Rebuttal Speeches
Rebuttal speeches are additional speeches allowed to some or all the speakers of a debating team after the regular argumentative speeches have been delivered. In an extended formal debate all the speakers may thus appear a second time. In less lengthy discussions only some of them may be permitted to appear a second time.
As the last speaker has the advantage of making the final impression upon the judges it is usual to offset this by reversing the order of rebuttal. In the first speeches the negative always delivers the last speech. Sometimes the first affirmative speaker is allowed to follow with the single speech in rebuttal. If the team consist of three speakers and all are allowed to appear in rebuttal the entire order is as follows.
First Part |
Rebuttal |
First affirmative |
First negative |
First negative |
First affirmative |
Second affirmative |
Second negative |
Second negative |
Second affirmative |
Third affirmative |
Third negative |
Third negative |
Third affirmative |
If not all the speakers are to speak in rebuttal the team itself decides which of its members shall speak for all.