Lincoln-Douglas Value Debate Rules
During competition in this event, participants must adhere to the material contained in this rule section to ensure a fair and enjoyable experience for all.
2024-2025 Lincoln-Douglas Value Debate Resolution
Resolved: In combat, the use of automation should be valued above the use of military personnel.
Debate Competition Material Policy
Competition material in debate should align with the NCFCA mission and uphold each competitor’s witness for Christ. Great care and sensitivity should be exercised as sources and content for use in competition are considered and presented.
- Any debate speech which will contain potentially intense or sensitive themes or examples must be preceded by this disclaimer: “The debate content in the next speech contains potentially intense or sensitive material.” The speaker should then allow any time necessary for audience members to exit the room if they choose.
- Any debate content which advocates a position counter to the Foundational Beliefs of the league will not be allowed in competition.
- Vulgarity and sexually explicit content are never acceptable. Vulgarity includes explicit or implied language or gestures which are inappropriate, obscene, or profane.
Debate Academic Integrity Policy
Debate competitors are responsible for the academic integrity of any information they present in a debate round, whether they prepared the information personally or obtained it from another party.
Students should ensure that they understand proper citations, plagiarism, and their responsibility regarding the concept of intellectual property ownership. Plagiarism can be intentional or unintentional. While NCFCA regards academic integrity and infractions thereof very seriously and will apply penalties accordingly, we also assume the best of every student and do not presume intention regarding any infraction.
A. Lincoln-Douglas Delivery and Conduct Rules
- Delivery should be civil and comprehensible.
- Exhibits or visual aids are not permitted.
- Debaters may not interact with the opposing team while a speaker is presenting except for evidence exchange initiated by the speaker.
- Debaters may not discuss the substance of the round with the judge(s) outside of their own assigned speaking times in the round.
- Individuals not debating in the round may not attempt to communicate with the debaters during the round or influence the outcome of a round in any way.
- Debaters may use electronic devices during the round but may not use them to research or to request, send, or receive information during the debate round with the exception of evidence exchange and communication between partners during online tournaments as permitted by the rules.
B. Lincoln-Douglas Evidence and Citations
- Sources for evidence presented in the round must be verbally mentioned in the delivery of the speech.
- Evidence presented in the round must contain a full citation including source and date.
- The source citation requires the following items: title of publication or website, URL (or page number for a printed source), article title if applicable, and author (or publisher if there is no author). Sources for evidence must be verifiable via public means.
- The date includes the date first published if available, the date updated if applicable, and the date accessed if a publication date is not available.
- Evidence presented in the round must have been compiled, cut, formatted, and printed prior to the round unless the evidence is presented directly from a complete printed source which is present in its entirety with the debater during the round.
- For evidence presented directly from a complete printed source, cutting and formatting will consist of bookmarking the page(s) containing the cited segment and marking the cited segment with pen, pencil, highlighter, and/or adhesive labels.
- The marked segment must be clearly readable.
- Words may not be added, subtracted, or substituted in cut and formatted evidence.
- If cut and formatted evidence includes words that are formatted to indicate that they are not intended to be read aloud in the round, those words must remain easily readable.
- Common knowledge that is known to most people does not need to be cited in any way.
- Evidence must be presented in a manner consistent with its use and context in the original source material.
- Distorting evidence is prohibited. Distorting evidence is representing evidence in a way that alters the author’s meaning and includes, but is not limited to:
- Using only a portion of the entire quote in such a way that it is no longer consistent with the author’s position throughout the entire article without making that clear to the listener.
- Changing words within the quote. This includes changing words like “might” to “will” or “could” to “is.”
- Summarizing a quote but presenting it as a direct quote from the author.
- Fabricating evidence is prohibited and includes, but is not limited to:
- Asserting as fact information that cannot be found in a published source.
- Manufacturing articles, quotes, or dates.
- Evidence used in a debate round, whether quoted or summarized, may not include language or explicit descriptions that are vulgar, heinous, sexually explicit, obscene, or profane.
- [Updated 11/7/2024] Debaters may request any pieces of evidence presented in the round from the opposing team, and judges may request from either team.
- Debaters must only request evidence during their own speech, cross-examination time, or prep time. Requests must be verbal.
- Judges may only request evidence after the conclusion of the round by following the Evidence Review Guidelines for Judges.
- [Updated 11/7/2024] Debaters must promptly provide a copy of the evidence in context.
- At in-person tournaments, a printed copy must be provided.
- In online tournaments, the Online Evidence Exchange rules must be followed.
See definitions that apply to the rules in this section.
C. Lincoln-Douglas Timekeeping and Speaking Order
- Debaters must be present and ready to begin promptly for each round or risk forfeiture of the round.
- In online tournaments, competitors experiencing technical difficulties must contact tournament administration and if the issue cannot be resolved within a total of 15 minutes, they risk forfeiture of the round.
- Speakers must provide their own timepieces.
- The timepiece must count down and have an audible alarm.
- Electronic devices, such as phones, may be used for timekeeping, provided that competitors adhere to all other rules and limitations regarding the use of electronic devices.
- Speakers who are presenting will time their own speeches.
- The speaker asking questions will time cross-examination.
- Speakers must adhere to prescribed speaking times and may not turn off the alarm and continue speaking.
- Teams will track their own prep time and must report their remaining prep time to the judge(s) and opposing team at the conclusion of each prep time.
- The speaking order, assigned speakers, and times shown below must be observed.
- Up to three minutes of preparation time may be used by each debater throughout the round prior to their constructive and rebuttal speeches. Prep time may not be used immediately before cross-examination.
- Speakers must each participate in their assigned cross-examination roles.
- Debaters must be present and ready to begin promptly for each round or risk forfeiture of the round.
Lincoln-Douglas Value Speaking Order and Times
Speech Speaker(s) Time AC Affirmative Constructive Affirmative Speaker 6 min. CX Cross-Examination Negative Speaker asks questions 3 min. NC Negative Constructive Negative Speaker 7 min. CX Cross-Examination Affirmative Speaker asks questions 3 min. 1AR 1st Affirmative Rebuttal Affirmative Speaker 4 min. NR Negative Rebuttal Negative Speaker 6 min. 2AR 2nd Affirmative Rebuttal Affirmative Speaker 3 min. D. Online – Lincoln-Douglas Delivery and Conduct Rules
- Internet access and a device with a microphone and a webcam are required. The camera and microphone may be integrated or external.
- A single, stationary camera must be used (i.e., no zooming or panning is permitted).
- Green screens, virtual backgrounds, or on-screen text may not be used.
- Competitors may choose to stand or sit at a desk or table while presenting.
- A minimum of the competitor’s head and shoulders must be visible whenever the competitor is on camera.
- Other individuals may be present during a round but may not be intentionally visible on screen.
- Debaters should keep their cameras on at all times except when experiencing significant technical difficulties.
- Judges may use discretion to extend any portions of the round for a maximum of fifteen minutes in the case of technical difficulties only. Tournament Administration should be notified of any extended delays and will make decisions regarding the round.
E. Online – Evidence Citation and Exchange Rules
- Cut and formatted evidence must be exchanged within the competition room via the evidence exchange chat and/or the file upload function and include a full citation according to Rule B.2.
- Providing only the link to a source does not meet this requirement, but the link may be included in the required citation.
- For any evidence read or summarized directly from a complete printed source, a photograph of the source’s title page or complete citation information must be made promptly available in addition to photographs of the page(s) marked according to rule B.3.
- The evidence exchange chat may be used to:
- Copy and paste evidence.
- Share links to evidence stored in cloud-based files (e.g., Google Docs). The document owner must ensure that document permissions are set for open access.
- Confirm receipt of verbally requested evidence.
- File upload may be used to upload documents.
- The recommended file types are .pdf or .jpg. Other acceptable formats include .doc, .docx, or .png.
- Debaters are responsible to ensure that they can download and open all of these file types on their device.
- Cut and formatted evidence must be exchanged within the competition room via the evidence exchange chat and/or the file upload function and include a full citation according to Rule B.2.
Value Debate Rules & Guidelines: Version/Update Notes
2024-2025 Value Debate Rules & Guidelines published September 4, 2024.
Updates:
- Debate Evidence Review Guidelines for Competitors, published November 7, 2024
Guidelines
In preparation for tournaments, participants should familiarize themselves with the following guidelines.
NCFCA Mission Statement
to challenge and equip ambassadors for Christ to communicate truth with integrity and grace
League Policies
Participants must abide by all NCFCA Policies.
Core Values in Debate
The NCFCA Core Values are explained on our About page along with supporting scripture; however, each value bears specific application to debate.
Values involve heart issues that cannot be imposed by rules, but together, we can encourage and hold one another accountable for growth in the application of values we want to cultivate.
The following guidance is intended to help competitors, coaches, club leaders, and parents better understand and apply the NCFCA Mission and Core Values in the context of debate. The Do and Don’t/Instead examples offered below are not rules, but they represent principles for worthy behavior. While they don’t cover every scenario, they do represent some of the most common issues competitors must respond to and can provide guidance for growth in integrity and grace.
Godly Wisdom
Godly wisdom in debate means rightly applying knowledge, evidence, and support to arguments.
Do research and accept coaching to truly understand complex debate topics.
Don’t make bold, confident statements about topics you don’t actually understand. Instead, be humble about the limits of your own knowledge and understanding.
Do make understandable arguments with evidence and support that fits the context.
Don’t make arguments that you know are confusing or unconnected to the topic. Instead, seek to clarify information for everyone participating in the round.
Redeeming Truth
Redeeming truth in debate means valuing the truth and worth of your words above winning in any way that involves dishonesty or inappropriate content.
Do choose topics and arguments that are worthy of debate and of your competitors’ and judges’ time and attention.
Don’t bring up disturbing content for the sake of making a dramatic point or manipulating emotions. Instead, avoid dwelling on evil, and use caution and sensitivity to deal with topics that others may find troubling.
Do answer questions and make arguments honestly even if the honest answer is “I don’t know,” or if the truth favors your opponent.
Don’t say anything you suspect may not be true or make something up in a round even if you think it might help your side. Instead, prefer an honest loss to a cheap, dishonest win.
Gracious Communication
Pursuing gracious communication while arguing with passion requires self-control and a firm resolve to respect others even in areas of intense clash.
Do commit to speaking in a way that honors and blesses all participants.
Don’t try to embarrass, surprise, or undermine fellow debaters. Instead, be forthcoming with information and explanations, especially to help struggling opponents.
Do treat partners, opponents, and judges with kindness, humility, and respect.
Don’t use bored or scornful facial expressions or whisper at length through your opponent’s speeches. Instead, listen attentively and politely, even after all of your own speeches are finished.
Enduring Excellence
Enduring excellence in debate is characterized by valuing and doing the hard work required for solid preparation and long-term growth.
Do plenty of your own research and preparation to understand the resolution and its related topics.
Don’t spend time strategizing shortcuts for easier wins or plan to rely primarily on the work of others. Instead, study in a way that will help you better understand complex issues in a balanced way throughout life.
Do seek to be challenged by opponents, and be willing to seek feedback and constructive criticism.
Don’t assume that you know better than parents, coaches, judges, or peers. Instead, be willing to humbly evaluate and accept corrections and challenges to your positions.
Constructive Community
Constructive community is built on authenticity, mutual respect, and transparency—both inside and outside of competition rounds.
Do support those who are struggling and encourage those who lack confidence.
Don’t gossip, shun, or participate in attempts to exclude others from fellowship or collaboration. Instead, be welcoming and willing to help everyone compete well.
Do value collaboration, openness, and better debate rounds for everyone.
Don’t use secrecy as a weapon or strategy. Instead, be willing to share enough information to allow all fellow competitors to prepare to compete well against you.
Definitions of Common Debate Terms
The following definitions are offered to help clarify how some common terms are used in NCFCA rules and in conversations concerning debate.
Case The main substance of the assertions and/or plan set forth in a team’s first constructive speech of the round
Complete Printed Source Can be a published book, pamphlet, tract, etc. May also be a printed copy of the complete (entire) text of a proposed or actual piece of legislation, journal article, magazine article, etc.
Constructive Speeches The speeches in a debate round dedicated to introducing, building, and responding to arguments
Cross- Examination
The period immediately following each constructive speech, during which the specified opponent is allowed to ask questions of the speaker
Cut and Formatted Evidence Also commonly referred to as a “piece of evidence,” “evidence card,” or simply “evidence.” Cut and formatted evidence consists of three essential parts:
- An exact excerpt of the text and/or a graphic that a debater plans to refer to in a debate round either by reading as a direct quote or summarizing
- The surrounding context cut to the closest reasonable boundaries such as the beginning and end of the surrounding paragraph
- A complete citation
Generally, it also contains a tag line. See samples.
Evidence Facts, documentation, or testimony of others whether directly quoted or summarized
Support Generally, consists of any or all of the following: analysis, analogies, evidence, examples, explanation, logic, and appeals to common sense
Team Policy Plan The words read during the first constructive speech that set forth the terms of a team’s proposal for how to change the status quo, including but not limited to any of the following: mandates, agency, funding, enforcement, and timeline.
Rebuttal Speeches The speeches in a round reserved for responding to and extending existing lines of argumentation rather than introducing new arguments
Refutation A competitor’s response(s) to counter an opponent’s assertions, arguments, or support
Resolution The arguable assertion set forth as the topical starting point for all debates of a particular style during the current competition season.
Tag or Tag Line Title or heading used to label a verbally delivered argument or a piece of cut and formatted evidence
Verifiable by Public Means Information that is verifiable by public means consists of publicly available information. Such information includes publications that are publicly available for purchase or may be obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. If the general public can access the information, then it is verifiable by public means. Information that is not available to the general public includes classified information, information that legally cannot be released, or private communication to which the general public does not have access (such as personal emails or phone calls).
Debate Evidence Citation Examples
Evidence is a critical part of both Lincoln-Douglas Value and Team Policy Debate. Because debate rounds take place within a fixed time frame with no immediate access to verify the information presented, it is imperative that competitors exhibit the highest degree of academic integrity by citing essential source information verbally, by reading quotations verbatim, by differentiating the words of the author from the rhetoric of the speaker, and by having evidence with full citations readily available for inspection by the opposing team or judge(s). The sample formats shown in the link below serve as models, not mandates, for source citations.
Speaker Point Guide
Click below to see the speaker point rubric content that judges will view in the competition platform along with speaker point category descriptions.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate Ballot Sample
Click Below to see the content judges will view in the competition platform.
Debate Competition Entry Policies
- Debaters may compete in either Lincoln-Douglas Value or Team Policy during any given tournament but not both.
- Debaters may not change partners in Team Policy or Moot Court during a tournament.
- Debaters who qualify for either their Regional Championship or the National Championship in both Team Policy and Lincoln-Douglas Value Debate must choose one of these styles of debate in which to participate during that tournament.
- Debaters may compete in and qualify to the Regional or National Championship with different partners at separate tournaments during the competitive season in both Team Policy and Moot Court, but they must choose only one of their qualified partners in each event to compete with at the next level of tournament (either the Regional Championship or the National Championship).
Debate Evidence Review Guidelines for Competitors
At the conclusion of the round, be prepared to hand to the judge or upload the requested specific piece of evidence presented in the round. Remember, according to Rule A. 4 (Value) A. 5 (Policy), “Debaters may not discuss the substance of the round with the judge(s) outside of their own assigned speaking times in the round.”
For In-Person Tournaments: After handing the requested evidence, both teams will politely excuse themselves and wait outside the room while the judge reviews the evidence. If evidence is requested from only one team, both teams will still wait outside the room.
For Online Tournaments Request: After the round concludes, do not ask a judge if they would like to see evidence (See Rule A.5), but do graciously wait a minute before exiting the room to see if a request will be made or if the Room Status changes to Debate Evidence Review.
Be prepared to upload the specific piece(s) of evidence in pdf form to the Paperclip icon at the bottom right of the screen. (In Team Policy, a best practice is to create a pdf that includes only the mandate and plan so that you do not need to hand over the whole case.)
The Paperclip icon will turn green for the judge when evidence is uploaded. Both teams will wait in the room with cameras and mics off until the judge completes the review.
Once the judge has completed the review, delete the evidence from the Paperclip screen and leave the room. (If the evidence is not showing in the Paperclip screen the judge may have deleted it.)
Elimination Round Request or if judge requests more than 2 pieces: Judges are instructed to make these requests to Tournament Administration. Compliance staff will notify you via text with instructions. The text will include your designated adult(s), but they are not required to come. It is important to pay attention to phones for these text messages for about fifteen minutes after the round has finished.