Lincoln-Douglas (LD) is a one-on-one debate format focused on values and philosophy. It is one of the most widely competed individual debate events in US high school competition, governed by the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA). This guide covers the complete speech order, prep time rules, and how to time an LD round.
Shared prep pool, two-device sync, all 7 speeches preloaded. No signup.
Open LD timer →| # | Speech | Side | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Affirmative Constructive (AC) | AFF | 6:00 |
| 2 | Negative Cross-Examination of Aff | CX | 3:00 |
| 3 | Negative Constructive (NC) | NEG | 7:00 |
| 4 | Affirmative Cross-Examination of Neg | CX | 3:00 |
| 5 | 1st Affirmative Rebuttal (1AR) | AFF | 4:00 |
| 6 | Negative Rebuttal (NR) | NEG | 6:00 |
| 7 | 2nd Affirmative Rebuttal (2AR) | AFF | 3:00 |
Prep time: 4 minutes per debater, distributed freely across the round. Each debater draws from their own pool and may use it before any of their speeches.
Prep time in Lincoln-Douglas is a shared pool — each debater has 4 minutes total and can use it in any combination before any of their speeches. There is no per-speech limit. A debater might use 3 minutes before the NC and 1 minute before the NR, or all 4 minutes in a single block.
The judge tracks prep time separately for each debater. When a debater calls for prep, the judge starts the clock. When the debater indicates they are ready, prep stops and the remaining time is noted.
DebateClock handles this automatically — the prep pool for each side counts down independently and saves state between speeches.
Cross-examination periods are 3 minutes each. During CX, the questioner asks questions and the respondent answers. Neither debater may use prep time during cross-examination. Cross-examination is not a speech — it does not count toward either debater's speaking time.
The 1st Affirmative Rebuttal (1AR) is widely considered the hardest speech in LD. The affirmative has only 4 minutes to respond to the 7-minute NC plus the 6-minute NR, a combined 13 minutes of negative material. Efficient line-by-line refutation and strategic prioritization are essential.
Lincoln-Douglas debate is a values-based format. Each debater presents a philosophical framework consisting of two components: a value (a broad ideal such as justice, liberty, or human dignity) and a criterion (a standard for measuring whether the value is achieved). The affirmative defends the resolution by arguing their value and criterion better upholds the resolution. The negative argues against.
The value criterion framework is what distinguishes LD from Policy debate. Where Policy focuses on evidence and plan implementation, LD focuses on philosophical argumentation. A judge evaluates which debater better upholds their value premise through their criterion, and which criterion better measures the value at stake in the resolution.
Common values in LD include: justice, morality, human dignity, societal welfare, autonomy, and democracy. Common criteria include: maximizing utility, upholding rights, social contract theory, and categorical imperatives.
Flowing is the process of taking structured notes during a debate round. LD judges and debaters typically use a sheet divided into columns — one column per speech. Arguments are tracked across columns to show how each point was extended, dropped, or refuted as the round progressed.
A standard LD flow sheet has 7 columns for the 7 speeches: AC, CX, NC, CX, 1AR, NR, 2AR. Arguments made in the AC are tracked left to right. If the negative doesn't respond to an argument in the NC, it is considered "dropped" and the affirmative can extend it in the 1AR as conceded ground.
DebateClock's flow timer helps debaters practice structured work and review intervals. The round logger tracks actual vs allowed speech times across a full round.
LD judges evaluate three main areas: the framework debate (which value and criterion should govern the round), the substantive arguments (which debater better upholds their framework), and overall presentation and logical consistency.
A judge's decision typically follows this process: first, determine which framework wins — if the affirmative's criterion is accepted, do the affirmative's arguments meet it? If the negative's framework wins, does the negative successfully negate the resolution under that framework?
Practical judging notes:
Lincoln-Douglas resolutions are value statements, typically in the form "Resolved: [value claim]." Unlike Policy resolutions which propose a specific plan, LD resolutions assert a philosophical position for debaters to affirm or negate.
The National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) releases new LD resolutions every two months. Resolutions typically address ethical dilemmas, political philosophy, or competing social values. Examples of resolution structures include:
Practice debating resolutions with the LD motion generator — 150+ real motions filtered by format, topic, and difficulty level.
LD is one of three major NSDA formats alongside Policy and Public Forum. The key differences: