Volume 2

Debate & Speech

Build argumentation, evidence, and delivery skills across debate formats — Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum, British Parliamentary, mock trial, and general public speaking.

14Guides

10Courses

2469Minutes

4000XP

The reading

Reference guides

Evergreen explainers. Read before your next committee.

14 guides →

Debate & Speech GlossaryKey terms and definitions for debate & speech.Debate FundamentalsFormats, flow, judging paradigms, and the skills that transfer across every debate style.Case Construction PlaybookBuild winning cases — framework, contentions, evidence cards, and airtight warranting.Cross-Examination & RebuttalsClash, signposting, refutation techniques, and how to weigh impacts against the other side.Speech Delivery GuidePacing, modulation, stance, and stage presence — how to sound like you own the room.Congressional Debate (NSDA)Legislation, PO duties, precedence/recency, and how to win the chamber's top speaker rankings.Debate Judging ParadigmsTabula Rasa, Stock Issues, Games Player, Communication, Truth-Testing — how every judge actually decides.Extemporaneous Speaking30-minute prep, AGD, three-point analysis, file boxes — the NSDA extemp playbook.Parliamentary Debate (NPDA/APDA)Limited prep, motions, points of information, and the parliamentary debate circuit.Public Forum Debate: The Complete GuideNSDA Public Forum explained: the coin flip, speech times, crossfire, cutting cards, summary and final focus strategy, and fast topic research.Lincoln-Douglas Debate: The Complete GuideNSDA Lincoln-Douglas explained: speech times, value and criterion, the philosophy debaters use, cross-ex, rebuttals, and researching a resolution.Mock Trial FundamentalsAMTA and NHSMTC rules, roles, case packet anatomy, and the structure of a trial round.Mock Trial: Direct & CrossOpen-ended directs, leading-question crosses, impeachment, and witness control techniques.Mock Trial: Openings & ClosingsTheory-of-the-case, theme, primacy/recency, and how the best advocates structure arguments to a jury.Mock Trial: Objections Cheat-SheetHearsay, relevance, foundation, leading, speculation — every objection with the rule and the response.

The practice

Courses

Sequenced lessons with graded exercises. Earn XP; climb the leaderboard.

10 courses

Public Speaking FoundationsBeginner

Confidence, clarity, and persuasion for any audience

20 lessons 256 min 400 XP

Introduction to Mock TrialBeginner

Courtroom basics — openings, directs, crosses, and closings

20 lessons 238 min 400 XP

Introduction to Competitive DebateBeginner

Core argumentation skills for any debate format

20 lessons 241 min 400 XP

Evidence Cutting & ResearchBeginner

Find, evaluate, and organize debate evidence like a pro

20 lessons 247 min 400 XP

Cross-Examination MasteryIntermediate

Strategic questioning under pressure

20 lessons 235 min 400 XP

Lincoln-Douglas DebateIntermediate

Value-based argumentation and philosophical clash

20 lessons 264 min 400 XP

British ParliamentaryIntermediate

Impromptu four-team debate used worldwide

20 lessons 247 min 400 XP

Public Forum DebateIntermediate

Team debate on current events — accessible and fast-paced

20 lessons 243 min 400 XP

Debate Case WritingIntermediate

Build cases that win rounds — structure, evidence, and strategy

20 lessons 244 min 400 XP

Policy DebateAdvanced

Evidence-heavy policy proposals and counterplans

20 lessons 254 min 400 XP

Model United Nations

Master every aspect of Model UN — from first-time delegate to award-winning chair.

Elections & Democracy

How elections work, campaigns, voting systems, parties, and political ideologies.

Government & Policy

How government works, how laws are made, and how policy shapes society.

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Debate & Speech

Reference guides

Courses

Public Speaking FoundationsBeginner

Introduction to Mock TrialBeginner

Introduction to Competitive DebateBeginner

Evidence Cutting & ResearchBeginner

Cross-Examination MasteryIntermediate

Lincoln-Douglas DebateIntermediate

British ParliamentaryIntermediate

Public Forum DebateIntermediate

Debate Case WritingIntermediate

Policy DebateAdvanced

Related

Debate & Speech

Reference guides

Courses

Public Speaking FoundationsBeginner

Introduction to Mock TrialBeginner

Introduction to Competitive DebateBeginner

Evidence Cutting & ResearchBeginner

Cross-Examination MasteryIntermediate

Lincoln-Douglas DebateIntermediate

British ParliamentaryIntermediate

Public Forum DebateIntermediate

Debate Case WritingIntermediate

Policy DebateAdvanced

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