A Short Guide to Policy Debate

This short, practical guide to policy debate helps coaches, instructors, and students prepare for competitions at the collegiate level.

This book offers step-by-step guidance on how to prepare and analyze topics, cases, and rebuttals and outlines the norms and rules of contemporary interscholastic competition in the United States. It provides a structured and systematic approach to preparation to improve the educational and competitive elements of the debate experience. Written in an accessible style, this book explains how to conduct research and compete online, the strategies behind constructing a case, and includes guidance on how to determine judge tendencies. Chapters include glossaries, sample cases and speeches, and practical activities to allow readers to develop their argumentation and cross-examination skills.

Providing a streamlined, student-focused approach to policy debate, this book will be of interest to students and instructors in the fields of debate, persuasion, public speaking, and argumentation.

Alexander Hiland is a Senior Lecturer in Communication & Media at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA.