Commentary
A Time for Plans by Stephen Babb
Even those who find themselves skeptical of plan usage in LD should reconsider their positions when a topic like March/April’s “targeted killing” comes along.
First, there’s no unique advantage to broadening the scope of a particular debate on this topic. Anything that can be learned in the abstract about targeted killing can just as easily be learned through concrete examination of a proposed targeted killing. Read more →
Where I’d Like to See CX Go by Stephen Babb
Perhaps more than any other speech, cross-examination represents LD debate’s unique opportunity to have a truly discursive experience. With rapid speech frequently eroding the communicative dimensions of the 1NR or 1AR, CX gives debaters a chance to slow down the conversation and seriously engage one other’s positions.
Unfortunately, the fact that CX isn’t comprised of recorded arguments as such often leads debater and judge alike to assign the speech diminished importance. Debaters rarely seem to care about the results of the exchange and their judges follow suit.
Here are five recommendations for making this speech time worthwhile—not even the most efficient debaters can afford to do otherwise. Read more →
Thoughts on Necessary But Insufficient Burdens in LD by Ryan Lawrence
The term “necessary but insufficient” has become vilified in the LD community as of late. While for the past couple of years there has been a growing swell of resistance to “NIBs” and theory arguments have always been levied against them, this year seems to have marked the conclusion of the NIBs debate. It seems as if this has become a settled issue, among the first in LD, and the NIB is dead. Since we have so few settled issues in the LD community I am hesitant to rock the boat; it is quite important that we settle theoretical issues in order to promote better, more substantive debates. However, I feel that the discussion surround NIBs has been mostly relegated to brief in-round theory debates and much has gone unsaid about them. The necessary but insufficient burden is far too vague of a concept to be monolithically categorized as “unfair” and has a relevant role in modern day LD debate.
Some Notes about Critiques in LD by Scott Phillips
Like many concepts that have filtered over to LD from policy, many concepts about critiques seem to have suffered from the game of telephone that got them there. I want to address three specifically that have been grinding my gears while judging and coaching this year.
Read more →
A Summer Debate Calendar by Stephen Babb
Summer might be vacation time for mere mortals, but it’s something else entirely for high school debaters.
Sure, a little time off might we well-deserved, and it’s certainly preferable to burning out half-way through your junior or senior year. But there’s plenty of room in the average daily planner to make this off-season count for something.
Here are a few item to pencil in to your to-do lists. Read more →