In a debate, you make a case for one side of a resolution and answer the other side’s arguments.
Practice building a supported case, asking useful questions, and responding under pressure. Try to win the round, then use the exchange to improve your next argument.
Browse every skill and lessonSee how a debate works, understand the shared question, and develop a case you can explain and defend.
Follow an exchange between two people and see what makes it a debate.
Identify the key terms and what each side needs to defend.
Turn a broad opinion into a position someone can evaluate.
Show the missing link between a reason and your conclusion.
Present a case the other side can question and you can defend.
Capture the other side’s claim, support, and unanswered question.
Try both sides through constructives, cross-examination, and rebuttals.
Read the exact wording, know your side, and defend the interpretation your case uses.
Confirm speaking order, cross-ex roles, time limits, and the published judging criteria.
Give a constructive, hear a serious objection, and answer its reason. Revise one move and try again.
Practice one skill at a time. Make a clear case, listen to the strongest objection, choose a strategic response, and review what the exchange changed. Use feedback from a practice exchange or live round to choose your next skill.
Build a supported case, meet the other side’s strongest challenge and make the comparison persuasive. SuperDebate evaluates your performance across the event’s published criteria, including arguments, evidence, clarity and persuasion. A side vote alone does not describe every part of either performance. Use the feedback to choose what to practice next.
No. Start with one short lesson or a small role in a practice team. Learn the resolution, develop a reason, and try an exchange. Before a live event, check your role, speaking order, and timing.
Yes. Use a mini-lesson to write and revise a response, rehearse aloud with a timer, or use Coach for feedback. To practice the full exchange, work with a partner or take both sides of a practice round.
A structured debate has a resolution, defined speaking turns, and a way to evaluate the arguments. Each side makes a case and responds to the other’s reasons. You can finish with continued disagreement and a clearer understanding of what separates your views.
