This is an example of a debate resolution that might be used in a limited research debate tournament. In limited research debate, students are given a general topic area to debate and may only present evidenced arguments from assigned readings. In the case of the resolution written above, debaters were assigned readings and told that the general topic area was legalizing medical marijuana.
Debaters are also free to employ un-evidenced arguments or common knowledge in making arguments.
On the day of the competition the tournament director releases the precise wording of the topic to be debated which is known as the resolution. Debaters designated, affirmative, must argue in favor of the resolution and debaters designated, negative, must argue against the resolution. Tournaments are switch-side competitions which means participants must debate both affirmative and negative. Limited research debate competitions may be either a Lincoln-Douglas format or a team debate format. In the team debate format two debaters constitute a team and compete against pairs of debaters from other schools.