son that you put down. As you think and read you will determine
many reasons for the truth or falsity of the proposition. Gradually
you will see that a great many of them are not so important as others
and that they do not bear directly on the question, but in reality
support some more important reason that you have set down. As you
begin to notice this, go through your pack of cards and arrange them
in the order of importance. Begin a new pile with every statement that
seems to bear directly upon the proposition and put under it those
statements that seem to support it. You will soon find that you have
all your cards in two or three piles. Now examine the cards which you
have on the top of each pile. See if the proof of these statements
would convince any person that you are right. If so you have probably
found the issues.

_Always think first, then read, then think again_.

If you have determined the issues wisely, it will be easy in the
debate itself to show the audience and the judges what those issues
are. You will have a tremendous advantage over your opponent, who in
his haste or laziness may have chosen what are not the real issues of
the question. He may present well the material that he has, but if
that material does not support the _fundamental issues_ of the
question, you are right in calling the attention of the judges to that
fact.

Few debates are won on the platform. They are won by thoughtful
preparation. Be prepared.

SUGGESTED EXERCISES

1. Give in your own words, as briefly as you can, a definition of the
term "the issues of a question."

2. Give one illustration of your own of the issues of a question.

3. What is meant by "determining the issues"?

4. Will the affirmative and the negative teams always agree on the
issues?

5. Can a question have two entirely different sets of issues? Why, or
why not?

6. If there can be only one correct set of issues for a question, and
you believe that you have determined those, what must you do in the
debate if your opponents advance different issues?

7. Think over carefully and set down what you believe are the issues
of one of the following propositions. Frame the issues as questions.

(1) a) Football Should Be Abolished in This [your own] School.

b) Football Should Be Installed as a Regular Branch of Athletics in
This [your own] School.

(2) a) Manual Training /Should Be Established in This
Domestic Science \ [your own] Schoo