PolicyDebateQuickReference

ResolutionAfirmdecisiontotakepolicyactions.Inthecontextofdebate,theresolutionsetsthetermsforwhatis
possibletodebateabout.

Resolved:TheUnitedStatesfederalgovernmentshouldsubstantiallyincreaseitseconomic engagementtowardCuba,MexicoorVenezuela.

AffirmativeThefirstteamwhospeaksinapolicydebatethegoaloftheaffirmativeistoprovethatpolicychange
ispreferable.PartsoftheAffirmativeconsistof: Plan:Focalpointofthedebatethespecificpolicyactionadvocatedbytheaffirmative. Inherency:Indicatesthattheplanisnotbeingdonenow. Advantages:Reasonswhydoingtheplanisagoodidea,problemsthattheplancanaddress. Solvency:Theabilityoftheplantofixtheproblemsoftheadvantage. TopicalityDoestheplanmeetthecriteriaprovidedbytheResolution?(Doesitprovideasubstantialincreasein economicengagement?)

NegativeSecondteamtospeakinapolicydebatethegoalofthenegativeistoprovethattheaffirmativeplanisa
badidea,oftenthisisbecausethestatusquoisbetter.

Disadvantages:Reasonswhytheplanleadstounwantedconsequences.Disadvantagesconsistof: o UniquenessTheproblemisnothappeningnow. o LinkIndicateshowtheplanchangesthestatusquoandcreatestheproblem. o InternalLink*optionalConnectsthelinktotheimpact. o ImpactWhytheproblemscausedbytheplanarebad.

CounterplanAnargumentmadebythenegativethatdemonstratesthattheaffirmativeplanisnotnecessaryto
addresstheproblemsoutlinedbytheaffirmative.Counterplansalsomustbepreferabletotheaffirmative.

StatusQuoALatintermthatmeansthecurrentconditionsoftheworld,whatishappeningnow.

TurnProvesthatyouropponentsargumentistheoppositeofwhattheyclaim.

ClaimThegeneralstatementofanargument.

DataEvidenceprovidedorgeneralfactsabouttheworldthatsupporttheclaim.

WarrantTheconnectionbetweenaclaimanddatathatmakesacoherentargumentusuallyunstatedwhythe
dataisrelevanttotheclaim.

FlowVerb:Toflowitmeanstotakenotesfromyouropponentsspeechsothatyoumayanswertheminyournext
speech.NounThesheetofpaperthatholdsanargumentonitusuallyyouseparatemajorargumentstoensurethat youdontdropanyimportantargumentsandtokeepthedebatesorderly.

ExtendExtendinganargumentmeanstoreferenceanargumentyou(oryourpartner)madeinpreviousspeechesin
yourcurrentspeech

Drop/ConcedeTonotansweranargumentonthefloworasectionofargumentsDroppedargumentsare
consideredtobetrueargumentsindebates. LinebyLineAnsweringyouropponentsargumentsinorderontheflow.

TheNegativeBlockTypicallyreferredtoasthe2NCandthe1NRcombiningtomakeablockofspeech.

*AdaptedfromDebateCentral

Speech
1AC
First Affirmative Constructive Pre-written speech

Time
8 Min

Purpose & Goals

Thereisaproblemthatcouldbesolved.(Harms) Thestatusquoisnotgoingtosolvetheproblem.(Inherency) Giveaspecificproposalofwhatoughttobedone.(Plan) Showthattheplanwillsolvetheproblem.(Solvency) Askquestionstoclarifyarguments. Askquestionstosetupargumentstocome. Attackaffirmativefromanumberofangles. Makeargumentsagainstthespecificsofthecase.(On-Case) Arguethatbadthingswillhappeniftheplanisadopted.(Disads) Arguethattheplanisnotanexampleoftheresolution.(Topicality) Arguethatthereisabetteralternativeplanofaction.(Counterplan) Askquestionstoclarifyarguments.Inparticular,whatisthecounterplantext?Can youkickthecounterplan? Askquestionstosetupargumentstocome Pre-preparedblocksthatanticipatecommonnegativeargumentsshouldbewritten beforethetournament. Defendaffirmativecaseandattacknegativepositions. Thisistheaffirmativeslastchancetointroducenewissues. Arguethatthecounterplanandaffirmativeplancancoexist.(Perm) Askquestionstoclarifyarguments.Inparticular,whatwerethepermutations?Are thereanytheoreticalvotingissues? Askquestionstosetupargumentstocome. Attackaffirmativepositionsanddefendnegativepositions. Thisisthenegativeslastchancetointroducenewissues. 2NCand1NRshouldcoverdifferentissues. Askquestionstoclarifyarguments. Askquestionstosetupargumentstocome. Attackaffirmativepositionsanddefendnegativepositions. 2NCand1NRshouldcoverdifferentissues.

CX
2N cross-examines 1A

3 min 8 min

1NC
First Negative Constructive

CX
1A cross-examines 1N

3 min

2AC
Second Affirmative Constructive

8 min

CX
1N cross-examines 2A

3 min

2NC
Second Negative Constructive, The Block, pt 1

8 min

CX
2A cross-examines 2N

3 min 5 min

1NR
First Negative Rebuttal The Block, pt 2

1AR
First Affirmative Rebuttal

5 min

Respondto2NC&1NRpositions. Extend2ACarguments&defendtheaffirmativecase. Makechoicesandprioritizearguments. Whydoesthenegativewin?Anticipatewhytheaffmightwinandanswer. Makechoicesandpickbestnegativepositions. WeightheIssues. Whydoestheaffirmativewin?Answer2NRsreasonsthatthenegshouldwin. Makechoicesandpickbestaffirmativepositions. WeightheIssues.

2NR
Second Negative Rebuttal

5 min

2AR
Second Affirmative Rebuttal

5 min