September/October/NovemberCrime and Justice
NSDA by season
Lincoln-Douglas
One-on-one debate built around values: each side defends a value and a criterion for weighing it. The resolution changes every two months. How Lincoln-Douglas works
December/January/FebruaryHealth and Medicine
Resolved: the protection of society's health interest through broad based mandatory testing of AIDS ought to be more important than personal privacy rights.
March/April/MayEthics and Philosophy
Resolved: when they are in conflict, the principle of privileged communication ought to be subordinate to the maintenance of law and order.
NationalsPolitics and Government
Resolved: violent revolution is a just response to oppression.
Policy
Two-on-two debate on one resolution for the whole season. The affirmative proposes a plan and both sides use a lot of evidence. How Policy works
Whole seasonInternational Relations
That the United States government should adopt a policy to increase political stability in Latin America.
About NSDA topics
The National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) is the largest high school speech and debate organization in the United States. It publishes the resolutions that US tournaments use each season: a new Public Forum topic every month or two, a Lincoln-Douglas topic every two months, and one Policy topic for the whole year. Its National Tournament in June has its own topics.
Resolutions from NSDA's topic page, credited to the National Speech & Debate Association. NCFL Nationals topics are from the National Catholic Forensic League tournament, as listed by NSDA.