Building Your Case
Structure and deliver constructive speeches that establish your team's position and frame the debate.
The Constructive Speech
Constructive speeches are where you build your case. In most formats, the first speeches on each side are constructives — you're constructing the arguments that will define the rest of the debate.
The Opening 30 Seconds
Your first words set the frame for the entire debate. Don't waste them on 'Good afternoon, judges, I'm honored to be here.' Instead:
- Start with a framing question: 'The question in this debate isn't whether poverty is bad — it's whether governments or markets are better equipped to fix it.'
- Or a striking fact: 'Every year, 10 million people die from diseases we already have cures for — not because we lack the science, but because we've decided their lives aren't profitable enough to save.'
The Roadmap
Tell the judge exactly what arguments you'll make: 'I'll argue two things today. First, that the current intellectual property regime denies life-saving medicines to the Global South. Second, that compulsory licensing — as used by India and Thailand — provides a proven, legal alternative.'
Argument Delivery
For each argument, follow the Claim-Warrant-Impact structure from the previous lesson. Most constructive speeches carry 2-4 arguments. Fewer, deeper arguments beat more, shallower ones. A speech with two fully developed arguments will outscore one with five half-developed ones.
The Summary
End by tying your arguments together: 'When you weigh the 10 million preventable deaths against pharmaceutical profit margins, the proposition is clear: compulsory licensing saves lives, and that's what this debate comes down to.'