on persuasion against stigma, but stay with me. As you think through just how much you despise leg day, you realize that you ran ..read more

Be yourself. This advice may sound oversimplified and overused, however in impromptu speeches it is key to unlocking success. Impromptu is an opportunity to display who you are to your judges. You have an immense amount of freedom to exercise your speaking skills in ways that are unique to this speech category. There is no ..read more