You can submit
questions too, just email Jim at hansonjb@whitman.edu
My Partner is less experienced-what can I do
to still win rounds?
1. Practice. Have practice debates against your partner. Help
him or her see how you would respond to arguments.
2. Make sure you are in the important speaker positions,
which is usually the second affirmative and second negative.
Sometimes, having a strong first negative speech may be more
important for your judges.
3. In your debates, avoid doing things that make your partner
look bad and instead make him or her look good. Specifically:
don't do this:
--"my partner dropped that argument but . . . "
--look upset after your partner is finished speaking
--answer questions of your partner because your partner isn't
answering well
do this
--"my partner's argument was really good. he said . . .
"
--look happy during and after your partner's speech; shake
your head yes at good things he says; congratulate him after he
finishes and look happy, like he did a great job
4. practice cross-examination with your partner, make sure he
can answer questions effectively
Additional Ideas from Sidestch@aol.com
First and foremost, always make him/her feel involved in
the entire process
(debating, writing frontlines, cases, etc.).
Second, don't patronize him/her, but at the same time,
teach this person in a
constructive manner that doesn't make him/her feel stupid
or like a jerk.
Third, think before you criticize because, chances are, you
are not
infallible and you probably make mistakes too.
Jim Hanson
