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
November/DecemberHealth and Medicine
Resolved: The United States federal government should impose price controls on the pharmaceutical industry.
JanuaryEconomy and Work
Resolved: The United States federal government should prioritize reducing the federal debt over promoting economic growth.
FebruaryInternational Relations
Resolved: The United States should end its arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
MarchEconomy and Work
Resolved: The United States should promote the development of market rate housing in urban neighborhoods.
Resolved: The United Nations should grant India permanent membership on the Security Council.
NationalsScience and Technology
Resolved: The United States federal government should enforce antitrust regulations on technology giants.
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/OctoberEthics and Philosophy
Resolved: In the United States, reporters ought to have the right to protect the identity of confidential sources.
November/DecemberScience and Technology
Resolved: In a democracy, the public's right to know ought to be valued above the right to privacy of candidates for public office.
January/FebruaryInternational Relations
Resolved: The United States ought not provide military aid to authoritarian regimes.
March/AprilCrime and Justice
Resolved: The illegal use of drugs ought to be treated as a matter of public health, not of criminal justice.
NationalsPolitics and Government
Resolved: Violent revolution is a just response to political 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
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially reduce its restrictions on legal immigration...
Shortened here. The full wording is on NSDA's topic page.
Big Questions
A debate on a philosophy and science question, with one resolution for the season.
Whole seasonPolitics and Government
Resolved: Humans are primarily driven by self-interest.
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.