Wednesday, June 27: Crafting the Position

On Wednesday, students began the BC lab experience with a flowing and argument comprehension exercise involving a case run in the elims of the 2004 Glenbrooks tournament. Though the case dealt with a different topic, it provided useful guidance on how to craft a sound position with a persuasive, strategic framework. Afterwards, Tyler Traub volunteered to read his affirmative case and graciously allowed other students in the lab to cross-examine him for nearly forty-five minutes (and one thinks withstanding three minutes is difficult!). William Hix was the first to go and executed very well throughout the drill. We'd like to thank Tyler and Will for being the first to speak in front of the lab and for holding their own against each other during the cross-examination period. After working on commanding a presence, understanding the position, and setting up the rebuttal throughout cross-examination, the students left for article groups. When they returned, they had another opportunity to research the topic, accumulate more evidence, and revise their cases. Finally, the evening lab ended with a discussion of affirmative strategy. Students noted that given the difficulty of answering all the many negative arguments on the topic that examine the consequences of U.S. actions intended to promote labor standards at the expense of economic gains, it could be strategic to craft a position that focused more on the means of achieving those ends. Much is left to be done, but everyone in the BC lab is keeping up and developing a better understanding of the topic with each passing session.