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Disadvantages--How do I write one?

This answer comes directly from Breaking Down Barriers: 1997 Edition (3.1).

How do you construct a disadvantage? Here is how:

1. Get And Tag Evidence

Gather evidence for your disadvantage. So, if you are preparing a spending disadvantage, get your evidence that says the plan will increase government spending and thereby harm the economy.

2. Stack The Evidence

Put the evidence into one of the following four piles:

Brinks
We are on the verge of a problem.
Links
The plan will cause a problem.
Uniqueness
The present system will not cause the problem (only the plan will).
Impacts
The problem will cause harms--wars, deaths, poverty, etc.
Note: sometimes the evidence won’t neatly fit into one of these categories. That’s cool. Just make a miscellaneous stack or use one of the stacks you’ve already made.

3. Outline Organize The Disadvantage Evidence

Pick three to six pieces of evidence from your piles for your disadvantages. There are several ways to outline organize your disadvantage. Basically, most disadvantages are organized something like this:

I. Disadvantage Title
Thesis: The plan will cause harms because . . .

A. We are on the brink of a problem

B. The plan will cause the problem to occur

1. TAG THAT SAYS THE PLAN WILL CAUSE A PROBLEM
(followed by evidence)

2. TAG THAT SAYS THE PLAN WILL CAUSE A PROBLEM
(followed by evidence)

C. This problem would be disastrous

1. TAG THAT SAYS THE PROBLEM IS HARMFUL
(followed by evidence)

2. TAG THAT SAYS THE PROBLEM IS HARMFUL
(followed by evidence)

EXAMPLE DISADVANTAGE:

I. Mexican Debt Collapse

Thesis: The plan will stop Mexicans from coming to America. This will reduce income they earn, reducing money they send back to Mexico, leaving Mexico without hard cash it desperately needs to avoid debt collapse.

A. Mexico is on the brink of debt collapse

(evidence)

B. The plan will cause Mexico to default on its debt

1. The plan stops immigrants from entering the US

2. Immigration is critical to billions of dollars of money for Mexico

(evidence)

3. Without immigration money, Mexico will default

(evidence)

C. Mexican default will be devastating

1. Mexican default will cause massive starvation and riots in Mexico

(evidence)

2. Mexican default could cause a border war with the US

(evidence)

Thanks to PoloRL7844@aol.com for asking this question.

Jim

Disadvantages--How do I write one?

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