Community Resources
Perspectives does not endorse and is not responsible for the content on these websites. However, we have provided these links should they be helpful for your information.
Lincoln Douglas Debate
- Introduction to LD Debate by Seth Halvorson and Cherian Koshy. This is an extremely helpful and in-depth 98-page article that covers all the essentials of LD.
- Coaching LD Resources from the National Forensics League. These articles may also be useful for students looking to learn about LD.
Debate Leagues
- The National Forensics League is one of the premiere debate leagues in the nation. Their website includes information about registering. Schools who register are eligible to receive points and awards of distinction for their students. The local chapter that encompasses the greater Philadelphia region is the Valley Forge District.
- The National Catholic Forensics League is one of the premiere debate leagues in the nation (which is open to all schools, not only Catholic schools). There is a local league in Philadelphia (see below).
- The Philadelphia Catholic Forensics League (PCFL) is Philadelphia's local chapter of the National Catholic Forensics League. It is open to all schools - not only Catholic schools - and offers tournaments in more than 10 debate and speech events almost every weekend between September and April.
- The Pennsylvania High School Speech League hosts the Pennsylvania State Debate Tournament.
- National Association of Urban Debate Leagues
Debate Community
- Victory Briefs Daily posts debate news from across the country ranging from tournament results to movie releases with a debate theme.
- The Rostrum is the National Forensics League's official magazine. Articles range from event rules changes to tips on how to become a better debater.
General Debate Information
- Coaching Resources from the NFL, covering everything from the basic format of each debate style to how to improve your vocabulary.
- Wikipedia's Debate Entry, to get a quick glance at the many different debate formats thriving worldwide.
- The Value of Debate by Jeffrey Parcher
- ParliDebate.com is an archive of recorded parliamentary debate rounds. The University of Vermont also makes recordings available. Though these rounds are not in the LD format, there are many universal elements to debate.