May 29, 2026
By Daniel Shatzkin
Prepping for the June / NSDA Nationals topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the civil liberties over national security topic! Resolved: Democracies ought to prioritize the protection of civil liberties over national security.
April 1, 2026
By Erica Border
The March/April Lincoln-Douglas topic—Resolved: The United States military ought to abide by the principle of non-intervention—seems straightforward at first glance. But by the second month of debate, most rounds aren’t being decided by better evidence or more cards—they’re being decided by something much more fundamental: what each debater means by “non-intervention.” Some debaters treat non-intervention as an absolute rule—no military action abroad, under any circumstances. Others allow for exceptions, especially in cases like genocide or mass atrocities. Still others interpret non-intervention as a general preference for restraint, not a strict prohibition. These aren’t small differences. They fundamentally change what the resolution means, which arguments are relevant, and how judges evaluate the round. In practice, debaters often talk past each other—one side defending absolute restraint while the other assumes exceptions are obvious. This article breaks down the competing interpretations of non-intervention, then shows how each one shapes the frameworks, arguments, and clash points that decide debates. By understanding these models, you can stop debating vague abstractions and start controlling the round.
February 27, 2026
By Daniel Shatzkin
January 29, 2026
By Erica Border
The January/February Lincoln–Douglas resolution – Resolved: The possession of nuclear weapons is immoral – forces debaters to confront a paradox at the heart of modern international politics. Nuclear weapons are rarely used, yet their mere existence profoundly shapes global behavior. Supporters argue that possession prevents catastrophe through deterrence; critics respond that threatening mass destruction is itself morally indefensible. What makes this topic especially challenging is that it is not about <em>use</em>, but about <em>possession</em>. That distinction matters. A weapon can sit idle for decades while still altering incentives, creating risks, and expressing moral commitments. Whether that state of affairs is immoral depends almost entirely on the ethical framework a debater adopts. This article explains how several major moral lenses evaluate nuclear possession—and why they reach sharply different conclusions. Understanding these frameworks helps debaters move beyond generic “deterrence good” or “nukes bad” claims and toward precise, judge-adaptable moral analysis.
January 2, 2026
By Daniel Shatzkin
Prepping for the Jan/Feb topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the nuclear weapons LD topic! Resolved: The possession of nuclear weapons is immoral.
November 12, 2025
By Erica Border
The Nov/Dec Lincoln-Douglas topic — Resolved: The United States ought to rewild substantial tracts of land — asks debaters to weigh competing visions of humanity’s relationship with nature. Should we restore ecosystems to their pre-human state, or manage land primarily for human benefit? The resolution demands engagement with real-world evidence about what rewilding accomplishes—and what it costs. The reintroduction of gray wolves to Yellowstone National Park in 1995 remains the most studied example of rewilding in U.S. history. After a 70-year absence, wolves returned and triggered what ecologists call a trophic cascade —a chain reaction that reshaped the entire ecosystem. For debaters, Yellowstone offers a concrete test case: it shows both the ecological promise of rewilding and the social tensions that arise when ecosystem restoration conflicts with human interests.
October 24, 2025
By Daniel Shatzkin
Prepping for the Nov/Dec topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the Re-wilding LD topic! Resolved: The United States ought to rewild substantial tracts of land.
September 22, 2025
By Erica Border
If you’re researching the Sep/Oct Lincoln–Douglas topic—Resolved: In the United States criminal justice system, plea bargaining is just—the best way to level up is to understand how pleas really happen and what “justice” can mean. This article explains the steps in a plea, then walks through five common ways to judge fairness. You’ll see how the same facts can look different through each lens. For more depth, full case outlines, and hundreds of cut cards, grab the Champion Briefs Sep/Oct Lincoln–Douglas brief.
September 8, 2025
By Adam Tomasi
Prepping for the Sep/Oct topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the Plea Bargaining LD topic! Resolved: In the United States criminal justice system, plea bargaining is just.
May 28, 2025
By Daniel Shatzkin
Prepping for the June / NSDA National Tournament topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the Violent Revolutions LD topic! Resolved: Violent revolution is a just response to political oppression.
March 4, 2025
By Daniel Shatzkin
Prepping for the March topic in Public Forum? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the AI morality LD topic! Resolved: The development of Artificial General Intelligence is immoral.
February 3, 2025
By Erica Border
It’s rare that Public Forum (PF) and Lincoln-Douglas (LD) debaters find themselves grappling with topics that overlap so closely. Yet, in February, both debate formats are centered around the United States’ relationship with major international agreements, offering a unique opportunity to dive deep into the intersection of foreign policy, international law, and moral philosophy. This alignment presents an exciting challenge. While PF debaters will focus exclusively on the Rome Statute and the International Criminal Court (ICC), LD debaters have the added dimension of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Despite the differences in debate format, the core tension that runs through both topics is the same: How should the United States balance its national sovereignty with the demands of global governance? This article will help debaters in both formats by exploring the key clash points around sovereignty vs. international cooperation, with an emphasis on the Rome Statute, since it’s relevant to both resolutions. We’ll also touch on UNCLOS to support LD debaters looking to engage with that portion of the topic. Throughout, the goal is to provide not just analysis, but strategies for how to apply these ideas effectively in rounds.
January 8, 2025
By Daniel Shatzkin
Prepping for the Jan/Feb topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the international treaties LD topic! Resolved: The United States ought to become party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and/or the Rome Statute of the International
November 8, 2024
By Daniel Shatzkin
Prepping for the Nov/Dec topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the wealth tax LD topic! Resolved: The United States ought to adopt a wealth tax.
October 24, 2024
By Shania Hunt
The new topic for November/December tournaments is out! For many of you, the immediate reaction is likely "ugh, taxes." However, take this topic as an opportunity to push yourself out of your comfort zone and learn about a new area of the world that you previously did not know too much about! A legal-ish debate about taxes may be new, but arguments about how the United States implements policies and potential alternative approaches to solve. This topic analysis hopes to give you a launch pad with which to learn about this topic, some background, and interpretations to be aware of, as well as some arguments and strategies on the affirmative and negative sides.
September 24, 2024
By Daniel Shatzkin
Prepping for the UIL Fall topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the agroecology LD topic! Resolved: In the United States, agroecology ought to be prioritized over industrial agriculture.
September 23, 2024
By Erica Border
The Sept/Oct Lincoln-Douglas topic, <em>Resolved: The United States ought to require that workers receive a living wage</em>, requires debaters to engage deeply with historical precedent and real-world examples to evaluate both the feasibility and the moral obligations behind living wage policies. Examining the evolution of wage laws in the United States and exploring international approaches to living wage implementation offer debaters rich material for crafting arguments on either side. The Champion Briefs file on this topic contains hundreds of pieces of evidence and in-depth topic analyses, providing a comprehensive toolkit for debaters. While the file offers detailed arguments and statistics, this blog article aims to give students a broader historical perspective that can guide their research as everyone works to tweak their cases and blocks going into the second month of debate on this topic. Understanding the historical and moral debates around the living wage can deepen students' arguments and allow them to make more nuanced comparisons in rounds.
September 9, 2024
By Daniel Shatzkin
Prepping for the Sep/Oct topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the living wage LD topic! Resolved: The United States ought to require that workers receive a living wage.
June 3, 2024
By Daniel Shatzkin
Prepping for the June/NSDA topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the democratic secession LD topic! Resolved: In a democracy, a people ought to have the right to secede from their government.
April 1, 2024
By Erica Border
As Lincoln-Douglas debaters enter the second month of competition on the March/April resolution, "Resolved: The primary objective of the United States criminal justice system ought to be rehabilitation," many have already traversed ground on stock arguments and standard examples. However, this complex topic offers numerous underexplored areas that could breathe new life into cases and inspire fresh clashing. By taking a step back and interrogating our foundational assumptions through different philosophical lenses, considering innovative international rehabilitation models, and analyzing how rehabilitation goals might shift based on crime severity, debaters can access a wealth of new argumentation opportunities. This article offers a quick overview of some of those avenues of argumentation to help students refresh their approach going into April.
March 5, 2024
By Adam Tomasi
Prepping for the March/April topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the criminal justice LD topic! Resolved: The primary objective of the United States criminal justice system ought to be rehabilitation.
January 3, 2024
By Daniel Shatzkin
Prepping for the Jan/Feb topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the West Asia-North Africa LD topic!\ Resolved: The United States ought to substantially reduce its military presence in the West Asia-North Africa region.
November 13, 2023
By Erica Border
While prepping for the Nov/Dec Lincoln-Douglas topic, it’s helpful for debaters to learn more about the context of the resolution by studying the history of public land policies. With this knowledge, debaters will be capable of creating arguments that reference different philosophical approaches to the topic, "Resolved: The United States ought to prohibit the extraction of fossil fuels from federal public lands and waters." This article aims to provide debaters with a comprehensive overview of the history of public lands policy and its underlying philosophical rationales, enhancing their ability to craft informed and nuanced arguments.
October 31, 2023
By Daniel Shatzkin
Prepping for the Nov/Dec topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the fossil fuels extraction LD topic! Resolved: The United States ought to prohibit the extraction of fossil fuels from federal public lands and waters.
October 25, 2023
By Erica Border
In the arena of Lincoln-Douglas debate, ethical considerations often take center stage, guiding arguments and shaping resolutions. As debaters grapple with the resolution concerning the prohibition of fossil fuel extraction from federal public lands and waters, a deep dive into ethical frameworks, such as deontology, becomes essential. For both novices and seasoned debaters, a nuanced understanding of these principles can enhance the depth and persuasiveness of their cases. In this article, I'll give an overview of deontology, discuss how novices and experienced debaters can use it on the Nov/Dec Lincoln-Douglas topic, and give advice about how to address these arguments if presented by an opponent.
September 26, 2023
By Erica Border
Debating housing rights demands a deep understanding of historical context, the web of interrelated social elements, legislative milestones, and practical initiatives undertaken at various levels of government. Each of these components forms the pillars upon which robust, nuanced arguments in Lincoln-Douglas debates are built. This article looks at the history of housing rights to help debaters refresh their arguments going into the second month of debate on the topic Resolved: The United States ought to guarantee the right to housing.
September 7, 2023
By Grant Chmielewski
Prepping for the Sep/Oct topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the Right to Housing LD topic!
May 24, 2023
By Erica Border
Whistleblowing, the act of exposing illicit activities within an organization, often poses significant moral and ethical dilemmas. This becomes particularly complex when government employees encounter classified information revealing potential injustices. This article will examine several cases of whistleblowing across the globe, providing context and raising pertinent moral questions for each. I’m not aiming to answer the questions about whether or not each case was a moral action. Rather, I hope to raise questions that Lincoln-Douglas debaters can apply to the broader conversation about the conflict between moral obligation and personal/national interest.
March 28, 2023
By Erica Border
The current Lincoln-Douglas debate topic, "Resolved: The justices of the Supreme Court of the United States ought to be term-limited," has sparked important discussions about the future of the Court and the balance of power among the three branches of government. By considering impacts of the long-term effects of implementing term limits, LD debaters will be able to better link their values to argument-level ideas. In this article, I’m going to give an overview of some potential impacts as jumping off points for deeper arguments students can make during the second month of debate on this topic.
March 2, 2023
By Adam Tomasi
Prepping for the March/April topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the SCOTUS term limits LD topic!
February 23, 2023
By Erica Border
Understanding the history of term limits in the United States is essential for students who are debating the March/April Lincoln-Douglas topic, "Resolved: The justices of the Supreme Court of the United States ought to be term-limited." By examining the ways in which term limits have been used in the past, students can gain a deeper understanding of the pros and cons of this policy tool. They can also learn about the different ways in which term limits have been implemented, including at the state level and in other countries around the world. In this article, I’m going to give a brief overview of this history in hopes that it better informs your research going forward.
January 30, 2023
By Erica Border
Human migration is a complex and nuanced issue that has been a part of the human experience for millennia. From ancient times to modern day, people have been on the move in search of new opportunities, greater freedom, and more favorable living conditions. This movement of people has had a profound impact on societies, shaping their demographics, cultural identities, and economic systems. In this article, I’ll talk about the reasons people migrate, some historical examples, and ways debaters can consider the context of migration to make better arguments.
January 9, 2023
By Adam Tomasi
Prepping for the Jan/Feb topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the open borders topic! Resolved: Justice requires open borders for human migration.
November 2, 2022
By Daniel Shatzkin & Adam Tomasi
Prepping for the Nov/Dec topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the China environmental protection topic! Resolved: The People’s Republic of China ought to prioritize environmental protection over economic growth.
October 26, 2022
By Adam Tomasi
Advanced framework debating appears to have become a lost art in LD, with some exceptions. This is not only because Policy-style arguments are popular, which in many ways improves the activity, but also because debaters with less experience are writing cases with warrantless frameworks. <strong>This is a fixable issue, and I’m here to talk about how to improve this type of debate.
October 25, 2022
By Omar Elsakhawy
Circuit debate seems like an entirely new world, with fast-paced speaking, different styles of argumentation, and a more grueling atmosphere. However, as someone who made the switch from competing almost exclusively traditional to attending a combination of tournaments, the national circuit is not as elusive as it seems. The following article seeks to discuss ways to approach circuit debate coming from a small school.
September 12, 2022
By Adam Tomasi & Daniel Shatzkin
Prepping for the Sept/Oct topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the high speed rail topic! Resolved: The United States ought to implement a single-payer universal healthcare system.
June 3, 2022
By Daniel Shatzkin & Adam Tomasi
Prepping for the June/NSDA topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the social justice topic!
February 24, 2022
By Daniel Shatzkin & Nethmin Liyanage
Prepping for the March/April topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from our writers about the free press topic!
February 8, 2022
By Adam Tomasi
Adam debated in Lincoln-Douglas and was known as a util debater. Now, he's arguing that more students should learn non-utilitarian arguments as a way to expand their argument set, make strategic decisions, and win more rounds. Read on to learn more!
December 28, 2021
By Daniel Shatzkin & Nethmin Liyanage
Prepping for the Jan/Feb topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from Daniel Shatzkin & Nethmin Liyanage about the space privatization topic!
October 27, 2021
By Daniel Shatzkin
Prepping for the Nov/Dec topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from Daniel Shatzkin about the right to strike topic!
October 24, 2021
By Adam Tomasi, Nethmin Liyanage, and Charles Karcher
The Champion Briefs team is proud to offer a demo debate so that novices can learn more about Lincoln-Douglas debate and the novice topic.
October 24, 2021
By Adam Tomasi & Nethmin Liyanage
Prepping for the Sept/Oct topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from Nethmin Liyanage and Adam Tomasi about the WTO topic!
October 22, 2021
By Nathan Johnston
We learned many lessons from pioneers of online tournaments. Today, online tournaments at the local and national levels have become the norm. Whether it be synchronous or asynchronous competition, online tournaments have kept the speech and debate activity afloat when it otherwise would have been impossible. Here are some top tips for success as we compete online and some thoughts about the lessons we’ve learned from this experience.
June 3, 2021
By Nethmin Liyanage & Daniel Shatzkin
Prepping for the June/NSDA topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from Nethmin Liyanage and Daniel Shatzkin about the public health emergencies topic!
May 10, 2021
By Adam Tomasi
Here is a written topic analysis about the Electoral College Lincoln-Douglas topic that will be debated at the NCFL Grand National tournament! Champion Briefs does not produce a full brief for the NCFL LD topic but we are happy to provide free resources.
April 22, 2021
By Daniel Shatzkin & Nethmin Liyanage
Prepping for the May/NCFL topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from Nethmin Liyanage and Daniel Shatzkin about the Electoral College topic!
March 1, 2021
By Nethmin Liyanage & Daniel Shatzkin
Prepping for the March/April topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from Nethmin Liyanage and Daniel Shatzkin about the universal childcare topic!
January 4, 2021
By Nethmin Liyanage and Adam Tomasi
Prepping for the Jan/Feb topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from Nethmin Liyanage and Adam Tomasi about the autonomous weapons topic!
November 12, 2020
By Daniel Shatzkin and Charles Karcher
Prepping for the Nov/Dec topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from Daniel Shatzkin and Charles Karcher about the federal jobs guarantee topic!
September 11, 2020
By Adam Tomasi
Prepping for the March/April topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from Adam Tomasi about the predictive policing topic!
September 11, 2020
By Daniel Shatzkin & Amanda Ciocca
Prepping for the Sept/Oct topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic conversation from Daniel Shatzkin and Amanda Ciocca about the compulsory voting topic!
January 3, 2020
By Adam Tomasi
Prepping for the Jan/Feb topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from Adam Tomasi about the nuclear arsenals topic!
October 24, 2019
By Adam Tomasi
Prepping for the Nov/Dec topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from Adam Tomasi about the fossil fuels topic!
September 3, 2019
By Adam Tomasi
Prepping for the Sept/Oct topic in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from Adam Tomasi about the standardized testing topic!
June 3, 2019
By Daniel Shatzkin
Prepping for the NSDA National Tournament in Lincoln-Douglas? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from Daniel Shatzkin about the revolutions!
March 6, 2019
By Adam Tomasi
Prepping for the Mar/Apr Lincoln-Douglas topic? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from Adam Tomasi about the military aid!
January 8, 2019
By Adam Tomasi
Want to learn more about the Sept/Oct Lincoln-Douglas topic? Here's some insight from Adam Tomasi about how to succeed!
January 8, 2019
By Adam Tomasi
Want to learn more about the Nov/Dec Lincoln-Douglas topic? Here's some insight from Adam Tomasi about how to succeed!
January 7, 2019
By Adam Tomasi
Want to learn more about the Jan/Feb Lincoln-Douglas topic? Here's some insight from Adam Tomasi about how to succeed!
June 5, 2018
By Adam Tomasi
Want to learn more about the June/NSDA Lincoln-Douglas topic? Here's some insight from Adam Tomasi about how to succeed!
March 1, 2018
By Adam Tomasi
Looking for extra prep for the March/April LD topic on a universal basic income? Here's a bonus topic analysis from Adam Tomasi about the topic's wording, cases, and more!
February 26, 2018
By Adam Tomasi
Want to learn more about the March/April Lincoln-Douglas topic? Here's some insight from Adam Tomasi about how to succeed!
January 9, 2018
By Daniel Shatzkin
Want to learn more about the January/February Lincoln-Douglas topic? Here's some insight from Daniel Shatzkin about how to succeed!
October 30, 2017
By Daniel Shatzkin
Want to learn more about the November/December Lincoln-Douglas topic? Here's some insight from Daniel Shatzkin about how to succeed!
April 5, 2017
By Spencer Orlowski
Prepping for the Tournament of Champions? Here's an in-depth, high-level topic analysis from Spencer Orlowski about the Jan/Feb Lincoln-Douglas Topic!
March 15, 2017
By Spencer Orlowski
Want insight about how to best run counter-plans on the Right to Housing Lincoln-Douglas topic? Here's some advice from Spencer Orlowski about how to succeed with CPs!
March 15, 2017
By Adam Tomasi
Want to learn how to use a powerful federalism disadvantage on the Right to Housing Lincoln-Douglas topic? Here's some advice from Adam Tomasi about how to succeed with that argument!
February 21, 2017
By Spencer Orlowski
Click here to watch Spencer Orlowski discuss the March/April 2017 Lincoln-Douglas Debate topic. You'll want this extra analysis to ensure success in the new year!
January 26, 2017
By Adam Tomasi
Rest assured: plans are here to stay, this topic notwithstanding. The Jan-Feb resolution's wording is straightforward yet apparently hostile to specification. In particular, the phrase "any" seems to problematize an affirmative's attempt to defend anything less than the whole resolution. After some thought, I believe that the resolution poses no innate barrier to plans. The negative can contest the affirmative's narrower grasp on the resolution, but the topicality debate is not unwinnable for the affirmative.
January 24, 2017
By Christian Chessman
The 2017 January/February Lincoln-Douglas topic is engaging both because it is extremely timely and because it affords creative debaters a panoply of strategic opportunities. The resolution reads, Resolved: Public colleges and universities in the United States ought not restrict any constitutionally protected speech. Most debaters and coaches – especially those who have policy debate training – were surprised by the inclusion of the word "any," in part because it opens up affirmative debaters to a nearly-infinite number of plan-inclusive counterplans. I can practically see negative debaters excitedly planning the ten-thousand exceptions to the affirmative; "permit all speech with a narrow exception for X," where X is anything from hate speech to violent pornography to crush videos.
January 5, 2017
By Spencer Orlowski
Click here to watch Spencer Orlowski discuss the Jan/Feb 2017 Lincoln-Douglas Debate topic. You'll want this extra analysis to ensure success in the new year!
December 1, 2016
By Adam Tomasi
In my second year of college Policy Debate, I've found that "substantial" is one of my new favorite words. This year's college resolution uses the term to limit out plans which are too tiny (hence "insubstantial") to be debatable. For context, the current resolution reads: Resolved: The United States Federal Government should establish a domestic climate policy, including at least substantially increasing restrictions on private sector emissions of greenhouse gases in the United States. The presence of "substantially" makes it viable for teams to read T-substantial against affirmatives designed to be so small that there's little negative offense.
October 25, 2016
By Adam Tomasi
On a legal topic like Nov/Dec 2016, it is really important for debaters to hold a basic understanding of the technical questions posed by legal scholars. It’s not like you have to get your law degree before you’re ready to debate qualified immunity, but the topic literature relies on a certain vernacular, as well as a body of case law, so it's helpful for debaters to have a good foundation of knowledge.
October 20, 2016
By Spencer Orlowski
Click here to watch Spencer Orlowski discuss the Nov/Dec 2016 Lincoln-Douglas Debate topic. You'll want this extra analysis to ensure success at upcoming tournaments!
October 13, 2016
By Steve Knell
I come from a unique background in that I have coached national circuit debate but I also possess two degrees in some type of vocal music and am pursuing my third such degree. In my undergraduate I made my money coaching a fledgling but immensely talented local Utah LD team with circuit aspirations. I will never forget attending our weekly LD practice with a colleague and friend also pursuing her voice degree. After watching me give a speech in a practice debate at what would be considered by most to be an average circuit debater's speed, she advised me to quit my job, or at least never do a practice debate with the kids again, lest I do damage to my vocal mechanism.
October 6, 2016
By Adam Tomasi
Earning a top-five speaker award feels awesome. Being recognized as the top speaker of a tournament is even more awesome. Though I received a lot of bids to the Tournament of Champions, I never really won many tournaments. I’d usually end up dropping the elim following the bid round, or drop in semis/finals. That didn’t bother me because I knew I wasn’t perfect. It especially didn’t bother me at tournaments where I ended up the top speaker!
September 28, 2016
By Adam Tomasi
The 2AR is easily the hardest speech in LD. Everyone likes to talk about the time skew between a 7 minute NC and a 4 minute 1AR; less oft-discussed is the time skew between a 6 minute 2NR and a 3 minute 2AR. Though in both cases the difference is three minutes, the 2AR is still a more demanding speech, the equal time difference notwithstanding. Whereas the 1AR only has a responsibility to put out arguments, the 2AR has a responsibility to <i>crystallize</i>, or summarize the debate in the Aff’s favor.
September 20, 2016
By Shania Hunt
Every year I work as the manager of the National Speech and Debate Association store and help out with the NSDA National tournament, and every year I have countless students who walk up to purchase merchandise, look at my name tag, and say, “You’re Shania Hunt… you write for Champion Briefs, right? I love your topic analysis!” While this might be a humble brag, more importantly, it brings me so much joy to see our clients be thankful and happy with our product. That’s what we here at Champion Briefs aim for.
September 7, 2016
By Varad Agarwala
Click here to watch Varad Agarwala discuss the 2016 September/October Lincoln-Douglas Debate topic. You'll want this extra analysis to ensure success at upcoming tournaments!
March 9, 2016
By Shania Hunt
Click here to watch Shania Hunt discuss the 2016 March/April Lincoln-Douglas Debate topic. You'll want this extra analysis to ensure success at upcoming tournaments!
January 4, 2016
By Shayne Walton
Click here to watch Shayne Walton discuss the 2016 January/February Lincoln-Douglas Debate topic. You'll want this extra analysis to ensure success at upcoming tournaments!
December 21, 2015
By Adam Tomasi
The January-February resolution is crucial for many debaters’ seasons. For some, this will be the topic they debate at their NSDA or CFL district tournament. For many others, it will be the topic they debate at the Tournament of Champions, a culmination of five months of research and practice. Whether you’re in either situation, or even if you just want to boost your win count in the second half of the year, it’s important that you make the most of it.
November 5, 2015
By Adam Tomasi
A counterplan that I have heard people suggest is one that simply changes the laws the aff claims juries should nullify. For example, if the aff said that juries should nullify in favor of civil disobedients protesting what they see as unjust laws, the counterplan would say "The United States should repeal [the laws people are protesting]." That seems like a pretty devastating counterplan, and that is the problem.
October 28, 2015
By Adam Tomasi
Click here to watch Adam Tomasi discuss the 2015 November/December Lincoln-Douglas Debate topic. You'll want this extra analysis to ensure success at upcoming tournaments!
September 29, 2015
By Adam Tomasi
Cross-ex is one of my favorite parts of debate and it’s unfortunate to me that cross-ex is underutilized in so many LD rounds. Debaters spend too little time asking the strategic questions that they should be asking; instead, they’ll ask clarification questions on arguments that they probably didn’t need their opponents to clarify. If debaters improve their cross-ex strategy by asking on-point questions that weaken their opponent’s arguments from the start, they’ll improve their perceptual dominance and speaker points.
September 16, 2015
By Fred Ditzian
Click here to watch Fred Ditzian discuss the 2015 September/October Lincoln-Douglas Debate topic. You'll want this extra analysis to ensure success at the NSDA National Tournament!
June 3, 2015
By Fred Ditzian
Click here to watch Fred Ditzian discuss the 2015 June Lincoln-Douglas Debate topic. You'll want this extra analysis to ensure success at the NSDA National Tournament!
March 3, 2015
By Fred Ditzian
Click here to watch Fred Ditzian discuss the 2015 March/April Lincoln-Douglas Debate topic. You'll want this extra analysis to ensure success on the March/April topic!
January 6, 2015
By Salim Damerdji
Click here to watch Salim Damerdji discuss the 2015 January/February Lincoln-Douglas Debate topic. You'll want this extra analysis to ensure success on the Jan/Feb topic!
November 27, 2014
By Members of the Speech and Debate Community
This Thanksgiving, we asked students and coaches across the country one simple question: "Why are you thankful for Speech and Debate?" We have received some heartfelt answers and now we're ready to hear from you! Please feel free to read the submissions and submit your answer at the bottom of the page.
November 5, 2014
By Shania Hunt
Click here to watch Shania Hunt discuss the 2014 Nov/Dec Lincoln-Douglas Debate topic. You'll want this extra analysis to ensure success on the Nov/Dec topic!
October 2, 2014
By Jeffrey Greenberg
Okay, I get it. This sounds really straightforward, and there's no way you could not know how to incorporate news stories into your cases, blocks, Ks, and shells. You're all Lincoln-Douglas debaters after all. You can cite with the best of them, spread like lightning, and run circles around your opponents. You’ve got eyes for good evidence, and if you do decide to settle for something ripped out of the headlines, you know how to pick the right story. That’s fine. You may be right. But, and I’m basing this off of firsthand experience right now – you’re probably wrong. LD debaters on the circuit, for whatever reason, seem to have trouble using news stories or journalism pieces as legitimate sources of evidence.
September 15, 2014
By Jackson Ave
Click here to watch Jack Ave discuss the 2014 September/October Lincoln-Douglas Debate topic. You'll want this extra analysis before attending the first tournaments of the year!
May 22, 2014
By The Public Broadcasting Service
PBS Frontline recently published a documentary about security and privacy titled "The United States of Secrets." If you're looking for information relating to the NSDA Nationals Lincoln-Douglas Topic, this is the perfect place to start!
April 9, 2014
By Michael Fried
My topic analysis will explore dual-interpretations of the topic: "developing countries should prioritize environmental protection over resource extraction when the two conflict," as some interpretations will be best suited for stock topical debate, while others may be appropriate in isolated strategic circumstances. I'll cover key terms, topical concerns, affirmative strategy, and negative strategy.
February 25, 2014
By Brian Hodge
Before I begin my discussion of the topic itself, I’d like to first make a few points about the way I envision this topic analysis being used. As a debater, I always found topic analyses to be very useful, as they provide a detailed insight into the ideas that I would be debating for the next two months. While, of course, it’s true that I would have my own initial thoughts on the topic, being exposed to the views of someone else prompted me to question my own initial assumptions and forced me to examine the topic in a new and distinct way.