September/OctoberInternational Relations
NSDA by season
Public Forum
Two-on-two debate on a current-events resolution that changes every month or two. Each speech is short and the round is meant to be followed by any listener. How Public Forum works
NovemberInternational Relations
Resolved: In response to the current crisis, a government should prioritize the humanitarian needs of refugees over its national interests.
DecemberEducation
Resolved: On balance, standardized testing is beneficial to K-12 education in the United States.
JanuaryInternational Relations
Resolved: On balance, economic sanctions are reducing the threat Russia poses to Western interests.
FebruaryEnvironment and Animals
Resolved: The United States federal government should adopt a carbon tax.
Resolved: The United States should withdraw its military presence from Okinawa.
AprilEconomy and Work
Resolved: To alleviate income inequality in the United States, increased spending on public infrastructure should be prioritized over increased spending on means-tested welfare programs.
NationalsPolitics and Government
On balance, a one-day national primary would be more beneficial for the United States than our current presidential primary process.
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
September/OctoberHealth and Medicine
Resolved: Adolescents ought to have the right to make autonomous medical choices.
November/DecemberCrime and Justice
Resolved: In the United States criminal justice system, jury nullification ought to be used in the face of perceived injustice.
January/FebruaryEthics and Philosophy
Resolved: In the United States, private ownership of handguns ought to be banned.
March/AprilInternational Relations
Resolved: The United States ought to promote democracy in the Middle East.
NationalsInternational Relations
Immigration ought to be recognized as a human right.
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 seasonCrime and Justice
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially curtail its domestic surveillance.
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.