How to Plan a Case Outline

First things first Upon receiving your topic, the first thing that you and your team should do is an individual brainstorm. Separate yourselves out and spend about 15 minutes thinking about the wording of the topic, what it could mean, what your view of it is and any current examples or case studies that you know of. At the end of this 15 minutes, reassemble the team and share ideas. It is a good idea to write these down in the form of a mind map or list. Define the issue Now that you have a general overview of what the topic could include it is time to define it. Both teams, affirmative and negative, must define the topic but you only have to include the definition in the first speakers speech if you are affirmative. If you are negative, you should assume that you are going to agree with your oppositions definition. Disagreeing will result in a definition debate where the two teams are arguing over the meaning of the topic rather than the topic itself. Definition debates should be avoided as much as possible. When defining, you do not need to recite a dictionary definition of each word, simply explain what the wording means in the context of the debate and in the context of current global events. Your definition should only be one or two sentences long. Initial research Since you have now defined the topic, each member of your team can now go and do some initial research. A quick Google search is often a good place to start. Find as much background information on the issue as you can including statistics, case studies, legislation, quotes etc. Brainstorm points During your individual brainstorming it is likely that you came up with several possible arguments for your side of the case. It is now time to assemble those points with any relevant examples you were able to find through your initial research. Once you have decided on 4-5 points, try to group them together in a split with some being allocated to the first speaker and some to the second speaker. A common split is social and individual where the first speaker examines the impact the topic has on society while the second speaker examines its impact on individuals.

Devise a model (if needed) If your side of the topic is one where your team must propose a change to current practice or a current system, then you must develop a model. Your model is an outline of what you propose and how you are practically going to put it in place. This is presented and explained by your first speaker in their introduction. Write your points You can now write your speech. For an in-depth outline of how to structure a speech, visit the Method tab. Synchronise Now that your team has written their speeches, it is time to meet again and ensure that your case flows from one speaker to the next. Here you should practice your speeches for one another, making notes and interrupting where necessary to clarify points. Once you are satisfied that your case is fluent, make the suggested changes.

Download the Case Outline Worksheet to assist with planning your caseline. Answer each of the questions upon receiving a topic to ensure you are not missing any part of the research and writing process.