As the National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA) debate spreads across the country, as more schools and more students become involved in this type of debate, those involved in the activity need to take a step back and evaluate their progress, as well as plot their future. Coaches have a critical role as educators. NPDA needs clear…

A study analyzed sample cross-examinations in order to describe the different question and answer types that debaters use. Transcripts of five cross-examinations, which represented a variety of debate experience levels, and which were recorded at a Cross Examination Debate Association Tournament held in the Southeastern region during the 1986…

This paper presents a narrative (in feminist style) of a debate round in the Lincoln-Douglas format to illustrate the principles of an intercollegiate debate round. In the context of the debate round, the paper examines the Toulmin model for argument and suggests an alternative model. The paper also challenges specific debate practices with…

The first negative is often an underutilized speech. The question is what can be done to increase the importance of the first negative speech? The preparation of a superior first negative speech begins prior to the round by developing briefs, coordinating arguments with the second negative, and having a pre-round discussion to reduce the…

Both complaints and praise regarding debate as it is now practiced and taught are predicated on the communication which goes on in debate rounds. These communicative relations are fourfold, including the relations of debaters with debaters, debaters with judges, debaters with evidence, and judges with evidence. To study the relations between…

Argues that "substantive" rules instituted by the National Debate Tournament (NDT) Committee are ineffective and counterproductive. Critiques the rule restricting evidence reading at the end of a debate and the rule requiring judges to compare definitions when evaluating topicality arguments. Concludes that the NDT Committee should…

People's conception of uniqueness in policy debate has changed dramatically in the past decade. Concepts like "we control uniqueness" and "direction of uniqueness" have come to dominate disadvantage debates. Unfortunately, policy debate has suffered as an activity as the result of some of these debating practices. In response, debaters and judges…

Presidential debates come in all shapes and sizes. The presence and length of opening statements and closing remarks, the opportunity and length of rebuttal, the nature of the questioner, and other factors have created a bewildering variety of formats. However, most scholars agree that these confrontations are not "really" debates but merely…

Advances a justification for instituting limited rules governing the conduct of debates. Contends that declining participation calls for establishing rules designed to minimize the abusive debate policy practices presently affecting policy debate. Refutes D. A. Herbeck and J. P. Katsulas's position on the supposed educational dangers of the debate…

Examines three alternatives for limiting negative fiat: (1) limiting to United States public actors; (2) limiting to proposals found in the policy literature surrounding the topic; and (3) including caveats or parameters to the resolution indicating the appropriate scope of negative counterplans. (MS)

Contends that the different loci of competition for the counterplan--that it must compete with the plan, the policy system, the values implicit within the resolution, or the entire resolution--are grounded in conflicting conceptions of the resolution. Argues for a plan focus perspective. (MS)

Responds to an article by John Katsulas, Dale Herbeck, and Edward Panetta (same issue). Concludes that the article improperly discounted the possibility of utopian advocacy in the policy debate context. (MM)

Responds to Alfred Snider's and Richard Edwards' criticisms (same issue) of the authors' article on utopian advocacy and policy debate (same issue). Assesses flaws in the responses, and notes that neither Snider nor Edwards refutes the central theses as outlined in the authors' original article. (MM)

Questions the theoretical justification for the standard of intrinsic justification. Challenges the applicability of phenomenological constructs to academic debate, demonstrates that "essences" cannot be readily located in debate resolutions, and illustrates that proponents of intrinsic justification have not adequately operationalized…

States that the American Debate Association is committed to rulemaking as a mechanism to control the excesses which have contributed to the decline of policy debate. Explains the advantages of a rule-based approach. Outlines and justifies current rules. (PRA)