The “Research Help” page is meant to connect CDL debaters with websites that will help them with researching evidence, as well as a few popular debate websites.

New to researching debate arguments? Check out this helpful guide.

General Research Resources:
Google: Sometimes basic is best. Try to filter searches with search terms like “.edu” or “.gov” to obtain the best-quality sources for your results.
Google News: Filters user searches for news content.
Google Scholar: Filters user searches for scholarly content (journal articles, books, etc.)
Real Clear Politics: A news aggregation website with a penchant for politics. Great for updates.
The Library: Get up and go, always a good starting point. Meeting place of the 2010 National Forensic League National champs, where dreams were born.

Specific Topic Research Resources:
Please click the Topic Resources link for foreign policy and military-oriented news sites useful for specific research.

CDL Research Links Twitter Feed:
Check out the CDL’s Research Links Twitter page, updated regularly with the latest news stories related to the 2010-2011 military deployment topic and the latest in foreign policy news.

General Evidence Websites:
NDCA Argument Wiki: A good starting point for research ideas, searchable wiki of argument outlines and citations from debate teams across the country.
NDCA Open Evidence Project: A website that compiles all of the evidence produced at summer institutes. An excellent resource to explore new arguments or to find particular pieces of evidence.
Planet Debate: A popular debate website’s searchable collection of free 2010 summer camp files. There are other debate files on the website available for free, but also some that must be purchased. Worth browsing, but mainly of value for the free camp files.
A list of affirmatives put out by university summer camps around the country
A list of disadvantages put out by university summer camps around the country