Confirmed participants:
FINALS WEDNESDAY 22ND MARCH 3:45-4:45pm
3rd/4th play-off: (PROP) MERANTI VS KERUING (OPP)
MOTION: This house believes that visible displays of wealth do more harm than good to society.
1st/2nd play-off: (PROP) CENGAL VS BANJUTAN (OPP)
MOTION: This house believes that the value of a human life should never be expressed in monetary terms.
Semi-Final 1 - Monday 13th March lunchtime lecture theatre:
(PROP) CENGAL VS KERUING (OPP)
MOTION: This house believes that achieving a fair distribution of wealth is more important than achieving a fair distribution of income.
Semi-Final 2 - Tuesday 14th March lunchtime lecture theatre:
(PROP) BANJUTAN VS MERANTI (OPP)
MOTION: This house believes that the value of each worker, and hence their pay, should be determined entirely by their contribution to the earnings of their employer.
When
Wednesday 22nd March - Final & 3rd/4th playoff
Semi-final 1: Thursday 16th March (lunchtime)
Semi-final 2: Friday 17th March (lunchtime)
Where
Grand final & 3rd/4th playoff : A603
Semi-final 1: Lecture theatre
Semi-final 2: Lecture theatre
Outline of the event
Each House team will be made up of 3 members. These members must have one representative from G6&7, one from G8&9 and one from G10, 11 & 12.
House teams will participate in two debates, a semi-final and then finals. Semi-finals will take place in some lunchtimes in the week of the event and the finals will take place during the allocated House Competition time after school.
Motions for the semi-finals will be announced 48 hours before the event to enable teams to prepare.
Motions for the finals will be announced at the conclusion of the semi-finals on Friday 17th to give teams time to prepare before the event on Wednesday 16th January.
Rules and timings
Semi-final 1 motion announced: Thursday 9th March
Semi-final 2 motion announced: Friday 10th March
Semi-final 1 debate: lunch time: Monday 13t March
Semi-final 2 debate: lunch time: Tuesday 14th March
Final & 3rd/4th motions announced: Friday 17th March
Format
3 speakers per team
First & second speakers:
Proposition speak first
Max 4 minutes speaking time
Warning when 30 secs remain
First and last minute protected (no POI)
2 minutes to confer before final speakers
Third speaker:
Order reversed (opposition go first)
Max 3 minutes speaking time
Warning when 30 secs remain
All protected time—no POI
Rules & Guidance
Roles of speakers:
First speaker (proposition)
frame the debate
define key terms
outline the key points of the team’s arguments and give the first point in detail
First speaker (opposition)
challenge the proposition’s framing of the debate and/or definitions (if appropriate)
challenge/rebut the points made by the first speaker
outline the key points of the team’s arguments and explain the first point in detail
Second speaker (both proposition and opposition)
challenge/rebut the points made by the previous speaker on the other team
expand upon the points made by the previous speaker from own team
explain at least one additional point in detail
Third speaker (both proposition and opposition)
challenge/rebut the points made by the previous speaker
explain at least one additional argument in detail
summarise the key points of the team’s argument
Points of information (POI):
Speaker chooses whether or not to accept (recommended that they accept at least one per speech).
No more than 15 seconds.
Can be a statement or a rhetorical/direct question.
No POI in the first or last minute of first & second speakers.
No POI at all during final speeches.
Etiquette (there will be penalty points for those not following the below)
Debaters should address the chair and the audience, not the other team (unless making a POI).
Debaters should refer to the other team as ‘the proposition’, ‘the opposition’ or ‘our opponents’. Do not use names or personal pronouns.
Debaters should keep to the time allocated.
Debaters should be respectful of others at all times, and should never insult their opponents, the chair or the audience in any way.
Debaters should not speak out of turn or interrupt an opponent, unless raising a POI (by saying “POI” or “point of information”).
Debaters should not lie or falsify evidence.
If POI are refused (by politely saying “no, thank you”) then the person raising the POI should accept this and immediately withdraw.
General guidance
Notes or cue cards are fine, but avoid reading from a script if possible.
Try to stand still and present in a confident manner.
Avoid the use of ‘never’.
Avoid the use of ‘always’.
Refrain from saying you are wrong.
You can say your idea is mistaken.
Don’t disagree with obvious truths.
Attack the idea, not the person.
Avoid exaggeration.
The use of ‘often’ or ‘generally’ allows for exceptions.
If it is just an opinion, admit it.
Do not present opinion as facts.
Smile when disagreeing.
Avoid bickering, quarreling, and wrangling.
Watch your tone of voice.
Keep your perspective—you’re just debating.
‘Rebuttal’ is a noun. ‘Rebut’ is a verb. You rebut an argument, not a person.
Scoring
Debates will be scored using this scorecard, which includes the judging criteria.
Finals will decide 1st/2nd place and 3rd/4th place. Houses will be awarded 40 to 10 points in descending order based on their final position.