to all first time readers:
up until 'six', the chapters are kinda medium-ish. they get longer after that (and more interesting, if you ask me). stick around pls!! <33
Yeah, so this does sound really nerdy and all, but it'll be more centered around drama and that stuff rather than actual debate. But it's always good to have context!
A little explanation on how debate works (coming from a debater):
Note* debate isn't ENTIRELY like this in real life. Modified for convenience...and for plot. The drama is kinda real though.
How teams work:
Each school has a team, each team has a President/Captain and Vice Captain. Every person on the team is known as a "debater".
People who are new to the team AND have never done debate before are referred to as "novices" (think freshmen?)
Debaters usually have the option to pair up and form debate partnerships. You and your partner will go into every competition as a team, and debate against other opponents for the championship. People who choose NOT to take a partner and compete solo, do something called "Mavericking".
How tournaments work:
A team will host a tournament at their school, typically called an "invitational", that spans over a few days. When this happens, other schools will sign up and gather at this school to compete over these few days. Distance also varies! You could be at a tournament hosted by your neighbouring school, or fly all the way to Wyoming (a fictional place I completely made up) and stay the night in a hotel just to compete at some school there.
Each debate team (or maverick) competes in SIX preliminary rounds, against other schools and their teams. You must win at least 4 of the six rounds to qualify for the elimination rounds, where you will go into quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. If you make it that far.
And like every other competitive sport out there, there is an international, prestigious, end-of-year tournament too, called the Champion's Rendezvous. In order to qualify, you have to receive an invitation from the Global Debate Board, after they review your success records and such. Only the best of the best get to go; after all, it's nationals.
Other terminology:
case: someone's entire argument that they bring into a debate round. Includes all the evidence, speeches and everything they've prepared for the tournament (like research)
prep: to prepare and research for a debate topic
to break/broke: to advance from preliminary rounds into elimination rounds
contentions: the main point/main claim in someone's case (kinda like a thesis?)
what am I doing with my life
YOU ARE READING
Minsung | Rule Number Five
FanfictionIn the debate world, there are five unspoken rules. The first four are trivial; simple social laws that every sane person would understand. But the last one. Now that's something. Rule Number Five: Never, ever, under any circumstances, date your d...
