Team Work.  With the plan agreed upon by the speakers, the brief made out, and the material distributed, each speaker can go to work in earnest to prepare his single speech.  The best method has been outlined in this book.  His notes should be accurate, clear, easily manipulated.  His quotations should be exact, authoritative.  By no means should he memorize his speech.  Such stilted delivery would result in a series of formal declamations.  With his mind stocked with exactly what his particular speech is to cover, yet familiar enough with the material of his colleagues to use it should he need it, the debater is ready for the contest.

Manipulating Material.  The speakers on a side should keep all their material according to some system.  If cards are used, arguments to be used in the main debate might be arranged in one place, material for rebuttal in another, quotations and statistics in still another.  Then if the other side introduces a point not anticipated it should be easy to find the refuting or explaining material at once to counteract its influence in the next speech, if it should be disposed of at once.  If slips of paper are used, different colors might indicate different kinds of material.  Books, papers, reports, to be used should always be within available distance.  While a speaker for the other side is advancing arguments the speaker who will follow him should be able to change, if necessary, his entire plan of defense or attack to meet the manoeuver.  He should select from the various divisions upon the table the material he needs, and launch at once into a speech which meets squarely all the contentions advanced by his predecessor.  This instantaneous commandeering of material is likely to be most usual in rebuttal, but a good debater must be able to resort to it at a second’s notice.

The First Affirmative Speaker.  The first affirmative speaker must deliver some kind of introduction to the contentions which his side intends to advance.  It is his duty to be concise and clear in this.  He must not use too much time.  If the proposition needs defining and applying he must not fail to do it.  He must not give the negative the opportunity to explain and apply to its own purposes the meaning of the proposition.  He should state in language which the hearers will remember exactly what the issues are.  He can help his own side by outlining exactly what the affirmative intends to prove.  He may indicate just what portions will be treated by his colleagues.  He should never stop with merely introducing and outlining.  Every speaker must advance proof, the first as well as the others.  If the preliminary statements by the first affirmative speaker are clearly and convincingly delivered, and if he places a few strong, supporting reasons before the judges, he will have started his side very well upon its course of debating.  The last sentences of his speech should drive home the points he has proved.