Debate Events

 

Public Forum: In this event, debaters argue a topic of national importance in terms that a "common" person would understand. The debate in “Po Fo” is conducted by teams of two people alternating speeches for their side. There is little focus on extreme speed or obscure debate jargon or theory; instead, successful Po Fo debaters must make persuasive and logical arguments in a manner that is accessible to a wide variety of audiences. THIS IS A PARTNER EVENT.

 

Parliamentary Debate: often shortened as "Parli," this is a debate format in which tournament officials assign a new resolution for every round. After the announcement of the topic, the two 2-person teams have a limited preparation time, usually 20 minutes, during which to plan their respective cases for the side they were assigned, either affirmative or negative. THIS IS A PARTNER EVENT.

 

Lincoln-Douglas: “LD” is sometimes also called “value debate,” because it traditionally places a heavy emphasis on logic, ethical values, and philosophy. It is a one-on-one competition. This debate event is research and time intensive; it is not for the faint of heart!

 

 

 

Note: Debate is a serious activity and can become expensive. Debaters often purchase evidence, files, legal pads, briefcases, laptops, and many enroll in debate camps over the summer.