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Here are the current topics for the 4 types of debates we participate in:
Here are the current topics for the 4 types of debates we participate in:
Current Topics
Cross Examination ( Policy ): Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially reduce its restrictions on legal immigration to the United States.
Lincoln Douglas ( LD ) : Resolved: The United States ought not provide military aid to authoritarian regimes.
Parliamentary ( Parli ) : not available, usually on current events
Public Forum ( Profo ) : Resolved: The United States federal government should prioritize reducing the federal debt over promoting economic growth.
Below is information on each event and the page number for additional information on each event in the OSAA handbook.
Below is information on each event and the page number for additional information on each event in the OSAA handbook.
Please note that if you are still confused or need more explaining do not be afraid to ask a coach, captain, or officer
Cross examination ( Policy )
Cross examination ( Policy )
same topic all year
Cross examination, also known as Policy, is a partner debate that debates the same topic all year long. Due to having the same topic all year, Policy is a great form of debate for in-depth debate that can be very specific. Policy is, as well, a prepared debate, meaning an affirmative and negative case must be written before a debate. These cases are evidence based and focus on how to solve something. As one of the longer debates, Policy runs for around 1 ½ hours where each team is randomly designated to debate either the affirmative (aff) or the negative (neg) with only 5 minutes of prep time for each person. A fair warning about Policy however, is that people do speed reading also known as spreading. The reading is so fast that, if you’re a beginner, you may not understand a word of what someone saids. Policy is a form of debate where you gain a greater knowledge on the subject, yet it may not be recommended as the first type of debate you try, but if you are up for a challenging and fast talking debate with lots of evidence, policy may be right for you!
Length and order of speeches:
Length and order of speeches:
8 min. 1st Affirmative Constructive (1AC)
3 min. Cross examination by 2nd Negative
8 min. 1st Negative Constructive (1NC)
3 min. Cross examination by 1st Affirmative
8 min. 2nd Affirmative Constructive (2AC)
3 min. Cross examination by 1st Negative
8 min. 2nd Negative Constructive (2NC)
3 min. Cross examination by 2nd Affirmative
5 min. 1st Negative Rebuttal (1NR)
5 min. 1st Affirmative Rebuttal (1AR)
5 min. 2nd Negative Rebuttal (2NR)
5 min. 2nd Affirmative Rebuttal (2AR)
Below is a PDF to explain these speeches read only 1-2, for more info on the overall debate read 3-5: https://www.whitman.edu/Documents/Academics/Debate/WNDI_Policy_Starter_Kit_v1.pdf
Rules on page 17 & 18 of OSAA handbook.
Rules on page 17 & 18 of OSAA handbook.
Lincoln Douglas ( LD )
Lincoln Douglas ( LD )
new topic every two months
Lincoln Douglas (LD) was named after President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass’ debates on the moralities of slavery during post civil war. Modern LD takes the same format of the historic debate by being the only individual debate allowing more moral and abstract arguments. Due to the moral backbone of LD, this unique debate is focused on a value and a criteria which a person's arguments should support. The value is what you tell the judge is most important in the debate, and the criteria is how you and your case best achieve that value. However, do not let the moral wording and philosophical values take away from the fact LD is a highly evidence based debate. LD is a prepared debate where an individual must write both the Affirmative (Aff) and Negative (Neg) cases, as they have the chance of being assigned to either one before a debate. LD is typically slower than policy debate, yet some people will still read fast. The best thing to do before a LD round is to ask your judge if they can handle speed, because LD can go fast or slow depending on the judge and your opponent. Each debater is only allowed a maximum of four minutes to prep throughout the whole debate. If you like the sound of debating solo with a clash of moral and evidential arguments LD may be for you!
Length and order of speeches:
Length and order of speeches:
6 min. Affirmative Constructive (1AC)
3 min. Negative Questions Affirmation
7 min. Negative Constructive (1NC)
3 min. Affirmative question Negative
4 min. Affirmative Rebuttals (1AR)
6 min. Negative Rebuttals (1NR)
3 min. Affirmative Rebuttals (2AR)
An example of a LD debate round:
An example of a LD debate round:
Rules about LD are on page 21 of OSAA handbook.
Rules about LD are on page 21 of OSAA handbook.
Parliamentary ( Parli )
Parliamentary ( Parli )
new topic ever time
Parliamentary debate (Pari) is the only impromptu debate, meaning no cases or evidence need to be gathered before a debate. In this partner debate a team will not find out what they are debating until they go to their round. Furthermore, at the beginning of the round the two teams will be given three topics to debate, and each team will be allowed to get rid of one of the topics until there is only one left. After deciding the topic they are debating, each team will be allowed only 15 minutes to prep an opening and arguments for their side. No outside sources, including books, the internet, or people, are allowed to give a team information. A dictionary is the only allowable source. After 15 minutes of prep, both teams come back and begin the round with no evidence and only their own knowledge on the topic. Another interesting aspect of the debate is there is no proper time to ask the opposing team questions, meaning a question can be asked any time during the an opponent's constructive speech, or after or before the first and last minute of the speech. Upon being asked a question is allowed to decline by saying “No Thank You”. If a person decides to do Parli, it is very important that they watch the news and are staying on top of current events since the topics are one current policies or values. However, before someone tries Parli, some people would recommend they participate in a prepared form of debate to practice formatting full arguments and executing them. Yet, Parli is a great form of debate if you don't want to write cases and like to think on your feet debating multiple topics all in one day!
Length and order of speeches:
( in Parli Aff is called the Proposition and Neg is called the Opposition )Length and order of speeches:
7 min. 1st Proposition constructive
8 min. 1st Opposition constructive
8 min. 2nd Proposition constructive
8 min. 2nd Opposition constructive
4 min. Opposition rebuttal
5 min. Proposition rebuttal
An example of a Parli debate round:
An example of a Parli debate round:
Rules about Parli are on page 19 - 21 of OSAA handbook.
Rules about Parli are on page 19 - 21 of OSAA handbook.
Rules about Pofo are on page 18-19 of OSAA handbook.
Rules about Pofo are on page 18-19 of OSAA handbook.
Public Forum ( Profo )
Public Forum ( Profo )
new topic every month
Public Forum, also known as Pofo is a great form of debate that covers policies including government affairs and much more. The partner debate is a great debate to start with for its a prepared debate that is highly evidence based, yet is slightly shorter than the other debates. Since it is shorter less has to be prepared making it a more welcoming debate for newcomers. Yet, once a person starts pofo and finds out they love it they will eventually know a lot more goes into the simple yet complex debate. While Policy debates solutions, and LD debates values, Pofo is a debate about advocating for or against a policy in whether something is beneficial or not. The debates are logical and on a wide range of topics that will change every month. A few things to note about Pofo is there is only 2 minutes of prep time allowed during the debate for both people on the team to share, additionally, Pofo has a coin toss to decide how the debate will go. Whatever team wins the coin toss gets to decide if they are first or second to speak OR if they want to be aff or neg. So if the team that won the toss decides they want to be Aff, the other team gets to decide if they want to be first or second to speak. Overall, Pofo is a great form of debate if you like logical arguments, shorter debates, and maybe for trying your first debate!
Length and order of speeches:
Length and order of speeches:
4 min. First Speaker - Team A
4 min. First Speaker - Team B
3 min. Crossfire
4 min. Second Speaker - Team A
4 min. Second Speaker - Team B
3 min. Crossfire
2 min. Summary - First Speaker - Team A
2 min. Summary - First Speaker - Team B
3 min. Grand Crossfire
2 min. Final Focus - Second Speaker - Team A
2 min. Final Focus - Second Speaker - Team B
More info on Pofo debate :
More info on Pofo debate :
Public Forum Guide.pdfGoogle Sites
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