In 2003, under the leadership of Richard Bracknell, the GFCA became the first state organization to adopt an evidence packet for use in all novice policy debate rounds. The evidence packet was designed to equalize the playing field and provide new programs and new coaches educational resources that could bring them success in policy debate. Today, the National Debate Coaches Association creates a national novice packet that we utilize.  With the help of Maggie Berthiaume, the GFCA has a modified packet below.

The packet is a great reminder of how the Georgia Forensic Coaches Association, and more specifically -- our debate teachers and coaches -- has been on the leading edge of speech and debate education for the past twelve years. 

The 2023-2024 Packet is available for download here.

This Packet will be used in Rookie and Novice divisions at all GFCA sanctioned tournaments — see below for details.

Please note: Any additional arguments released by the NDCA not listed below are not allowed in GFCA tournament competition.

Because the Word documents were created using a template, they will not paginate consistently across computers. If you are using the files paperlessly, they were created and formatted using the Verbatim template.

Rollout Schedule 

As of 2023-2024, Rookie and Novice will follow the same rollout schedule.

Released in August, Authorized Immediately

  • Universal Basic Income Affirmative

  • Universal Basic Income Negative (this does NOT include the counterplans in the NDCA version of the file)

  • Green New Deal Affirmative

  • Green New Deal Negative (this does NOT include the counterplans in the NDCA version of the file)

  • IRS DA

  • Economy DA

  • UBI Minus DA vs. UBI Affirmative

  • Nuclear Power DA vs. Green New Deal Affirmative

October 10th Addition

  • Taxes PIC

November 1st Addition

  • States CP

  • Other CPs from the original NDCA Case Negatives

  • Topicality

January 1st Addition

  • Capitalism Kritik

“The Novice Packet has become a truly awesome resource for development of new debate programs across the state.”
— Donnie Hatton, Northside High School '05

Rookie & Novice Policy Debate Evidence Rules

  1. Students may rearrange the organization of evidence and modify tags, underlining, and highlighting, but they may not add new arguments and/or change the content of the arguments in the packet. In general, if an argument involves “one card from this file, and one card from that file,” etc., it is not allowed.

  2. Students will be allowed to update arguments on their own so long as the content of the argument does not change.

  3. If any major argument becomes non-unique the GFCA Executive Committee will release a new argument to take its place.

  4. Students may not modify the plan texts.

  5. students are limited to the list of theory arguments included in the packet files.

  6. Students may not modify counterplan and Kritik alternative texts. 


     

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