Public Forum Debate

These issues come from current events.  The topics may be controversial.  At no time is anyone asking you to change your beliefs.  For example – the topic may be on the “day-after pill.”  You have an opinion on this – don’t give a team the loss just because you don’t like what they are saying – remember that since they are arguing on both sides of the issue, they may not even believe what they are saying.  Instead judge the quality of what they are saying – how much they researched.  How well they spoke.  Follow the ballot.

This debate starts with a coin toss.  The winners decide if they want to go first / last OR they may decide if they want to go pro / con.  The other team gets to decide what the winner did not.

Be very careful – do not fill in the ballot till after the kids have chosen a side.  (On numerous occasions in the tab room, they will find that an inexperienced judge will mark the kids on the ballot based on which side of the room that they are and then the judge makes a mistake when filling in the winners name at the bottom of the ballot.)

As with other debates, the most difficult part is keeping time while taking notes for yourself and writing notes on the ballots all while you’re listening to what is happening. 

The times for the round are

First Speaker - Team A = 4 Minutes

First Speaker - Team B = 4 Minutes

Crossfire = 3 Minutes

Second Speaker - Team A = 4 Minutes

Second Speaker - Team B = 4 Minutes

Crossfire = 3 Minutes

Summary - First Speaker - Team A = 2 Minutes

Summary - Second Speaker - Team B = 2 Minutes

Grand Crossfire = 3 Minutes

Final Focus - Second Speaker - Team A = 1 Minute

Final Focus - Second Speaker - Team B = 1 Minute

Prep Time (per team) = 2 Minutes – this means that a team can take time to think / write / whatever at any time during the debate. They do not have to use all this time at once – they may break these two minutes into parts.

Remember to get your ballots to the tab room within five minutes of the debate ending.  Do NOT hold up the tournament!!!

Changes to Public  for 2003/2004 –

• The Last Shot will now be called the Final Focus.
• The Final Focus is a persuasive final restatement of why your team has won the debate.
• The new official ballots will state that new arguments in the final speech are to be ignored. However, there will no longer be any specific rule on the number of arguments allowed in the Final Focus.
• The coin toss must take place in front of the judge(s) of the round.

As with judging anything in forensics – never let the kids know if you happen to be a new judge!!! Sit in the middle of the room, go with the flow, and you’ll be fine!!!

The most common mistake is not filling in the names of the winners correctly. Make sure that you know which team is which!!!