Sample Scenario/Prompt
Elizabeth Cady Stanton High School is located in a Chicago Neighborhood with a very high crime rate. Two students have already been assaulted this year with knives and another was threatened with a gun. Fighting and rowdy behavior have been on the rise in the school. Because of the threat of violence, the teachers feel increasingly afraid to discipline students who misbehave. At the end of school yesterday, a student walked into a biology class, picked up a knife for dissecting frogs, and robbed the lab instructor. The principal has promised to hire more security guards but the teachers want to institute a random search of students and their lockers. Although the student council is worried about violence in the school, they are completely opposed to random searches. Should the principal agree to random searches?
How Impromptu Debate Works
Impromptu debate is a two-on-two switch side debate format in which situational dilemmas are used as the catalyst for debate. Two debaters are designated the “affirmative,” and must answer the proposed question, “yes.” Two other debaters are assigned to be “negative,” and must answer the question, “no.”
The use of researched evidence is prohibited but the use of common knowledge is permitted. For example, in a debate about terrorism, references to September 11th would be appropriate.
Initial Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
At the start of the round the debaters are handed the scenario and have 10 minutes to prepare.
Additional Preparation Time: 5 Minutes (each side)
After the first speech both sides have 5 minutes of additional preparation time to use however they wish. For example, the negative could use two minutes prior to the first negative constructive and the remaining three minutes prior to the first negative rebuttal.
Speaker Order
| Speaker | Time / Minutes | AKA |
| First Affirmative Constructive | 4 | 1AC |
| Cross-examination | 2 | Cross-ex |
| First Negative Constructive | 5 | 1NC |
| Cross-examination | 2 | Cross-ex |
| Second Affirmative Constructive | 4 | 2AC |
| Cross-examination | 2 | Cross-ex |
| Second Negative Rebuttal | 5 | 2NR |
| Cross-examination | 2 | Cross-ex |
| First Affirmative Rebuttal | 3 | 1AR |
Debate rounds take less than an hour.