Electronic Research

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Electronic Research

• Nick Ryan
• Liberty Debate Institute

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Why Research?

• Joy of Winning Strategies
• Debate the Counter Intuitive
• Helps you Become A Good Debater

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Why Electronic Research?

• Provides the Most Recent and up to date evidence
• Easier to cut and paste
• Easier to move cards and organize cards in a word
  document
• Easier to create backfiles
• Easier to search
• Unlimited information
• Can be done from home

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So I Just Need To Search Google Right?

• What Should you be researching
• What is an argument
• Categories of Evidence

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Prerequisites to Being A Good Researcher

• Have A Plan
• Brainstorm the Argument
• Brainstorm Answers to the Argument
• Develop a list of key words
• Find the Terms in the literature

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How To Recognize Cards

• Cut Important Arguments
• Look at the Conclusion / Recommendations Section
• Cut Complete Arguments (Claim and a Warrant).
• Look for Linking Language
• Look for Power phrasing

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How To Cut Quality Evidence

• Supporting Arguments
• Warranted Evidence
• Complete Sentences
• Qualified Sources
• Descriptive vs Prescriptive

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How To Be A Bad Researcher

• Searching for X is Bad
• Searching for the opposite of Arguments
• Cutting a 20 pages of cards for an obvious
  argument
• Using Debate Terms

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How To Be A Bad Researcher

• Tied Down to the Truth
• Doing Everything yourself
• Dont find Terminal Impacts

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How To Be A Good Researcher

• Start an Impact / Impact answers file
• Analyze the Best Arguments against your position
• Have a List of Relevant Think Tanks
• Keep and Update a list of arguments to work on

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How To Be A Good Researcher

• Track Down Authors
• Get Citations from Everyone
• Track down footnotes
• Learn Boolean Logic