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Most debates have more than one rebuttal, and you should always start with new arguments. They will be fresh on the judge’s mind, so you need to address them as soon as possible.  Make sure to save room in your time allowance to briefly review your other arguments. If you believe you have already won an argument or that the other team dropped one, you can briefly summarize those points at the end of the speech, reminding the judge that they go to you. Provide a one-sentence summary of what your opponent has said. Take it one argument at a time, starting with the one that is either easiest to defeat or the most crucial to your case. Say, “My opponent wants to allow one of the most common allergens into our nation’s schools, regardless of how many students are at risk.” Remind the judge what your argument is, positioning it as the clear better choice over your opponent. Choose your words carefully so that your argument appears to be the most reasonable choice. Say, “A safe educational environment is necessary for all students. We stopped sending students to schools that have asbestos; now we need to stop sending them to schools that have peanuts.” Present the breakdown with your argument framed as the best choice. Make the case seem simple to the judge, but say it in a way that makes it seem like picking the other side is preposterous.  For example, “The choice is simple: We can protect students from life-threatening allergy attacks, or we can allow a few students to eat peanut butter for lunch.” This argument makes it seem like critical health emergencies are being pitted against something as trivial as a sandwich. Link your argument back to the topic, and provide evidence to back it up. Tell the judge why this evidence proves that your argument is superior to your opponent’s argument. This should take several sentences and possibly several minutes, depending on how many arguments you plan to address in your rebuttal.  Never list off your reasons without offering an explanation. Your rebuttal depends on your explanation of the argument. Say, "My plan to remove peanut products from schools fulfills the resolution to provide a safe learning environment for kids by removing a known, common hazard. The evidence shows that the threat to allergic individuals is great and that every day the number of allergic students walking the hallways increases. The easiest, least expensive way to protect students is to ban peanut products. Please vote for safe schools by voting for me." You and your opponent may both win arguments within the debate, but the judge still has to pick a winner. Voting issues are the arguments that could make or break a case, so showing that your argument is a voting issue could make the judge choose your side.  For example, relevancy is often a good voting issue because if an argument is not relevant, then it is ineffective. If you show the judge that your opponent has no relevancy on the topic, then that could be a voting issue that goes your way. Say, "My opponent argued that we should ban sugary foods instead of peanut butter, but that is not relevant to my case. None of the evidence she provided about the dangers of sugary food should be considered." Briefly summarize your arguments and the voting issues, then urge the judge to vote for you. Say, “The evidence I’ve provided proves that my opponent’s argument lacks relevancy and fails to address the topic. Additionally, my opponent has falsely assumed that peanuts must be ingested to be harmful, which is factually untrue. For these reasons, you should vote for my case.” If you don’t address an argument, it could go to the other team. Even if you are losing an argument, it’s best to offer a short concession in your rebuttal before moving on to your stronger arguments. If your opponent points out that you dropped an argument, it will look worse than if you concede it yourself. You should also watch for arguments that your opponent has dropped. Make sure to point this out to the judge and tell them that you have clearly won that point.
Attack new arguments first. Remind the judge of your opponent’s argument. Restate your position. Break down your rebuttal into two choices for the judge. Explain the reasons why your argument is best. Show the judge why this argument is a voting issue, which you won. Give a concluding statement urging the judge to choose your argument. Avoid dropping an argument.