Rebuttal speech

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Part of the series
Policy Debate
Organization
Policy debate competitions

Inter-Collegiate policy debate

Format
Structure of policy debate · Resolution

Constructive · Rebuttal · Prep Time
Evidence · Flow

Participants

Affirmative · Negative · Judge

Types of Arguments

Stock Issues · Case· Disadvantage
Counterplan · Kritik
Impact calculus · Topicality

Argumentative Concepts

Offense · Defense · Turn · Drop

In policy debate, a rebuttal speech is one of the last four speeches of a round. Rebuttal speeches are not followed by cross-examination.

In high school, rebuttals are 5 minutes long; in college, they are 6 minutes long.

Many believe that new arguments cannot be introduced in rebuttal speeches, and many judges will disregard such arguments, especially if they are flagged by the opposing team. Because the "second affirmative rebuttal" (2AR) is the last speech in the debate, many judges are willing to "intervene" by throwing out arguments in this speech which they believe the "second negative rebuttal" (2NR) could not predict.

[edit] See also