Case Writing
Build a constructive from the ground up: framing, contentions, links, impacts.
A case is two or three contentions, each with a clear link chain from the resolution to an impact a judge can care about. Start from the impact and work backwards: what is the worst (or best) thing that happens if the resolution passes, and how do you prove the connection?
Anatomy of a contention
A contention runs tagline, link, internal link, impact, with a card supporting each step. Start from the topic hub analysis, then cut your own cards from primary sources. A case you understand at every step will serve you better than a prettier one you borrowed.
Worked example: high-speed rail
On "Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its investment in high-speed rail," a Pro contention might run like this:
One contention, link by link
- Plan
The federal government substantially increases investment in high-speed rail.
- Link
New corridor service competes directly with driving and short-haul flights on routes under 400 miles.
- Warrant
Internal link: passengers who switch move from higher-emission modes to a lower-emission one, so corridor emissions per trip fall.
- Evidence
Brookings identifies the Northeast, California and Texas corridors as the routes where this substitution is most plausible.
- Impact
Lower corridor emissions and reduced congestion across the densest travel markets in the country.
The assignment below asks you to write a full contention like this one, using real sources.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its investment in high-speed rail.
You are Pro. Using the Brookings sources below, write one complete contention: tagline, link, internal link, and impact. Keep each step to one clear sentence.
Assignment
Write a Contention: High-Speed Rail
~15 min
Read before you write
- A vision of high-speed rail in America
Brookings Institution · Brookings
The best corridors, the economic case, and the politics, all from Pro’s side.
- Getting High Speed Rail Right
Brookings Institution · Brookings
Distance thresholds and ridership criteria that keep your link realistic.