Topic Areas for Extemp, Parli, and SPAR

Topic Areas for Extemp

Topic Areas will alternate between International and National Topics. If a Semifinals or Quarterfinals Round is not warranted, we will skip that Topic Area.

Round 1 - Africa

Round 2 - Economics

Round 3 - The Americas

Quarterfinals - US Foreign Policy

Semifinals - Asia

Finals - Social Issues and Controversies

Topic Areas for Parliamentary Debate

Topic Areas for Preliminary Rounds will include (in no particular order):

Environmental Policy

Geographical Area: Europe

California

International Relations

Elimination Round Topics will not be released. Students should be prepared to debate on any issue or topic area.

Topic Areas for Spontaneous Argumentation (SPAR)

For SPAR, we will rotate between three types of topics areas: Contemporary/Moral Issues, Funny Comparisons, Political Issues. Students will be given three topics. The student assigned to the Negative side will strike one topic. The student assigned to the Affirmative side will choose from the remaining two options which one they will debate.

Examples of Contemporary/Moral Issues Topics:

The death penalty is unjust.

Social media has done more harm than good.

Examples of Funny Comparisons:

Unicorns are better than dragons.

Pancakes are better than waffles.

Examples of Political Issues:

Voting ought to be compulsory.

The filibuster should be eliminated.