Public forum debate is a form of competitive debate where debaters use their evidence and impacts to outweigh the benefits and harms of the opposing side. The topics for public forum have to do with current-day events relating to public policy. Debaters work in pairs of two, and speakers alternate for every speech. It is primarily competed by middle and high school students, but college teams exist as well. Invented in the US, public forum is one of the most prominent American debate events, alongside Policy debate and Lincoln-Douglas debate; it is also practiced in China and India, and has been recently introduced to Romania.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Individuals give short (2-4 minute) speeches that are interspersed with 3 minute "Crossfire" sections, questions and answers between opposed debaters. The winner is determined by a judge who also serves as a referee (timing sections, penalizing incivility, etc).[8] The debate centers on advocating or rejecting a position, "resolve", or "resolution", which is usually a proposal of a potential solution to a current events issue.[8] Public Forum is designed to be accessible to the average citizen.[9]
- ^ "Public Forum Debate". Institute for Speech and Debate.
- ^ "Middle School Unified Manual" (PDF). National Speech and Debate Association.
- ^ "Asian Debate League History". Asian Debate League.
- ^ "About NSDA Membership". National Speech and Debate Association China.
- ^ "Speech, Drama, and Debate Events in India". Speech and Debate India.
- ^ "NYCUDL Students bring Debate to Romania". New York City Urban Debate League. October 28, 2019.
- ^ Simona Anghel (July 27, 2019). "Prima dezbatere „public forum" organizată de Urban Debate League din New York (galerie foto)". Ziua de Constanta.
- ^ a b "Guide to Public Forum Debates." University of Vermont. University of Vermont, n.d. Web. 6 October 2014. <https://debate.uvm.edu/dcpdf/PFNFL.pdf
- ^ "High School Competition Events Guide" (PDF). National Speech & Debate Association. National Forensics League. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
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