Be dynamic. Have questions and be ready to go, answer questions actively and with confidence whenever you can. The image you project will be very important to the audience/judge. This is the one opportunity the audience/judge has to compare you with opponents side-by-side.

GUIDELINES FOR ASKING QUESTIONS
1. Ask a short Q designed to get a short A
2. Indicate the object of your Q
3. Don't telegraph your argument
4. Don't ask Q they won't answer properly. "So, we win, right?"
5. Make Q seem important, even if it is just an attempt to clarify.
6. Politeness is a must - emphasize the difference if they are rude.
7. Approach things from a non-obvious direction. Then trap them.
8. Mark your flow/notes as to what you want to question them about.
9. Avoid open ended Qs unless you are sure they are clueless.
10. Face the judge/audience, not your opponent.
11. CX answers must be integrated into your arguments made during a speech in order to be effective.

GUIDELINES FOR ANSWERING QUESTIONS:
1. Concise A.
2. Refer to something you have already said whenever possible. This is safe and makes you look together. "As I have already mentioned...."
3. Answer based on your position in the debate so far.
4. Don't make promises of what you will do later.
5. Qualify your answers.
6. Be willing to exchange documents read into the debate.
7. Answer only relevant questions.
8. Address the judge.
9. Try and not answer hypothetical questions. If they demand you answer a. hypothetical question, say you will give a hypothetical answer.
10. Signal each other, don't tag-team.
11. Don't say "I don't know," say "I am not sure at this time...."

Cross-Examination by Steve Hunt

Sources

l. "Cross Examination" Chapter 15 Argumentation: Inquiry and Advocacy by George Ziegelmueller and Charles Dause Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1975

2. Price, Richard "More Effective Cross Examination: Format, Goals, Strategies" in Advance Debate ed David Thomas Skokie, IL: National Textbook Corp.
3. Wellman, Francis The Art of Cross Examination, NY Macmillan 1962

4. "Cross Examination" in Pragmatic Debate by William Bennett

5. Fuge, Lloyd and Newman, Robert P. "Cross Examination in Academic Debating" Speech Teacher JAN, (1956) 66-70

6. Bill Henderson "A system of Teaching Cross-Examination Techniques" Comm Education Mr 78

Purposes
Cross examination can serve many purposes. Most of its main purposes are included in the following:
l. Clarify the debate
A. Cross-x allows the opponents to ck definitions, exact wording, and plan planks so that the debate may be conducted on common ground and there can be more real clash.
B. Cross-x can prevent sandbagging or the intentional holding up of vital analysis, methodology, and/or evidence
C. Cross-x, when properly utilized, can bring out the hidden assumptions or value judgments which are implicit in the opponents analysis and make it explicit so it can be debated.
2. Focus the debate-the cross-x periods shot1ld help narrow the debate to the voting issues just as should the rebuttals. Peripheral issues should not be dealt with in the cross-x periods as the time is too precious.
3. Expose ignorance in the debate- proper questioning and sophisticated responses call for an in depth understanding of the issues of the debate. Knowledgeability becomes critical under the cross examination process.
4. Check on evidence and analysis in the debate
A. The exact source citation as to author's expertise, source, date, etc. of evidence can be checked via cross-x where those matters make a difference
B. You can get the opponents complete analysis by forcing them to fill in their logical leaps. This makes a special difference on things like potential contradictions and causal links.

5. Provide data for later use- this intention for cross-examination should be obvious to all, but it is too often forgotten. Cross-examination is not argument. It is a questioning and answering period. The data provided in such periods must then be used as the basis for arguments.

Hints for the questioner
l. The questioner is in charge of the cross-examination period. If the respondent is taking too long to answer the question or avoiding the questions the questioner should stop him or her and rephrase the question or try a new question. Be courteous but don't allow respondent to waste your time.
2. You can't consult with your colleague during cross-x and you should only question not argue or comment upon responses.
3. You should ask short series of questions getting at a few key issues. As Brockriede and Ehninger say p. 320 Decision by Debate "Establishing a few basic claims through organized series of questions is much more effective than jabbing at random . . ."
4. You should ask show easily understood questions.
A. You can't reasonably demand a yes or not or true or false response but you can often ask questions that could be answered this simply.
B. Avoid questions about why or how something happens as this allows your opponent to take up a great deal of time give his/her perception of the process. In other words, you are just asking your opponent to argue with you instead of just answering your questions.
C. Avoid questions which are negatively phrased as they can lead to confusion.
D. Largely ask for factual information so as to avoid the interpretations your opponents will give to open ended questions.
5. You should know what direction your questions are headed and have a purpose in mind. This is the reason behind the common bit of advise to only ask qeustions you already know the answers to.
6. Use your cross examination periods esp. to expose assertions of the opposition, expose hidden assumptions in the debate, show weaknesses in the links between the opponents evidence and their contentions, to expose base evidence and bad analysis particulary weak causal analysis or methodology

Hints for the respondent
1. Your job is to answer the questions. Don't argue. Don't stall. Don't try to consult with your colleague because he or she can't answer for you. you can take a few seconds to think before answering but not too much time.
2. Be very very knowledgeable about your case or attack. In this way you will be consistent in your answers and in your overall analysis.
3. Despite your knowledgeability, admit ignorance when you really don't know something. Don't lie, however, and say that you don't know when everyone knows you really do.
4. You may reasonably ask that the questioner rephrase his or her question if it has been unfairly put in the first place or if you really don't understand it.
5. If you are going to qualify your response, do so before answering rather than after as the questioner does have the right to cut you off.

Important strategic considerations in Cross-Examination
1. Cross examination stresses knowledgeability. It exposes ignorance. It devastatingly cuts into the weaknesses of squirrel cases. It potentially devastates the sandbag. But it only does these things when used well as the tool it should be.
2. Cross x is to be used for questions and answers. You must use the results later in arguments. Cross-x is part of the debate and counts for you or against you unto itself but the questions and answers become arguments in other parts of the debate. The cross x periods do not constitute arguments. Their results are the data for arguments. Arguments win debates not ?'s and answers.
3. You must be aggressive in cross-x without being discourteous. There is a distinct potential to get personal and overly emotional. You must keep your cool.
4. You must seriusly weigh and balance the advantages vs the disadvantages of who questions whom
A. If the 2nd Neg questions the 1st Aff the 1st Neg will have more time to prepare but the 2nd Neg might not be as familiar with the issues the 1st Neg wants questions asked about.;
B. If the 2nd Aff questions the 1st Neg he or she can set up his or her own issues but he or she will lose precious preperation time.
C. If the 1st Neg questions the 2nd Aff that sets up the issues for the 1st Aff rebuttal but it may not adequately clarify the plan issues which are necessary to set up the 2nd Neg constructive
D. If the 1st Aff rebuttalist questions the 2nd Neg that sets up the plan answers for the vital 1st Aff rebuttal and breaks the Neg block. However, this is precluded as a choice if the 1st Aff has already questioned the 1st Neg.
I recommend that both partners be familiar with both positions on both sides to avoid these difficulties in cross-x. Partners should develop teamwork in cross-x just as in flowsheeting. 90%+ of the time the partner who speaks next should not do the cross x but should use the time for preparing for his or her speech. There are a few debates where you might want to break this suggestion.