The April (States) resolution was -
Resolved: The United
States should issue guest worker visas to illegal aliens.
The September resolution is -
Resolved: TBA in August on NFLonline.com
Description: Public Forum Debate uses current controversial subjects as topics (resolutions) to be debated. Research can be achieved by watching TV news programs, reading new magazines or ordinary search engines such as Goggle or AOL. Topics are brief, require no plan, and are debatable.
Coin Toss: Prior to each round the teams will flip a coin. The winning team of the coin flip can either choose 1) Side of Topic (Affirmative or Negative) or 2) Order of speaking (First or Second). Once the coin toss winner selects a side or the order of speaking, then the losing team has its choice. If the winner selects a side, then the losers select speaker position. If the winning team of the coin toss chooses order of speaking, then the losing team can choose the side of the topic.
Research: To understand a topic, one must read current material about it. Such current material may be found by searching both electronically or by print means.
 | Electronically: Access good search engines like GOOGLE , Yahoo! , or MSN Search. |
Type in key words of the topic (i.e. "Tax Cuts" or "Armed Pilots"). The search engine will list websites which discuss that issue. Click on those sites to read and download material.
| Print: You may access the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature in your school library. The Guide lists articles in current periodicals by topic. |
Look up "Hijacking", "Airline Safety", "Tax Cuts" or other issues and make a list of magazines which carry stories by date and page number. Then read the articles. Copy parts which are good evidence. The New York Times index (available in most public libraries) will allow to you search articles in the New York Times (usually on microfilm). You also should look up the key definitions of words in the topic in a good unabridged dictionary or a topic specific dictionary (i.e. Black's Law Dictionary).
Format: The first speaker for each position usually has a prewritten case which provides reasons for affirming or negating a topic. After both speakers have stated their cases a cross-fire session occurs. In cross-fire both speakers ask and answer questions in a civil manner. The second speaker for each position generally attempts to refute the points of the opposing side and can also provide additional reasons to vote for their position. The second speakers conduct a cross-fire session in the same manner the first speakers did. The speech that follows is the summary in which the first speakers of both positions summarize their points and the opposing sides points and try to show the judges why their points still stand or why the opposing team's points fall. Following this speech is a grand cross-fire, a cross-fire session that is conducted sitting down and includes all four speakers. The final speech for both sides is a last shot in which the second speaker for each team provides one or more main reason why the judges should vote for their position on the resolution.
Public Forum Debate Time Format
Speaker
A1.................................................................................4
Minutes
Speaker
B1.................................................................................4
Minutes
Cross-fire
(A1&B1)........................................................................3
Minutes
Speaker
A2.................................................................................4
Minutes
Speaker
B2.................................................................................4
Minutes
Cross-fire
(A2&B2)........................................................................3
Minutes
Summary
A1................................................................................2
Minutes
Summary
B1................................................................................2
Minutes
Grand Cross-fire
(All).....................................................................3
Minutes
Last Shot
A2................................................................................1
Minute
Last Shot
B2................................................................................1
Minute
PREPARATION TIME FOR EACH TEAM.................................................2 Minutes
