Debate · Formats · LD, Value Debate, Lincoln-Douglas Value Debate
Lincoln-Douglas Debate
One debater against one on a question of values: what is just, right or good, and what standard should decide it.
- Who
- High school students (and some middle school divisions) debating one on one. The NSDA, state associations, and the homeschool leagues NCFCA and Stoa all offer it.
- Teams
- 1 vs 1
- Length
- About 45 minutes
- Topic
- A value resolution that changes during the season. NSDA members vote on topics, which run for two months at a time (the national tournament has its own).
- Prep time
- Four minutes for each debater during the round (NSDA, Stoa). NCFCA allows three, and not right before cross-examination.
Named for the 1858 Illinois Senate campaign debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, which were about the morality and politics of slavery's spread. See the 1858 debates in the topics.
Speeches in order
| # | Speech | Side | Time | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AC Affirmative Constructive | Affirmative Aff | 6:00 | Present the value, the criterion, definitions and the contentions for the affirmative. |
| 2 | CX Cross-examination of the affirmative | Negative asks (Neg) | 3:00 | The negative questions the affirmative. |
| 3 | NC Negative Constructive | Negative Neg | 7:00 | Present the negative case and refute the affirmative case. |
| 4 | CX Cross-examination of the negative | Affirmative asks (Aff) | 3:00 | The affirmative questions the negative. |
| 5 | 1AR First Affirmative Rebuttal | Affirmative Aff | 4:00 | Refute the negative case and rebuild the affirmative case, in four minutes against seven. |
| 6 | NR Negative Rebuttal | Negative Neg | 6:00 | Refute the affirmative, rebuild the negative, and give voting issues. |
| 7 | 2AR Second Affirmative Rebuttal | Affirmative Aff | 3:00 | Answer the negative's voting issues and give the affirmative's. |
Total speaking time: 32 minutes, plus up to 8 minutes of prep.
How a round works
Each side names a value (the goal the round should be judged by, such as justice or human dignity) and a criterion (how to measure whether that value is met). Then each side shows, with contentions, that its side of the resolution best meets the standard.
The affirmative speaks first and last. The time split is uneven on purpose: the affirmative gets 13 minutes of speaking and the negative 13, but the negative’s rebuttal comes in one six-minute block.
What it rewards
- Clear thinking about values and how to weigh them
- Philosophy put in plain words a judge can follow
- Persuasive speaking and sharp cross-examination
- Time management, especially in the affirmative’s short rebuttals
How to start
- Read the current topic and list the values at stake on each side.
- Learn the value and criterion structure in the Framework chapter.
- Write a six-minute affirmative case and a seven-minute negative case with two contentions each.
- Practice the 1AR: answer a seven-minute speech in four minutes.
- Watch the final round of a national tournament on video and flow it.
Varies by league or state
- Prep time: four minutes (NSDA, Stoa) or three minutes (NCFCA); some local tournaments set their own.
- Topics: NSDA topics run two months; NCFCA and Stoa choose their own resolutions for the year.
- Style: some national-circuit rounds are fast and technical; most local, state and homeschool rounds expect a clear, persuasive pace for a lay judge.
- Whether a value and criterion are required: traditional and homeschool LD expect them; some circuits accept other frameworks.
Always check the rules your tournament publishes; they win over anything here.
Topics that suit LD
Rules and sources
- Lincoln-Douglas Debate (event page, time limits), National Speech & Debate Association (page current 2026). Accessed 2026-10-25.
- Stoa Lincoln Douglas Debate Rules 2025-2026, Stoa (revised July 2025). Accessed 2026-10-25.
- Lincoln-Douglas Value Debate Event Rules, NCFCA (updated 2026-09-15). Accessed 2026-10-25.
- Lincoln-Douglas Value Speaking Order and Times, NCFCA (updated 2025-08-01). Accessed 2026-10-25.
Speech times checked against the sources above on 2026-10-25.