Topicality (policy debate)

Policy debate
Organization
Policy debate competitions Inter-collegiate policy debate
Format
Structure Glossary Evidence Flow
Argument types
Stock issues Case Disadvantage Counterplan Impact calculus Topicality
Policy debate
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Topicality is a resolution issue in policy debate which pertains to whether or not the plan affirms the resolution as worded.^[1] To contest the topicality of the affirmative, the negative interprets a word or words in the resolution and argues that the affirmative does not meet that definition, that the interpretation is preferable, and that non-topicality should be a voting issue. "Interpretation" is a low-level standard argued by high school debaters but not quibbled verbatim, "interpretation", by seasoned debaters beyond college. The difference is between what is said ("text") and what is allowed ("treaty" or "d'accord" or agreement or advocacy, etc.).