- 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.
