Significance

Make sure you’re describing the resolution’s effects in diverse ways. Only addressing how it will affect the economy, for example, will leave you open to being attacked on different angles by your opponents, and leaves the judge feeling that your case is one dimensional. Try to factor in different spheres of life for the most cohesive case, and even just thinking about each of these as an impact can lead you into finding a point you might not have any other way.

The acronym SPERM describes five of the categories a resolution’s effect could fall under:

Social

Political

Economic

Religious

Moral

Drill

Write as many contentions as possible to a single resolution, doesn’t matter how silly they are as long as they have claims, warrants, and impacts. Then categorize them based on the SPERM framework. Try to have at LEAST two in each category, and then organize them by strongest to weakest. This can help you identify what to actually use in a round, and how to diversify your portfolio, so to speak.