Complete Guide

The SuperDebate Guide

Master the art of winning any argument

25 chapters

5 hour read

FoundationsStrategyTacticsMasteryApplication

These chapters teach debate as a craft: the principles, the moves, and the rhetoric. The frameworks are drawn from the real traditions of competitive debate (policy, public forum, Lincoln-Douglas) and classical rhetoric, then adapted for any room you argue in. SuperDebate runs one flexible format (1v1 to 5v5, configurable timings), so the ideas here apply to whatever round you end up in; chapters that borrow format-specific machinery say so. See how a SuperDebate round works. New to the platform? Start with Your First SuperDebate Round.

Part 1: Foundations

Understanding the core principles of debate and persuasion

4 chapters

What Winning Actually Means

Redefine your understanding of debate victory. Learn the three types of victory and why the best debaters think beyond the scorecard.

8 min

The Psychology of Belief

Understand how people form and protect their beliefs. Master the conditions that make mind-changing possible.

10 min

The Architecture of Arguments

Master the universal structure underlying all arguments. Learn why the warrant is the skeleton key to any debate.

12 min

The Art of Listening

You can't beat an argument you don't understand. Master listening before speaking—the foundation of effective debate.

11 min

Part 2: Strategy

Planning and preparation for effective argumentation

3 chapters

Choosing Your Battles

Strategic selection of what to argue is more important than how you argue. Learn the economy of argumentation.

9 min

The Preparation Matrix

Systematic preparation beats talent. Every time. Master the four-box method that ensures you're ready for anything.

11 min

Real-Time Strategy

Win debates by thinking strategically while speaking tactically. Master the flow, tempo, and kill shot.

10 min

Part 3: Tactics

In-the-moment techniques for attack, defense, and delivery

5 chapters

Attack Patterns

There are only a handful of ways to attack any argument. Master them all and become unstoppable.

12 min

Defense Patterns

The best defense creates opportunities for counterattack. Learn to absorb, pivot, and reframe.

10 min

Language as Weapon

The words you choose shape how arguments are received and remembered. Master framing, repetition, and rhetorical questions.

9 min

Research and Evidence Mastery

Your arguments are only as strong as your evidence. Learn to find, evaluate, and deploy sources that survive scrutiny.

12 min

Logical Traps and Fallacies

Most debates are won or lost on reasoning quality. Spot fallacies instantly, avoid them entirely.

14 min

Part 4: Mastery

Advanced skills for becoming a complete debater

10 chapters

Ethos: The Power of Credibility

Your credibility multiplies or negates everything you say. Build and protect it fiercely.

10 min

Pathos: Emotion as Engine

Logic determines what's possible to believe. Emotion determines what's actually believed.

11 min

Logos: Crystalline Reasoning

Clear thinking produces clear speaking. Master the structures of valid argument.

12 min

Handling Difficult Opponents

The hardest debates aren't about ideas—they're about people. Master the human challenges.

13 min

The Debater's Path

Debate mastery is a practice, not a destination. Here is your roadmap.

10 min

Crystallization: The Art of the Final Word

Master the closing moments that disproportionately determine debate outcomes. Learn to synthesize, summarize, and land the final word.

12 min

Debate Under Pressure: Mastering the Mental Game

Performance psychology for debaters. Manage stress, recover from mistakes, and build mental resilience for high-stakes moments.

11 min

The Weighing War: Advanced Framing and Decision Frameworks

Control how winning is measured. Master burden allocation, framework debates, and comparative analysis at the meta-level.

13 min

Debate Ethics: The Boundaries of Fair Play

Where persuasion ends and manipulation begins. Develop an ethical framework for debate and learn when winning isn't worth the cost.

10 min

Physical Presence: Mastering the In-Person Debate

In-person debate is embodied. Your body, voice, and spatial positioning win or lose arguments before words do.

13 min

Part 5: Application

Applying debate skills to real-world contexts

3 chapters

Debate in Context: Workplace and Professional

Professional environments have unique rules. Master the art of influencing decisions at every level of power.

14 min

Debate in Context: Personal Relationships

The hardest debates are with people you love. Navigate disagreement while deepening connection.

13 min

Your First SuperDebate Round

How a SuperDebate round actually runs — the three speech types, 1v1 to 5v5, the four judging criteria, audience voting, and how to carry your presence onto camera.

9 min

Debater's Overview →Practice Skills →Glossary →