Finds that students with participation experience in competitive debate differ from those prior to such experience in the level of argumentativeness (ARG) and verbal aggression (VA). Reveals that policy and nonpolicy formats of debate, and male and female participants, differ significantly in levels of ARG and VA. (SR)

The lack of consistent theory in nonpolicy debate has contributed to difficulty for debaters and judges alike. The problem is especially apparent for second negative speakers in the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) format. The controversy over the direction and goals of CEDA style debate has led some members of the CEDA community to…

Reports on a survey of participant attitudes toward National Debate Tournament rules on NDT Committee authority, topicality standards, qualification methods, and disclosing decisions. Findings suggest that attitudes should be measured before NDT rules are adapted. (PD)

Focuses on the relationship between debate training and critical thinking ability, and examines whether Cross-Examination Debate Association (CEDA) debaters, National Debate Tournament (NDT) debaters, and nondebaters differ significantly on the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal. Indicates no significant difference between NDT debaters and…

Over recent years critics of debate have expressed disenchantment with the rate of delivery used by intercollegiate debaters. To determine how fast Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) debaters speak compared to normal public speaking rates, and whether CEDA has met its goal of providing a forum that is consistent with the rate of public…

A study focused on the effects of forensic participation on two specific traits--argumentativeness and verbal aggression. Two hundred eighty-one high school forensic students participating at a large western forensic tournament in the beginning of the 1990 academic year completed D. A. Infante's Argumentative and Verbal Aggression Scales. Results…

Existing theories of value debating (resolutions dealing with values rather than policy) may be more effectively applied and developed when viewed as stock issues paradigms for debating values in competitive situations. Issues are vital to an advocate's cause because they are essential to the meaning of a proposition and can also provide an…

The educational benefits of debate suggest several reasons for funding debate programs on college campuses. First, debate training improves communication skills (analysis, delivery, and organization) and helps students in other communication situations. Second, debate promotes depth of educational experience by exposing students to important…

A study examined whether intercollegiate debating enhances the critical thinking ability of participants and investigated whether users of the two existing styles--National Debate Tournament (NDT) and Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA)--differed significantly from each other and from nondebaters in their critical thinking skills. Four…

The results of five studies of the relationship between debate training and critical thinking were examined to determine if in fact debate training improves critical thinking skills. All five studies compared the gains on the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Test (WG) for subjects who had received debate training with control groups who…