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Here is the remainder of very very important LD structure....
  • Thesis
  • Contentions
  • Subpoints
  • Conclusion
    • This is where the value and criteria portion of the page come together. It is probably blurry and pretty unclear at this point. However this is how you link the two together. I am going to show you an example of how you use the thesis statement:
    Resolution: The protection of American society ought to be valued above the right to bear arms

    Value-Safety
    Criteria-Utilitarianism
    Thesis-By regarding what is the greatest good for the greatest number of people, we must look at Safety as a value. Since safety is what the greatest number of people wish to attain, Safety is a very intrinsic value. The right to bear arms is not valued higher than the protection of American society because the majority wishes to have safety.

    Does this make sense. I hope so....now it should seem less muddled to you! Just remember, use these techniques to make a kick $%^ thesis:

    This is the actual meat of your case. With contentions you actual have the opportunity to bring in your evidence, logic, and reasoning. The thing that most LDers need to understand is this. While logic and reasoning is good, it is always good to have factual evidence in the debate round. This is very key!!!!!! It is almost ESSENTIAL to have some type of fact or authority figure backing your logic in the round. We will explore this further when we go into subpoints. When you look at subpoints you will see how to construct a contention and the impact they will have on your case.

    Ok. This is where we dig a little bit deeper. In a subpoint you are actually explaining your contention. Take a look at this example:

    Contention I- Guns Harm the Society
    Subpoint A- In America, a majority of accidents are caused by guns
    Subpoint B- A majority of homicides are by guns

    In these subpoints you are explaining how guns are actually harming the society. You use reasons why the contention is true. It is adding meat to your case. You can use a variety of philosophers and sources to make your case develop.

    Philosophers Magazines/Newspapers
    David Hume U.S. News and world report
    Immanuel Kant Time
    Henry David Thoreau newsweek
    Herbert Marcuse Businessweek
    Vandava Shiva The Economist
    Ralph Waldo Emerson Forbes
    John Locke Bloomburg
    Jean Jacques Rousseau Wall St. Journal
    John Stuart Mill New York Times
    Abraham Maslow Washington Post
    Jeremy Bentham Boston Globe
    Fredrick Nietzche USA Today
    John Rawls Dallas Morning News
    Francis Bacon Chicago Tribune

    Once you have your sources established, from there you can develop the evidence in your case. When using subpoints, remember that they MUST link to your value, criterion, and contention tag line. MANY eggs to put in one basket. However, LD is about linking and showing how you superceed your opponents value, criterion, and contentions.

    Finally, I bet you are thinking....whew! This page is FINALLY over....yes. It does take a long time to finally understand the structure of an LD case. I look at is as a long analytical process with many many roads to travel. However, it is very necessary. Here is where we come to a closing. The conclusion is merely a summarization of EVERYTHING in your case. Sounds like a bit much! This is true. However, it isnt as difficult as it seems.

    For example, Lets say we are still on the gun control topic:

    By looking at the everlasting effects on the society. American's must look toward their safety when evaluating what is the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Since guns are a potential harm to American safety, protection of society outweighs the law of the land in ANY event. As philosopher Thomas Hobbes reasoned, the government has an essential function to preserve the lives of its citizens. Without such protection it is not just for the individual.

    Get the jist? Just summarize. Something you have been doing on English papers for years.

    Good Luck writing your case! If you need any help check out some of the links on the first page. If you forget about Value or Criterion visit the other Basic Structure for the Novice Page.

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    For previous case structure

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