Analytics Bad- Arguments must be credible Hanes 07 T.

Russell Hanes, 2007 Debating Policies: The skills and theories of Cross-Examination and Public Forum
debate Credentials: T. Russell Hanes was an eight-year policy debater: high school CX at University School (TN) and CEDA at Columbia (NY). To debate, he attributes his
sanity of education. Russell was an assistant coach of CX debate at Damien High School (CA) and more recently the head coach of speech and debate at Lakeridge High School (OR). He has helped students qualify for NFL Nationals in CX, LD, and PF with teams qualifying every year that he has coached. Russell has a masters in Communication Studies from Portland State University and is currently completing a masters in Teaching from Lewis & Clark College. To grad school, he attributes his insanity of education.

Debate is not an opportunity to stand up and just spout off without any consistent advocacy. That practice isnt good, and its known as sophistry. You need to be able to back up your opinions with credible ideas, facts, and analysisin short, you need to make arguments and advocate consistently.
Its important that you know the difference between opinions and arguments.

Opinions without arguments are political theater and devolve quickly into incoherent yelling; argument without personal advocacy is

The confidence of your delivery doesnt improve the intellectual quality of your arguments.
called a con job. You have to know something, and that means youll need to do some research.

Furthermore, please realize that youll have to debate both sides of the topic regularly. Debaters dont choose whether they will affirm (support) and negate (attack) the topic in any given debate round. Even if you agree with the topic, youll need to find reasons why you might disagree, or vice versa. Debate is about experimenting and about seeing both sides of an issue. So, at one end of the attitude spectrum is speaking without any real belief or knowledge; at the other end is close-mindedness. Between these two extremes, the good debater advocateswith an open mind. Being a good public speaker and a good debater confers great power in life. Please use it wisely.

Credentials: T. Russell Hanes was an eight-year policy debater: high school CX at University School (TN) and CEDA at Columbia (NY). To debate, he attributes his sanity of education. Russell was an assistant coach of CX debate at Damien High School (CA) and more recently the head coach of speech and debate at Lakeridge High School (OR). He has helped students qualify for NFL Nationals in CX, LD, and PF with teams qualifying every year that he has coached. Russell has a masters in Communication Studies from Portland State University and is currently completing a masters in Teaching from Lewis & Clark College. To grad school, he attributes his insanity of education.