Through an exclusive focus on public policy advocacy as a practical endeavor, Philip Dalton and John R. Butler depart from approaches to debate education that focus on the rules of simulated, academic debate formats. Beginning with the assumption that readers have already developed a basic capacity to argue, they offer practical guidance for determining the fundamental issues that make up a controversy and what expectations public audiences will have for advocacy based on the issues and the burdens of advocates challenging or defending the status quo. Through examples that span a wide range of advocacy situations and subjects of contemporary importance, the authors build a framework for public policy advocacy that is organic to the communication discipline, recover and refresh foundational lessons about the uses of evidence, and provide critical questions that can be used to develop and communicate policy proposals that are sensible and appealing. Written in an accessible, respectful, and motivational style, the book is suitable for students of debate, professionals who function as advocates, and people who find themselves wishing to voice their opinion on an issue of concern.

Product Description: Sparking the Debate provides comprehensive instruction for starting and promoting debating activities in middle schools, high schools, universities, youth clubs, and in many other contexts.

Product Description: Completely rewritten to make the work more accessible and to meet the needs of high school students, the fourth edition of Discovering the World through Debate is a guide to both the theory and practice of debate around the world...read more

Product Description: Why We Argue (And How We Should): A Guide to Political Disagreement presents an accessible and engaging introduction to the theory of argument, with special emphasis on the way argument works in public political debate. The authors develop a view according to which proper argument is necessary for one’s individual cognitive health; this insight is then expanded to the collective health of one’s society...read more

An introduction to the fine art of rhetoric explains how this important skill can profoundly influence one's success in one personal and professional life, using contemporary examples to illuminate classical rhetorical strategies and revealing how the forces of persuasion are at work all around us and how they can be used for one's own benefit. Original. 40,000 first printing.

Presents background, arguments, and resources on over one hundred debate topics in diverse areas.

Product Description: Adjudication is a collection of essays reflecting on various aspects of the role of adjudicators in competitive debate. Although its focus is competitive debate in the British Parliamentary format, it contains insights and reflections that should be of use to any adjudicator, coach or debater...read more

Product Description: Finding Your Voice: A Comprehensive Guide to Collegiate Policy Debate provides an in-depth introduction for students entering Collegiate or National High School Circuit Policy Debate. It offers information on mainstream, critical, and hybrid arguments along with the tools and advice necessary for debaters to quickly progress into JV and Varsity divisions while avoiding bad habits commonly seen in novice rounds...read more

Product Description: Reasoned Rationales provides a collection of key articles that detail the educational value of debate. From social scientific studies to reports on debate participant perceptions of efficacy, this volume offers an overarching rationale for the educational reasons we do academic and competitive debate...read more

Advocacy and Opposition is a comprehensive and practical approach to argumentation and critical thinking for the beginning student who needs to construct and present arguments on questions of fact, value, and policy both orally and in writing. This text offers a theoretical view of the nature of argument in our society, a discussion of arguing as a form of communication, and a focus on how arguments are created using the Toulmin model of argument.

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