Public Forum

Public Forum debate is a partnered debate in which individuals compete on teams of two to decide whether a current events topic/resolution should be affirmed or negated. This debate is good for those who want a concise yet engaging debate, because having a good flow to your argumentation is crucial. Topics range from domestic topics such as price controls on the American pharmaceutical industry to foreign topics such as whether or not West African urbanization is worth it. This is to say that the topic areas, which change monthly, are very diverse and provide a tremendous amount of knowledge that one otherwise might not have.

The current resolution is... Resolved: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) should substantially increase its defense commitments to the Baltic states.

Public Forum Debate is structured in a very linear manner. At the beginning, the two teams flip a coin to see who goes first and who goes second. Preferably, you'd choose second so that your team always speaks after the opposing team. Your order between you and your partner should be predetermined going into the tournament. Whichever team goes first, their first speaker gives a 4 minute constructive speech. This speech is known as your 'case', and it is pre-written before the tournament. Once the first team is done, the opposing team goes and gives their constructive. After both constructives are finished, there is a 3 minute 'cross-fire' between the two first speakers, in which they ask questions to each other in an attempt to point out flaws in their opponent's case. After this, the second speaker on the first team will give their 4 minute rebuttal speech. This speech is NOT prewritten, and it should be written by the second speaker while the first speakers are speaking or amid crossfire. This speech is intended to systematically go down the opponent's case, and refute. After both second speakers give their rebuttal speeches, they both go into their own 'cross-fire' of 3 minutes. After this period has elapsed, it's time for the first speaker to give a 2 (or sometimes 3) minute summary speech, which is a speech that summarizes what the debate has come down to, give out any final rebuttals, and start to wrap up the debate. Once both first speakers give a summary speech, it's time for the fabled 'grand-cross', where all four participants in the debate can ask and answer questions. Grand-cross is 3 minutes long. Finally, after that's over, both second speakers will give a 2 minute 'final focus', in which they concisely deliver the voter issues to the judge, and why their team deserves to win based on their arguments on these voter issues. After these speeches are done, the debate has concluded. Amidst all of that, each team is allowed to take up to a combined 2 minutes of 'prep time'. All in all, the debate takes roughly 45 minutes.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUnyLbeu7qU

This is the finals round from 2018 NSDA Nationals. While they're very good and very quick speakers, what's important to notice is the way both sides tackle each other's arguments, and especially the flow/order that rebuttals happen. This is a VERY advanced round :)