Unit 4 · Lesson 4• 6 min
Building Your Card File
You can't research live. Bring cards in. 20 great cards beats 200 unread ones.
Categories first
Pick 5–7 issue areas you'll see all season: economy, healthcare, climate, civil rights, foreign policy, education, tech.
Aff card + Neg card per topic
Force yourself to have BOTH sides ready. You don't know which side you'll need until you're in the chamber.
Top of card: 1-line tag
'CARBON TAX BOOSTS GDP 1.2% — Yale, 2023' so you can grab the right one at a glance.
Quick Check
1. Best card-file approach:
Answer all 1 to check.
Takeaway
20 great cards (both sides, both ready) beats 200 unread ones.