How do you use disadvantages to challenge the net benefits of your opponent's plan?

1 What are disadvantages?

Disadvantages are arguments that show how the affirmative's plan would cause more harm than good in the status quo or compared to a counterplan. They usually have three parts: a link, an impact, and a uniqueness. The link explains how the plan triggers the disadvantage, the impact describes the severity and scope of the harm, and the uniqueness establishes that the harm is not happening or inevitable in the current situation.

2 How to research disadvantages?

To find effective disadvantages, you need to do thorough research on the topic and the plan. You should look for credible sources that support your claims and provide evidence for your link, impact, and uniqueness. You should also anticipate possible responses from the affirmative and prepare answers to them. Some common types of disadvantages are economic, environmental, political, social, and moral.

3 How to structure disadvantages?

To present your disadvantages clearly and persuasively, you should follow a logical structure that guides the judge and the audience through your reasoning. A common format is to use the acronym DALE: Disadvantage, Answer, Link, and Extend. Disadvantage is where you state your main claim and summarize your argument. Answer is where you respond to any objections or counterarguments from the affirmative. Link is where you explain how the plan causes or worsens the disadvantage. Extend is where you restate and reinforce your impact and uniqueness.

4 How to compare disadvantages?

To challenge the net benefits of the affirmative's plan, you need to compare your disadvantages with their advantages. You should use criteria such as magnitude, probability, timeframe, and reversibility to show why your impacts are more significant and likely than theirs. You should also weigh your disadvantages against their solvency, or how well their plan solves the problem they identified. You should point out any gaps, flaws, or trade-offs in their solvency and show how your disadvantages outweigh their benefits.

5 How to defend disadvantages?

To maintain your disadvantages throughout the debate, you need to defend them from the affirmative's attacks. You should be ready to rebut their arguments on any of the three parts of your disadvantage: link, impact, or uniqueness. You should also be aware of any turns or takeouts they might use to undermine your disadvantage. A turn is when they argue that your disadvantage is actually an advantage for them or vice versa. A takeout is when they argue that your disadvantage is irrelevant, false, or insignificant.

6 How to improve disadvantages?

To improve your skills in using disadvantages, you should practice and get feedback from others. You should watch and analyze debates on different topics and see how debaters use disadvantages effectively or ineffectively. You should also practice researching, writing, and delivering your own disadvantages on various topics and scenarios. You should seek feedback from your coach, teammates, judges, or peers and learn from your mistakes and successes.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?