The Kanto Plains Rule Book
Back to Debate
Back to Teams
Back to Fruit Home
KFSAC Tournament Rules

Debate topic:
Resolved: To be decided yearly
 
 
Debate Ballot
Affirmative Team Number: Negative Team Number:
Judge: Room: Round:
Topic:__________________________________________
Scoring: 5=Excellent, 4=Very good, 3=good, 2=fair; 1=poor
There are 35 possible points per speaking. The winning team should have the higher score
Speaker:__________ Speaker: __________ Speaker:___________ Speaker: __________
1st Affirmative 2nd Affirmative 1st Negative 2nd Negative
___________________________________analysis______________________________________
___________________________________reasoning_____________________________________
____________________________________evidence_____________________________________
__________________________________organization_____________________________________
___________________________________refutation_______________________________________
___________________________________delivery_________________________________________
___________________________________cross X__________________________________________
___________________________________ TOTAL ______________________
In my opinion, the better debating was done by Team ___, representing the _______
side.
Reasons for the decision:
_______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
 
Revised September, 1998; Updated 2002
Debate Background
1. Teams shall be composed of two students who shall be prepared to debate both the affirmative and negative sides of the proposition.

2. Order of speaking and time limits
1st affirmative constructive 8 minutes
Negative quetioning of 1st affirm. 3 minutes
1st negative constructive 8 minutes
Affirm. questioning of 1st negative 3 minutes
2nd affirmative constructive 8 minutes
Negative questioning of 2nd affirm. 3 minutes
2nd negative constructive 8 minutes
Affirm. questioning of 2nd neg. 3 minutes
--------- BREAK ---------------
First negative rebuttal 4 minutes
First affirmative rebuttal 4 minutes
Second negative rebuttal 4 minutes
Second affirmative rebuttal 4 minutes

The speakers may take either questioning period they wish, but all four debaters MUST both question and be questioned.
Team members will alternate in giving constructive speeches. Either speaker may give the summary for his/her side.
Debaters must stop within ten seconds of the presentation of the stop card. If the debater continues, the timer will stand, and the judge will disregard anything said after this time.

Debater Constructive Responsibilities


First Affirmative Constructive (8 minutes)
1. State the resolution.
2. Define terms.
3. State the affirmative case.
4. Present the affirmative plan.

Negative questioning of the 1st affirmative (3 minutes)

First Negative Constructive (8 minutes)
1. Accept or object to affirmative definition of terms if they are unsupported or are twisting the resolution away from topic affirmative, offer alternatives; attack topicality only if it is an issue.
2. State the negative position (must either defend the status quo or present a counter plan).
3. Attack specific affirmative contentions from the case.

Affirmative questioning of 1st negative (3 minutes)

Second Affirmative Constructive (8 minutes)
1. Respond to any objections to definition in terms and topicality arguments.
2. Attack the negative philosophy.
3. Resond to objections to affirmative contentions by providing additional rationale/evidence.
4. Provide further explanation of the affirmative plan.

Negative questioning of the 2nd affirmative (3 minutes)

Second Negative Constructive (8 minutes)
1. Attack the solvency of the affirmative plan.
2. Present disadvantages of the affirmative plan.
3. Develop any new argumentation on topicality (only if possible).

Affirmative questioning of 2nd negative (3 minutes).

Break for summary preparation (5 minutes).

Negative rebuttals (4 minutes each, alternate with affirmative)
1. Renew the attack on topocality (if it was an issue).
2. Rebuild the attack on the affirmative case.
3. Rebuild the negative philosophy.
4. Explain why these issues are sufficient to merit a negative ballot.

Affirmative rebuttals (4 minutes each, alternate with negative).
1. Refuse the new arguments presented by the second negative constructive.
2. Refute the most important issues in the negative rebuttals.
3. Refute the key isssue against the case and topicality.
4. Explain why the issues whicy you are winning merit an affirmative ballot.

IN ALL REBUTTALS, SPEAKERS CAN BRING UP NEW EVIDENCE, NOT ARGUMENTS!
 

SOME GENERALLY ACCEPTED RULES OF DEBATE

1. The affirmative has the right to make any reasonable definition of each of the terms of the proposition.
a. The negative may challenge any definition that is not reasonable.
b. Any challenge must be made in the first negative constructive.
c. Once the negative accepts the affirmative's definitions, no challenge may be issued later.
d. The word "should" means that the affirmative must show the plan, if adopted, would be desirable. It does not in any way obligate the affirmative to show that the necessary approvals will be obtained {"i.e. would"}. The affirmative is obligated to reccommend action be taken in the reasonably near future. (NOTE: THIS DOES NOT IMPLY THAT THE AFFIRMATIVE NEED NOT MAKE A PLAN IF THE WORD "SHOULD" IS NOT IN THE RESOLUTION).
{In other words, the thing they proposed need only be something necessary, not necessarily politically feasible. For example, you could propose gassing all people committing robbery. It might be a good solution, so debateable, but Americans would never vote for such a plan.}

2. The affirmative has the burden of proof and must advocate everything required by the topic itself.
a. The affirmative may work out the details of its plan as it sees fit. It may take on any additional burdens of proof it desires.
b. The negative may offer a counterplan that is significanly different from the affirmative proposal. Counterplans must be presented in the first negative constructive speech. The negative then assumes an equal buden of proof.
{Note: This does NOT specify that the negative must accept the affirmative's definitions, harms, and needs, but we'll have to assume they do so.}

3. Proof. He who asserts must prove.
a. In order to establish an assertion, the team must establish it with enough evidence and/or logic to convince an intelligent but previously uninformed person that is more reasonable to believe the assertion than to disbelieve it.
b. Facts presented during a debate must be accurate.
c. Any restatement of an opponent's argument must be accurate.
d. Visual aids are premissble in debate. Once introduced, they become available for the opponents's use as well.
{This is a new one on me.}

4. Questioning
a. The questioner may ask any fear, clear question that has a direct bearing on the debate.
b. The questioner controls the time. He may interrupt the witness to request shorter or more direct answers or to indicate the answer is sufficient. Questions about why something is true are complicated, and the questioner cannot expect the witness to answer them briefly.
c. The questioner may not insist on a simple "Yes" or "No" answer unless his questioner is simple, direct, and factual.
d. The questioner must confine him/herself to questions and not make comments or statements.
e. The witness mut answer ery question unless he/she can show that it would be unfair or unreasonable to expect an answer.
f. The witness may request that the question be repeated or rephrased if unclear.
g. The witness must confine himself/herself to answers and not question the questioner or make comments on other subjects.
h. Each speaker is questioned as soon as he/she concludes his/her constructive speech.
i. The witness must answer the questions without consulting his/her colleague.
{Note that it doesn't specify you must answer all questions. Beware of questions such as "Wouldn't you agree that......" Your best answer may be either "I don't know" or "My partner will answer that."}
j. The questioner should stand next to the witness duringthe questioning.

5. Refutation and rebuttal.
a. No new arguments may be presented in the summary speech unless that is the first opportunity to answer a direct question from the opposing team.
{Very important. In this case, it would not actually be a NEW argument, but a response to another argument. The general rule is "no new arguments," not "no new EVIDENCE."}
b. New evidence may be presented in the summary.
c. Each team is responsible for directclash with the opposing team. Only the first affirmative speech should be fully prepared in advance of the debate.
{Well, maybe. There's no reason you can't essentially write your defense of the status quo, the first half of your first negative speech, in advance.}


6. Demeanor and courtesy. Communication between team members should be dictated by rules of courtesy.
a. speeches delivered from the front of the room, not the debater's seat (hopefully they'll have a podium}.
b. When both team members of a team are seated and the other team is speaking, communication should be by notes, so as not to interrupt or distract a speaker. {This is a change. Generally team members can converse in a low voice. This means you should practice this AHEAD of time.}
c. When a speaker is debating,he/she may return to the table for materials, including materials, including notes from his/her partner, but he/she should not speak to the partner. His/her partner must refrain from communicating verbally with the speaker during the speech.

7. Judging: The team doing the better debating is the winner.
a. The decision is given to the affirmative ifit suceeds in showing thatt the proosed plan should be adopted. The decision is given to the negative if the affirmative fails to show that its proposed plan should be adopted and the negative creates reasonable doubts in the judge's mind.
b. The judge must base his/her decision entirely on the material presented, without regard to knowledge he/she may have.
c. The judge is requried to accept as true arguments backed by reasonable proof until such arguments are overthrown by the opposing team.
{That means you must challenge even relatively silly arguments.}
d. The judge must not accept ideas not backed by reasonable proof.
e. The judge tries to avoid mentally debating with the speakers; instead he/she listens for which team debates better.