7 Tips for Online Debates (Before the Tournament)

If you give this activity your all, it will give back to you generously.

StrategyJoseph AbellApril 13, 2020strategy, online, tournamnets, tournaments, practice, debate, ncfca, stoa, nsdaComment

Homeschoolers Hate Topicality: A Metagame Story (Part 2)

Topicality went from being a mainstream argument to a hated argument. Where does it fall now?

PolicyJoseph AbellFebruary 24, 2020topicality, homeschoolers, ace, peak, joseph, abell, ncfca, nsda, debate, stoa, practice, strategy, tiny affirmatives Comments

How to Run Huge DAs Against Tiny Affirmatives

The argument we have so far isn’t hitting hard enough. How do we fix this disadvantage?

StrategyJoseph AbellFebruary 10, 2020strategy, ncfca, stoa, ld, private, coach, debate, parli, tp, team, policy, debate round, drill, da, disadvantage, tiny affirmativesComment

Why is it so Hard to Run Disadvantages Against Tiny Affirmatives?

When you run DAs like this, Affs will usually reply with some version of “Well, we might as well try!”

Joseph AbellFebruary 3, 2020nsda, ncfca, debate, stoa, strategy, argumentation, disadvantages, tiny affirmatives, negative, aff, neg, affirmativeComment

Reader Question: Tiny Affirmatives

“In my region, people run tiny affirmative cases that barely change anything.”

StrategyJoseph AbellJanuary 26, 2020reader, question, disadvantages, policy, case, debate, stoa, ncfca, nsda, cases, strategyComment

Resolutional Objections Made Easy

This year’s NCFCA resolution is extremely vulnerable to them.

TheoryJoseph AbellJanuary 8, 2020theory, strategy, debate, stoa, ncfca, preventive war, is ethical, resolution, value, lincoln douglas, res, objection, ace, peakComment

Team Dynamics 3: Opening Speeches

Each speech has specific goals that lend themselves to particular speaking styles.

PersuasionJoseph AbellJanuary 6, 2020stoa, ncfca, debate, partner, parli, speaking styles, strategy, persuasion Comments

A New Way to Engage with Us

We can’t wait to hear from you!

AnnouncementsJoseph AbellJanuary 4, 2020videos, engagement, ace, peak, joseph, abell, talk, strategy, postComment

Special Delivery Part 5: Picking a Specialization

Remember: all specialized skills come with tradeoffs.

PersuasionJoseph AbellNovember 30, 2019persuasion, debate, speech, listen, specialization, strategy, likability, persona diamondComment

Special Delivery Part 4: Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses

Let’s talk about how to use your last tournament as a diagnostic.

PersuasionJoseph AbellNovember 22, 2019persuasion, ncfca, debate, stoa, likability, strategy, comments, judge, feedback, ballots, progressComment

(NSDA LD) How to Disguise a Policy Case as a Value Case in 5 Steps

Previously, we discussed the biggest issue facing NSDA LD right now: policy resolutions with judges who expect value vases.

Case WritingJoseph AbellNovember 16, 2019nsda, ld, strategy, debate, debate resolution, fossil fuels Comments

The Single Easiest Way to Make a Witness Cooperate

Most examiners fill cross-examination with pleasantries, filler sentences, and unnecessary fluff.

Cross ExaminationJoseph AbellNovember 4, 2019stoa, ncfca, nsda, cross ex, strategyComment

Special Delivery Part 2: Specialized Skills

With enough training, study, and practice, a debater naturally grows into the second level: specialized skills.

PersuasionJoseph AbellNovember 1, 2019stoa, ncfca, debate, res, persuasion, strategy, likabilityComment

Using Awkwardness to Handle Squirmy Witnesses

Learn how to handle the most dreaded witness of all.

Cross ExaminationJoseph AbellOctober 28, 2019CX, NSDA, NCFCA, Stoa, debate, question, examiner, witness, cross ex, cross examination, crossfire, strategyComment

Cross-Examination: Your Most Powerful Weapon

With this at your disposal, you won’t care what the witness does.

Cross ExaminationJoseph AbellOctober 21, 2019cross, ex, ncfca, stoa, nsda, debate, strategy, persuasionComment

The Surprise Strategy Guidebook (Part Two)

Here are the final three keys.

StrategyJoseph AbellOctober 7, 2019stoa, debate, case, ncfca, nsda, policy, team, league, strategy Comments

Definition Vault: Preventive War | NCFCA LD 2019-20

Here’s a free comprehensive set of definitions for the main subject in NCFCA’s current value resolution: “Preventive war is ethical.”

Case WritingDrew MagnessOctober 2, 2019ncfca, stoa, preventive war, debate, strategy, ethical Comment

The Surprise Case Strategy

Your season will stand out from everyone else’s.

StrategyJoseph AbellSeptember 23, 2019stoa, ncfca, nsda, policy, debate, season, strategy, surprise, joseph, abell, drew, magnessComment

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