23 USC Section 101
We will likely become very familiar with 23 US Code this year as it has lots of official policy information about domestic transportation infrastructure. Here is the definitions section which may help people when they are researching. It includes 35 definitions of key terms for domestic transportation policy. There could also be a lot of [...]
Constructive Engagement discussion
Here is a discussion of one of the key terms in the resolutions this year – “Constructive Engagement” – from a CEDA topic paper in 2007. Some of the discussion overlaps and should be a good introduction. I wouldn’t use this as any time of ‘framers intent’ but just as a starting off point. (http://www.cedatopic.com/Middle_East_07.pdf) [...]
Extra-Topicality, Topicality Part 5
Extra Topicality is another form of topicality where you are not necessarily disagreeing with the interpretation of a word in the resolution but instead what the affirmative team’s plan does given the resolution. You would claim that the affirmative team is doing ‘extra stuff’ that the resolution does not give them the right to argue. [...]
Structuring Topicality, Topicality Part 2
There are a few varieties of “topicality” positions to run. The first, covered below, is a straight up clash of definitions. There are also “effects-t” and “extra-t” topicality positions that will be discussed in future posts Topicality Shell – Definitions There are four basic components of a well-run topicality violation. These are: A) Interpretation B) [...]
Introduction to Topicality, Post 1 of 5
When I first started judging and coaching NFA-LD I assumed given the impression of the event from afar that topicality would rarely be argued. Was I wrong! At our first tournament Cerritos did not even have answers to topicality and our affirmative teams were really hit hard with that oversight. An interesting difference between CEDA/NPDA/NDT [...]
