The Rebuttal Speech

How to flow and disprove arguments

By Theodore Ganea, Gail Fair, Clement Dupuy, and Elizabeth
Raab
Recap - How to Argue
● Claim
○ The main point of the argument; what the debater seeks to prove true
○ A statement the debater makes about the world
● Warrant
○ Proves the claim
○ Uses facts & logic
● Impact
○ Why your argument matters to the real world
○ Saving lives, health, quality of life, economy
○ Uses facts & logic
● You can attack any part of an argument
Recap - How a Contention Looks
ARGUMENT CONTENTION

● Claim ● Title & Intro

● Warrant ● Warrant
○ Facts
○ Evidence ○ Logic
○ Logic
● Impact
● Impact ○ Facts
○ Logic
Recap - Good Sources Have ...
● Accuracy - Does the information make sense?
○ Check information against common knowledge
○ Check information against other trustworthy sources
● Little bias / prejudice - Is it obviously biased?
● Authority - Does it come from credible people?
○ Trustworthy author
■ Look up the author
○ Trustworthy publisher
■ Look at the publisher’s “About Us”
■ Look up the publisher
● Recency - Is it current and up-to-date?
Recap of the Recap :)
● An argument has ...
○ Claim
○ Warrant
○ Impact
● Good sources have …
○ Accuracy
○ Low bias / prejudice
○ Authority
○ Recency
 EAT,
MEET,
DEBATE,
REPEAT!
What is Flowing?
● “Flowing” = taking notes in a debate round
● Why flow?
○ Keep track of everything your opponents say
○ Capture information from your opponents as quickly as possible
2-Paper Method
● 2 blank/lined pieces of paper
● “Pro paper” - write down pro contention, con rebuttal, pro defense, etc.
● “Con paper” - write down con contention, pro rebuttal, con defense, etc.
● Pre-flow - write down your own contention too
○ Helps you defend your arguments
● Spread out notes vertically
● Keep track of arguments horizontally
● Take note of:
○ Transitions (contention title, warrants, impact)
○ Important cards (studies and numbers)
■ Underline cards to distinguish sources from logic
● Color coding!
Shorthand
● Each debater should have a consistent list of abbreviations
● Tips to shorten words:
○ Vowels are your enemy
■ Ths sntnc dsnt hv vwls
○ Distill to the main idea
■ 0 vwl
○ Take the first letter of a word
● Only 2 people need to understand your flow:
○ You
○ Your partner
Let’s Make a Shorthand!
● Impact
● Facilities
● Mental health
● Program
● Time
● Online
● School
● Education
● Students
● Safety
● Devices
● Abbreviate these words on your own!
Let’s Practice Flowing!
Recap
● Flowing = note-taking in debate
○ Keep track of the whole debate round
● 2-paper method
○ 1 to track pro’s contention
○ 1 to track con’s contention
○ Spread out notes vertically
○ Keep track of arguments horizontally
● Jot down:
○ Transitions (contention title, warrants, impacts)
○ Important cards (studies and numbers)
● Shorthand
 EAT,
MEET,
DEBATE,
REPEAT!
The Debate Round
Speaker 1, Team A Constructive 4 min

Speaker 1, Team B Constructive 4 min

Speaker 1, both teams 1st Crossfire 3 min

Speaker 2, Team A Rebuttal 4 min

Speaker 2, Team B Rebuttal 4 min

Speaker 2, both teams 2nd Crossfire 3 min

Speaker 1, Team A Summary 3 min

Speaker 1, Team B Summary 3 min

All speakers Grand Crossfire 3 min

Speaker 2, Team A Final Focus 2 min

Speaker 2, Team B Final Focus 2 min

Rebuttal Speech
● The rebuttal attempts to disprove the case
(opening arguments) of the opposite side
○ Uses arguments called “responses”
○ Defend your own case
○ Tell the judge why you’re winning
● Each rebuttal speech is unique based on the
opponent’s arguments
● However, you can (partially) prepare in advance
● 4 minutes
○ Time your speeches!
● Given by 2nd speaker
Offense-defense
● 2 types of responses:
○ Offensive
○ Defensive
● Offensive responses score impacts
○ Claim, warrant, impact
● Defensive responses stop the other team from scoring impacts
○ Claim, warrant
● Which is stronger - offense or defense?
● Use both in the rebuttal
A Few Types of Rebuttals
● Point it out if there’s no warrant or impact
○ Opponent: *gives no warrant*
○ Debater: “Judge, the other side doesn’t give you a single reason why their argument is true.”
● Mitigate - “it’s not that bad/good”
○ Opponent: “Our side will save 100 million people.”
○ Debater: “No, you will only save 1 million.”
● De-link - “it’s not true / it won’t happen”
○ Opponent: “Dogs love people more than cats. So, more dogs = happier people.”
○ Debater: “That’s not true, studies show that dogs and cats love people equally.”
● Non-unique - “it will happen anyway”
○ Ex. Opponent: “If we say online school is good, the sky will be blue tomorrow”
■ Debater: “The sky will be blue no matter what”
○ Ex. Opponent: “Online school increases students’ screen time”
■ Debater: “Students will anyway spend more time on their phones; without online school, they’d
be on social media instead.”
Types of Rebuttals, Cont.
● Turns:
○ Opponent: “Our side will make X happen, vote for us”
○ Debater: “X is actually bad, so vote for us instead”
● Example:
○ Opponent: “We will lower taxes, vote for us”
○ Debater: “Lowering taxes is bad because we’ll have to cut education funding too. This will lead to
lower-quality education and harm the economy in the long-term.”
Recap
● In rebuttal, you try to disprove
the other team’s arguments
● 4 minutes!!
● Offense-defense
● Structure of a rebuttal
● “Go down the flow” -> stay
organized! Treat the judge
nicely!
● Blockfiles can help you prepare
responses ahead of time
 EAT,
MEET,
DEBATE,
REPEAT!