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Beginner High School Curriculum Guide
Speech Checklist
So now you know the order of the speeches, you know who is supposed to give each speech, and you know how you’re supposed to use your new skills in a debate round. Let’s make sure that we’re on the same page. Here is a brief checklist for what you must do in each speech that you give.
The 1AC and 1NC
Remember, your constructive speeches “construct” the basic arguments that the rest of the debate round will be about. In these speeches, your job is to:
Read all the 1AC and 1NC evidence you want to use.
If you’re affirmative, that’s your SHIP (solvency, harms/advantage, inherency, and plan).
If you’re negative, that’s your disadvantage (uniqueness, link, impact) and some answers to the affirmative case.
Answer cross-examination questions about your speech after you’ve given it.
The 2AC, 2NC, and 1NR
These speeches draw on what’s been said in the first two speeches to begin drawing comparisons. If you’re giving one of these speeches, your job is to:
Read an overview, or an explanation of why your impact outweighs your opponent’s impact. There are overview worksheets in your tournament workbook that you use to help make this easier.
Extend the evidence that your partner read by using it to make arguments about why your side should win. You should briefly summarize its argument, and when you’re done, say “that’s [AUTHOR NAME].”
Answer your opponent’s arguments. You can use DR. MO for some of their arguments, and there are pages in the evidence packet for you to use in response to other arguments.
[2AC and 2NC only]: Answer cross-examination questions about your speech after you’ve given it.
Take note – since the 2NC and 1NR are back-to-back speeches, they essentially combine to create a single six-minute speech. You and your partner should split up arguments that you want to cover to maximize your time, and you shouldn’t just repeat each other’s points. This is called splitting the block.
The 1AR, 2NR, and 2AR
These are the hardest speeches in the debate round, but they’re also the shortest! In these speeches, your job is to:
Explain to the judge why they should vote for your team. Maybe it’s because your impact outweighs on magnitude, or maybe it’s because they never answered your disadvantage – it’s up to you, but you must convince them why that means they should vote for you.
Extend the impact comparison (MR. T) that you started doing in your overviews to prove why your side should win the round. Remember to be comparative and explain why your impact matters more than your opponents’ impact, not just about why your impact is a big deal.
Pick and choose the arguments that you think will help you win the debate round and extend them. You only have two minutes, so you can’t go for everything!