Competition Format
Topics
Motions for debates will be announced 15 minutes before the start of each round. This means you will have to do some very quick thinking!
Competition Structure
Four teams will normally compete in each round. There will be:
- a first proposition team,
- a first opposition team,
- a second proposition team and
- a second opposition team.
Timings
Main speeches are of 4 minutes. An audible signal will be given at the end of the first and third minutes. A double signal will be sounded at the end of the four minutes, after which the speaker must finish as quickly as possible. If the speaker continues for more than 30 seconds, the Chairman will ask them to stop speaking immediately. In the final, each speaker will speak for 5 minutes, with the second audible signal being at the end of the fourth minute.
Preparation Time
Fifteen minutes before the Debate is due to start, all the teams will be told the motion to be debated. The First Proposition Team will thus have fifteen minutes to prepare their definition. Whilst that team is preparing, the other teams may wish to try to pre-empt the possible definitions.