Blocksmith - Evidence-Based Debate Blocks

Blocksmith is a web application designed to help debaters find evidence-based blocks to counter opponent arguments. Simply input your debate resolution, select your side, and enter your opponent's argument to receive relevant quotes and sources.

Live at: blocksmithdebate.com

How It Works

1. Enter the Resolution: Input the debate resolution you're debating
2. Select Your Side: Choose whether you're on the Affirmative or Negative side
3. Enter Opponent's Argument: Input the specific argument you need to respond to
4. Find Evidence: Click "Find Evidence" to search for relevant sources and quotes
5. Review Results: Browse through the evidence results, which include:
   • Relevant quotes that can serve as blocks
   • Source links for verification
   • Verification badges for resolution relevance, argument relevance, and source reliability
6. Copy Your Block: Use the "Copy Block" button to copy a formatted block with all the information

Features

• Side Selection: Choose between Affirmative and Negative positions
• Argument Input: Enter specific opponent arguments to respond to
• Evidence Search: Find relevant quotes and sources using search integration
• Triple Verification: Checks for resolution relevance, argument relevance, and source reliability
• Multiple Results: Navigate between multiple evidence sources when available
• Copy Functionality: Easily copy formatted debate blocks
• Clean Interface: Modern, user-friendly design

Design

Blocksmith features a clean, modern interface with:

• Modern color palette with primary blue tones
• Typography combining Playfair Display for headings and Inter for body text
• Responsive layout that works on various screen sizes
• Smooth animations and transitions for an engaging user experience

Important Disclaimer

Blocksmith is a student-built beta tool to support debate prep. All sources should be independently verified before use. Please ensure evidence meets your circuit's standards.

The evidence provided by Blocksmith is meant to be a starting point for your research. Always review and verify:

• The accuracy of quotes
• The credibility of sources
• The context of the evidence
• Whether the evidence meets your circuit's specific standards and requirements

Technical Details

Built With

• Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript
• Backend: Node.js with Express
• Search: Serper API (Google Search integration)
• Deployment: Vercel/Netlify

Development

If you want to run this locally:

1. Clone or download this repository
2. Navigate to the project folder
3. Install dependencies:

   npm install

4. Configure environment variables (API keys, etc.)
5. Start the server:

   npm start

Credits

Developed as a tool for debaters seeking reliable evidence sources. Built for the debate community, by the debate community.