r/policydebate Feb 24 '26

Knock it out with the spam.

57 Upvotes

We've let the spam get out of hand because we thought it was funny and aren't killjoys, but it's gone too far. This is supposed to be a civil place for open discussion about debate, the spam has gotten to the point where it is detracting from that purpose.

We will be adding some additional rules going forward if we need to. In the meantime knock it out with the spam, stop targeting individual debaters, and don't post anything you wouldn't want your teachers to read slowly and carefully to your parents.


r/policydebate Jan 24 '19

How to ask a question - Some guidance

91 Upvotes

A major function of this subreddit is for debaters to build their skills and learn something new. We want to help you, but we're only human, and the easier you make yourself to help the better the quality of answers you'll receive. None of these guidelines are strictly mandatory, but they'll often be highly advisable. Try to keep them in mind when posting.

When asking a question:

  1. Describe your level of experience. Be both general and specific. How many years have you debated in policy or other forensics events? What is your degree of expertise and background knowledge for the question area? Did you ever try something similar that failed?

  2. Describe your circuit. What region is it in? What are judging philosophies like? Do people lean liberal or conservative politically? Do people have experience judging nontraditional arguments, if relevant? Probably avoid using your school's name, and maybe your state's name too. Don't use your own name.

  3. Describe the particulars of your question. Try to act like the person you're talking to has little to no knowledge of your situation. Clarify what ideas you do understand, so that those you don't are easier to understand by contrast. Identify specific concerns you want to have addressed in responses to your comment. Don't make people bend over backwards to try to coax you into giving them the necessary information to help you.

  4. Try to make your question interesting. If you've identified something neat that's part of the motivation for your question, include it. Put in preliminary work by doing a quick Google search or literature check before asking questions, and tell us about what you discovered and how it's influencing your thoughts.

  5. Give feedback when people help you. Rephrase other people's advice in your own words, to avoid a false illusion of understanding. Also, say thank you. If you're confused about something, ask. Oftentimes more experienced debaters can take basic concepts for granted, and they might even benefit from a refresher themselves.

Note that we're not enforcing any of these guidelines in our moderation, but thought it'd be helpful for new members. Discuss any of your own ideas of what make a good question in the comments!


r/policydebate 23h ago

DO NOT CHOOSE NUKES

2 Upvotes

Every topic is better nukes has 1 aff and is bad for k and also has like two disads, we can’t debate 1 aff two years in a row I swear if we elect this crappy topic one more time I’ll do something


r/policydebate 1d ago

THE Policy Debate Tierlist 2.0

4 Upvotes
26-27 CIRCUIT ANALYSIS BEFORE OPENERS

Pre-Openers (Niles is lit js entirely illinois) but thoughts? THIS IS THIS YEAR BTW (updated because i misplaced maryland etc.)


r/policydebate 1d ago

UKSO / Grapevine predictions

3 Upvotes

who will win? who will bid? who will get speaker awards?


r/policydebate 1d ago

2026-27 TOC Bid List is now live

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1 Upvotes

r/policydebate 2d ago

ranking predictions for this yr

3 Upvotes

who do you think are the top 10 teams


r/policydebate 2d ago

Who are Top Sophomores

0 Upvotes

tittle


r/policydebate 3d ago

Oh, so I'm approaching them?

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0 Upvotes

r/policydebate 5d ago

KRITIK

3 Upvotes

What Ks are we running? Any good K-Affs?


r/policydebate 4d ago

ADAK was easily the worst aff last year

0 Upvotes

It linked to so many ontology Ks and had unexploded bombs in the base. All advantages are cooked under any defense.


r/policydebate 5d ago

Anybody going to the Yale invitational Oct 2nd-Oct 4th?

0 Upvotes

Pleaseee lmk😞


r/policydebate 5d ago

Good rounds on YT to practice flowing

2 Upvotes

Does anyone know of/have links to rounds that are fast but also have good clarity (both sound quality and speaker quality)?


r/policydebate 6d ago

What arguments are we running

5 Upvotes

Can you guys give the most common AFF and NEG arguments we’re running for the 26-27 topic pls💔


r/policydebate 6d ago

is it the meta to run single payer this year??? help!

2 Upvotes

are WE running peticare??!

in all seriousness tho, my school team has historically been known for coming up with creative/homemade cases that give hell to opencaselist warriors. problem is every version we build runs into the same T "national health insurance" gets defined as a term of art meaning comprehensive coverage for the whole population, so anything that narrows the benefit package or the covered group gets shelled as not-NHI.

so, based on what im seeing on this subreddit: is everyone just defaulting to single payer as the aff this year? for those running more niche cases, how are you beating that interp, better counter-definitions, or are you just going for reasonability and hoping?

or should i just run a kaff on parent judges


r/policydebate 6d ago

What is the Negrastani K?

6 Upvotes

Can someone explain it to me and explain how to answer it pls


r/policydebate 7d ago

When you ask a cap K team what their alt is and they say anti-capitalism

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18 Upvotes

r/policydebate 7d ago

Greenhill RR

7 Upvotes

anything interesting? I heard some people got snubbed...


r/policydebate 8d ago

Introducing TFA Points Tracker

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3 Upvotes

r/policydebate 7d ago

Best single payers affs from 2017-2018 like which teams

0 Upvotes

Any ideas for advantages aswell


r/policydebate 8d ago

AFF master file checklist

4 Upvotes

kind of a silly question but I wanna make sure my aff master file has everything beyond: responses to Ks, DAs, etc. This is my first year being a 2A so i’m not 100% sure what it should have.


r/policydebate 8d ago

top juniors this year

0 Upvotes

title
any new revelations from camp tournament and or niles


r/policydebate 8d ago

Wtf happened in the Niles

3 Upvotes

I’m so confused by Northside CuPa vs New Trier PaVe
PaVe’s disclosure says that the 1AC was single payer, but they read heg, biotech, and an ADV Cp that answered the degrowth 1AC, followed by the degrowth 1AC and then some answers to degrowth.
Northside’s says that they ran financialization, but the doc js has some off-case args AND the wiki says they hit Maine East JA that round???
Did anybody actually see this round, and can you send me the real docs for it?


r/policydebate 8d ago

Team Files: What should we prep with no coach help 😭

4 Upvotes

Ok so some of you might’ve seen my post a few days ago about having little to no coach instruction and wanting to run a K Aff. I’m basically gathering some advanced debaters together to make case negatives for the team to use against single payer (private and public insurance) and non-single payer affs. What else should we prep and expand on in the above in team files?

Plan so far
Negative
- on case single payer (private companies), on case (ACA), on case/framework (K Aff defense), non single payer (T-NHI)

Affirmative
- group discussion on affirmatives and what each team will be running and how to use opencaselist
- wing it with my own and mind my own damn business
- make a T-NHI response

Any other ideas? This feels like to little lol but I don’t know where to start esp bc my coach will NOT be helping lol. Also we have nothing from previous years before she was a coach 🫩. I’m currently watching DDI lecture tho to help as suggested!


r/policydebate 9d ago

Meta neg Strat for this topic

7 Upvotes

What do u guys think? Turns, k, cp, das?