Big Questions Debate
The NSDA Competition Event page states (7/14/2024, here): Big Questions Debate is a debate format that allows students to debate with a partner or as an individual. Debates may be one-on-one, two-on-two, or two-on-one. Topics last all year and concern the intersection of science, philosophy, and religion. Students are assigned a side of the topic before each round and present cases, engage in rebuttal and refutation, and participate in a question period. Big Questions is supported by the John Templeton Foundation.
The MSDL adds that in the consolidation and rationale speeches, no new arguments are allowed. In the rationale speeches, no new evidence is allowed except in reference to evidence first raised by an opponent in their consolidation speech. What constitutes a new argument, in contrast to a new point necessitated by an opponent’s arguments in the preceding speech, is at the judge’s discretion.
Speech times and other details appear on pages 77-78 in the 2023-24 NSDA Unified Manual (here).
The MSDL adds that in the consolidation and rationale speeches, no new arguments are allowed. In the rationale speeches, no new evidence is allowed except in reference to evidence first raised by an opponent in their consolidation speech. What constitutes a new argument, in contrast to a new point necessitated by an opponent’s arguments in the preceding speech, is at the judge’s discretion.
Speech times and other details appear on pages 77-78 in the 2023-24 NSDA Unified Manual (here).
