Debate Resources
Debate Resources
Embedded Files
The OSDA is providing the information below to assist coaches with aspects of Debate Events.
High School Debate Events Overview
High School Debate Events Overview
The resources linked here provide overviews of the OSDA's High School Debate Events. For those new, the OSDA General Overview is the place to begin! Our detailed category guidelines are in the Competitive Events Manual.
The National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) provides the current topics for the debate events.
The NSDA also provides descriptions of and resources for events as well. At that link, the option to select a particular category will be provided.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate
Lincoln-Douglas Debate
Public Forum Debate
Public Forum Debate
Policy Debate
Policy Debate
Middle School Debate Events Overview
Middle School Debate Events Overview
The resources linked here provide overviews of the OSDA's Middle School Debate Events. For those new, the OSDA General Overview is the place to begin! Our detailed category guidelines are in the Competitive Events Manual.
MS Extemp Debate
MS Extemp Debate
MS Public Forum Debate
MS Public Forum Debate
OSDA 2025 MS State Tournament Topic
OSDA 2025 MS State Tournament Topic
Resolved: On balance, the Department of Education is beneficial to the United States.
OSDA Jan/Feb 2025 Topic
OSDA Jan/Feb 2025 Topic
Resolved: Legalized online gambling is detrimental to the United States.
OSDA Nov/Dec 2024 Topic
OSDA Nov/Dec 2024 Topic
Resolved: Trade tariffs are more beneficial than harmful.
For Middle School Public Forum Debate, the OSDA determines the topics.
Coaches can submit suggestions for future topics at the link provided here.
Past OSDA MS PF Debate Topics
Past OSDA MS PF Debate Topics
March 2024 (MS State Tournament)
Resolved: The United States should abolish the death penalty.
January/February 2024
Resolved: The benefits of using generative artificial intelligence in schools outweigh the harms.
November/December 2023
Resolved: Public schools in Ohio should eliminate the use of standardized testing.
March 2023 (MS State Tournament)
Resolved: The federal government should ban the use of TikTok in the United States.
January/February 2023
Resolved: Public schools should regulate the speech of their students on social media.
November/December 2022
Resolved: The benefits of artificial intelligence outweigh the potential harms.
March 2022 (MS State Tournament)
Resolved: The benefits of space tourism outweigh the costs.
January/February 2022
Resolved: The United States should eliminate single-use plastics.
November/December 2021
Resolved: The federal government should provide two years of free community college to all Americans.
March 2021 (MS State Tournament)
Resolved: Social Media is more beneficial than harmful.
January/February 2021
Resolved: When in conflict, the United States should prioritize the economy over the environment.
November/December 2020
Resolved: In-person learning is more beneficial than distance learning.
March 2020 (MS State Tournament)
Resolved: In the United States, the benefits of organized political lobbying outweigh the harms.
January/February 2020
Resolved: Technology does more harm than good.
November/December 2019
Resolved: In the United States, students should be guaranteed two years of free tuition to a community or technical college.
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