Glossary of Debate Terms
This glossary covers essential Lincoln-Douglas debate terminology. Understanding these terms will help you follow debates more easily and improve your ability to communicate arguments effectively.
A
Affirmative (Aff) – The side that supports the resolution and argues in favor of its truth.
Analytical Argument – An argument based on logical reasoning rather than direct evidence.
B
Ballot – The written decision of the judge at the end of the round, indicating which debater won.
Break – Advancing to the next elimination round of a tournament based on performance in preliminary rounds.
C
Case – The set of arguments presented by each debater to support their position.
Contention – A main argument in a case.
Cross-Examination (CX) – A three-minute period after each constructive speech where one debater asks the other questions.
Criterion – The way the value in the debate is measured; a standard used to evaluate the round.
D
Drop – When a debater fails to respond to an argument, effectively conceding it.
Disadvantage (DA) – A negative argument explaining the potential harms of the affirmative plan.
E
Empirical Evidence – Evidence based on real-world data, research, or historical examples.
Extend – To continue making an argument in later speeches, often by responding to attacks against it.
F
Framework – The value and criterion a debater presents to structure the round and determine how the judge should evaluate arguments.
Flow – The method of taking notes in a debate round to track arguments and responses.
I
Impact – The reason an argument matters; the final consequence of a contention or claim.
Interpretation – A specific definition or explanation of a word or phrase in the resolution, used to set the terms of the debate.
J
Judge Adaptation (Judge Adapt) – The process of adjusting speaking style and argument strategy based on the type of judge in the round.
Justification – The reasoning behind an argument, explaining why it is valid or important.
L
Lay Judge – A judge with little or no formal debate experience, often a parent or teacher.
Line-by-Line (LBL) – A method of refutation where a debater directly responds to each argument in order.
N
Negative (Neg) – The side that argues against the resolution, aiming to prove it is false.
Non-Unique – A response that argues an opponent’s impact would happen regardless of the resolution being true or false.
O
Off-Case Argument – A negative argument that does not directly attack the affirmative case but instead introduces independent reasons to negate the resolution.
Observation – A statement in a case that sets up a key principle or assumption before making arguments.
P
Pre-Flow – Writing out notes or responses before a debate round begins.
Prep Time – The time each debater is given to prepare speeches and arguments during the round.
Presumption – The idea that if the affirmative cannot prove the resolution true, the judge should default to the negative.
R
Rebuttal – A speech that responds to the opponent’s arguments and strengthens one’s own case.
Resolution – The statement being debated, which the affirmative supports and the negative opposes.
S
Signposting – Clearly indicating which argument a debater is responding to, making the speech easier to follow.
Spread (Spreading) – Speaking at an extremely fast pace to make more arguments in the allotted time.
T
Tagline – A brief summary of an argument, usually a sentence that captures its main idea.
Turn – A refutation strategy where a debater takes an opponent’s argument and shows how it actually supports their own case.
V
Value – The core principle that a debater argues should be prioritized when evaluating the resolution.
Voting Issue (Voter) – A key argument that a debater highlights in the final speech as the reason they should win the round.
W
Weighing – The process of comparing arguments to show which is more important in the debate.
Warrant – The reasoning or evidence that supports a claim.