Strategic Debate: Reason, Argumentation and Strategy for Winning Scholastic Debates

The key to winning debates isn't found in boxes and boxes of evidence, a "flawless" case, or being lucky enough to win the judge's favor. The key to winning is in strategy, which is exactly what this book covers in detail. Within these pages, you will learn how to:

* Create affirmative cases that are tightly sealed from flaws

* Develop negative strategies that attack the best cases

* Formulate cross-examination questions that cripple opponents

* Answer cross-examination questions to turn judges to your favor

* Leverage the rules of academic debate to your advantage

* Gather evidence that builds, supports and defends your arguments

Every chapter includes a teacher's outline, questions for discussion, and student preparation helps. Along with modified chapters, Vance includes an additional chapter on choosing and utilizing sourcebooks. Academic debaters who are serious about winning their competitions will be just as serious about owning a copy of Strategic Debate, 2nd Edition.

The sound advice and proven tactics in Strategic Debate is certain to provide the needed tools for building a champion debater. In the spirit of Training Minds Ministry, Strategic Debate provides the apparatus that will "train the mind for action" — for debate rounds as well as the world.

Vance debated in National Forensic League debate while in high school from 1979-1982. In college, he judged at high school NFL tournaments in North Carolina. After college, he moved around the country for various jobs, including some time with the Defense Department in the Washington, D.C., area and several years at the headquarters of Wal-Mart in Arkansas.

After moving back to North Carolina, he once again got involved in debate by volunteering as an assistant coach for public school NFL debaters. A home schooling dad himself, he realized the growing potential and benefit of home school debate and switched over to coaching NCFCA students. In 2001, he first got involved with Blue Book to write the evidence briefs, and has been doing so ever since. In 2004, Vance put much of his expertise together for an advanced debate textbook called Strategic Debate: Reason, Argumentation, and Strategy for Winning Scholastic Debates.

Currently working in Charlotte as a computer programmer for a French engineering software company, Vance also volunteers as an instructor with the annual American Legion Boys State program. He and his wife, Bridget, have two daughters, Charlotte and Rebecca.

Vance and his old debate partner, Rob Parks, have been teaching debate camps since 2002. The camps have become a Training Minds Ministry event that takes place in various parts of the country.