Debate basics · Beginner · About 12 min
Run your first SuperDebate
Run a full SuperDebate
Both sides · Whole roundRead the case: The four-day workweek
Resolution A four-day, 32-hour standard work week should replace the current five-day, 40-hour model
24 volunteer workplaces, covering offices, retail and distribution, joined a six-month comparison.
- Half were assigned by lottery to 32 hours at unchanged weekly pay; half kept 40 hours.
- Both groups maintained an output index of 100.
- Absence averaged three days per worker in the shorter-week group and five in the comparison group; these counts were not adjusted for scheduled days.
- Customer coverage was maintained, but payroll in the shorter-week retail and distribution sites was 8% higher; office payroll was unchanged.
- Healthcare and other continuous-service industries were not included.
For this practice round, the affirmative defends replacing the normal 40-hour model with a 32-hour standard at unchanged weekly pay; it does not claim every shift must be identical. The negative challenges whether the benefits justify the costs of that replacement.
Do this with a partner, a small group, or alone by arguing both sides out loud. Prepare from the practice packet, then respond to what actually gets said. If every speech is the one you wrote in advance, you are not debating yet.
This practice round uses the standard one-on-one SuperDebate order: affirmative constructive, cross-ex, negative constructive, cross-ex, a rebuttal each and a closing each. The clock is set short, six minutes of speaking, so you can run it more than once. On the platform you can set any times and any number of speeches. After the round, review it on arguments, evidence, clarity and persuasion, not just who won the vote.
Replace the normal 40-hour week with 32 hours at unchanged weekly pay. The comparison maintained output and reduced absence while giving workers eight hours back each week. Those recurring gains justify accepting the measured payroll cost.
The affirmative builds its benefits and admits there’s a cost to weigh. It never promises a free change.
Question: do you accept the 8% payroll increase in retail and distribution? Answer: yes; we argue that the worker benefits justify it.
The affirmative concedes the fact and keeps fighting over what it means.
Stable output is not a free gain when maintaining coverage costs more. The payroll increase recurs, and workplaces outside this selected trial may have tighter margins. The time benefit is valuable, but it does not automatically justify a general replacement.
The negative separates what was measured, the payroll cost, from what it predicts, a wider risk.
Question: did the trial measure job losses or lower pay caused by the higher payroll? Answer: no. Our claim is a risk from cost pressure, not a recorded loss of jobs.
The affirmative shrinks the negative’s impact without pretending the cost goes away.
Their wider harm is a forecast; our time and absence benefits were observed. Costs still matter, but a standard should share productive gains as usable time. They need to explain why this measured benefit is outweighed by the risk they predict.
The rebuttal weighs measured benefits against predicted harms, and still owns the burden of justifying replacement.
Their trial also observed the payroll cost. A general standard reaches workplaces not represented here. The comparison is not certain benefits against imaginary costs: it is recurring time gains against measured costs and an argued risk to access to work.
The negative answers that comparison and offers its own.
The strongest objection is cost, not an observed output failure. We defend the recurring value of eight hours at unchanged weekly pay, supported by maintained output and lower absence. That is why our affirmative comparison deserves weight.
The closing picks the strongest argument still standing and tells the audience why it wins.
The extra time matters. But the affirmative accepts an ongoing payroll increase and has not shown why the wider cost risk is worth imposing as the standard. Prefer our comparison of the consequences, while judging each speaker’s evidence, responses and delivery on their merits.
The closing gives the audience a clear reason to vote negative.
Prep both sides
Know the best argument for each side. Debaters argue whichever side they are given.
Respond under the clock
Ask, defend, choose and weigh as the debate moves.
Review the round
Name one thing that worked and one thing to fix, tied to the scorecard.
Eight turns with a developing clash
Resolution A four-day, 32-hour standard work week should replace the current five-day, 40-hour model
24 volunteer workplaces, covering offices, retail and distribution, joined a six-month comparison.
- Half were assigned by lottery to 32 hours at unchanged weekly pay; half kept 40 hours.
- Both groups maintained an output index of 100.
- Absence averaged three days per worker in the shorter-week group and five in the comparison group; these counts were not adjusted for scheduled days.
- Customer coverage was maintained, but payroll in the shorter-week retail and distribution sites was 8% higher; office payroll was unchanged.
- Healthcare and other continuous-service industries were not included.
For this practice round, the affirmative defends replacing the normal 40-hour model with a 32-hour standard at unchanged weekly pay; it does not claim every shift must be identical. The negative challenges whether the benefits justify the costs of that replacement.
- Affirmative · 1 · Constructive · 60 seconds
Replace the normal 40-hour week with 32 hours at unchanged weekly pay. The comparison maintained output and reduced absence while giving workers eight hours back each week. Those recurring gains justify accepting the measured payroll cost.
The affirmative builds its benefits and admits there’s a cost to weigh. It never promises a free change.
- Negative · 2 · Cross-ex · 30 seconds
Question: do you accept the 8% payroll increase in retail and distribution? Answer: yes; we argue that the worker benefits justify it.
The affirmative concedes the fact and keeps fighting over what it means.
- Negative · 3 · Constructive · 60 seconds
Stable output is not a free gain when maintaining coverage costs more. The payroll increase recurs, and workplaces outside this selected trial may have tighter margins. The time benefit is valuable, but it does not automatically justify a general replacement.
The negative separates what was measured, the payroll cost, from what it predicts, a wider risk.
- Affirmative · 4 · Cross-ex · 30 seconds
Question: did the trial measure job losses or lower pay caused by the higher payroll? Answer: no. Our claim is a risk from cost pressure, not a recorded loss of jobs.
The affirmative shrinks the negative’s impact without pretending the cost goes away.
- Affirmative · 5 · Rebuttal · 60 seconds
Their wider harm is a forecast; our time and absence benefits were observed. Costs still matter, but a standard should share productive gains as usable time. They need to explain why this measured benefit is outweighed by the risk they predict.
The rebuttal weighs measured benefits against predicted harms, and still owns the burden of justifying replacement.
- Negative · 6 · Rebuttal · 60 seconds
Their trial also observed the payroll cost. A general standard reaches workplaces not represented here. The comparison is not certain benefits against imaginary costs: it is recurring time gains against measured costs and an argued risk to access to work.
The negative answers that comparison and offers its own.
- Affirmative · 7 · Closing · 30 seconds
The strongest objection is cost, not an observed output failure. We defend the recurring value of eight hours at unchanged weekly pay, supported by maintained output and lower absence. That is why our affirmative comparison deserves weight.
The closing picks the strongest argument still standing and tells the audience why it wins.
- Negative · 8 · Closing · 30 seconds
The extra time matters. But the affirmative accepts an ongoing payroll increase and has not shown why the wider cost risk is worth imposing as the standard. Prefer our comparison of the consequences, while judging each speaker’s evidence, responses and delivery on their merits.
The closing gives the audience a clear reason to vote negative.
Run it, find the one move that needs work, and run it again.
Your rehearsal
Both sides · Whole roundRun the round aloud. Note your argument, the challenge that changed your plan, your reply and one performance improvement.
Read the case: The four-day workweek
Resolution A four-day, 32-hour standard work week should replace the current five-day, 40-hour model
24 volunteer workplaces, covering offices, retail and distribution, joined a six-month comparison.
- Half were assigned by lottery to 32 hours at unchanged weekly pay; half kept 40 hours.
- Both groups maintained an output index of 100.
- Absence averaged three days per worker in the shorter-week group and five in the comparison group; these counts were not adjusted for scheduled days.
- Customer coverage was maintained, but payroll in the shorter-week retail and distribution sites was 8% higher; office payroll was unchanged.
- Healthcare and other continuous-service industries were not included.
For this practice round, the affirmative defends replacing the normal 40-hour model with a 32-hour standard at unchanged weekly pay; it does not claim every shift must be identical. The negative challenges whether the benefits justify the costs of that replacement.
Try this aloud if you like, then note what you would improve. You can also write the response below.
Run the speaking turns
Turn 1 of 8 · Affirmative
ConstructiveBuild your case. Use a partner or take both sides. Advance when you are ready.
Speaking is self-reviewed. No microphone or recording is required.
You can type or use your keyboard’s microphone to dictate. Your text stays editable. Practice is optional.
Loading your progress…
Help me get started
My case: … The challenge: … My reply: … Next attempt: …
Review and continue
Resolution A four-day, 32-hour standard work week should replace the current five-day, 40-hour model
Read the practice task and case
Run the round aloud. Note your argument, the challenge that changed your plan, your reply and one performance improvement.
24 volunteer workplaces, covering offices, retail and distribution, joined a six-month comparison.
- Half were assigned by lottery to 32 hours at unchanged weekly pay; half kept 40 hours.
- Both groups maintained an output index of 100.
- Absence averaged three days per worker in the shorter-week group and five in the comparison group; these counts were not adjusted for scheduled days.
- Customer coverage was maintained, but payroll in the shorter-week retail and distribution sites was 8% higher; office payroll was unchanged.
- Healthcare and other continuous-service industries were not included.
For this practice round, the affirmative defends replacing the normal 40-hour model with a 32-hour standard at unchanged weekly pay; it does not claim every shift must be identical. The negative challenges whether the benefits justify the costs of that replacement.
Your response
You can return to the practice whenever you want.
One model response
My case: the recurring time benefit justifies the measured cost. The challenge: the negative accepted stable output but pressed who ultimately pays the extra payroll. My reply: I defended the value of time but did not sufficiently address that distribution. Next attempt: shorten my repeated trial summary and use that time to explain why the cost is acceptable, acknowledging which parts remain a forecast.
The challenge concerns distribution, not merely the existence of a cost.
This locates what the answer left exposed.
A specific edit frees time for the more important task.
The review names one weakness and one concrete change for the next round. That is what makes practice pay off.
Review the performance
- DeliveryI tried the speaking and questioning roles.
- RefutationI responded to a challenge that changed the case.
- ArgumentsI identify a specific improvement linked to performance.
After the timed round, ask your partner which reply changed their assessment and why.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Giving prepared speeches that never respond to the other side.
- Treating the vote as the whole review.
Loading your progress…