How to Script Your LD Debate Case

Lincoln Douglas debating teaches you how to be persuasive, while forming logical ethical arguments.

Lincoln Douglas debate represents a value debate, attributed to the original presidential debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. The focus is to debate social and philosophical values as a means of persuading your audience and judges as to the validity of your case. Topics are selected for LD debate that have two distinct sides with controversial approaches available for each. You can choose how to approach the topic and the values that you intend to support. Your overall goal is to defeat your opponent by establishing and defending your case while systematically attacking the points made within his.

Instructions

1. Study the guidelines and purpose of Lincoln Douglas debates and familiarize yourself with the topic on which you will debate. Remember that each topic has both an affirmative and negative side. Your first affirmative speech is allotted six minutes for your presentation, while your first negative speech is granted seven minutes. Plan to prepare an affirmative case that utilizes the entire six allotted minutes and a negative case that you can present in three to four minutes, giving you time within your negative allotment to rebut your opponent's affirmative speech.

2. Define all of the important terms within your debate topic. Do not assume that definitions are clear or automatic. A word such as "life" within a debate topic can refer to the quality of life, sanctity of life or an overall concept of life that includes both prior definitions. Within your affirmative speech, you have the right to define each word specifically for your presentation. Within your negative speech, you have the right to define any word that your affirmative speaker did not define and the right to refute your opponent's definition.

3. Select a value that plays a crucial role throughout your presentation. A debate centered around the topic of the abolishment of state executions may offer a range of values from public safety, justice or the value of law. Select a value that you can defend as significant. If you select the value of law within your negative case and compete against an affirmative that uses a public safety argument, you may find yourself debating the significance of the value of law when compared to the need for public safety. Make sure that your selected value is defendable and strong enough for you to support against other ethical observations.

4. Choose a value criteria as a standard by which you can compare your value to determine success. For instance, you can decide to use a utilitarian standard for your public safety value and establish a criteria of the insistence of public safety on the grounds of serving the greatest good for the greatest number. Your opponent can attack your criteria, saying that your value may not establish your chosen criteria, so make sure that you are clear in the connection of your criteria to your fundamental value.

5. Establish the primary points of your case. Make sure that each point builds upon the last and works toward establishing either your value as a foundation, your criteria as a standard or fortifies the connection between them. For your public safety by utilitarianism case, your first point may be the overall good for law-abiding citizens and your second could be the danger to public safety that exists without the necessity of capital punishment.

References

• Decorabilia: How to Write an LD Case
• NTDA: Coaching Resources