What is Offense in debate?
debate term
Arguments that give the judge a reason to vote for you, not just against them.
Offense is any argument that supports your side of the resolution: your contentions, plus turns on theirs. Defense only neutralizes, explaining why the opponent’s argument is wrong or overstated. The old saying is that defense doesn’t win championships. A judge who believes neither case still needs a reason to pick a side, and only offense gives one. Track your offense through every speech; if you reach final focus and none of it has survived, you have no path to the ballot.