Policy debate is a form of speech competition in which teams of two debate whether or not a specific policy action should be enacted. It is also referred to as cross-examination debate because of the 3-minute questioning period following each constructive speech. Most affirmative teams present a specific policy option, or plan, as a proposal for implementation of the resolution. However, some teams partake in alternative forms of debate, including performance and personal advocacies.
High school policy debate is sponsored by the National Forensic League, the National Catholic Forensic League, the National Christian Forensics and Communication Association, or one of the regional speech organizations. Collegiate debates are generally competed under the guidelines of National Debate Tournament (NDT), the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA), and the National Educational Debate Association (NEDA).
More on [ Policy debate ]

60 minutes: Making Their Case - A story about the revitalization of high school debate in inner city neighborhoods through the urban debate league.
Meta Description: [ In the last six years, 12,000 students across the United States have joined what are called urban debate leagues. Lesley Stahl looks at one program in Baltimore that works. ]
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Ben's Guide (9-12): The National High School Debate Topic - Relevant links to US government information for current and past high school policy debate topics.
Big Sky Debate - Offers evidence, summer institute, research and extemp writing service, and links to relevant think tanks.
Meta Description: [ Joomla - the dynamic portal engine and content management system ]
Cross-X.com-- Debate on the Web - Offers evidence, articles, chat room, discussion forums and other relevant resources.
Meta Description: [ The premier online discussion forum for high school debaters, coaches, and judges. ]
Debate Central - A comprehensive collection of evidence for the current high school policy debate topic
Debate Outreach Network - A group that offers various resources including evidence and lectures from the Dartmouth Debate Institute.
Meta Description: [ The Debate Outreach Network exists to level the playing field in high school policy debate. We are here because we believe debate belongs in schools, not as a class exercise, but as a formal discipline that needs to be learned and practiced through competition.
We are volunteers who want to fi... ]
Debatelinks.com - Research links to evidence for the national policy debate topic from various sources.
Fuse: Intro to team debate - Tutorial for novice policy debaters.
High School Debate Central - Contains archives of posts from CX-L, tournament results, caselists, arguments, evidence, and forums.
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High School Debate Topic Online - University of Kansas high school debate resource page with an enormous collection of online readings as well as email reference, annotated bibliographies.
Meta Description: [ KU Libraries resources and selected web sites related to the 2005 debate topic. ]
University of Michigan's briefing on high school debate topic - Books, journals, newspapers, government, and think tank links on the current years debate topic.
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UNT Libraries, Government Information Connection, High School Debate Resources - Contains resources and links for the current high school debate topic.
Meta Description: [ Contains links to resources useful in researching this year's high school debate
topic. ]
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