A Complete Guide to Speech and Debate

Name: A Complete Guide to Speech and Debate
Rating: 4.9 (13 reviews)

Beginner-friendly speech and debate course covering everything you need to know

Created bySahngwie Yim

Last updated 4/2025

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

Public speaking skills, negotiation, persuasive argumentation
Research skills
Critical thinking
Policy, philosophy, and more

Course content

2 sections • 7 lectures • 1h 3m total length

Why Speech and Debate?8:19
Discover how speech and debate sharpen public speaking, persuasion, and research across diverse events. Explore original oratory, extemp, impromptu, interpretation, and World Schools debate, plus tournament structures and benefits.
What to Expect at Your First Tournament7:16
Discover what to expect before, during, and after a speech and debate tournament, including signing up on Taproom, logging feedback, and debriefs in person or virtual formats.
Pick an event.

Introduction to Debate15:26
Explore the basics of Lincoln-Douglas debate, including traditional and progressive styles, constructing arguments with claims, warrants, and impacts, and mastering cross-examination and off-case strategies.
Practice Activity: Mini Argument Speeches
Constructing Arguments: Affirmative Case Construction (Advantages)5:59
Construct an affirmative case by addressing stock issues, including harms, inherency, topicality, solvency, and significance, and presenting a plan that resolves harms and demonstrates solvency.
Constructing Arguments: Negative Case Construction (Disadvantages)7:06
Learn to build a negative case by detailing a disad with four parts—uniqueness, link, internal link, and impact—plus brink disads and linear descent, illustrated by Disad Dan.
Research Skills13:04
Master research by moving from broad to narrow topics, using references and footnotes to deepen findings. Track searches with tools like Google Scholar, databases, and boolean operators.
Comparing Evidence6:00
Learn to compare evidence by evaluating author qualifications, bias, date, and source, then apply predictive, empirical, structural, and scientific warrants to break ties and establish credibility.
Practice Activity: Compare Evidence

Requirements

No previous experience necessary - this course will cover everything from the basics.

Description

Are you ready to become a confident, persuasive speaker? Do you want to learn how to construct better arguments? Prepare for your first tournament? Or are you looking to try a new activity?

Whether you're a student eager to dive into speech and debate, an educator looking to bring this activity into the classroom, or a parent wanting to understand the world of competitive debate, "A Complete Guide to Speech and Debate" is perfect for you!

This beginner-friendly course offers a complete introduction to speech and debate, covering everything you need to know—from the types of events to useful debate skills, all while developing critical thinking, analysis, and research skills. You'll gain both the foundational knowledge and practical techniques to excel in any setting. This course is perfect for everyone, regardless of skill level. All you need is an interest in learning!

The first section will start with an introduction to everything debate, including the various styles of competition, events, and how to prepare for your first tournament. The second section will dive more deeply into debate, Lincoln-Douglas specifically, covering the basics of the format, learning how to construct cases, different types of arguments, and tips and tricks when researching.

Who this course is for:

Students interested in speech and debate, parents wanting more information about speech/debate, students/educators wanting to try a new activity, students wanting to build confidence when public speaking

A Complete Guide to Speech and Debate

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction2 lectures • 16min

Basics of Debate & Constructing Arguments5 lectures • 48min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: