Basic Parliamentary Debating

The Parliament: UPLB Debate Society

Ministry of Education, Training and Skills

What is a DEBATE?
Debate is a venue of reasoned discussion from two opposing sides on a well-defined context, where arguments are delivered in an organized fashion with the main purpose of convincing and persuading the audience to agree with their side of the disagreement.

Basic Elements of a Debate

Motion Opposing Sides
Government/Affirmative Opposition/Negative

Adjudicator

What is a motion?
It is a statement which calls the house (the body/ the organization involved) for an action regarding a topic or issue at hand. It can either call for a policy or an assessment.

Two Kinds of Motions

Policy
This house would ban single-sex schools. This house would legalize prostitution This house would pay mothers not to abort.

Value judgment
This house believes that academic performance is the best indicator of individual success in life. This house celebrates the use of the English language as the medium of instruction in high school education. This house regrets domestic corporal punishment.

Debate Formats
British Parliamentary Debating Asian Parliamentary Debating Oxford-Oregon Australasians

Asian Parliamentary Debating

Government
Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister Government Whip

Opposition
Leader of Opposition Deputy Leader of Opposition Opposition Whip

Asian Parliamentary Debating

Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister Government Whip Government Reply Leader of Opposition Deputy Leader of Opposition Opposition Whip Opposition Reply

Speaker Roles
Prime Minister (1st Speaker of the Government) Provides the definition of the motion Introduces the Policy (if a policy debate) Discusses the team split Provides the initial argument of the Government

Definition
The purpose of the definition is not to tell your audience, adjudicator and opposition what a word means in general. Instead, the purpose of the definition is to explain what a word means for your debate. This does not mean that you should define the motion word-for-word. The point is to explain what context are you talking about and what is the implication of the motion on that context.

Speaker Roles
Leader of Opposition (1st Speaker of the Opposition) Provides the Clash Challenges the definition (if necessary) Discusses the team split Rebuts Prime Minister Provides the initial argument of the opposition

Challenging the Definition

Grounds for Definitional Challenge: 1. Time and place setting 2. Tautology 3. Truism 4. Squirrel

Speaker Roles
Deputy Prime Minister (2nd Speaker of the Government) Clarifies Prime Minister/ Team Stance Rebuts Leader of Opposition Develop teams argumentation through an extension/ elevation

Speaker Roles
Deputy Leader of Opposition (2nd Speaker of the Opposition) Clarifies Leader of Opposition/ Team Stance Rebuts Deputy Prime Minister Develop teams argumentation through an extension/ elevation

Speaker Roles
Government Whip (3rd Speaker of the Government) Sum up governments case Rebuts opposition bench Provides fresh analyses Discouraged to present new argumentation

Speaker Roles
Opposition Whip (3rd Speaker of the Opposition) Sum up oppositions case Rebuts governments case Provides fresh analyses Not allowed to present new matter

Reply Speeches
A reply speech is a biased adjudication which aims to convince the adjudicator why your side won the debate. It gives the team an opportunity to consolidate their ideas and review the debate. It has a time limit of (4) Four Minutes Only Constructive Speakers (PM, LO, DPM, DLO) are allowed to give reply speeches Opposition replies first

Points of Information
A permission for interjection done by an opposing team that aims to ask questions or provide rebuttals.

Done ONLY during the 1st minute up to the 6th minute of the opponents speech Stand up to point, and wait for the speaker to accept it.

Speech you are given (7) Seven minutes to Structure In Asian Parliamentary Debate Format,

speak. 1st minute (0:00-1:00) Grace Period (Catch the attention of the audience, slowly introduce the flow of your speech) You may start your rebuttals 2nd minute (1:00-2:00) Do not accept points of information until the foundation has been laid layout your arguments/ issues 3rd minute-6th minute (2:00-6:00) Once you laid out the foundations of your speech, you can start discussing your arguments/ issues Accept 1 to 2 points of information 7th minute (6:00-7:00) Sum up your speech and remind the adjudicator the important things you said. Leave a lasting statement for the adjudicator to remember An overtime of 15-30 seconds is okay. Although being excessively overtime can be penalized by the adjudicator.

The Adjudicator
The adjudicator is basically the judge of the debate. He/ she facilitates the debate and gives the decision after the round. The adjudication panel must be composed of an odd number of adjudicators. He/ she is addressed by the debaters as Mister/ Madame Speaker/ Chair

Grades
80-83 Superior 77-79 Above Average 74-76 Average 71-73 Below Average 67-70 - Poor

Thank you.
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