Format Guide
Public Forum debate: speech order, crossfire & prep time
Public Forum (PF) is a two-on-two debate format focused on current events and policy. It is one of the most widely competed team debate events in US high school competition. This guide covers the complete speech order, crossfire structure, prep time rules, and how to time a PF round.
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Public Forum speech order
| # | Speech | Side | Time |
|---|
| 1 | 1st Speaker — Team A (Pro) | PRO | 4:00 |
| 2 | 1st Speaker — Team B (Con) | CON | 4:00 |
| 3 | Crossfire #1 (1st speakers) | CX | 3:00 |
| 4 | 2nd Speaker — Team A (Pro) | PRO | 4:00 |
| 5 | 2nd Speaker — Team B (Con) | CON | 4:00 |
| 6 | Crossfire #2 (2nd speakers) | CX | 3:00 |
| 7 | Summary — Team A | PRO | 3:00 |
| 8 | Summary — Team B | CON | 3:00 |
| 9 | Grand Crossfire (all 4 speakers) | CX | 3:00 |
| 10 | Final Focus — Team A | PRO | 2:00 |
| 11 | Final Focus — Team B | CON | 2:00 |
Prep time: 3 minutes per team, distributed freely. Each team shares one pool across both speakers.
How crossfire works in PF
Public Forum has three crossfire periods. The first two crossfires are between the two first speakers and two second speakers respectively — they question each other directly. Grand Crossfire involves all four debaters and is less structured, with any debater able to ask or answer questions.
During crossfire, both speakers stand and engage directly. The judge times the 3-minute period but does not intervene in the questioning structure.
Prep time rules in PF
Each team has 3 minutes of prep time shared between both partners. Prep may be called before either speaker's speech — the 1st speaker might use 1 minute before their constructive and the 2nd speaker uses the remaining 2 minutes before their constructive, or any other combination.
Prep time cannot be used during crossfire periods. The judge tracks each team's remaining prep separately.
How Public Forum debate works
Public Forum (PF) debate is a two-on-two team format focused on current events and policy. Two teams — Pro and Con — debate a resolution that changes monthly. PF is designed to be accessible to general audiences, emphasizing clear argumentation over technical jargon. It is one of the most popular NSDA formats at US high school tournaments.
PF uses a unique structure with crossfire periods — open question-and-answer sessions where both speakers from opposing teams question each other simultaneously. The grand crossfire involves all four debaters.
PF topics and resolutions
Public Forum resolutions change monthly and focus on current events, policy debates, and international relations. Unlike Lincoln-Douglas (philosophical values) or Policy (year-long research), PF topics are released a month in advance and focus on real-world issues. Debaters research current news sources, government reports, and academic papers relevant to the monthly topic.
The monthly topic rotation means PF debaters need to quickly adapt their research and argumentation style. Breadth of knowledge across many topic areas is valued over deep specialization in one area.
Crossfire in Public Forum
Public Forum has three crossfire periods that distinguish it from other formats:
- Crossfire #1 — 3 minutes between the two 1st speakers after their constructives
- Crossfire #2 — 3 minutes between the two 2nd speakers after their constructives
- Grand Crossfire — 3 minutes with all four debaters after the summary speeches
Crossfire is a simultaneous exchange — unlike cross-examination in Policy or LD where one team asks and the other answers, both PF speakers may ask and answer questions during crossfire. Strong crossfire performance can significantly influence judge decisions.
How to judge Public Forum debate
PF judges evaluate the flow (tracking of arguments across speeches), the quality of evidence, and the debaters' ability to clash directly with opposing arguments. PF judges often have less technical debate experience than LD or Policy judges — arguments should be clear and accessible.
Practical judging notes:
- Each team has 3 minutes of shared prep time — track cumulative usage across the round
- The Final Focus (2 minutes each) is the last speech — judges often weight these heavily
- Crossfire exchanges are not flowed but can influence overall impression scores
- Summary speeches should crystallize the round to 1-2 key issues
- Always defer to the official tournament director for any timing disputes
Public Forum vs Lincoln-Douglas vs Policy
- PF vs LD: PF is 2v2 focused on current events with crossfire. LD is 1v1 focused on philosophical values with cross-examination. PF topics change monthly; LD topics change every two months. Full comparison →
- PF vs Policy: Both are team formats but Policy uses year-long research, much longer speeches, and spreading. PF is faster to pick up for new debaters with shorter speeches and accessible topics.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What is Public Forum debate?
Public Forum (PF) debate is a two-on-two team format where Pro and Con teams debate a monthly current events resolution. It features unique crossfire periods — open question-and-answer exchanges between opposing speakers. PF is one of the most popular NSDA formats at US high school tournaments.
What are the PF debate speech times?
Each team gives two 4-minute constructive speeches, one 3-minute summary speech, and one 2-minute final focus. There are three 3-minute crossfire periods. Each team also has 3 minutes of shared prep time to use freely across the round.
What is grand crossfire in PF?
Grand crossfire is a 3-minute period after the summary speeches where all four debaters participate simultaneously. Unlike the earlier crossfires (which involve only the two speakers of the same position), grand crossfire involves both speakers from both teams questioning each other openly.
How does prep time work in Public Forum?
Each team has 3 minutes of shared prep time to use freely across the entire round — not per speech. Once used, prep time does not replenish. DebateClock tracks each team's cumulative prep pool automatically, carrying the remaining balance forward between speeches.
How often do PF topics change?
Public Forum topics change monthly. The NSDA releases a new resolution each month, requiring debaters to research fresh current events topics regularly. This contrasts with Policy (one topic per year) and Lincoln-Douglas (one topic per two months).
How long are PF speeches?
Constructives: 4 min each. Summaries: 3 min each. Final Focus: 2 min each. Crossfires: 3 min each.
How much prep time does each team get?
3 minutes per team, shared between both partners and used freely across the round.
What is Grand Crossfire?
A 3-minute period after both Summary speeches where all four debaters participate simultaneously. Any debater can ask or answer questions.
Can prep time be used during crossfire?
No. Prep time may only be used before a team's own speeches.
What is the difference between Summary and Final Focus?
Summary is 3 minutes and should crystallize the key arguments. Final Focus is 2 minutes and is the last speech — it should focus only on the 1-2 most important voters the judge should use to decide the round.