Analytical Rebuttals

Analytical Rebuttals – Liz

Analytics

• Used if you don’t have prep

• Pairing analytics with cards

• Indicts

• Logical responses that just make sense

  • Lay rounds

  • Contradictory parts of your opponents case

Strategies

• Build your blockfile based on responses

• Leave spaces in your blockfile to add analytics

• Add analytics that you read in a certain round and keep it for future rounds

Reading analytics! There is always a logical jump that debaters make

1. Be confident when flowing

   1. Look for loopholes

   2. Follow hunches

   3. Call for evidence

      1. Read your opponents evidence and look for miscutting or powertagging (happens way more than you think!)

2. Follow the process

   1. Break down every part of the link chain

      1. Obviously opponents will make logical leaps so don’t just assume that if something has a warrant it’s true

   2. Post dates are important but warrant why – don’t just say “we post date”

      1. Use analytics for things like news talks, press conferences and media outlets to post date a lot of your opponents uniqueness.

3. Efficiency

   1. When reading analytics be as efficient as you can – don’t be blippy

      1. Warrant (why it's true)

      2. Implication (why it matters)

4. Common analytics read on almost any topic

   1. Intervening actors

      1. Some other group solves their issue.

         1. UN

         2. NATO

         3. IMF

         4. Other countries

         5. Domestic governments

   2. Solvency Deficit

      1. Their action is too small to matter.

         1. One law won't solve climate change.

         2. One policy won't cause extinction

      2. Best proven by historical examples and things that you and the judge probably already know

         1. Cuban Missile Crisis → no nuke war.

         2. Paris Accords → countries cooperate on climate.

         3. COVID pandemic → global response mechanisms exist.

   3. Double Binds

      1. Force opponents into losing either way.

         1. Example: (Article 9 Topic)

         2. Japan will keep giving aid regardless.

         3. Japan already isn't giving much aid.

      2. If they answer one, they help the other and works best in tech rounds

5. Frontlining

   1. Most frontlines are analytics because you might not be able to preempt responses with cut cards all the time

   2. Always try to cross apply case to frontline because most of the work should already be done in your case

Important things to note

1. Topic Knowledge = Best for analytics

   1. Read news related to topic

   2. Know historical examples off the top of your head/ keep them on a google doc to refer to in round

   3. Topic knowledge allows you to

      1. Spot logic jumps, find contradictions, and generate analytics instantly

2. Analytics v Cards

   1. For lay judges:

      1. Warranting that actually makes sense is better than just reading cards

   2. For tech judges:

      1. Analytics are highly underrated, use them to your advantage especially when breaking clash

Takeaway!

The more you debate, the better you get at coming up with analytics and finding holes in your opponent's arguments.

Always pair analytics with prep you have because if you warrant it well enough it’ll always help you.

Original guide