Q&A for How to Write a Speech if You're Third Speaker

Yes, if you are a third speaker. Make sure to cover as many of the 'big' or 'major' rebuttals your other team members have rebutted.

No! Third speakers are forbidden to introduce new arguments, but you can present the first and second's in a new light.

Rebutting. You still haven't finished your argument until after you rebuttal, so you certainly don't summarize yet.

You are allowed to bring up new information if you are giving an example, but you can't use new information as an argument or reason.

Write down the most common points you think you will come across, and how you would negate them.

Regardless of what the other team are saying, just rebut. Bring in your team's previous arguments into your rebuttals to make your rebuttals stronger. Don't attack their examples, just their overarching idea. Research your possible topics ahead of time.

Make a flowsheet with selections of the debaters' names, and write their arguments, refutations, and rebuttles. You can note when the debater is speaking. Make sure you note your team's args, refs, and rebs too, it will be useful.

After you have given your rebuttals, you may then, in your summary, briefly point out the flaws in the other team's arguments and explain why they're flawed. This means that you are including your rebuttals in your summary as well as before your summary, which is generally a good thing in terms of being the third speaker.

You're allowed to admit that your opponent makes strong points that you agree with, but you can still emphasize your points as being important and worthy of consideration. However, if your opponent completely proves your point(s) wrong, you should admit that.

Just jot down notes or rebuttals to the other speakers. You should already have your speech written, but you can change/add or remove sections based on what the other two speakers say.

To summarize your speech you need a good understanding of your first and second speakers' speeches. After their speeches are written, it is a good idea to have them sent to you, so you can construct your speech around theirs.

Around 2-5. Three is by far the best number, but four is okay, five is a little excessive. Remember that debates should be three minutes. Two points is fine assuming your arguments are lengthy and strong.

In cases when you are in team Proposition, you can change the context of the motion/topic to suit your team's stand or arguments and catch the opposition off-guard.

You could write that "the presenters have clearly shown that the motion does not stand in the opposition's favor, further proving that..."

As long as you want! The recommendation is to start summarizing as soon as you hear the second warning bell. So in an 8 minute speech, summarizing should in most cases start at minute number 7.

No, not necessarily. But it's helpful to do so if it makes your rebuttal more convincing. Try not to use outlandish statistics, though - it could make you seem less credible.

You have to thank the Officials, then re-state the argument. It's not really that hard. For example, with a debate topic of England is better than America: "We would like to thank the Chairperson. England is better than America, not only because of the fact it is smaller as stated be speaker number one, and because it rains all the time as stated be speaker number two but also because it has chip butties." Then proceed with your argument.

Start out slowly when you begin your speech. Use pauses regularly. But when you get towards the end of your speech, begin to speed up. This will create excitement and interest for the audience just like in a song or a movie when things go from neutral to crescendo.

Yes. Quotes can help strengthen your argument. However, you should mostly state your points and not use too many quotes. Also, try to write a bit about who said the quote (preferably the other team), and explain what it means.

Use the 3 R's - Remember, wRite and Repeat! Try to change the wording however so it is not repetitive.

No, you have to add a closing. If you don’t summarize what you said, you’ll confuse people. You can, however, add it right before the closing.

Yes, that’s a great way to get the audience and the opposition’s attention.