The WDCA is middle and high school coaches who set competition standards and policies for interscholastic debate, which teaches students how to research, develop defendable positions, take and organize notes, and argue persuasively.
Judging Paradigms
The WDCA accepts the following paradigms:
Stock Issues The win is determined by the affirmative presenting a topical
case which persuades the judge the SQ contains significant problems
with harmful impacts and an inherent barrier to its solution.
The proposed plan solves for the established harms. Affs must
successfully defend all five stock issues to win.
Policymaker The win is determined by which side presents sufficient evidence
and logical argument to persuade the judge that their position/policy
is either more advantageous or presents fewer disadvantages.
Tabula Rasa Usually a varsity-level paradigm meaning 'blank slate'; also called Tabs. The win is determined by which side presents sufficient evidence
and logical argument to persuade the judge their position impacts
society more (carries more weight). Focuses on key arguments and
telling the judge how to weigh the round.
Speaking Skills
The win is determined by which side most effectively presents
information using the six areas of speaker evaluation.
Hypothesis Testing Usually used only on the Varsity level. Also known as 'hypo
test' and is the least used paradigm at the high school level. The win is determined by the affirmative finding the 'ideal' approach
to fulfilling the resolution. Aff must prove it is necessary to
adopt its plan or the resolution and must identify the cause of
the problem they choose to solve. Justification and explanation
of theory behind the case and plan are necessary. Counterplans,
critiques and conditional arguments are often employed by the
negatives in these rounds.
The WDCA does not accept "Games Playing" as
an acceptable judging paradigm.In addition, novice debaters may
not present counterplans or critiques.
The WDCA accepts the following paradigms: