The Second Negative Rebuttal

This is the Second Negative Rebuttal, or 2NR.

The 2NR is the single hardest speech in debate. The Negative has to be technical here, covering the 1AR and extending offense from the Negative Block. But at the same time, this is the Negative’s final speech! They need to summarize the round and crystallize, while preempting the Second Affirmative Rebuttal which is of equal length to the 2NR.

As a result, the 2NR must be small. The 2NR should only go for one offcase position as the core source of offense and should also be selective when answering the Aff case, picking the small handful of arguments most likely to be successful.