What is it?
The Long Version:
Public Forum (PF) involves opposing teams of two, debating a topic concerning a current event. Students present cases, engage in rebuttal and refutation, and also participate in a “crossfire” (similar to a cross examination) with the opportunity to question the opposing team. Often times community members are recruited to judge this event, so being able to persuade a range of judges is a central component to this event.
Save for the first two topics (which last two months each), PF resolutions change monthly. This variety of topics each season, paired with a commitment to well-substantiated evidence, makes PF unique as a debate type.
TL;DR:
Research on current news, gather evidence, write cases, debate, rinse and repeat.
Public Forum (PF) involves opposing teams of two, debating a topic concerning a current event. Students present cases, engage in rebuttal and refutation, and also participate in a “crossfire” (similar to a cross examination) with the opportunity to question the opposing team. Often times community members are recruited to judge this event, so being able to persuade a range of judges is a central component to this event.
Save for the first two topics (which last two months each), PF resolutions change monthly. This variety of topics each season, paired with a commitment to well-substantiated evidence, makes PF unique as a debate type.
TL;DR:
Research on current news, gather evidence, write cases, debate, rinse and repeat.
What's the format?
PF is known for having very short speech times, which makes succinctness the name of the game. With two speakers per side, there are two roles: the first speaker, and the second speaker. "Crossfire" is unique to PF, in which both sides are able to ask questions to each other, as opposed to "cross-examination" in LD and Policy debate, where only one side is able to ask the questions.
Speech |
Time Allotted |
Affirmative Constructive (Aff 1st spkr) |
4 min. |
Negative Constructive (NEG 1st spkr) |
4 min. |
Crossfire (between 1st spkrs) |
3 min. |
Affirmative Rebuttal (AFF 2nd spkr) |
4 min. |
Negative Rebuttal (NEG 2nd spkr) |
4 min. |
Crossfire (between 2nd spkrs) |
3 min. |
Affirmative Summary Speech (AFF 1st spkr) |
3 min. |
Negative Summary Speech (NEG 1st spkr) |
3 min. |
Grand Crossfire (between all spkrs) |
3 min. |
Affirmative Final Focus (AFF 2nd spkr) |
2 min. |
Negative Final Focus (NEG 2nd spkr) |
2 min. |