Our Textbook for Style: The Elements of Eloquence

If you're serious about mastering Lincoln-Douglas debate or excelling in individual speaking events, you need more than just arguments- you need style. That’s why, starting in the 2025–2026 season, Panther debaters will be studying The Elements of Eloquence: Secrets of the Perfect Turn of Phrase by Mark Forsyth. This book breaks down the tools of great orators- the very same rhetorical devices used by Shakespeare, presidents, poets, and even advertisers.

Forsyth explains how to use techniques like alliteration, antithesis, and anaphora to make your words sharper, more memorable, and more powerful. He writes in a way that’s witty and easy to follow, but every chapter teaches something you can take straight into competition. Whether you’re writing a case, giving a summation, or crafting a speech for extemp or oratory, these devices will make your message stand out.

We’ll be diving deep into this book next season, and every Panther debater is expected to know these tools and be able to use them. You can access the book here (PDF and EPUB available).