Inter-Collegiate policy debate
Encyclopedia
Inter-Collegiate Policy Debate is a form of speech competition involving two teams of two debaters from different college
s or universities
based on a resolution phrased as something the United States federal government "should" do. Policy debate
also exists as a high school
activity, with a very similar format, but different leagues, tournaments, speech times, resolutions, and styles.
speeches, each followed by a 3-minute cross-examination period, then four 6-minute rebuttal
speeches. The two sides alternate, with the affirmative getting the first and last speeches of the round and the negative getting the last constructive and the first rebuttal in the middle. Most affirmative teams present a specific policy option, or plan, as a normative defence of the resolution. However, some teams partake in alternative forms of debate, including performance, personal advocacies, or otherwise critical
approaches. Negatives have several options for response, including solvency
arguments against the effectiveness of the plan, external policy disadvantage
s, opportunity-cost-based counterplan
s, arguments stemming from debate theory such as the failure of the affirmative to advocate the resolution, and critical approaches. Argument is highly evidence
-based, with numerous lengthy excerpts from books and articles read by each side. Speeches are often very fast, so much so as to be incomprehensible to people who are not used to the style.
(NDT), the Cross Examination Debate Association
(CEDA), and, especially in the mid-Atlantic region, the American Debate Association
(ADA). Since 1996-97 these organizations have shared a common topic, and have become largely unified. They nonetheless continue to host their own national championships.
Other organizations that sponsor policy debate, albeit with different rules, are the National Educational Debate Association
(NEDA) and
the National Forensics Association's Lincoln Douglas (NFA-LD) debate (a policy variant of the high school LD
format, which is less commonly practiced in colleges and universities).
Experienced college debaters often act as paid coaches, judges, and summer-camp counselors for high school policy debaters.
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
s or universities
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
based on a resolution phrased as something the United States federal government "should" do. Policy debate
Policy debate
Policy debate is a form of speech competition in which teams of two advocate for and against a resolution that typically calls for policy change by the United States federal government or security discourse...
also exists as a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
activity, with a very similar format, but different leagues, tournaments, speech times, resolutions, and styles.
Format
Each round is divided into four 9-minute constructiveConstructive speech
In policy debate, a constructive speech is one of the first four speeches of a debate round. Constructive speeches are followed by a 3-minute cross-examination period.In high school, constructive speeches are 8 minutes long; in college, they are 9 minutes....
speeches, each followed by a 3-minute cross-examination period, then four 6-minute rebuttal
Rebuttal speech
In policy debate, a rebuttal speech is one of the last four speeches. Rebuttal speeches are not followed by a cross-examination.-Content:As suggested in its name, the rebuttal speech consists entirely of rebuttals...
speeches. The two sides alternate, with the affirmative getting the first and last speeches of the round and the negative getting the last constructive and the first rebuttal in the middle. Most affirmative teams present a specific policy option, or plan, as a normative defence of the resolution. However, some teams partake in alternative forms of debate, including performance, personal advocacies, or otherwise critical
Kritik
In policy debate , a kritik is generally a type of argument that challenges a certain mindset, assumption, or discursive element that exists within the advocacy of the opposing team, often from the perspective of...
approaches. Negatives have several options for response, including solvency
Stock issues
In the formal speech competition genre known as policy debate, a widely-accepted doctrine or "debate theory" divides the deliberative elements of proving the resolution as affirmative affirmative into four logical issues, called the stock issues...
arguments against the effectiveness of the plan, external policy disadvantage
Disadvantage
In policy debate, a disadvantage is an argument that a team brings up against a policy action that is being considered.-Structure:...
s, opportunity-cost-based counterplan
Counterplan
A counterplan is a component of debate theory commonly employed in the activity of parliamentary and policy debate. While some conceptions of debate theory require the negative position in a debate to defend the status quo against an affirmative position or plan, a counterplan allows the negative...
s, arguments stemming from debate theory such as the failure of the affirmative to advocate the resolution, and critical approaches. Argument is highly evidence
Evidence (policy debate)
Evidence in policy debate consists mainly of two sentences. The cite contains all relevant citation information . Although every card should contain a complete citation, only the author's name and date of publication are typically spoken aloud in a speech...
-based, with numerous lengthy excerpts from books and articles read by each side. Speeches are often very fast, so much so as to be incomprehensible to people who are not used to the style.
Governing organizations
Inter-collegiate policy debate has been historically overseen by the National Debate TournamentNational Debate Tournament
The National Debate Tournament is one of the national championships for collegiate policy debate in the United States. The tournament is sponsored by the American Forensic Association with the Ford Motor Company Fund.-History of the NDT:...
(NDT), the Cross Examination Debate Association
Cross Examination Debate Association
The Cross Examination Debate Association is the largest intercollegiate policy debate association in the United States. Throughout the school year, CEDA sanctions over 60 tournaments throughout the nation, including an annual National Championship Tournament that brings together over 175...
(CEDA), and, especially in the mid-Atlantic region, the American Debate Association
American Debate Association
The American Debate Association began in 1985 as an intercollegiate debate association. It uses the resolution selected by the Cross Examination Debate Association and the National Debate Tournament. Currently they have 66 member schools...
(ADA). Since 1996-97 these organizations have shared a common topic, and have become largely unified. They nonetheless continue to host their own national championships.
Other organizations that sponsor policy debate, albeit with different rules, are the National Educational Debate Association
National Educational Debate Association
The National Educational Debate Association is a collegiate debate association emphasizing audience-centered debate. It was founded by debate educators who believe that the debate tournament is an extension of the communication classroom and that even competitive debates should provide students...
(NEDA) and
the National Forensics Association's Lincoln Douglas (NFA-LD) debate (a policy variant of the high school LD
Lincoln-Douglas debate
Lincoln–Douglas debate is sometimes also called values debate because it traditionally places a heavy emphasis on logic, ethical values, and philosophy...
format, which is less commonly practiced in colleges and universities).
Differences with high school debate
Inter-collegiate and high school policy debate are largely similar. Some of the differences:- High school debate has its own, separate, leagues and tournaments.
- High school constructivesConstructive speechIn policy debate, a constructive speech is one of the first four speeches of a debate round. Constructive speeches are followed by a 3-minute cross-examination period.In high school, constructive speeches are 8 minutes long; in college, they are 9 minutes....
are typically only 8 minutes, and high school rebuttalsRebuttal speechIn policy debate, a rebuttal speech is one of the last four speeches. Rebuttal speeches are not followed by a cross-examination.-Content:As suggested in its name, the rebuttal speech consists entirely of rebuttals...
are typically only 5 minutes. College times are typically 9 minute constructives and 6 minute rebuttals. - Each year, the High school resolutionResolution (policy debate)In policy debate, a resolution or topic is a normative statement which the affirmative team affirms and the negative team negates. Resolutions are selected annually by affiliated schools....
is different from the College Policy Resolution. - College policy tournaments almost always use mutually preferred judging systems (where teams rank their judges and the computer gives the teams a judge that they both ranked fairly to very highly). High school tournaments tend to randomly assign judges or do so with a few strikes.
- College rounds tend to be more strategically complex.
Experienced college debaters often act as paid coaches, judges, and summer-camp counselors for high school policy debaters.