Responding to Theory

Overview

Theory is one of the most technical styles of debate, and as such, learning how to respond can be difficult at first. Luckily, getting proficient at responding to theory is achievable for anyone who has a proper understanding of how theory operates and sufficient time to drill answering various shells. In this section, we will aim to lay out all of the most common methods of responding to theory shells with suggestions on how to conduct further drills. Although this page is organized into sections, you're recommended to read it from top-to-bottom as it is organized.