Cornell Novice Nationals 2027

1. Round 1This House regrets the prominence given to celebrity endorsements of US politicians and political parties.Practise this motion
2. Round 2This House believes that the animal rights movement should prioritize the welfare of domesticated animals (e.g., livestock, pets, and laboratory animals) over the conservation of wildlife (e.g., endangered species and habitat preservation).Practise this motion
3. Round 3This House believes that countries with emerging economies should actively discourage the formation of primate cities.Practise this motion
4. Round 4This House would implement a system of tradable individual carbon quotas to replace all existing carbon taxes on consumer goods.Practise this motion
5. Round 5This House prefers a world in which techno-pessimism, rather than techno-optimism, is the dominant attitude.Practise this motion
6. QuarterfinalsThis House regrets Mexico’s reform that made all judges elected rather than appointed.Practise this motion
7. SemifinalsThis House believes that post-conflict democracies should implement lustration policies against former regime officials.Practise this motion
8. Rookie FinalsThis House would prefer to be born as a city mouse rather than a country mouse.Practise this motion
9. Grand FinalThis House prefers to love wholeheartedly rather than cautiously.Practise this motion

Open the Cornell Novice Nationals 2026 prep page

1. Round 1THP models similar to the Japanese lottery system as opposed to standard ticketing systems (e.g., Ticketmaster, Eventbrite, and SeatGeek).Practise this motion
2. Round 2THO electoral thresholds in PR systems.Practise this motion
3. Round 3THW require sellers of all luxury products and services to clearly display their price in Dead Children Currency.Practise this motion
4. Round 4THBT climate activists should prioritize pushing for policies that seek to make fossil fuel companies benefit from a green transition (e.g., giving major grants to support BP's green tech projects).Practise this motion
5. Round 5THBT the hacker should publicly release the data of all Ashley Madison users.Practise this motion
6. QuarterfinalsTH, as Milei, W try to dollarize Argentina.Practise this motion
7. SemifinalsTHBT public health authorities in Western liberal democracies (e.g., the Food and Drug Administration in the US, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in the UK) should strongly denounce the use of TCM.Practise this motion
8. Grand FinalTH hopes for a Butlerian Jihad in our near future.Practise this motion
9. Rookie FinalsTHW rather save the life of 100 billion shrimp over saving the life of one 70 year old human.Practise this motion

Open the Cornell Novice Nationals 2025 prep page

1. Round 1THR the decline of religious beliefPractise this motion
2. Round 2THW require sports teams to issue publicly traded shares that amount to at least 51% of their total ownershipPractise this motion
3. Round 3THS entertainment and social media content that encourages people to experiment with polyamoryPractise this motion
4. Round 4THBT the establishment of separate states for different ethnic and religious groups is preferable to efforts to reconcile and integrate in post-conflict societiesPractise this motion
5. Round 5THP a world where people are unable to feel shamePractise this motion
6. QuarterfinalsTHBT the feminist movement should celebrate female tyrants (e.g. Wu Zetian of China, Catherine the Great of Russia, and Mary I of England)Practise this motion
7. SemifinalsTH, as Saudi Arabia, regrets Vision 2030Practise this motion
8. Grand FinalTHO the expectation that institutions (e.g., universities, corporations, etc.) take stances on socially controversial issues.Practise this motion

Open the Cornell Novice Nationals 2024 prep page

1. Round 0THBT the American government should increase the gas tax and direct the revenue towards modernising and expanding public transportPractise this motion
2. Round 0THBT the American government should increase the gas tax and direct the revenue towards modernising and expanding public transportPractise this motion
3. Round 1THBT the feminist movement should disavow body positivity in favour of advocating for body neutrality.Practise this motion
4. Round 2THW compel priests to report felonies which they learn of during confession.Practise this motion
5. Round 3THW prioritize providing students in rural areas with digital access and remote degrees from good schools over developing schools in rural areas.Practise this motion
6. Round 4THP a world in which people do not search for a purpose in life (e.g. working towards vocational goals, building your life around family)Practise this motion
7. Round 5THBT the left should advocate for increased police force to be used against Ottawa's "freedom convoy."Practise this motion
8. QuarterfinalsTHBT the American government should increase the gas tax and direct the revenue towards modernizing and expanding public transport.Practise this motion
9. SemifinalsTHS the increasing globalisation of the Yuan.Practise this motion
10. ESL FinalsTHBT western social justice groups (e.g. feminist advocacy groups, LGBT advocacy groups) should have a global agenda, as opposed to a local one.Practise this motion
11. Grand FinalTHR the use of bold and graphic imagery in feminist art (genitalia, grotesque figures, blood, etc.).Practise this motion

Open the Cornell Novice Nationals 2022 prep page

1. Round 1THBT popular media should portray climate change optimistically, emphasizing progress which has been made over alarming predictions.Practise this motion
2. Round 2TH, as a fiction writer during the COVID 19 pandemic, would predominantly write stories about the present crisis, rather than stories about the past, future, or alternate timelines.Practise this motion
3. Round 3THBT the United States should criminalize the propagation of conspiracy theories whose adherents have actively threatened or caused harm to public figures (e.g., QAnon, 9/11 trutherism)Practise this motion
4. Round 4TH, as a major tech company, would make all of their software open source.Practise this motion
5. Round 5THR the narrative that forgiveness is a virtue.Practise this motion
6. QuarterfinalsTHP a world in which religions do not emphasize self-deprivation (e.g. ritual fasting, asceticism, voluntary poverty)Practise this motion
7. SemifinalsTH, as an industrializing developing country, would impose capital controls and trade tariffs on its economy.Practise this motion
8. Grand FinalTHBT the Biden administration should declare and actively pursue a “feminist foreign policy”.Practise this motion
9. ESL FinalsIn highly multiethnic states, THP the use of devolved governments as opposed to centralized governments.Practise this motion

Open the Cornell Novice Nationals 2021 prep page