Introduction
Identifying the Subject of Evaluation
Providing Criteria
Applying Criteria
Superiority of Values
Sample Affirmative Construction

Affirmative Analysis Review

Introduction

The affirmative attempts to persuade the judge that the resolution, at its face value, is true and we should adopt a new attitude towards the topic area. In order to do this, the affirmative must build a prima facie case - confirms the validity of the resolution during the first speech. A prima facie case has four basic components that must be fulfilled:

1. Identifying And Define The Subject Of Evaluation: establishing a value.
2. Provide Criteria: providing a yardstick for the affirmative value.
3. Apply Criteria: measuring the affirmative value.
4. Hierarchy of Values: demonstrate affirmative value is superior to competing values.

• Sample Affirmative Case: example of an affirmative case.
• Affirmative Analysis Review: questions to review concepts.

The actual analysis is an extremely complex task. Many students choose either to use a case they purchased from a debate brief developer or to write a simple persuasive essay over the topic. The bought case is impersonal and the debater will have a difficult time delivering a convincing presentation. The essay case promotes persuasion but frequently lacks a supporting platform and the debater runs into trouble during the rebuttals. However, students can write a detailed, convincing case if they take the process one step at a time.

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Identifying the Subject of Evaluation

DEFINING THE ACTUAL TERMS of the Subject of Evaluation. Many debaters prefer to use a legal dictionary for definitions used in their actual case; they believe that this adds credibility to their case. Personally, in Lincoln-Douglas debate, most judges will accept definitions that are reasonable at face value.

Example: Resolved: That the benefits of genetic manipulation of nature are more important than the moral implications.

• BENEFITS - something that guards, aids, or promotes well being
• GENETIC - of, relating to, produced by, or being a gene, gene - specific transmitters of hereditary characters, regarded as portions of DNA linear arranged in fixed positions.
• MANIPULATION - to treat, work, or operate with the hands or mechanical means, to control the action or course of by management
• NATURE - the theoretical condition or stage of existence usually held to reveal man in his original and proper state.

Paraphrase: Using the definitions, rephrase the Subject of Evaluation using your own words, i.e. genetic manipulation = changing the DNA structure of genes so that plants and animals are born with different characteristics than their parents. You must have a firm grasp on the topic you will be debating.

Define every term in the Subject of Evaluation while you are writing your case - define only the key terms during the actual debate. Spending two minutes defining words like "it" will accomplish very little. However, failure to define a key term during the affirmative construction allows the negative to define the term, and your opponent may choose definitions that are weird, unusual, or contrary to the affirmative position.

ESTABLISH A VALUE: The value must represent the essence of the Subject of Evaluation. The Subject of Evaluation must be a "good" solid example of the value.

1. The value must be broad (large) enough to be of significant importance.
2. The value must be specific enough so that the Subject of Evaluation is a sufficient sampling and representative of the value.
3. The value must help explain why the resolution is important.

Example: Genetic manipulation of nature is an example of SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS. Genetic manipulation is scientific because it requires laboratory research and it is progress because the results improve our standard of living.

1. Definition: the development or advancement of society. There are many different types of progress - social scientific, industrial, technological, etc.
2. Importance: Through progress, the standard of living of all is raised hence the least advantaged are benefited as well as the advantaged.
3. Foundation: Scientific progress has been of great benefit to human civilization producing modern technology that has reduced death and suffering, improved economic productivity, and increased the quality of life.

Choices: You may choose a value that is used frequently in value debate, see Values and Criteria Starters, or you may choose a unique value, e.g. bioethics. The advantage of choosing a standard value is that supporting evidence is easy to locate. On the other hand, unique values may better represent the debate topic and provide an element of surprise. Unique values, however, are not as readily accepted by many judges. My advice - simply choose the value that best represents the affirmative aspects of the resolution.

Variety in Values: The debater selects what value makes the Subject of Evaluation important and different debaters will choose different values for the same Subject of Evaluation. For example, one debater may feel that genetic manipulation is important because it advances society and then chooses scientific progress as his value. Another may decide that the medical benefits are more important and emphasize the quality of life. Although each debater takes a slightly different approach to the Subject of Evaluation, each is attempting to explain why that object is important.

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Providing Criteria

DEFINE THE ACTUAL TERMS of the Terms of Evaluation. Again, use a single step approach to constructing an affirmative position. If you defined the terms of evaluation when you defined the Subject of Evaluation - you are doing too much at a time. Complete your analysis one step at a time. The first step was to identify and define the Subject of Evaluation - the subject of the proposition. You must have a detailed understanding of this term before you can choose a criterion.

Example: Resolved: That the benefits of genetic manipulation of nature are more important than the moral implications.

• More Important- of greater value in content, weight, or significance
• Moral - relating to principles of right and wrong
• Implications - the resulting consequences, results

Paraphrase: The debater must show that the benefits are of greater value than the results of doing what some consider to be wrong.

ESTABLISH A CRITERIA: The criteria must actually be used to measure the importance of the value; therefore, it must be directly related to the value. By what standard can you determine that the value is important?

Example: Benefits are the positive results of an action and implications imply a negative consequence of an action; therefore, the round should be judged based on Ultimate Effects.

1. Definition: A value or action is good or bad based upon its consequences. The importance of something must be based on the final outcome.
2. Importance: Any sort of motive is either good or bad on the score of its effects. A thing is judged to be right or wrong in terms of its outcome and, more specifically, in terms of the pleasure it produces or the pain it permits us to escape.
3. Foundation: "The way to hell is paved with good intentions." Morality is inherently subjective. People have different values and different moral beliefs. As such, people disagree as to what is just and unjust. Outcome is the only reasonable means of evaluation.
4. Standard: If acceptance of the resolution promotes positive benefits while limiting negative consequences, then that is the course of action we should take and the resolution is valid.

Criteria Variety: Again debaters may select different criteria based upon how they view the proposition. For example, another solid criterion for this proposition would be Utilitarianism. Conversely, a negative debater may choose to introduce the counter-criteria of Ultimate Worth in order to dispute the affirmative's position.

Criteria Exercise: There are many standards we use to judge behavior and values in life. For example, the amount someone is paid for an hour of work is a criterion for how important or specialized that job is. Identify at least five original examples of important standards, define each standard, tell why each is important, provide each with a descriptive foundation, and create a criterion for each standard.

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