Offers a theoretical and practical foundation for effective participation in academic debate competition, as well as public debate and discussion events. Although the text draws attention to practice in the American intercollegiate parliamentary debate format, the critical thinking, public speaking, advanced listening and note taking, argumentation, and refutation skills discussed are helpful to those participating in other formal and informal debating situations. The text offers a comprehensive examination of the tools of effective debating, including argumentation anticipation, construction, fallacies, extension, and significance issue research, case development, critical refutation of assumptions and evidence, and opportunity cost theory.