NATIONAL SPEECH & DEBATE ASSOCIATION

Introduction to the Negative

Student Handout: Identifying Offense vs. Defense in Debate

Handout #3
Directions: The following table provides examples of affirmative arguments in favor of a sample
topic. Identify in the third column whether these arguments are offense or defense. Explain your
answer.

Topic Argument Offensive or Defensive?

Resolved: College student-
athletes should receive
financial compensation.
Student-athletes get paid now—
under the table—so we don’t need
to worry about the disadvantages
to paying them.
Explain
Defensive – this argument doesn’t
indicate any HARM or BENEFIT
– just merely that the harms may
not be true

Paying student-athletes will bring Offensive – this argument talks

Resolved: Atlanta should
expand its camera surveillance
program.
transparency to the process, about a benefit to paying athletes,
eliminating unfair under-the-table a reason why we SHOULD do it.
payments and equalizing the
playing field.
People who haven’t done anything
wrong have no need to worry
about camera surveillance because
they have nothing to hide.

Atlanta’s camera surveillance

Resolved: The United States
should withdraw its combat
forces from Afghanistan.
program has effectively deterred
crime. Expanding it to include
more cameras will further
decrease crime—including
property crime and violent crime.
The continued combat presence in
Afghanistan is overstretching
American military forces. Without
withdrawal, the military will be
unable to effectively respond to
future conflicts.

The U.S. has been in Afghanistan

for a decade and progress has
been minimal. Staying the course
is unlikely to bring meaningful
democracy to Afghanistan.

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NATIONAL SPEECH & DEBATE ASSOCIATION
Introduction to the Negative

Teacher Key: Identifying Offense vs. Defense in Debate Handout #3

Directions: The following table provides examples of affirmative arguments in favor of a sample
topic. Identify in the third column whether these arguments are offense or defense. Explain your
answer.

Topic Argument Offensive or Defensive?

Resolved: College student-
athletes should receive
financial compensation.
Student-athletes get paid now—
under the table—so we don’t need
to worry about the disadvantages
to paying them.
Explain
Defensive – this argument doesn’t
indicate any HARM or BENEFIT
– just merely that the harms may
not be true

Paying student-athletes will bring Offensive – this argument talks

Resolved: Atlanta should
expand its camera surveillance
program.
Resolved: The United States
should withdraw its combat
forces from Afghanistan.
transparency to the process,
eliminating unfair under-the-table
payments and equalizing the
playing field.
People who haven’t done anything
wrong have no need to worry
about camera surveillance because
they have nothing to hide.
Atlanta’s camera surveillance
program has effectively deterred
crime. Expanding it to include
more cameras will further
decrease crime—including
property crime and violent crime.
The continued combat presence in
Afghanistan is overstretching
American military forces. Without
withdrawal, the military will be
unable to effectively respond to
future conflicts.
about a benefit to paying athletes,
a reason why we SHOULD do it.
Defense- This argument is
basically saying there is no
harm or benefit to expanding
the program because good
people will have nothing to hide
Offense- this argument makes
the claim about the benefit to
camera surveillance programs
and the decrease in crime they
would cause
Offense- this argument speaks
to the benefit in removing US
presence from Afghanistan
saying it will help the US
military respond to other
conflicts quicker

The U.S. has been in Afghanistan

for a decade and progress has Defense- its denying that there is
been minimal. Staying the course an meaningful benefit to staying
is unlikely to bring meaningful in Afghanistan.
democracy to Afghanistan.