REBUTTALS(the second speech for your team…)
David Childree
The Note taking process
1.Flow as much as possible.
2.The least words possible, the mostinformation possible.
3.Organized with numbers and bullets.
4.Abbreviations and Symbols.
5.Leave room for more speeches on yourpaper.
The Organization Process
1.Look at the opponent’s speech.
2.Group similar ideas together.
3.Make an overview where you talk aboutgeneral things.
4.Attack the most important point in every idea.Do not attack every sentence.
5.Use numbers and tell your judge where tolook. Lead your judge to see the right thingsand look at the big picture and the importantdetails.
Writing Responses
1.Start with a new color!
2.Make sure your responses are in line with whatthey respond to.
3.Decide what is most important and leastimportant in the opponent’s arguments. Put moreresponses on the most important ideas. Put lessresponses on the least important ideas.
4.Number your responses.
5.Remember, write with abbreviations, not fullsentences.
6.Add evidence when you can, as much as possible.
Saying your rebuttal
1.Have a polite but demanding attitude.
2.Sound like a politician delivering propaganda, ora reporter delivering the truth after the peoplehave been fed a lie.
3.Be concerned and emotional and real to connectwith your judge.
4.Be a guide for your judge. Tell him when to turnleft, when to turn right, be clear step by step,make his way home to be very clear. It’s like youare guiding him “home” to the correct decision,which will be voting for you to win.
Other Tips
1.You can make the judge pay more attentionto certain ideas by saying… “The mostimportant thing” or “The biggest problem” or“The most harmful consequence”
Going First or Going Second
If you go first, you have 4minutes to respond to theirfirst 4 minute speech.
1.Make sure you coverEVERYTHING in theircase. You do haveenough time.
2.Overload them.
3.If you have extra time,don‘t waste it!
1.Put burdens on them
2.Expand or defend yourown case points.
If you go second, you have 4minutes to respond to 8 minutesof your opponents talking: theirconstructive and their rebuttal.
1.You can not cover all 8minutes, so try to cover themost important ideas!
2.Spend about 2-3 minutes onattacking the opponent’scase… and then defend yourown case, because youropponents already attackedit.
When do you dowhat time would not allow you to doin your 4-minute rebuttal?
•If you still need to rebut some ideas, you cando it in:
1.The crossfire before your rebuttal (Yourpartner)
2.The crossfire after your rebuttal
3.At the beginning of the summary (Yourpartner)
Keeping things clear for your Judge
1.Talk slowly
2.Speak with pauses and divisions
3.Make an outline for yourself and speak toyour judge in outline form
4.Clearly identify main ideas, main responses,and the big picture.
5.Look at your judge. See if the judge seems tounderstand you or be confused. Adjust tohelp him understand.
Budgeting Your time
1.Tell yourself you will use one minute per contention,for example.
2.Decide what point you will spend the most time on.
3.Watch your timer many times.
4.Move on… don’t spend too much time on one littlepoint.
5.Use boxes for each minute.
6.Don’t be afraid to abandon or sacrifice some tinyunimportant ideas. Focus on what is most important.
7.Use your time wisely. You can never get time back afteryou use it!
Mentality and Behavior during theRebuttal.
1.Make it seem like you are attacking the evil.
2.Be polite and professional.
3.Have gestures so you can keep the judgeattention and you can keep the judge focusawake and on you.
4.Be explanatory and presentational. Don’t beangry.
5.Try to explain your points as the truth thateveryone can agree with.
Rebuttal Practice and Improvement
•Demo Debate Case…