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Last Updated: August 30, 2024

Definitions for Common Debate Terms – NOT TABLE VERSION

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League Policies

  1. 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

    • 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 in Evidence Citation Guidelines.

    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

    • 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 (See order and times)

    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