Lecture on how to prepare for debate tournaments during the season, specific to HS policy debate.

1. Preparation is not
everything
It’s the only thing.....
How to prepare for tournaments and
individual rounds the right way

2. Preparation Matters
1. Debate is HARD! Like many other things in
life...
2. Preparation is the key to success in all
activities.
3. Overcoming a difficult challenge is very
rewarding. Humans have a deep seeded need
to challenge ourselves.
4. With managed preparation for each
tournament and each round you will increase
your chance to win and you will debate much
better.

3. Tournament Prep-1. Have a viable plan for the Aff and Neg and
Macro debate partner and coaches to
work with your
plan those strategies. Choose a generic Neg
strat to incorporate into your specific case
strategies.
2. Set a deadline! You should have all new
evidence and blocks written (with the exception
of uniq updates for ptx or econ args) finished at
least 4 days before the tournament. This is
essential.
3. Practice, practice, practice! Schedule
practice rounds or speech re-dos with coaches
or teammates. Take some initiative--or even
do your own drills.

4. Prep-Micro-The
Affirmativeyour Aff--cut updates, search
1. Update and tweak
for new advantages and add-on’s, Aff research never
ends (2AC lead)
2. Say Never Again, vow not to lose to an argument
twice! Re-wright frontline to arguments you had
trouble with at your last tournament--this should be
done when a tournament is over an the arg is fresh
on your mind (work with the 1AR)
3. Highlight and study Aff blocks for understanding
(both the 2ac and 1ar)--look to make improvements
to existing Aff blocks or look for holes in your aff ship.
4. Practice with 2AC drills, 1AR drills, and spend time
working on your weaknesses (K’s, ptx, T, whatever)

5. Prep--Micro--The
1. Specific case research vs generic positions--divide your time and
are
Negativeaffsmaximize your odds. What10-15
the most popular
in the field? What are the
best teams at the tournament running? Focus your
work there. (2N Lead)
2. Analyze where your are strong and where you are
weak and play to those strengths (do you excel at
politcs DA’s, K’s, Cp, ect) focus your strategies
around your strengths.
3. Write blocks, and blocks, and blocks for the
2NC/1NR---work with coaches and teammates to
predict Aff answers
4. Practice running and studying your new
strategies and prepare to debate the random
aff.

6. Pre-round PreparationFirst
1. Write down the team your debating, sides,
judge(s) and room number.
2. Get scouting information from: the case wiki
(NDCA website), judge philosophy wiki
http://judgephilosophies.wikispaces.com/ people
you know they debated recently on the same
side, listen to coach Intel.
3. Pre-round disclosure (Aff-plan and
advantages), Neg past politics args (side
against 2NR disclosure)

7. Pre-round Prep-Neg
Spec
1. The Strat--Plan your strategy with your
partner, and coaches. The 2N should have
decision making power they have to be the
closer
2. CX Prep--Outline a few CX questions for the
1AC
3. Whats the key--figure out the key issue in
the debate and focus your prep time there to
read over, write any blocks you need to make
your strategy as specific to the Aff as possible.

8. Pre-round Prep-Aff
Spec your strat--which Aff your running,
1. Decide
which advantages, any plan text changes, then
disclose to the Neg (plan text, advantages,
internal link info if asked)
2. Make plans--using intel gathered about the
Neg team strengthen 2AC blocks, talk out likely
neg strats and how you will react to them with
coaches and/or your partner.
3. Read over and highlight (if needed) Aff
blocks to neg arguments you can predict--make sure you have 1-2 2AC add-ons ready to
go in the 2AC.

9. Inspirational Quotes
“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth
doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty...”
--Theodore Roosevelt 26th president of the
United States
“No pain no gain!” --Jane Fonda exercise guru

10. Inspirational Quotes
“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth
doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty...”
--Theodore Roosevelt 26th president of the
United States
“No pain no gain!” --Jane Fonda exercise guru