- New
- Start here
- Argumentation
Argument Anatomy
Learn what an argument is made of by putting one together.
- Sort claims, warrants, examples and impacts
- Spot the missing piece and write it
- No blank page: you assemble before you write
How to Build a Debate Argument
A debate argument has four parts: a claim (what you want the judge to believe), a warrant (why it's true), an example (a real case that shows it), and an impact (why it decides the round). Most arguments lose on the warrant or the impact, not the claim.
Argumentation drills
- New
- Foundations
- Argumentation
Stakeholder Mapping
Find everyone a motion affects, then argue from the one that matters.
- List everyone the motion changes things for
- See the stakeholders most debaters miss
- Turn one of them into a full argument
- Classic
- AI Grader
- Argumentation
Classic Argument
Build strong, structured arguments on any topic.
- Choose a trending motion or write your own
- Practise clarity, logic and impact framing
- Write within real debate constraints
- New
- Components
- Argumentation
Impact & Illustration
Fix the weakest link: write the one part an argument is missing.
- Finish an argument with its impact, then weigh it
- Add an example, an analogy and an intuition pump
- Compare yours with how the original put it
- Foundations
- Argumentation
Burden Identification
Learn what each side actually has to prove.
- Map Affirmative and Negative burdens side by side
- Find the single burden that decides the round
- Advanced: which side carries the harder one
- Precision
- Argumentation
Concision
Write a full argument, then compress it four times.
- 3,000 → 1,500 → 750 → 280 characters
- Learn to cut without losing the impact
- Reflection step to lock in what you cut
- Guided
- Advanced
- Argumentation
Speech Writing
Turn arguments and rebuttals into a complete speech.
- Choose your motion, side and speech type
- Build from opening to conclusion
- Practise structure, transitions and delivery
What is argumentation in debate?
Argumentation is the work of making a position believable to a judge who starts out neutral. It is not the same as having an opinion or stating one forcefully. An argument is a structure, and a judge can see when a piece of it is missing even if they couldn't name which piece.
Four terms do most of the work:
- A claim is the thing you want believed. "Compulsory voting produces more representative government."
- A warrant is why that claim is true. It is the part beginners skip, because it feels obvious to the person who already believes it.
- A mechanism is how it happens, step by step. Warrants say why; mechanisms say how.
- An impact is why it matters enough to decide the round. An argument without an impact is a fact, not a reason to vote.
Two more terms appear across these drills. A stakeholder is anyone the motion changes things for — they are where arguments come from when you are stuck. A burden is what your side has to prove for the judge to vote for you.
The four parts of an argument
| Part | What it does | The question it answers | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claim | States the position | What do you want me to believe? | Too broad to defend in the time available |
| Warrant | Proves the claim | Why is that true? | Asserted rather than explained |
| Mechanism | Shows the route | How does it actually happen? | Skipped entirely |
| Example | Grounds it in reality | Where has this happened? | Too vague for a judge to verify |
| Impact | Makes it matter | Why does this decide the round? | Missing, or stated without weight |
A worked example
One argument on the motion This House would make voting compulsory, with each part labelled.
Claim. Compulsory voting produces governments that represent the whole population rather than its most motivated part.
Warrant. When voting is optional, turnout skews toward older, wealthier and better-educated citizens. Parties write manifestos for the people who reliably vote, because those are the people who decide elections.
Mechanism. Campaign spending and policy promises follow reliable voters. Make everyone vote and the group a party must persuade changes overnight — which changes what it offers.
Example. Australia has held turnout above 90% since introducing compulsory voting in 1924, against roughly 60% in comparable democracies where voting is optional.
Impact. Policy shifts toward the people currently least represented — the young and the poor — who are also the group whose lives government decisions most affect.
Notice that the claim is the shortest part. Beginners spend most of their words on the claim and almost none on the warrant, which is exactly backwards.
Which argument drill should I start with?
| If you | Start with | Takes |
|---|---|---|
| Have never written a debate argument | Argument Anatomy | 10 min |
| Can't think of arguments on a motion | Stakeholder Mapping | 15 min |
| Write arguments judges call thin | Impact & Illustration | 10 min |
| Don't know what your side must prove | Burden Identification | 15 min |
| Write too much and run out of time | Concision | 20 min |
| Want a full argument on any motion | Classic Argument | 20 min |
| Need a complete speech for a round | Speech Writing | 30 min |
How argument training works
- 1
Pick a drill and a motion. Choose a trending motion, browse the motion bank, or write your own.
- 2
Write inside the structure. Each drill gives you labelled fields rather than a blank box, so you can see which part you are working on.
- 3
Submit or save. Send it to a coach for 5 credits, or save it to your work and come back.
- 4
Compare attempts. Your drill history keeps every version, so you can see the same motion handled better three weeks later.
Which formats these drills work for
Every argumentation drill works for Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum, Policy, British Parliamentary and World Schools. The four parts of an argument are the same in all five — what changes is how much time you have and whether you call it a contention, a point or a claim. Speech Writing is the one drill where you choose a format first, because speech roles and lengths differ.
Get a debate coach to read your work
Every drill can be submitted to a coach from the marketplace for a flat 5 credits. You get scores against four criteria and written feedback on each one — not a grade, but the specific thing to change next time. Coaches set their own rates for live sessions; drill evaluations are the same price from everyone.
Find a debate coachFrequently asked questions
What are the four parts of a debate argument?
A claim, a warrant, an example and an impact. The claim states what you want believed, the warrant explains why it's true, the example grounds it in a real case, and the impact says why it decides the round. Some arguments also need a mechanism showing how it happens.
What is a warrant in debate?
The warrant is the reasoning that proves your claim — the part that answers "why is that true?". It is the most commonly skipped element, because the warrant feels obvious to whoever already believes the claim. A judge who doesn't share your assumptions needs it spelled out.
What is the difference between a warrant and an impact?
A warrant explains why your claim is true. An impact explains why it matters. An argument with a warrant and no impact is correct but gives the judge no reason to vote for it. An argument with an impact and no warrant is just an assertion with stakes attached.
How do I make my arguments more specific?
Name actors, numbers and cases. "This harms vulnerable people" is weaker than "this removes benefits from roughly 400,000 households already below the poverty line." The Impact & Illustration Drill trains exactly this, and the Concision Drill forces it by cutting your space.
Can I choose my own debate motion?
Yes. Every drill lets you pick a trending motion, browse the motion bank, or type your own. If you write your own regularly, the Motion Generation Drill helps you make them balanced enough to practise on properly.
Which debate formats do these argument drills work for?
All of them: Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum, Policy, British Parliamentary and World Schools. The structure of an argument doesn't change between formats. Only Speech Writing asks you to pick a format first, since speech roles and lengths vary.
Are these drills suitable for complete beginners?
Yes. Argument Anatomy assumes no experience and has you assemble arguments from supplied pieces before writing anything from scratch. Stakeholder Mapping is the natural second step. Both explain every term as they go.
Can I get coaching feedback on my argument?
Yes. Any completed drill can be sent to a coach from the marketplace for a flat 5 credits. You get scores against four criteria plus written feedback on each. The same price applies whichever coach you choose.
Can I save my practice and come back to it?
Yes. Everything saves as you work and your drill history keeps every completed attempt. Returning to a drill resumes where you left off rather than starting again.
How long does an argument drill take?
Between 10 and 30 minutes. Component drills like Argument Anatomy and Impact & Illustration run about 10 minutes. Classic Argument and Concision take about 20. Speech Writing takes closer to 30.
Drills by format
Practise for your format
Lincoln-DouglasValue, criterion and one-on-one clash.Public ForumTwo-on-two, lay judges and current events.PolicyPlans, advantages, disads and impact calculus.British ParliamentaryFour teams, fifteen minutes of prep and extensions.World SchoolsThree speakers, prepared and impromptu motions, reply speeches.