National Forensic Association


The National Forensic Association is an American intercollegiate organization designed to promote excellence in individual events and debate. The NFA sponsors the NFA Nationals as well many other regional tournaments throughout the year. The 2016 NFA national tournament will be hosted by Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana. Founded in 1971, the NFA Nationals is the oldest national collegiate tournament dedicated to a full range of literature interpretation, public address, limited preparation, and debate events.

Lincoln Douglas Debate

NFA is unique in its NFA-LD Policy format. High school debate is primarily divided into individual debaters engaged in values-oriented competition or teams of debaters in rapid-paced evidence-based policy analysis. Instead of choosing one of these formats, NFA offers evidence-based policy analysis in one-on-one competition.

LD Policy Format

At the beginning of each year a topic area and corresponding resolution is voted upon and subject to the entire season's debate. Each round competitors find themselves assigned to affirm or negate the resolution. Rather than affirm general ideas or values, affirmative competitors propose a particular policy to adopt as a representation of the resolution. Negative competitors will generally attempt to either demonstrate a lack of need for that policy or argue that its disadvantages outweigh their benefits.
The first affirmative and negative speeches are constructive speeches, intended to put forth the arguments which will comprise the issues in dispute. A cross-examination period of three minutes follows each of these speeches in order to clarify arguments and gain information relevant to each competitor's position. Each competitor is then given a six-minute rebuttal in which their responses and development of the arguments are finalized. At the end of the round, the affirmative is given one final three-minute speech to review why their plan ought to be passed in support of the resolution. An assigned judge will then cast a ballot to affirm or negate the resolution.

Past national champions

Induction Class: Era: Name: College/University