Policy Debate
Constructive 100 points
Debate 150 points
A policy debate involves a controversial issue.
Status quo: How things currently are
Affirmative Thesis: Idea about how things should change
There are two sides in a debate, the affirmative and the negative:
Affirmative: argues the value of a thesis (tries to prove solution solves problem)
Negative: argues against the affirmative thesis (tries to prove either the status quo is not a
problem or the solution won't fix the problem)
The goal in arguing for an affirmative policy thesis is to prove that your idea has more
advantages than disadvantages. In order to do this, you must show that your thesis satisfies four
points (called "voting issues"):
Voting Issues:
The affirmative carries the "burden of proof." Therefore the affirmative team must win each of
the voting issues to win the debate.
1. Harms: Affirmative must show that a harm / problem exists in the status quo.
2. Significance: This deals with the quality or degree of harm. The affirmative must prove that
the harm is bad enough that a change must take place.
3. Inherency: Affirmative must show that the problem won’t just solve itself.
4. Solvency:
a) The affirmative must show that their solution will work; it will solve the harms.
b) The affirmative must prove that the solution will cause more benefit than harms.
Sample Policy Thesis:
Resolved: The school should take steps to reduce drug use on campus.
Affirmative Case: Because student drug use on campus is a significant problem that is
detrimental to a healthy learning environment, we resolve that the administration should use drug
dogs to police the campus.
Negative Case: Show that drug use on campus is not significant, OR that the problem is getting
better and will disappear over time, OR that drug use is not harmful to the learning environment,
OR that drug dogs will not solve the problem, OR that the use of drug dogs will create more
harms than it relieves.
Structure of the Debate:
Three parts of your argument during a debate (A and B versus C and D):
Constructive: This is where you build the argument for your solution or plan. This includes
your main points and supporting evidence.
Cross-examinations: Each side is given an opportunity to question the opposing side.
Rebuttal: This is where you compare your argument to the opposite side's argument, and show
how yours is better. You address the main points of the other side and "rebut" them, or prove
why they are false.
1st Affirmative Constructive (1AC) - 5 minutes
Cross-exam by Negative - 3 minutes
A
C questions A
1st Negative Constructive (1NC) - 5 minutes
Cross-exam by Affirmative - 3 minutes
C
A questions C
2nd Affirmative Constructive (2AC) - 5 minutes
Cross-exam by Negative - 3 minutes
B
D questions B
2nd Negative Constructive (2AC) - 5 minutes
Cross-exam by Affirmative - 3 minutes
D
B questions D
1st Negative Rebuttal - 2 minutes
1st Affirmative Rebuttal - 2 minutes
2nd Negative Rebuttal - 2 minutes
2nd Affirmative Rebuttal - 2 minutes
C
A
D
B
In addition, each team receives a TOTAL of 3 minutes preparation time to be used between
speeches. This time is CUMULATIVE throughout the debate.
Format of the Debate:
1AC: Prove that a problem exists and that it is significant. (Harms and Significance)
2AC: Prove that your solution works and will not cause more harms than benefits. (Solvency)
1NC: Prove either 1) the status quo is not a problem, 2) the problem is not significant, or 3) the
status quo will naturally fix the problem.
2NC: Prove either 1) the solution will not work, or 2) the solution causes more harms than
benefits.
Rebuttal #1: Explain the flaws in the other side’s arguments. Show why their criticism of your
side is wrong.
Rebuttal #2: Frame the debate: Highlight the key issue involved and explain why your side has
it right. Tell the “story” of the debate. Go step by step, summarize your position and show how
your side has won.
Other important info:
Briefs:
Once topics are chosen students will prepare their brief or written argument in advance. This
involves researching evidence to support your thesis. Teams will need to research both sides of
the issue. Students will not know if they will be arguing the affirmative or the negative side until
a few days prior to the debate. Your briefs (written arguments and evidence) will be turned in as
a writing assignment.
Evidence/Citations:
Evidence is any documentation read in a debate in support of your arguments. Evidence can be
quotations from authorities, statistics, or real life examples. You will have several class periods
in the computer lab to research evidence for your argument.
Citations must be given for every piece of evidence. This must include the author and year. You
must provide complete citation info to the teacher at the end of the debate.
I recommend that you use index cards to gather your evidence. Each card should have a title (the
topic or claim it will help prove), the evidence, and a citation.
Random web pages are not necessarily reliable! Use sources that fact check their information
and strive for unbiased reporting (professional news media). A good source should be relevant,
reliable, and recent. Use online databases (SIRS, Muse, ELibrary) instead of search engines.
Debate Speaker Advice:
The point is to convince someone in a logical fashion that your plan is the better of the two.
Therefore it is crucial that your audience be able to understand your argument:
1. Tell them what you're going to say, say it, tell them what you said. Your audience can only
listen to you, they don't have your argument written down on notecards. So, you want to provide
them with a map of what you will talking about, so they can easily follow.
2. Along with this idea, you should signpost your statements. This means stating, first and
foremost, a clear thesis, then clear, specific topic sentences which identify your main points, and
then numbering your points. (Example: Today, I am going to prove to you that…..; This solution
will work for three reasons. First,…..; Second,….; Third,…)
3. Presentation skills count! Remember your posture, gestures, voice, intonation, etc, should be
appropriate for speaking publicly. Be confident but not arrogant, energetic but not frantic, loud
but not deafening, formal but not rigid. On cross-examination, be polite but assertive.
Two useful web sites about debate and the national topic:
www.nflonline.org National Forensics League
www.debate-central.org
Topic: The 99%
Resolved: The United States federal government should enact policies to help middle and lower
income persons living in the United States.
Subtopics:
1. Taxes
2. Infrastructure
3. Education
4. Homelessness
5. Hunger / Nutrition
6. Unemployment
7. Foreclosures
1.
Date
Mon 10/31
Class
Intro to Debate
Due
2.
Wed 11/2
Research
3.
Fri 11/4
Grammar Quiz, Research
4.
Tue 11/8
Coat of Arms, Discuss OP 1-54
5.
Thu 11/10
Vocab Quiz, Coat of Arms, Research
6.
Tue 11/15
Research
7.
Thu 11/17
Grammar Quiz, Discuss OP 55-96, Research
Synopsis
8.
Mon 11/21
Research
Constructive
9.
Mon 11/28
Rehearse
Reading Log
Coat of Arms
10. Wed 11/30
Discuss OP 97-144, Rehearse
11. Fri 12/2
Grammar and Vocab Quiz, Debate
12. Tue 12/6
Debates
13. Thu 12/8
Grammar Quiz, Debate, Discuss OP 145-191
14. Mon 12/12
Debates
15. Wed 12/14
Debates
16. Fri 12/16
Vocab Quiz, Discuss OP
11/4
11/8
11/10
11/17
11/21
11/28
Grammar Quiz
Coat of Arms
Vocab Quiz
Grammar Quiz
Constructive
Reading Log
10
100
10
10
100
150
12/2
12/6
12/8
12/16
12/16
Gram and Voc Quiz
Debate
Grammar Quiz
OP Discussion
Vocab Quiz
20
150
10
100
10