Team Policy Debate
Description of Team Policy Debate:
Team Policy debate or TP is a relatively long debate between two teams of two debaters on reforming a policy of the United States Federal Government.
Resolution: The United States Federal Government should substantially reform its energy policy.
Timing of the Round:
Debate competitors are expected to self-time their rounds and will need to bring a timer. Cell phones cannot be used as timers.
Guidelines for self-timing
• Debaters should use a count-down timer that beeps when time is up.
• Each debater will time his/her own speeches.
• The debater asking the questions will time the CX.
• Each debater will time their own prep-time and announce the time used to the judge and opposing debater.
Here is a video to learn to self time NOTE: Contrary to the video, it is customary for the student taking prep time to announce the time remaining. Also in Stoa, the student that is asking the questions in Cross Examination uses his/her timer – not the answering debater’s timer.
Judge Orientation: A combined Team Policy Debate and Lincoln Douglas Debate Judge Orientation PowerPoint based on the updated 2023 Judge Orientation slides will be used due to space and personnel limitations at the tournament. Please feel free to read and become familiar with the debate training slides content by clicking on the green links below.
Combined Lincoln Douglas and Team Policy Debate Orientation Slides
Tabuation: Team Policy will have 6 preliminary rounds, all randomly paired. The top two teams based on the preliminary standings will debate each other in a final round. For more information on Tabulation, please see the Tab page.
Team Policy Debate Rules and Team Policy Debate Ballot and Stoa Debate Evidence Standards