SHITS

SIGNIFIGANCY

This stock issue is fairly simple. It says that there is a problem, and it’s big. There are two types of signifigancy.

QUALITATIVE: meaning that it’s an important problem

QUANTITATIVE: meaning that it affects a lot of people

HARMS

This says that the problem hurts a lot of people or that it’s important. For example, this year some of the harms of being reliant on fossil fuels is green house gasses that cause diseases and acid rain that kills our foods and animals or that carbon monoxide kills people.

INHERENCY

This is one of the tougher stocks to grasp at first. Inherency is tough for a while, so don’t get frustrated if it’s tough. Basically it is the inherent barrier, or the thing that keeps the affirmative plan from being put into action. If there is nothing to stop it, then the negative can claim that the status quo is going to do it. There are three types of inherent barriers.

Structural: a law specifically stops it, like child labor isn’t a form of renewable energy

Attitudinal: says that societies  won’t allow it, like nuclear energy is NOT liked

Gap: is the vaguest, it means people don’t realize that there is a problem or that this is the solution, it’s pretty vague and easily defeated

SOLVENCY

This is a fairly easy idea. Your plan solves.

TOPICALITY

Loosely defined it means that the affirmative falls within the bounds of the resolution. This stance is to be argued through evidence cards and definitions. The negative must have a structured argument to counter this.

The negative may offer an argument that the affirmative case is not a good representation of the topic, thus the affirmative must lose the debate because they have failed to affirm. Usually, the negative will do the following.

DEFINE: some word or phrase in the resolution, usually using some outside source to verify the definition.

VIOLATION: explain how the affirmative does not meet this interpretation, how they violate the definition.

STANDARDS: explain how if there are conflicting definitions (affirmative definition and negative definition) the negative definition is preferable.

VOTING ISSUE: explain how if the affirmative loses this argument, they will lose the debate (or be punished in some other way).