What is Overview in debate?

An overview is framing for the whole speech: a short section before your line-by-line responses that tells the judge how to see the round. Good overviews set up weighing, settle a central factual dispute, or lay out a strategic story ("this round comes down to one question..."). Keep them short. A long overview steals time from coverage, and judges get tired of overviews that re-read the constructive. Make one point in thirty seconds, then go to the flow.