VC Strategy Seminar: Applied Refutation
This Strategy Seminar gives you the fundamental tools needed for effective refutation. Learn a system for strategically understanding and creatively attacking any opposing argument.
Program Curriculum
Topic “A Framework for Argument Structures”
What, essentially, is an argument? How can you learn to break down any argument into its key components? We’ll teach you the basics of link chains and argument analysis, to make sure you are thinking about arguments in a strategic way. Learn how to understand the logical steps of an argument in order to identify which are the weakest.
Topic “Link and Impact Attacks”
How do you generate refutation arguments? How can you turn your opponent’s argument against them – what are link turns and impact turns? Using your powers of argument analysis, learn how to generate and apply the key types of link and impact attacks in the refutation toolbox. This will be especially helpful in answering policy-style disadvantages run in LD (aka “disads" or “DAs”).
Topic “Effective Evidence Comparison”
What makes good evidence good? How can you spot when your opponent’s supporting evidence is weak? When you and your opponent make contradictory claims, learn how to convince the judge that your evidence is correct. Strong evidence comparison skills will improve your research process and help you win key claims in a debate.
Topic “Uniqueness and Advanced Directional Control”
What is uniqueness, and what do we mean by “directional control”? This is a topic even advanced debaters struggle with – learn how the background state of affairs can dramatically affect an argument and use it to beat opponents' arguments without having to challenge any of their links of impacts. This will also help you use research to shore up your own arguments.
Topic “Weighing Arguments Core”
What is weighing and how does it help the judge compare you and your opponent? Weighing allows you to leverage your own arguments to win, even if you concede the entirety of your opponent's arguments, by answering the central question of any debate – why your side is not just good, but better. Learn a system for generating weighing arguments in every situation.
Topic “Persuasion and Style Tactics”
How will you persuade judges that your opponent is wrong? Learn how to polish your performance (and increase your speaker points) by making your refutation maximally convincing. Strong refutation is often the key to a judge's decision, but only when delivered in the most effective way.
Want to learn these useful skills? Reserve your spot today!
About the Strategy Seminar Program
Our Strategy Seminars are an intensive, focused courses designed to help you master an essential debate skill. We believe that by carefully designing classes and making them available online, we can guarantee better instruction at a lower cost. To ensure this, our courses use:
- Interactive webinars with premier instructors
- Special course materials and metrics
- Individualized and in-depth feedback
- One-on-one personal coaching
How exactly does it work?
You'll begin with one of several regular sessions with a premier instructor, who will answer your questions about an essential topic and tell you what you need to know, all from the comfort of your own home. Each session is followed with time-efficient, online homework assignments, designed especially for your course to guide you through the material. You'll receive targeted feedback on each piece of your work, also from premier instructors, who are available to answer any other questions you may have. Finally, you'll schedule personal sessions throughout the program to literally drill in your new knowledge with a set of practice drills also tailored to your course. In just a short amount of time, you'll have mastered a new debate skill!
Seats are always limited to ensure highest-quality instruction. Get the training you need – sign up for available seminars now!
PROGRAM DETAILS
Date and Time: April 3-7. Class meets daily from 8:15-9:15pm EST.
Topics Covered:
- A Framework for Argument Structures
- Link and Impact Attacks
- Effective Evidence Comparison
- Uniqueness and Directional Control
- Weighing Arguments Core
- Persuasion and Style Tactics
Tuition: $195, includes week of class webinars, materials and assignments, and written assignments feedback. Or $345 with additional 3 x 40-minute one-on-one drill sessions (flexibly scheduled). Seats limited.
Please also review our cancellation policy.
VC Academy Scholarship: Consistent with our mission, we want to guarantee our programs are as affordable as we can possibly make them. Please don't hesitate to get in touch personally if you are interested in our scholarship program!
Questions? Please don't hesitate to get in touch! We are always available.