Preparing Negative arguments against a case

When you prepare for the negative, you need to do the following:

1. Prepare generally.

You won’t be able to prepare for every single affirmative case unless the resolution you are debating is very narrow. As a result, you should be prepared with arguments that will apply to many different types of affirmative cases.

To do this, brainstorm the various kinds of cases that affirmatives might present. Then, think up and research arguments against those types of cases. For example, if your topic is on increasing environmental protections, you might think this way:

1. Some teams will use regulations. I need a regulations are bad argument.

2. Some teams will argue for incentives. I need to be ready to say that incentives don’t work.

3. Some teams will argue for government action such as cleanup efforts. I need to argue that government efforts fail.

Etc.

You need to be ready to argue that general problems aren’t significant problems, that the current policy is solving those problems, that the possible plans will not solve the problem, and that the possible plans will be harmful.

2. Prepare specifically.

For cases that you know will be argued, get yourself ready. Prepare the following arguments:

1) The problem is not significant, is decreasing, is actually a good thing.

2) The current policy is solving the problem

3) The plan will not solve the problem--in fact, it will make it worse

4) The plan will be disadvantageous--causing more harm than it will solve.

3. Prepare topicality arguments.

Be prepared for affirmatives that do not follow the resolution.