September/OctoberCrime and Justice
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/DecemberInternational Relations
Resolved: The United States should substantially reduce its military support of Taiwan.
JanuaryInternational Relations
Resolved: The African Union should grant diplomatic recognition to the Republic of Somaliland as an independent state.
FebruaryCrime and Justice
Resolved: The United States should accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
MarchEducation
Resolved: In the United States, the benefits of the use of generative artificial intelligence in education outweigh the harms.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its investment in domestic nuclear energy.
NationalsPolitics and Government
Resolved: On balance, in the United States, the benefits of presidential executive orders outweigh the harms.
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/OctoberEconomy and Work
Resolved: The United States ought to require that workers receive a living wage.
November/DecemberEconomy and Work
Resolved: The United States ought to adopt a wealth tax.
January/FebruaryCrime and Justice
Resolved: The United States ought to become party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and/or the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
March/AprilEthics and Philosophy
Resolved: The development of Artificial General Intelligence is immoral.
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 seasonPolitics and Government
Resolved: The United States federal government should significantly strengthen its protection of domestic intellectual...
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: Creativity is a more powerful force than intelligence.
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.