There is no precise answer to this question. Besides, meaning is not found in words but in people. In a courtroom, a judge can throw out a case if it does not meet certain strict definitions. In such a case, we would say that the judge lacks jurisdiction over the case. Many people believe that debate rounds are more like legislatures than court rooms.
Topicality silences important voices.
In many cases, important ideas are not heard by policy-makers because they come from people who have unpopular opinions. Policy-makers avoid listening to these important ideas by using obscure rules and procedures. Some affirmatives argue that topicality is just another meaningless procedure which prevents important ideas from being debated. Evidence describing the importance of the plan is helpful in making this claim.