40 practice motions, by type

Policy motions

Proposition must model the policy; opposition may countermodel. Drill implementation detail and real-world consequences.

1. 01This House would ban private education.
2. 02This House believes that the United States should implement a universal basic income.
3. 03This House would make voting compulsory.
4. 04This House would ban targeted political advertising on social media.
5. 05This House would require social media platforms to verify the age of all users.
6. 06This House would abolish standardized testing in university admissions.
7. 07This House would impose a carbon tax on imported goods.
8. 08This House would pay college athletes a salary.
9. 09This House believes that developing countries should nationalize their natural-resource industries.
10. 10This House would grant legal personhood to rivers and forests.

Value motions

No model to defend: win the framework. Drill metrics, moral weighing, and framing.

1. 01This House believes that nationalism does more harm than good.
2. 02This House believes that social media has done more harm than good for democracy.
3. 03This House believes that developing countries should prioritise environmental protection over economic growth.
4. 04This House believes that influencer culture has harmed young people.
5. 05This House believes that charity is a poor substitute for justice.
6. 06This House believes that the pursuit of prestige does more harm than good in education.
7. 07This House believes that artificial intelligence will do more good than harm for workers.
8. 08This House believes that celebrity activism does more good than harm.
9. 09This House believes that competitive sports do more good than harm for children.
10. 10This House believes that globalization has done more good than harm for cultural diversity.

Actor motions

Argue from the named actor’s perspective. Drill characterization: incentives, constraints, and what “winning” means for the actor.

1. 01This House, as Ukraine, would pursue a ceasefire with Russia.
2. 02This House, as the feminist movement, believes that embracing traditional femininity undermines gender equality.
3. 03This House, as the environmental movement, would embrace nuclear power.
4. 04This House, as a small island nation, would sell citizenship to fund climate adaptation.
5. 05This House, as the labor movement, would oppose fully remote work.
6. 06This House, as the African Union, would adopt a single continental currency.
7. 07This House, as a parent, would prohibit their child from social media until age 16.
8. 08This House, as the international art community, would return all colonial-era artifacts to their countries of origin.
9. 09This House, as a developing country, would prioritize STEM education over the humanities.
10. 10This House, as the scientific community, would refuse to collaborate with militaries.

Regret motions

Debate the counterfactual world. Drill defining the most plausible alternative history, and holding both teams to it.

1. 01This House regrets the professionalisation of sports.
2. 02This House regrets the rise of the gig economy.
3. 03This House regrets the dominance of the college degree as a hiring signal.
4. 04This House regrets the commercialization of space exploration.
5. 05This House regrets the rise of true-crime entertainment.
6. 06This House regrets the invention of the “like” button.
7. 07This House regrets the narrative that hard work guarantees success.
8. 08This House regrets the decline of local newspapers.
9. 09This House regrets the gamification of education.
10. 10This House regrets the rise of fast fashion.

How to get the most out of a practice motion

1. 1

   Prep both sides before you pick one. Ten minutes sketching proposition and opposition cases teaches you more about a motion than an hour on one side. It is also what you must do at a tournament before sides are assigned.

2. 2

   Run real conditions. One hour, no internet, printed materials only. Practicing with your phone open builds habits that fail on tournament day.

3. 3

   Finish with adjudication. A round without feedback is just talking. Have someone judge on the 40/40/20 criteria and give one action item per speaker.

4. 4

   Rotate the families. If your team only ever debates policy motions, your first regret motion at a tournament will feel like a different sport. Cycle through all four types.