Weighing Arguments & Judging Criteria

In any debate, someone bears the burden of proof — the obligation to provide sufficient evidence for their claim. In policy debate, the affirmative team bears this burden because they propose changing the status quo. In value debate, the side making the stronger claim bears the heavier burden. Presumption is the default position: if neither side proves their case convincingly, the decision favors the status quo or the less radical claim. Understanding burden allocation is crucial because it determines how much evidence each side needs and who wins if the arguments are roughly equal. Strategic debaters explicitly argue for favorable burden allocation.