Outline of a Policy (Cross-examination) Debate

Speech / Time / Purpose
1 AC
First Affirmative Constructive / 4 minutes (High School – 8 minutes) /
  1. Establish affirmative advocacy of resolution.
  2. Prewritten speech.
  3. There is a problem (Harms)
  4. The status quo is not going to solve the problem (Inherency).
  5. Give a specific proposal of what ought to be done (Plan).
  6. Show that the plan will solve the problem (Solvency).

CX
Cross Examination / 2 minutes (high school – 3 minutes) /
  1. 2nd Negative cross-examines the 1st Affirmative.
  2. Ask questions to clarify arguments.
  3. Ask questions to set-up arguments to come.
  4. Be polite / professional.

1 NC
First Negative Constructive / 4 minutes (High School – 8 minutes) /
  1. Attack affirmative.
  2. Make arguments against the specifics of the case (Case Arguments).
  3. Argue that bad things will happen if the plan is adopted (present Disadvantages / Disads).
  4. Argue that the plan is not a representation of the topic (Topicality).
  5. Argue that there is a better alternative (Counterplan)
  6. Argue that the aff’s fundamental assumptions are flawed (Critique or “K”).

CX – Cross Examination / 2 minutes (high school – 3 minutes) /
  1. 1st Affirmative cross-examines 1st Negative.

2 AC
Second Affirmative Constructive / 4 minutes (High School – 8 minutes) /
  1. Defend affirmative positions and attack negative positions.
  2. This is the affirmative’s last chance to introduce newissues.
  3. Argue that the Disads are really reasons to vote aff (Turns).
  4. Argue that the counterplan and affirmative plan can coexist (Permanence).

CX – Cross Examination / 2 minutes (high school – 3 minutes) /
  1. 1st Negative cross-examines 2nd Affirmative

2 NC – Second Negative Constructive
Neg Block / 4 minutes (High School – 8 minutes) /
  1. Split up the remaining issues in the debate and respond to all arguments in the 2AC on those issues.
  2. Attack affirmative positions and defend negative positions.
  3. This is the negative’s last chance to introduce new issues.
  4. Work with partner – 2NC and 1NR should cover different issues.

CX – Cross Examination / 2 minutes (high school – 3 minutes) /
  1. 2A cross-examines 2N.

1NR –
First Negative Rebuttal
Neg Block / 3 minutes (high school – 5 minutes) /
  1. Attacks affirmative positions.
  2. Defend negative positions.

Speech / Time / Purpose
2NR –
Second Negative Rebuttal / 3 minutes (high school – 5 minutes) /
  1. Weigh the issues.
  2. Negative’s closing speech, where the final speaker should choose the best argument(s) to win the debate and focus on those, as well as exploit any arguments the 1AR did not respond to from the 2NC/1NR.
  3. Neg last chance to convince judge to vote Neg.

2AR –
Second Affirmative Rebuttal / 3 minutes (high school – 5 minutes) /
  1. Weigh the issues.
  2. Affirmative’s closing speech, where the final speaker should respond to the final arguments made by the negative and extend/weigh the affirmative case and why the Harms are more important than any disadvantages the Negative has raised.
  3. Affirmatives last chance to convince judge to vote Aff.

Preparation Time / 5 minutes (8 minutes for high school) /
  1. Each team is allowed 5 minutes to plan and collaborate with each other.
  2. The team requests to use this time between any speeches and should use all their time during the debate round.

Negative Block:

  1. For middle school, this is seven minutes of argumentation (4 minute 2NC plus 3 minute1NR).
  2. Note: since there is no affirmative speech in between these two speeches to respond to arguments, these speeches should not repeat each other or be redundant – instead, the two debaters should take different “flows” and split up the 1NC arguments to extend them and respond to 2AC.
  3. For example, the 2NC might take Primacy DA for 5 minutes while the 1NR would focus on Harms and Solvency on-case for 3 minutes. Or the 2NC might argue Allied Proliferation DA for 3 minutes and Solvency for 1 minute while the 1NR focused on Harms for 3 minutes.