Debate

Debate

Kaden Kiwan

What is policy debate?

Policy debate is a form of debate competition in which two teams of two debate a resolution, especially one that calls for policy change by the United States federal government.

Think of yourselves as congressmen and women debating a bill at the Capitol

Official Terminology

• Stock Issues - See below. If the affirmative loses one of these, the negative wins

• Harms - Issues in the status quo that the affirmative claims to solve

• Inherency - What is keeping the plan from taking place

• Topicality - The plan's relevance to the resolution

• Solvency - How the plan will solve the harms

A couple of common debate phrases

• Drop - An argument that is discussed in one speech and not the next is dropped and considered a concession to the other team

• Turn - Argument that a point one team has made actually supports the other team

The sheet onto which you record the content of a debate round is called the flow.