Reply Speeches

Basics
3-4 minute speech at the end of the debate.
Happen in reverse order (neg then aff).
Delivered by either your 1 st or 2 nd speaker.
Summary of the debate and why your team won.
Reflective (past tense), sound objective.

Aim of replies
Not like any other speech in a debate.
About why your side won, not why your side is right (subtle difference).
Biased adjudication.

Structure
ONLY HAVE 3-4 mins so structure is vital.
Don’t give too much depth to arguments.
Minimal intro
Like anything, no right or wrong way, just less good ways.
Usually have 2 themes, questions or areas of clash.
Don’t just reuse your 3 rd speaker’s themes. Need to be more broad reaching

What to talk about
Needs to give a holistic view of the debate.
Usually use it to either
Win back lost issues
Increase importance of won issues
Look for things that are clear fails from opposition
Contradictions/case shifts
Lack of responses or missing analyis

Manner
Very calm, very reflective.
Remember, the debate is over, you are just telling us why you are better than them... Keep the claws away.
Use past tense.

Neg Block
The negative team gets 12 uninterrupted minutes...
Negative teams should use this carefully.
Don’t summarise in 3 rd neg... It’s a waste.
Smash key issues at 3 rd , win things back, push winning points harder, then reply them good.
Affirmative teams should prepare for this.
Summary in 3 rd aff is really important now.
Don’t respond to 3 rd neg or neg reply, but be cautious of what issues that have won back.

Things not to do
Say “we won because...”
Rebut
New Material
Get uppity
Repeat 3 rd speaker
“ they said, we said”

Reply Speeches

by Monash Association of Debaters on May 11, 2010

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