PUBLIC FORUM

DEBATE
WHAT IS IT?

 Public forum debate, also known as

crossfire debate, is a style of debate
practiced in the National Forensic League.
 Public Forum Debate is an audience friendly debate that
focuses on advocacy of a position derived from the issues
presented in the resolution, not a prescribed set of burdens.

A Public Forum Debate round begins with a flip of a coin

between the competing teams to determine sides and
speaker position.

 PublicForum tests skills in argumentation, cross-

examination, and refutation.
 Public Forum Debate offers students a unique opportunity to
develop on-their-feet critical thinking skills by situating them in
contexts not unlike US political (radio and TV) talk shows.
Public Forum debaters must anticipate numerous contingencies
(possibilities) in planning their cases, and must learn to adapt to
rapidly changing circumstances as discussions progress.

 Public Forum’s open-ended cross-examination format

encourages the development of unique rhetorical strategies.
Public Forum debates provide students with real-world public
speaking skills through the discussion of contentious ideas.
How it goes…
 Two teams make up a Public Forum debate, one taking the
affirmative position, the other arguing the negative. The guidelines
for arguing these positions are as follows:

1. Arguing a Case for the Resolution

The affirmative team has the opportunity to interpret and define

the resolution, and has the responsibility to interpret the resolution
as it would reasonably be interpreted in the public sphere. The
affirmative team is not required to provide a literal interpretation
of the resolution, but may instead choose to create a metaphorical
interpretation of the resolution. The reasonability of the affirmative
team’s interpretation of the resolution is a matter that can be
argued from debate to debate.
Public Forum Debate

 You and a partner will debate controversial issues that

are taken from newspaper headlines.

 New topics will be announced for each month.

 -display solid logic, reasoning, and analysis
 -utilize evidence but not be driven by it
 -present a clash of ideas
 -counter the arguments of the opponents (rebuttal)
 -communicate ideas with clarity, organization, eloquence,
and
 -conduct yourself with professional decorum
RULES
 1. In-Round Research is Prohibited

Research on the topic must be completed prior to the beginning of an actual debate.
Once the debate begins, the debaters may not conduct research via electronic or other
means. No outside person can conduct research during the debate and provide it directly
or indirectly to the debaters. The use of a dictionary to determine the meaning of English
words that the debater may not understand should not be construed as a violation of this
rule.

2. Citations

Debaters may refer to or cite any public information. When debaters cite information,
they should be prepared to provide complete documentation of the source to the
opposing team and to the judge on request. A team’s documentation of cited material
must be complete enough that the opposing team and the judge can independently locate
the information. Ordinarily, such documentation would include the name of an author (if
any), the name and date of a publication, the URL of a website (if the information was
retrieved electronically), and a page number (if any exists.)
 How It Goes
 The debate begins with the first team's first four-minute
constructive speech. In this speech, one of the members of the
team gives arguments either for or against the resolution (a
resolution or topic is a normative statement which the
affirmative team affirms and the negative team negates.),
negates
depending on which side the team is speaking for.
 Strictly speaking, the custom in public forum debate dictates
that when debaters speak (both for speeches and crossfire), they
should face forward towards the judge, sometimes from behind
a lectern.
 A CLOSER LOOK
 In these two speeches, the first and second speakers
should deliver their pre-prepared reasons for adoption
or rejection of the topic. The second speaker may also
respond to the most important arguments raised by the
first speaker.

 In the first two speeches, speakers for both sides must

be concerned with constructing and presenting a logical
argument that draws on evidentiary support. This is the
one time in the debate where specific preparation can
be used as a tool of the debate.
 Next,the other side is permitted to give its first four-
minute constructive speech in which not only arguments
may be presented, but rebuttals to arguments from the first
speech as well.

 However, rebuttals are almost always not presented until a

team's second constructive, and are frowned upon in some
states/tournaments, and the first constructive generally
consists exclusively of prepared material.
Cross Fire
 Following this speech, the first speaker from the first team joins the
first speaker from the second team at the podium if one is provided (in
the absence of one debaters stand by their desks) and the first three-
minute "crossfire" begins.

 The first speaker begins crossfire by asking a question to the second

speaker. In crossfire, the two debaters directly ask each other
questions and answer questions of their opponent.

 Crossfire may be used, like cross-examination, to ask revealing

questions in an attempt to expose a weakness in the opponents'
arguments, but it is often used as a way to further develop and attack
arguments through discourse.
Keep Goin’
 After crossfire, first team's second speaker gives a four-
minute rebuttal speech. After they have rebutted their
opponents case, they move on to "rehab" their own (rebut
the opponents rebuttals in an attempt to nullify them.
Although, this only applies to the second speaker as the first
team should not have had any points rebutted yet.)

 Then, the second speaker of the second team gives a four-

minute constructive speech following this same format.
Following this speech, another three-minute crossfire ensues.
 This speaker position for both sides has the burden of
analyzing the opponents’ position and explaining flaws in
the ideas presented by the other team.

 The judge has an expectation that the two sides will clash.
Clash may be in the form of line-by-line refutation of the
opponent’s position or could focus on the most
"attackable" issues advanced by the other side.
Grand Crossfire
 The first speaker of the first team then gives a two-minute
summary speech of the debate, which includes further rebuttal
of the opponents case and reiteration of the first team's case, and
the first speaker of the second team does the same.

 After this speech, all four debaters participate in "Grand

Crossfire". Grand Crossfire is similar to crossfire except that all
four debaters can ask and answer questions of each other. The
speaker that gave the first summary speech begins Grand
Crossfire by asking the first question.
Final Focus
 After Grand Crossfire, each team's second speaker has a chance
to give a two-minute speech called the "Final Focus. " The first
team gives this speech first.

 In the Final Focus, the speaker is given one last chance to

explain exactly why his or her team has won the round. No new
arguments or evidence is allowed in the Final Focus. This
speech is often the determining factor for a judge's decision in a
closely contested round, as it allows the judge to hear which
arguments/evidence each team views as the most important to
his or her case, and summarizes the entire debate.
 In the Final Focus, speakers should select the issue or
issues they feel have become crucial to the round.

 Moreover, they should explain how their side has won

arguments related to those issues. The Final Focus
should not be an attempt to explain all issues that
have been raised, but rather offer sustained,
persuasive commentary on a single issue or small
number of issues of importance.
 Time Schedule
 Public Forum Timing Schedule
 First Speaker - Team A = 4 Minutes
 First Speaker - Team B = 4 Minutes
 Crossfire = 3 Minutes
 Second Speaker - Team A = 4 Minutes
 Second Speaker - Team B = 4 Minutes
 Crossfire = 3 Minutes
 Summary - First Speaker - Team A = 2 Minutes
 Summary - First Speaker - Team B = 2 Minutes
 Grand Crossfire = 3 Minutes
 Final Focus - Second Speaker - Team A = 2 Minutes
 Final Focus - Second Speaker - Team B = 2 Minutes
 Prep Time (per team) = 2 Minutes 
Final Wrap Up

• Everyone observing the debate is expected to

be a respectful audience member.
• A judge’s decision may reflect a contestant’s
disrespect to other competitors during the
round.
• Finally, all debaters should remember to thank
the judge!