As national debate tournaments are fast approaching, I got to thinking about all the briefs that get shared between teams. Evidence changes hands quickly as debaters attempt to gather as many resources as they can to fill their boxes against every case they've heard of (and some they haven't). Many debaters print off the evidence and file it away with a cursory, once-over scan. When was the last time you read through an entire brief a friend gave you, card by card?
Yet there is hardly any worse feeling than sitting in a round, listening to the 1AC, and realizing you have NO IDEA what your NEG brief really says. Oh wait.... there is a worse feeling. That comes when you are halfway through the 1NC and realize the card you thought you were reading for your argument actually says something different and supports their modified case! Trust me, I know this tragedy from experience.
The solution is simple, if not easy. I always stress to my students the importance previewing your NEG briefs, especially if you are not the author. There are countless reasons including avoiding contradictions, understanding key concepts, and even being prepared to pronounce difficult names. Lack of preparation will always show its ugly head when you can least afford it. I suggest reading through all of your briefs beforehand.... not skimming, READING. Develop a game plan of which arguments you believe form the most successful strategy. Take note of which cards are strongest.
Good debaters think they can skim a brief in a round and create a winning strategy on the fly. Great debaters have their attack formulated in advance and don't leave room for error. In nationals, that preparation shows more than any time before. And that is why EXCELLENCE makes an IMPACT.
