CASE BUILD 101

(From Isis’ DnA Lecture)

Some notes to remember:
1. First speaker
a. Story-telling and framing
- Must prioritise the most important issue/case
- Know your stakeholders (especially the victims)
b. Ask the right questions always
c. Be illustrative (give examples)
2. Extension Speaker
a. Grand stand
- What is the heart of the debate?
- Clincher issue? Contentious issues that you won
b. Zoom in, analyse perspectives

THE PREP GUIDE

1. Pre-prep
 Self-prep
o What is the debate about?
o Ask First Principle questions
 Who is affected?
 How will they react?
 What change?

2. Prep proper
o What is the debate?
 Focus on the key words and verb of the motion
 Identify the GOAL of the debate
o What are the issues?
 Identify MAJOR and NEUTRAL issues of the debate
 Societal perspective

3. Set up the FRAME

o What is the problem?
 Something relatable
 Characterise for your side
- Bias, don't be neutral because it can also build for the other side
 Use buzz words sometimes but DON'T OVERUSE
o What is the context?
 Physical space
 Deliver as a story
 "3 things" strategy
- 3 levels
- Comprehensive
  Build from the least contentious to the most
o Identify your burden and goal

4. Policy
o Standards
 When do we ___?
 Safeguards: What if it fails…

5. Arguments
o Principle Guide
i. What is generally accepted?
ii. Why is it generally accepted?
iii. How did it become generally accepted? (history, retrospect)
iv. Who does the principle apply to?
v. How does this apply in the past and future?
vi. How does the policy relate to the principles?
vii. Why is this value better than alternatives?
viii. Why is this outcome independent?
 Why is it important to be always principally correct?
o Pragmatic Guide
i. What is the problem/issue?
ii. Why is this the problem? (proof)
iii. What is the goal?
iv. How to achieve goal?
a. Actors involved
b. Who is going to do it?
c. How and why are they affected?
d. Why are they likely to do it? Why is no one else likely to do it? What
is the value of the action? (incentive)
e. How are you going to do it?
v. What are your trade-offs? Why is it justified?
vi. Why is this THE issue/goal/benefit?
vii. Conclusion: highlight the issue, dictate how to judge the debate
o Worst case
i. How to mitigate/minimise the harms?
ii. Why is your goal more important?
 Be as exhaustive as you can

6. Side (or during the round)

o Rebuttals
i. What is wrong?
ii. Why is it wrong?
iii. Evidence?
iv. Even if
v. Compare best and worst case
vi. Devalue premise
vii. Co-opt
viii. IMPORTANT: What's the relevance of this mistake?