Resources
with our mission of accessibility, we hope to make this website a space of limitless education on different topics within the debate space. if you would like to contribute to this goal, please send reach out to us! additionally, if you see any deficit in the debate space, please see the hotline section of our website to help us better combat that issue.
Aidan Krishnaney & Zaid Ashruf
A comprehensive guide to the most foundational aspects of theory. Includes an introduction to the progressive format, how to read and respond to it, and more. It also contains some of the most common shells and counterinterps already ready to read.
Aidan Krishnaney & Samantha Gerber
A comprehensive guide to K debate with a short introduction, a step-by-step guide to reading and responding, examples and more! Read more about Ks in general and other resources on our blog page.
Julia Low
At The Debate Hotline, our mission is to foster an inclusive and equitable debate environment where all voices are heard and valued. To support this goal, we offer comprehensive Bias Awareness Training designed to educate judges, competitors, mentors, and anyone interested in promoting fairness and equality in the debate community.
Arrman Kapoor, Samantha Gerber, Aidan Krishnaney, Cruz Castillo
In debate, Kritiks are a method used to advocate for causes we believe in. Our metafile seeks to bridge accessibility gaps that exist in progressive debate. While most resources just give basic introductions, we seek to expand on that by providing in-depth explanations and a multitude of examples.
Arrman Kapoor
Two types of progressive argumentation for disabled debaters, promoting equality in the face of ableism in the event. Our Dysfluency K metafile includes everything you need from case arguments to blocks to weighing. Our Speed Theory Shell attempts to rectify unfair imbalances by setting equitable norms. Check out both of these outstanding resources today!
Eden Hoover
Before mastering the complexities of debate—whether a K or Theory—success starts with the ability to speak confidently. This drive is designed to sharpen students’ public speaking and debate skills, fostering self-confidence and critical thinking essential for success in all areas of the activity. By the end, participants will have the tools necessary to navigate both internal and external challenges they may encounter with clarity and poise. Complete with structured lessons and at-home activities, this curriculum guides students through the first step of their debate journey, immersing them in the arena by teaching them to use their voice effectively.
Michael Meng
This is a file for use by LD novices and intermediates getting into circuit debate. Circuit debate often involves tricks, theory, critiques, and the numerous interactions that come with them intersecting at the many different role of the ballots. This is an introductory resource to use in tricks debate, mainly from the standpoint of someone not looking to engage in tricks. This should not be used as an end-all-be-all file in every instance, but is simply an introductory basis to aid with prep and basic understanding.
Michael Meng, Navid Sheybani, Sarah Koshy
In this demo round, Michael Meng (Policy AFF) debated Navid Sheybani (Kritik NEG) with moderator Sarah Koshy on the LD January UNCLOS topic. We have also included the documents from the round that you can use to follow along and further comprehend the arguments made. We streamed this debate live earlier in the month, so keep an eye out for any future demo rounds!
Arrman Kapoor
Hi! My name is Arrman, and I'm a senior at Plano West in Plano, Texas. I've done PF for the past 4 years, debated a ton of lay rounds along the way, and have a lot of opinions to put down. This guide to lay debate will go as follows: first, we’ll tackle misconceptions about lay debate; then, I'll walk you through every part of a lay round (pre-tournament prep, sitting outside the room before the round, setting up before the round starts, the round itself, what to do after the round); finally, we’ll talk about how to put it all together.