Team Policy Debate
Resolved: The United States Federal Government should substantially reform its policy toward one or more countries in Central/South America.
General Information:
- Any evidence orally read in the round must be made available to the other team upon request. Any violation of this policy may result in a loss.
- All Debaters will self-time.
- When postings are revealed, please go straight to your competition room. Late arrivals are subject to an automatic loss.
- Please have a copy of the rules and important documents with with you in your rounds:
Preliminary rounds:
-
1 judge for each preliminary round
Outrounds:
- 3 or more judges per outround
- 64 teams will break to outrounds
- A double elimination format will be used for outrounds
Lincoln Douglas Debate
Resolved: Practical skills should be valued over theoretical knowledge.
General Information:
- Any evidence orally read in the round must be made available to the other team upon request. Any violation of this policy may result in a loss.
- All Debaters will self-time.
- When postings are revealed, please go straight to your competition room. If you are in the second flight, please arrive at your room early; you will start your round as soon as the first flight finishes. Late arrivals are subject to an automatic loss.
- Please have a copy of the rules with with you in your rounds
Preliminary rounds:
-
1 judge for each preliminary round
Outrounds:
- 3 or more judges per outround
- 64 students will break to outrounds
- A double elimination format will be used for outrounds
Parliamentary Debate
General Information:
- Resolution announcements will take place in the Chapel.
- The resolutions will consist of a broad variety of styles including but not limited to fact, value, policy, metaphor and scenario resolutions.
- All rounds have at least three topics and will use strikes.
- All debaters need to be familiar with the Parli rules for 2025-26. These rules can be found on the Stoa USA website. Stoa Parli Rules.
- Teams should bring a copy of the current Stoa Parli Rules with them to each round. No special restrictions will be imposed at NITOC, other than those included in the Stoa rules.
- Debaters are responsible for keeping track of their preparation time.
- Debaters should be prepared to self-time their rounds. All teams must bring a timepiece to every round. It is recommended that teams time each other so that protected time is respected.
Topic Announcement Procedure:
All Rounds
- Teams are responsible for arriving at the Parli Announcement area on time. Resolutions will be read on time and prep time will start whether all teams are present or not.
- All resolutions will be announced in the Chapel. Paper copies of the resolution will be distributed to competitors in the Parli Announcement area.
- All rounds will utilize the two-strike procedure, in which the resolutions will be presented to the teams on paper. The Opposition team will have up to 30 seconds to strike one of the resolutions. Then the Government team will have up to 30 seconds to strike one of the remaining resolutions. The remaining resolution will be the one debated in the round.
- Immediately upon choosing a resolution, one or both teams for each room shall notify the proctor of the resolution chosen for that round.
- Prep time will start immediately after it is verbally announced in the Chapel.
- The debate rounds will begin exactly 20 minutes after the start of prep time. All four competitors must be in the room ready to debate at the twenty-minute point. For clarification, the start time of the round is the time that the Prime Minister should start speaking. The tournament director and/or the adjudication staff reserve the right to forfeit any team that is late for their round.
- Every effort will be made by NITOC staff to ensure internet access. However,
it is not guaranteed. Debaters may bring personal hotspots for use during
preparation time.
Outrounds:
-
For rounds in which sides are not locked, the flip for sides will take place before the striking of the resolutions. Coaches may be present with the students to discuss sides and resolution choices. In the event a complete team fails to show up by the resolution announcement time, the opponents will choose the resolution.
General Protocol for Preparation Time:
- Government teams will have the privilege of preparing in the competition room in which that government team will be competing for the current round. They may invite other teams into the room to prep with them. They may also close the door for privacy.
- No team or club may use any competition room as “their room” except per the guidelines mentioned above.
- At the 18-minute mark, all doors must be open and the judge, opposition team, and audience may come into the room (both teams may continue prepping during the last two minutes, while the judge and audience enter the room). If the competition room is empty, the judge and audience may go in at any time.
- Opposition teams may prepare in the designated parliamentary announcement area or outside.
- No teams or coaches should be in any room on campus that is not designated for parliamentary debate rounds. Teams using rooms that are not designated for parliamentary debate are subject to forfeiture of the round at the discretion of the tournament director and/or the adjudication staff.
- Judges and audience members may not enter the competition room until 2 minutes before the start of the round if debaters are preparing in the competition room. Teams may continue prepping during the last 2 minutes, as judges and audience enter the room.
- Debaters and coaches are NOT to use any facility electronic equipment including projectors, computers, printers, etc. Any furniture that is moved from the initial room set-up, should be replaced once preparation time is done.