Council of Forensic Organizations

Providing Information about Intercollegiate Speech and Debate

COFO Member Organizations

  • American Forensics Association
    • AFA is the master organization that helps coordinate intercollegiate speech and debate in the United States. Many organizations that are listed here are affiliate organizations of AFA.
  • American Debate Association (ADA)
    • The ADA is a policy debate organization that is based predominantly on the East Coast, and sponsors a national championship each year.
  • Cross-Examination Debate Association (CEDA)
    • CEDA is devoted to policy debate with cross-examination time (two-on-two debate) and hosts a national championship.
  • International Forensic Association (IFA)
    • Sponsors an American collegiate style national tournament in a different country each year.
  • International Public Debate Association (IPDA)
    • Extemporaneous parliamentary-style debate.
  • Interstate Oratorical Association (IOA)
    • One of the oldest intercollegiate national tournaments. It has one event: Oratory. Students qualify from their state tournaments. The tournament takes place in April.
  • National Christian College Forensics Association (NCCFA)
    • NCCFA started in 1998; the tournament is open to Christian colleges and universities that are either part of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities or have similar objectives. The tournament features all of the individual events as well as Interpretation of Faith Literature, parliamentary and Lincoln-Douglas and IPDA debate, and Readers’ Theater.
  • National Debate Tournament (AFA-NDT)
    • The oldest intercollegiate national policy debate tournament. The tournament started in 1947 at West Point.
  • National Educational Debate Association (NEDA)
    • NEDA seeks to balance policy debate with persuasive speaking. The organization sponsors regional tournaments and a national tournament.
  • National Forensic Association (NFA)
    • NFA is the largest intercollegiate individual events tournament. NFA regularly hosts between 80-120 schools in individual events and Lincoln-Douglas debate.
  • National Speech Tournament (AFA-NST)
    • The NST started in 1978, and was started when the American Forensics Association decided to include individual events. Students qualify through district tournaments and at-large bids.
  • National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA)
    • NPDA features teams debating in a two-on-two format, with limited preparation time before and during the round. Resolutions change each round and are generally based in current events.
  • National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence (NPTE)
    • NPTE is an invitation-only parliamentary debate tournament held in March each year. Up to 64 teams qualify based on their performance at regular-season tournaments.
  • Novice Nationals
    • Novice Nationals is designed for 1st year intercollegiate competitors in individual events, Lincoln-Douglas debate, parliamentary debate, and Readers’ Theater. The tournament started in 1983.
  • Phi Rho Pi (PRP)
    • PRP is the honorary for two-year colleges, and hosts a national tournament and convention each year.
  • Pi Kappa Delta (PKD)
    • PKD holds a national convention every two years that alternates with the “off-year” national tournament. PKD is a forensics honorary devoted to intercollegiate forensics competition, and sponsors a journal as well.

COFO Leadership

  • President: Dave Gaer, Lonestar College-North Harris
  • Webmaster: Michael Dreher, Georgia College
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