Debate Vocab and Event Rules (TFA, UIL, NSDA)

Mock legislative session

Session where students present legislation and debate whether to pass or fail a bill or resolution

Affirmative

Role that explains the bill and argues why it should be passed

Author

The person who wrote the bill, typically serving as the 1st speaker

Sponsor

The 1st speaker who steps in if the author of the bill is not present

Negative speakers

Speakers who explain the faults of a bill and why it should not be passed

Placards

Name cards with last names used by the PO to call on speakers

Diction

Enunciation of words, especially important on consonants

Vocal Fluency

Elements of vocal delivery including stuttering, cluttering, and rate

Tone

The overall feel of speaking, influenced by word choice and volume

Eye contact

Visual connection with the judge, audience, or ground during a speech

Posture

Physical delivery position with shoulders back, chest up, and chin up

Gestures

Physical movements that must be purposeful to avoid causing a distraction

Appearance

Presentation aspect emphasizing dressing to impress

Audience

The specific people you are talking to during a performance or speech

Organization

The logical and digestible flow of a speech

Bills

Proposed laws introduced in a legislative session

Resolutions

Formal expressions of intent introduced in a legislative session

Chamber

The room where all student legislators are gathered

Parliamentarian

A judge who evaluates and ranks every single speaker

Scorers

Judges who evaluate and rank only the top 8 speakers

Precedence & Recency

Method used by the PO to track who has spoken least recently to ensure equal opportunities

Precedence

The tracking method that determines speaking order

Recency

The tracking method that determines questioning block order

1st Aff

Author or Sponsor arguing for the bill with a 3 minute speech and 4 questioning blocks

1st Neg

First argument against the bill with a 3 minute speech and 4 questioning blocks

2nd Aff

Speech expanding on the bill and sponsor's arguments with a 3 minute speech and 2 questioning blocks

2nd neg

Speech against the bill that clashes with previous affirmative speakers

Storytelling

Performance of a piece of literature within a strict 7 minute period

Cut

Sections of a larger piece of literature combined to tell a complete story

Woven

The combination of two or more separate pieces of literature to tell a single story

Teaser

A 30 to 45 second preview of your story performed at the start

Intro

A fully memorized 30 to 45 second introduction stating relevance, authors, and titles

Categories

Guiding points for literature selections governed by very strict rules

Binder

The little black book containing printed selections cut and glued to black card stock

Category A

Oral interpretation theme focused on igniting the imagination through storytelling

Category B

Oral interpretation theme titled American Mosaic: The Ties That Define Us

Cat A Prose

Performance restricted to 1 single selection of traditional published fiction or non

Cat A Poetry

Performance of a single poem, excerpt, or a program of up to 6 poems without weaving

Cat B Prose

Performance of a single work or a woven program of up to 4 prose works

Cat B Poetry

Performance of a single poem or a woven program of up to 6 poems

Extemporaneous Speaking

Individual speaking event based on a random draw of current events with limited prep time

Draw

A 30 minute window to select a topic from 3 to 5 choices and prepare a 7 minute speech

Extemp Genie

An internet service used to download news articles for offline research use

Extemp Walk

Movement style utilizing a diamond shape where points of interest change during transitions

Transitions

Short segue to the next section of information that ideally links back to the AGD

Flow

The overall rate of delivery and smoothness between transitions and content areas

Sources

Citations that must include a date and name of source assuming the audience knows no acronyms

Argument

A structured position containing three main parts: claim, warrant, and impact

CLAIM

What you are saying in your argument

WARRANT

Why your claim is true using logical reasoning and evidence

IMPACT

Why it matters that your claim is true

Cases

Pre

Clash

The crucial ability to directly engage with, respond to, and demonstrate weaknesses in an opponent's arguments

Resolutions

The announced tournament topic starting with the word Resolved which means I am in agreement with

Speech

A designated period for a competitor to present their arguments and clash with their opponent

Cross examination

a three minute questioning period following each

constructive. The competitor who read their constructive gets questioned

by their opponent.

Preparation time

Time allotted to each side to pause the round between speeches to prepare

Constructive speech

The first speech given by a competitor in a round used to construct major arguments

Rebuttal speech

The final speech given by a competitor used to rebut opposing arguments and crystalize reasons to win

Evidence

Published material used to support an argument

Analysis

Explaining an argument using your own words

Card

A single quote from a published source formatted and presented as evidence

Tagline

A summary of a card read before the author's quote

Citation

Information identifying where evidence came from

Contention

The major arguments of a case consisting of one or more cards

Flowing

A specialized way of taking notes in a debate round that carefully lays out summaries of all arguments and responses

Extension

Repeating and summarizing an earlier argument to provide context and keep it going in a round

Drop

An argument made in an earlier speech that was left unaddressed or not extended

CX

Policy debate involving two debaters per team focused on government policies with longer rounds

LD

Lincoln Douglas

Framework

an argument made by each side in LD "framing" the round for the judge, or telling them

Value

a principle that's so important, we have to try to maximize or uphold it

Criterion

the mechanism through which we reach the value

Speaking times for LD

6373463
* Constructives, CX, Constructive, CX, 1AR, NR, 2AR

Plan

the course of action the affirmative argues the government should take. Has to be a substantial change from current policies

Status quo

the current state of the world

Counterplan

an alternative to the plan that the negative can optionally bring into the round. Supposed to be different from the plan/resolution, but doesn't exist in the status quo

Stock issues

major arguments the affirmative has to prove true in order to win the round

Inherency

the affirmative proving that the status quo is not acting to resolve the problems the plan addresses

Harms

problems in the status quo that the affirmative claims are solved by the plan