Since West Georgia I have been considering a theoretical issue that confronted me as a result of something that happened in the quarters debate. What is the status of an argument that is neither explicitly contested nor explicitly conceded? I would appreciate others thoughts and comments.

Are you a debate theory junkie? The theory of intrinsicness is rightfully making a comeback. If you are interested in defending your 2AC intrinsicness arguments or how judges make decisions read on...

Oscar Handlin proffered this challenge over a half a century ago:  Our troubled planet can no longer afford the luxury of pursuits confined to an ivory tower.  Scholarship has to prove its worth, not on its own terms, but by service to the nation and the world.  As we experience what some have labeled the third academic revolution in American higher education, universities look to meet the increasing demands of political relevance and accountability (Bergstrom and Bullis, 1999, p. 25).   Current domestic public policy concerns include: an inferior educational experience for children in kindergarten through twelfth grade, a degraded environment, rural and urban poverty, inadequate health care, and a compromised Social Security System.

The intercollegiate debate program is an ideal vehicle to provide an engaged form of scholarship.  Service learning is an educational experience that affords students the opportunity to apply what is learned in formal academic environments in community settings. 

In debates that take place between policy teams and project teams, one central sticking point tends to be over the merits of switch side debate in our activity. How do the goals of Project debating interact with the ideals and practices of what is commonly known as “switch side debate”?

You might think that novice debate is about basic argumentation, the structure of the debate, and basic rules of the game.  While all those things are important, you will never believe the things that require explanation...