Summary Speeches clarity, destruction and magic

Recap: Role of a Whip Speaker Identify the “clash points” aka the voting issues. Destroy the opposition’s arguments. Clarify/add analysis to your partner’s extension. Differentiate your team from the other one on your bench. Show why your team won the debate.

During preparation time Identify burdens. Try to consider where the debate is going to go: what are the expected points, rebuttal, ‘how would we deal with x?’, possible things that will be under-analysed. Establish what your strongest and/or most likely extension material will be.

During the round 1.Listen to the other speeches. 2.Establish: gaps in argumentation, 3.Important arguments that need to be refuted, 4.Whether or not a principal/pragmatic case would be most effective, 5.Who you are fighting against for positions. 6.Work with your partner to determine your extension is going to be so you can start writing your speech asap.

Note-taking Summaries often require the use of many sheets of paper! Sheets for: 1.Judging the top-half debate 2.Recording the arguments made in the debate. 3.One for each clash point.

« Judging sheet » Circle arguments which need responding to. Note down any rebuttal you have in shorthand next to them. Ensure you speak to your partner so that they know what needs to be responded to.

« Recording the arguments made in the debate » Split an A4 sheet into two: prop-side/opp-side. Number and note down the names of the arguments and the key lines of analysis under the relevant. Ensure you speak to your partner so that they know what needs to be responded to.

Clash Points Identify two/three “clash points” i.e. what the main contentious issues were in the debate. Use these to structure your speech. Put everything, important, that was said under these headings. Prioritise the clash points containing your extension. NB. If in doubt about the clash points, make them about the burdens of the debate.

Structuring your speech Identify the clash points. Note down the argument made by the opposition team. Point out, briefly, response by opening team. Then explain what your team’s responses were and why they were debate winning. Note down responses to rebuttal, especially to opening teams.

Delivering your speech 1. Introduction – briefly detail why your extension was new and why it wins the debate. 2. Highlight all new responses and substantive brought by your partner. 3. Expand upon analysis brought by your partner 4. Add examples to your partners analysis. 5. Emphasise how your partner’s analysis wasn’t engaged with and why it is so important. 6. Differentiate yourself from the top-half team. NB: if the team infront of you has CLEARLY beaten you. Refer to arguments as “our arguments” or “we tell you in Opp that…”