1. Introduction
 

2. Duties of Speakers

A Simple Scheme (Flowsheet)
 

The following outline of speaker duties may work in a policy debate.

1AC
 To give the roadmap of the affirmative speeches.
 To define terms.
 To give a specific plan.
    agent; actions; availability of resources (technology, manpower, etc.)
 To establish major contentions of the affirmative.
    e.g.
        (1) To identify the problem(s)
            To show how serious the problems are.
            To show why the present system cannot solve the problems.
            To show how the plan would solve the problems.

        (2) To show how the plan would produce advantage(s).
            To show why the present system cannot produce the advantages.
            To show how important the advantages are.

1NC
 To give the roadmap of the negative speeches.
 To challenge the Affirmative Team’s definition of the term(s), if necessary.
 To establish major issues of the negative.
    e.g.
       (1) To show that one or more of the affirmative contentions are not true.
       (2) To show that there would be serious disadvantages from the affirmative plan.
            To show how the plan would produce the disadvantages.
            To show that the present system will not produce those disadvantages.
            To show that the disadvantages are serious.
       (3) To show that a counterplan would solve the problems better than the plan.
            To show the details of the counterplan.
            To show that the counterplan is outside the proposition.
            To show that the counterplan and the plan cannot be adopted at the same time.
            To show how the counterplan would solve the problem.
            To show that the counterplan is better than the plan.

2AC
 To refute the negative contentions.
 To rebuild the affirmative contentions that the negative attacked.
 To reinforce the affirmative contentions that the negative ignored.

2NC
 To give the roadmap of the 2NC and 1NR.
 To refute new affirmative contentions or those the 1NC did not refute.
 To rebuild the original negative contentions that the affirmative attacked.

1NR
 To refute and rebuild the issues presented in the constructive speeches.

1AR
 To refute and rebuild the issues presented in the constructive speeches.

2NR
 To summarize the debate to show that the negative is winning.

2AR
 To summarize the debate to show that the affirmative is winning.

A Policy Debate Sample (Flowsheet)
 
 

3. Writing First Constructive Speeches

3.1. Outlining Arguments
Outline helps you organize ideas.

You can use outlining arguments before you write a draft.  You can also convert your draft into an outline in order to reorganize arguments.

When you write an outline, use the standard format of numbering (I, A, 1, a, ...).  When you write labels of arguments, use sentences (rather than topics only) as much as possible.

A Sample Outline

3.2. Writing Up Manuscripts

Use simple English.
Do not write a complete Japanese draft and translate them into English.  You can write a very complicated speech in Japanese and it is difficult to translate them into English.  Even if you can translate, the translated speech is very difficult for the audience to understand.

Use signposts.
Use your outline to identify major points.  Use numbers and labels (headings) of arguments.  You may want to repeat important labels so that the audience may not miss them.

Introduction and conclusion should be short.
Like other speeches, debate speeches should consist of Introduction, Body, and Conclusion.  In academic debate, Introduction and Conclusion should be short and concise because time is limited and the participants in the debate are supposed to know the topic very well.

Introduction should include the statement of the team's position (affirming or negating the proposition) and preview of major arguments.

Conclusion should include a summary of major arguments.  If possible, you can add a strong concluding remark to impress the audience.

Give references.
If you use external evidence to support your points (you should do that), do not forget to write the sources of information.  You may want to mention the author(s), their qualifications, the title of publication (title of a book, article, etc.), and publishing date.  You may not read all of them but must be prepared to give them.

Sample Debate Speeches

A Value Debate

A Policy Debate

1st draft written by students and suggested revisions
 

4. Preparing Briefs

Briefs are prefabricated parts of speeches so that the speaker can prepare a speech by combining them on the spot.  Debaters must anticipate arguments from the opposition and prepare for possible responses as a form of brief.  They can also prepare for possible strengthening of their own arguments.

Sample Brief 1
Resolved: That private high schools are better than public high schools.
This brief for the affirmative team can simply adds an additional reason why private schools are better.  It can also be used to respond to any negative argument that indicate shortcomings of private schools; the affirmative can say private schools can change themselves to fix those shortcomings.

Private schools are ready to change. The Asahi Shimbun, March 16, 1989 reports many changes in private schools in order to improve their images.  They include changing school names, uniforms, and school mottoes. This evidence shows that private schools can change in order to meet the changing need of the society.  Therefore, private schools are better than public schools.

Sample Brief 2
Resolved: That private high schools are better than public high schools.
This brief for the affirmative team is to respond to a negative argument that public schools are more economical than private schools.  It is difficult for the affirmative to deny that argument but possible to reduce its impact.

Difference of fees is small. The difference of fees between private and public school is small in the total money parents spend on education. 1. The difference is about 1,000,000 yen for three years. According to the Ministry of Education’s statistics in 1991, the total expenses parents pay are about 310,000 yen in public high schools and 640,000 yen in private schools.  The difference is 330,000 yen a year.  That makes 1,000,000 yen in three years. 2. The total money parents spend on one child from birth to university graduation is 24,000,000 to 60,000,000 yen.  This information comes from a study done by AIU Insurance, reported in the Asahi Shimbun, April 6, 1991. Therefore, the difference of private and public high school is about 1.7 to 4% of the total money for one child. If a child goes to a public high school and then to a private medical school, the parents must pay much more than a case in which a child goes to a private high school.  Therefore, the difference is not important.

5. Presenting Speeches (Delivery)

5.1. Reading Manuscripts
 Speak loud enough so that everyone in the room can hear you.
 If you have a microphone adjust your voice accordingly.
 You don't need to memorize your speech but practice a number of times so that you can read your draft smoothly.
 Do not speak too fast.

5.2. Visuals
 You can show graphs and illustrations (and other visuals) to help the audience understand your speech.  If you have a lot of numbers, they can be shown as tables and graphs.  If you have a complicated system, they can be illustrated with a diagram.  Visuals are "aids" to speeches not speeches by themselves.  Make them easy to see (simple, big enough, etc.).  Do not overcrowd them with too much information.