Policy Debate
Policy Debate (also known as Cross-Examination Debate) is a form of speech competition. See Debate for other types of debate competition. High school policy debate is sponsored by the National Forensic League, the Catholic Forensic League or one of the regional speech organizations. Collegate debates are generally competed under the guidlines of the National Debate Tournament (NDT) or the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA).
Debate topics (resolutions) are selected annually by ballot of the coaches of affiliated schools, and a single topic is debated by affiliated students nationally for the entire season.
Policy debate involves the analysis of a factually-oriented, rather than philosophically-oriented question (as in Lincoln-Douglas Debate). The debate is conducted by teams of two people, alternating for each speech of that position.
In policy debate, emphasis is place upon factual evidence, and it is necessary for the affirmative to advocate a plan by which the resolution can be affirmed. The negative attacks this plan through various methods of their choice.
Judging policy debate can be challenging. The total time available is short, the issues are complex and the judge may have personal beliefs that cloud impartiality. Some sponsoring organizations require debate judges be certified as competant. Other debate circuits prefer "lay" judges.
Recent NFL high school resolutions include...
- Resolved: That the United States Federal government should establish an ocean policy substantially increasing the protection of marine natural resources. (2003-2004)
- Resolved: That the United States federal government should establish a foreign policy substantially increasing its support of United Nations peacekeeping operations. (2004-2005)
Recent CEDA-NDT intercollegate debate topic include:
(2003-2004) Resolved: that the United States Federal Government should enact one or more of the following:
- Withdrawal of its World Trade Organization complaint against the European Unions restrictions on genetically modified foods;
- A substantial increase in its government-to-government economic and/or conflict prevention assistance to Turkey and/or Greece;
- Full withdrawal from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization;
- Removal of its barriers to and encouragement of substantial European Union and/or North Atlantic Treaty Organization participation in peacekeeping in Iraq and reconstruction in Iraq;
- Removal of its tactical nuclear weapons from Europe;
- Harmonization of its intellectual property law with the European Union in the area of human DNA sequences;
- Rescission of all or nearly all agriculture subsidy increases in the 2002 Farm Bill.
The exact procedure of the debate may vary depending on the sponsoring body. The order of speeches is invarient. The speeches description, and the speech times (under NFL rules) are as follows:
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First Affirmative Constructive Speech
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8 minutes
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Cross-Examination of Affirmative by Negative
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3 minutes
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First Negative Constructive Speech
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8 minutes
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Cross-Examination of Negative by Affirmative
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3 minutes
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Second Affirmative Constructive Speech
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8 minutes
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Cross-Examination of Affirmative by Negative
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3 minutes
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Second Negative Constructive Speech
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8 minutes
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Cross-Examination of Negative by Affirmative
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3 minutes
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First Negative Rebuttal
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5 minutes
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First Affirmative Rebuttal
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5 minutes
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Second Negative Rebuttal
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5 minutes
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Second Affirmative Rebuttal
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5 minutes
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In addition to speeches, policy debates may allow for a certain amount of preparation time, or "prep time," during a debate round. This is normally around 8 minutes of total prep time that can be used, but the amount can range from one policy debate round to another. The preparation time is used at each team's preference; they can use different amounts of preparation time before any of their speeches, or even none at all.
Referenced By
Debate | Lincoln-Douglas Debate | NFL District Tournament | National Forensic League | National Forensics League
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