By Nathan Chen
Cross examination is one of your most powerful weapons in your arsenal. Yet debaters often squander this opportunity. Here are some common behaviors to avoid, and solutions to implement.
What to Avoid
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1. Reiteration
Reiteration questions ask the witness to reexplain content. For example, “can you repeat your mandates” or “could you explain your position in your own words”.
This wastes your time. Cross examination is a gold mine for killshot admissions – you need to prioritize your questions and ruthlessly cut off fluff. Worse, it gives your opponent extra time to explain and reinforce their case.
Caveat: if you truly did not catch the point, asking a clarifying question is just fine.
- Obvious Admissions
Admission questions ask the witness to concede something so you can set up an argument for the next speech.
An obvious confession question usually asks the witness to admit his point or case is bad. It is also usually not set up adequately and will allow the witness to slip out of the question.
e.g. "Isn't your example incredibly rare?" Your opponent will, no doubt, give many reasons why it is not rare.
Caveat: confession questions that are executed properly can win you the round. But you have to be careful since they can be counterproductive. Proper admission questions usually focus on the premises of an argument rather than the conclusion.
- Being Evasive
Judges are often frustrated by debaters who avoid questions. There is never a situation to evade obvious questions. There is no benefit: you appear shady, and the maneuvering directs the judge’s attention to this weakness. There is also a clear alternative: be honest and defend your answer or point out the nuance. Evasion can only help the questioner.
Questions to save for your speech
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- If the question is confusing, don't ask it
If the witness and judge can't understand the question, it is of no use to you for two reasons
1) They can clarify in the next speech what they meant
2) It wastes your time
You only have 3 minutes, and you don't want to spend more time than necessary explaining the question. If you have to think about the best way to explain your question, its likely too complicated. Separate it into short premises or save it for your speech.
- If the question is avoidable, don't ask it
If the witness can easily sidestep the question, it will probably just waste your time.
You can replace the question with a different one, and simply bring up the point independently in your speech.
- If the question is an impact, don't ask it
Saving the impact for later does two things.
1) The witness can't diffuse the conclusion
If you only ask leading questions and premises, the generally the witness will not know where you are going. This way, they can't preempt the conclusion in CX.
If they can, your questions are too obvious.
2) It keeps the judge curious
Suspense keeps an audience invested. By making the judge wonder "Where is he going with this?", you help them remember the question.
That way, when you bring impact it in your speech, it brings a feeling of satisfaction and amplifies the impact.
During the CX
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- Banish jargon
Jargon is terminology denoting specialized terms. These can include acronyms or phrases like "prima facie" or "topicality".
The problem with this, especially in CX, is that your judge cannot keep up with the jargon and tracking the questions and answers at the same time.
A simple fix: use simple and plain words.
- Relate to the philosophy
Most judges do not remember nuanced details when writing out their decision. They remember the thesis, values, and emotions of the round.
This is why it is so important to have a central theme to your case, and why you should always relate your questions or answers to that philosophy.
The goal is to do as much as possible to help your judge remember the core idea of your case.
e.g. people matter more than property.
- Be the teacher
Oftentimes, poor performance is the result of a poor mindset.
The solution is simple: fix your mindset.
Think of yourself as a teacher. They are natural authorities on the subject. Their answers have authority and credibility. Their word is like gold.
This should be you in CX. Treat your opponent like a student. Guide them to a point instead of beating them down.