The DSDC Debate Glossary
40+ debate terms explained in plain English, organized by category. From constructive speeches to kritiks, from Points of Information to weighing mechanisms - every word your child will hear in a debate round, defined by DSDC coaches.
Speech Structure
How debate speeches are organized, from constructive speeches to reply and whip speeches.
Constructive Speech
A constructive speech is the main body of a debate speech where a speaker builds their case, introduces new arguments, and develops the core substance of the round.
Rebuttal
A rebuttal is a direct response to the opposing team's arguments - explaining why their claims are wrong, weak, or less important than your own.
Summary Speech
A summary speech is a short end-of-round speech where a debater distills the main arguments and explains why their side has won the debate overall.
Reply Speech
A reply speech is a short closing speech in World Schools format, delivered by the first or second speaker, that summarizes the round and explains why their side won.
Roadmap (Signposting)
A roadmap is a brief statement at the start of a speech that tells the judge what the speaker will cover and in what order. It is also called signposting.
Round Mechanics
The procedural parts of a debate round - motions, POIs, prep time, flowing, ballots.
Point of Information
A Point of Information (POI) is a short interjection offered by an opposing team during a debater's speech. The speaker can accept or decline each offer.
Motion
A motion is the topic or resolution that a debate round is fought over. Motions usually start with 'This House' in parliamentary formats.
Resolution
A resolution is another word for the topic of a debate round, especially in American formats like Policy debate and Lincoln-Douglas debate.
Prep Time
Prep time is the time given to debaters to prepare their case after receiving a motion or between speeches. Prep time length varies by format.
Flow (Flowing)
Flowing is the practice of taking detailed notes during a debate round, tracking every argument on both sides. A flow is the resulting set of notes.
Speaker Points
Speaker points are individual scores judges give to each debater at the end of a round. They evaluate style, content, and strategy, and are used to rank speakers in a tournament.
Ballot
A ballot is the judge's written decision at the end of a debate round, recording who won, individual speaker points, and usually a short explanation of the result.
Impromptu vs Prepared
Impromptu motions are released minutes before a round starts; prepared motions are released in advance so teams can research. Most tournaments use a mix.
Arguments & Logic
The building blocks of real arguments - warrants, impacts, links, turns, and more.
Clash
Clash is the direct engagement between two opposing arguments in a debate - where one side attacks a specific claim from the other side and the other side defends it.
Warrant
A warrant is the reason an argument is true - the explanation that connects evidence or assumptions to a conclusion. Arguments without warrants are just assertions.
Impact
The impact of an argument is why it matters - what will happen in the real world if the argument is true, and how big that consequence is.
Link (Argument Link)
An argument link is the logical chain that connects a premise to a consequence. A strong link explains exactly how one thing leads to another; a weak link is easy to attack.
Uniqueness
Uniqueness is the argument that a specific outcome only happens because of a specific cause - used to defend a policy or attack a counterplan by showing that something is truly new.
Turn (Argument Turn)
A turn is an argument that takes the opposing team's claim and uses it in your favor - showing that their logic actually supports your side instead of theirs.
Drop
A dropped argument is one that was made earlier in the round but never answered by the opposing team. Judges usually treat dropped arguments as conceded.
Strategy & Judging
Advanced concepts that shape how rounds are won, from weighing to kritiks.
Extension
An extension is a new argument or new analysis introduced by a second constructive speaker to build on their team's case - common in British Parliamentary where closing teams must extend beyond the opening team.
Counter-Model (Counterplan)
A counter-model or counterplan is an alternative policy proposed by the Opposition instead of accepting or rejecting the Proposition's plan outright.
Weighing Mechanism
A weighing mechanism is the method a debate team uses to compare competing impacts and show the judge why their side's impacts matter more.
Voter (Voting Issue)
A voter, or voting issue, is a specific argument a debater tells the judge to use as the deciding factor when casting their ballot.
Cross-Apply
To cross-apply an argument is to use an argument made in response to one issue as a response to a different issue in the same round.
Permutation (Perm)
A permutation is an argument that combines the Proposition's plan with the Opposition's counterplan to show they are not mutually exclusive.
Disadvantage (DA)
A disadvantage is an Opposition argument that claims the Proposition's plan will cause a specific bad outcome. Disadvantages have a link, internal link, and impact.
Kritik
A kritik is a philosophical or structural challenge to the assumptions behind an opponent's argument or the entire debate framework. Common in Cross-Examination debate.
Status Quo
The status quo is the current state of affairs - the way things are before any proposed change. Opposition teams in policy debates usually defend the status quo.
Format Roles
Who plays what role in parliamentary and American debate formats.
Whip Speech
A whip speech is the final speech from each team in British Parliamentary debate. Whips focus almost entirely on comparing and weighing the competing cases.
Prop / Opp (Proposition / Opposition)
Prop and Opp are the two sides in parliamentary debate formats. Proposition supports the motion; Opposition argues against it.
Prime Minister (PM)
In parliamentary debate, the Prime Minister is the first Proposition speaker - the debater who opens the round, defines the motion, and introduces the Proposition case.
Leader of the Opposition (LO)
The Leader of the Opposition is the first Opposition speaker in parliamentary debate. The LO responds to the Prime Minister's case and introduces the Opposition's own arguments.
Affirmative / Negative
Affirmative and Negative are the two sides in American debate formats like Policy, Lincoln-Douglas, and Public Forum. Affirmative supports the resolution; Negative argues against it.
Opening Government
Opening Government is the first Proposition team in British Parliamentary debate. They open the round by defining the motion and setting up the Proposition case.
Closing Government
Closing Government is the second Proposition team in British Parliamentary debate. They must extend beyond Opening Government's case to rank above them.
Case Construction
How debaters build their arguments, including cases, contentions, frameworks, and burdens.
Case
A case is the set of arguments a debate team builds to support their side of the motion. It includes claims, warrants, impacts, and the overall strategy for winning the round.
Contention
A contention is a main argument within a team's case. Most debate cases are built on 2-4 distinct contentions, each with its own claim, warrant, and impact.
Framework
A framework is the standard a debate team asks the judge to use when evaluating the round. Frameworks tell the judge which arguments should count and how to weigh them.
Burden of Proof
The burden of proof is the responsibility to prove something in a debate. In most formats, the side proposing change has the burden of showing their case is better than the status quo.
Know the words. Now learn to use them.
Every concept in this glossary is taught live at DSDC by coaches from the Canadian National Debate Team and top Canadian universities. Book a free consultation to find the right class for your child.