The Structure of Speeches

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A judge can only find your arguments convincing if they can follow your speech. As a result, you need to structure your speeches clearly to ensure that the judge can effortlessly understand your case. Below is the standard way to construct your speeches.

 

Constructive Speeches

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1. Hook
   Introduce your speech with something that will capture the judge’s attention. Make sure that your hook is relevant to the topic, consistent with your arguments, and captures the judge’s attention (see the information on hooks and end-hooks). Hooks can include the following:

   1. A shocking statistics

   2. An illustrative quotes

   3. A powerful anecdote

   4. A vivid rhetorical device (e.g. a metaphor)

   5. Clever humor
       

2. Roadmap
   Explicitly tell the judge what you will do in your speech and the order in which you will do so (“In this speech, I will . . .”)
    

3. Framework
   Establish or address any of the following if applicable. This is particularly important for the first proposition speech (see the information on framework).

   1. Definitions

   2. Limits

   3. Plans/counterplans

   4. Burdens/weighing mechanisms/roles of the ballot
       

4. Refutations (except first proposition speech)
   Refute each and every one of your opponent’s arguments in order and number them to the judge  (see the information on refutations). For each of their arguments:

   1. State the number of the argument (“our opponent’s first argument was . . .”)

   2. Summarize the argument briefly

   3. Explain why the argument is incorrect

   4. Explain why the argument is irrelevant (“even if . . .”)
       

5. Arguments
   Present your team’s arguments according to the ARESR (assertion, reasoning, evidence, significance, result) format. Make sure that you state the argument’s number and present it in order. For second speeches, do not repeat the information provided by the first speaker; rather, respond to the other team’s refutations and provide new reasoning, evidence, significance, and results.
    

6. Conclusion/End-Hook
   Conclude your speech with a brief statement that conveys the key point of your case. Do not simply restate all of your assertions, and ideally, try not to plead with the judge to vote for you (see the information on hooks and end-hooks).

 

Rebuttal Speeches
 

1. Hook
   Introduce your speech with something that will capture the judge’s attention. Make sure that your hook is relevant to the topic, consistent with your arguments, and captures the judge’s attention (see the information on hooks and end-hooks). Hooks can include the following:

   1. A shocking statistics

   2. An illustrative quotes

   3. A powerful anecdote

   4. A vivid rhetorical device (e.g. a metaphor)

   5. Clever humor
       

2. Roadmap
   Explicitly tell the judge what you will do in your speech and the order in which you will do so (“In this speech, I will . . .”)
    

3. Framework (if absolutely necessary)
   If there remain any disputes about definitions, limits, plans, counterplans, or weighing mechanisms, quickly clarify your stance.
    

4. Refutations and Counterrefutations
   Address the arguments and refutations that the other team has presented as you see fit. Do not simply repeat what your teammates have stated; instead, identify the important issues and those that remain unresponded to, and allocate your time to those.
    

5. Clash Analysis
   Identify two to three key issues in the round—the ideas that both teams are pulling at. For each of these issues:

   1. State the clash point (“The first key issue/question in this round is . . .”)

   2. Briefly summarize the other team’s arguments regarding the clash point

   3. Refute the other team’s arguments regarding the clash point

   4. Present your team’s arguments regarding the clash point

   5. Explain why winning this clash point means that you win the whole debate
       

6. Impact Calculus
   To conclude the debate, crystallize why your team’s impacts are more important than the other team’s by explaining why your team wins on magnitude and probability as well as timeframe and reversibility if relevant (see the information on impact calculus).

   1. Magnitude: How big are the impacts?

   2. Probability: How likely are the impacts to occur?

   3. Timeframe: How soon will the impacts occur?

   4. Reversibility: Are the impacts permanent?