PUBLIC FORUM
DEBATE
Partner debate
Resolution
• The central component of Public Forum Debate is the
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resolution, which is the topic that the students debate.
It is based on current events
Examples
Resolved: The costs of a college education outweigh the
benefits.
Resolved: The United States federal government should
permit the use of financial incentives to encourage organ
donation.
This month’s resolution: Resolved: The United States
Federal Government ought to pay reparations to African
Americans.
The resolution or topic changes every month
Sides
• The team that is for the resolution is called the affirmative
or aff.
• The team that is against the resolution is called the
negative or neg.
• Teams do not know which side they are debating until
seconds before the round. This means they have to be
prepared to defend either side.
The way it works
• You arrive at the tournament with the team on the bus
• You go to the cafeteria and wait
• Round 1 will be posted on a paper; it will look like this
• PF
CODES
ROOM
2A
6B
110
7A
9A
111
9B
14C
112
14A
3A
113
5A
14B
114
6A
7B
115
1A
4A
116
The way it works continues
• Find your code (I’ll tell you what it is on the bus) and go to
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that room
Wait for your judge to enter the room before you go in
When both teams are there, one team chooses heads or
tails and the judge or other team flips a coin
Whoever wins the coin toss can choose either 1. What
side they want to argue (aff. Or neg.) or 2. If they want to
be the first or second team to talk
If you win the coin toss, choose what side you are
stronger in
If you lose the coin toss, choose to be first speaker
Where to sit
First speaker
Third speaker
Team A
Second speaker Fourth speaker
Lectern
Judge
Team B
Timing
• Constructive speech
• Constructive speech
• Crossfire
Team A first speaker, Team B first speaker
• Rebuttal speech
• Rebuttal speech
• Crossfire
Team A first speaker
Team B first speaker
Team A second speaker
Team B second speaker
Team A second speaker, Team B second speaker
Summary speech
Team A first speaker
• Summary speech
Team B first speaker
• Grand Crossfire
All members
• Final Focus
Team A second speaker
• Final Focus
Team B second speaker
4 min
4 min
3 min
4 min
4 min
3 min
2 min
2 min
3 min
2 min
2 min
Constructive Speech
• The first speech given on each side
• Prepared ahead of time
• The first speaker just reads it
• It should include an introduction that frames and defines
the resolution, then one or more contentions (points) that
argue for the team’s position, followed by a conclusion
• The speaker stands at the lectern and speaks to the judge
Crossfire
• A chance to ask/answer questions
• Team A gets to ask the first question, unless they choose
not to
• It should go back and forth with turns, but this is not a rule
and some debaters will just keep asking questions and
bully their opponent
• Widefield don’t play that way
• Both speakers stand at the lectern, but face forward to
look at the judge
Rebuttal
• this is the first opportunity for each team to refute, or
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answer, the arguments made by their opponents.
In this four-minute speech, the speakers are charged with
disproving their opponent’s cases with their own analysis
or with evidence from third-party sources.
The first speaking team’s rebuttal will focus on refuting
their opponent’s case
the second speaking team’s rebuttal must both refute their
opponent’s case and also respond to attacks made
against their own case.
This person is usually the stronger debater of the team
The speaker stands at the lectern and speaks to the judge
Summary speech
• Following the second crossfire, the first speakers on each
team deliver their summary speeches.
• These speakers will attempt to summarize the main
issues in the debate and continue to persuasively
advocate for their position.
• The speaker stands at the lectern and speaks to the judge
Grand Crossfire
• The grand crossfire is very similar to the other crossfires,
except that all four debaters participate.
• The debaters address one another and the judge but
generally remain seated.
• The grand crossfire is notorious for escalating tension, so
all participants need to be mindful of decorum.
Final Focus
• The last speech of the debate is the final focus, which is
delivered by the second speaker.
• No new arguments may be made in the final focus;
instead, the speaker concentrates on analyzing the
arguments that have been made already and detailing for
the judge why, on the merit of those arguments, her team
should win the debate.
• The speaker stands at the lectern and speaks to the judge
Prep time
• each team has two minutes of preparation time, just
called “prep.”
• Debaters may choose to use prep time at any point of the
debate, but only between speeches or crossfires;
debaters may not take prep time in the middle of a
speech.
• During prep time, partners may consult with each other
over potential arguments to make or questions to raise
during upcoming speeches or crossfires.
• The two minutes of prep time is cumulative for the debate,
so participants must manage this time wisely.
Who wins?
• The judge determines the winner based off of who
convinced him.
• He also considers evidence used, ethical behavior, and
how well you spoke
• You do not find out if you won or lost until we have left the
tournament
• Show ballot example
Rounds
• You do this 3 times
• If you win all 3 of your rounds, you go on to the finals
• 1st-6th place get awards
HOW TO FLOW A
ROUND
Keeping notes
Watch me
• See how I take short hand notes
• And keep track of arguments that were attacked and not
attacked
• Keep track of which arguments are backed by evidence
• Use handout
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdNg3F7aBcM
• Your turn
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ll_9bKFyXA
RESOLUTION
3 types of resolutions
• Resolutions of Fact: Resolutions that question whether or
not a piece of information about the world is true.
• Example
Resolved: U.S. policies established after
September 11, 2001, have substantially reduced the risk
of terrorist acts against the United States.”
• This resolution requires that the affirmative prove two
things: that the risk of terrorist attacks has been reduced
and that the policies established after September 11
caused that reduction
3 types of resolutions
• Resolutions of Value: Resolutions that question a
particular ideal or a set of judgments about the world.
• Example
“Resolved: When the values are in conflict,
the United Nations should prioritize global poverty
reduction over environmental protection.”
• This would lead to a discussion surrounding why
prioritizing global poverty reduction has more benefits
than environmental protection and, thus, a normative
evaluation of global poverty reduction.
3 types of resolutions
• Resolutions of Policy: Resolutions that question a
particular course of action.
• Example
Resolved: Direct popular vote should replace
Electoral College vote in U.S. presidential elections.”
• To win, the affirmative team must prove that direct popular
vote replacing the Electoral College would be the ideal
reality.
Building a case
• Once you know the resolution, determine what the main
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issues will be
Begin creating a column of aff and neg points of
arguments or contentions
Begin researching
Choose the 3 strongest points and focus on those
Don’t get rid of the other stuff, this may come in handy
during a debate
Write your two cases or constructive speeches
See handout