Public Forum Format
This is the first speech from either side in a debate. In Public Forum, the speech time is four minutes. As an introduction, this is a key speech to define terms and ideas to make the resolution easier to understand while also creating the first pieces of offense that a team can use to claim the judge’s ballot.
Constructive
The first part of an argument. Think of it as the statement that you assert.
Claim
These are the debate specific notes taken by a judge and competitors.
Flow
A team can make claims on what the judge needs to look towards first. These claims provide a lens through which the judge should make their evaluation. Frequently teams will give a philosophical/ethical basis for evaluation (think the idea of utilitarianism) or argue that policymaking needs to consider certain ideas/groups in its determination for action.
Framework
Prose Interpretation
In Public Forum, this speech follows the constructive and is four minutes long. Given by the second speaker on each team, this speech focuses on creating additional offense in the round while at the same time putting up defensive answers to the opponents’ positions.
Rebuttal
The reason that the argument a debater made is important. Without this, a judge and opponent could essentially concede the entire point but say it has zero consequence in terms of decision making.
Impact
The person who determines the outcome of the debate.
Judge
A format of debate that consists of two teams of two. The pro team argues in favor of the resolution while the con team argues the opposite.
Public Forum
Speech is informative in nature
Extemporaneous- Informative Speaking
This speech is expected to start to condense or collapse the round down to a select few arguments and define what the judges should focus on for the rest of the debate.
Summary
Support or prove a claim is true; statistics, facts, quotations, surveys, etc.
Evidence
If an impact is the reason that an argument should have importance, this is the reasoning for the judge to prefer one issue over another.
Weighing
It is not enough to merely make your own arguments, you must make responsive arguments as a rejoinder or rebuttal to the specific arguments that are raised by the opposing debaters
Clash
oral interpretation of poetry
Poetry Interpretation
Each side is allowed and expected to ask questions of the other.
Crossfire
A critical part to an argument as it establishes why the claim the debater made is true.
Warrant
Typically started by the first speaker in the summary speech, these issues are a way for the debater to collapse the round down.
Voting Issue
Due to time constraints, competitors must make decisions about what arguments to no longer discuss in the round.
Drop
speech is persuasive in nature
Extemporaneous- Persuasive Speaking
The last speech of the round is a chance for the debater to crystallize and tell the judge what issues need to be considered most on their ballot.
Final Focus
This is the topic that has been selected by the NSDA or other competition entity that debaters should focus on in rounds. One side is typically for the resolution (aff or pro) while the other side is the opposite (con or neg).
Resolution
At the end of the round the judge must articulate the reason that they voted for one side in the round.
Reason for Decision
In Public Forum, each team is allotted three minutes of time in round that they can call for in order to talk to their partner and think through what the next speech they give should focus on.
Prep time
one person on each side debating value resolutions
Lincoln-Douglas