IMPROMPTU DEBATING

Purpose

The Impromptu Debating competition incorporates the skills of debating with spontaneity and general knowledge.

Team Size

A team will consist of three members representing their club.

Entries

Counties/regions can enter one team to the national rounds.

Counties/regions with three or fewer clubs, as of August 31, 2020 will be allowed to enter a rainbow team consisting of members who are not necessarily all from the same club.

Eligibility

Team members must be 17 years of age or over and under 35 years of age on September 1st, 2020.

The previous year’s county winners/representatives are eligible to compete.

National winners since 2007 are ineligible to compete for two years.  A maximum of one previous national winner can be on a team at any one time.

Format

Both teams will be seated on stage together.

The proposition should sit on the chairman’s right.

The leader of the proposition will open the debate and propose the motion.

• Members of the proposition and opposition will speak alternatively.
• The leader of the opposition will then summarise the team’s argument, followed by the leader of the proposition.

Motions

Motions for debate will be given to the teams 30 minutes before each debate. A draw will take place to decide which team will propose and which team will oppose the motion. Teams will be allowed no preparation material except one dictionary. Separate rooms will be provided for teams to prepare for debate; these rooms will be supervised and no phones will be allowed.

Time

Time allowed for the opening address will be four minutes. Each speaker will be allowed four minutes. Time allowed for the summaries will be four minutes. A warning bell will ring one minute before the end of allocated time for each speaker during which there will be no heckling. Should it be necessary to ring the bell at the end of the time, teams will automatically lose marks at the rate of five marks per minute or part thereof.

Heckling

A heckle is defined as a quick spontaneous comment, question, or interruption. A double heckle is defined as two people from the opposing team heckling the speaker at the same time. There are no additional marks for heckling.

A penalty of five marks per offence will be deducted from the teams’ marks for the infringement of any of the below rules.

• Only the person with the floor has the right to reply to a heckle.
• Heckling in the final minute of any speech will be penalised.
• Heckling during summaries will be penalised.

A penalty of two marks per offence will be deducted from the teams’ marks for the infringement of any of the below rules.

• Double heckling at any time will be penalised.

The Presiding Officer, at his/her discretion, can stop excessive heckling. Continuing to heckle excessively in the opinion of the Presiding Officer will be penalised

Judges

There will be three judges who must not communicate with each other. Each judge must, independently, give a clear decision in favour of one team.

Marking System

Speaker 1

Ability to communicate................ 40

Layout of arguments................... 40

Summary.................................... 40

Refutation................................... 30

Total……………………………….150

Speaker 2

Ability to communicate................ 40

Content....................................... 35

Refutation................................... 25

Total……………………………….100

Speaker 3

Ability to communicate................ 40

Content....................................... 30

Refutation................................... 30

Total……………………………….100

Results

The aggregate placing system will determine the winner. If there is a tie, then the team with the most ‘firsts’ will be the winner. If there is still a tie, then total marks will determine the winner. A Best Debater prize is also awarded at each national round. The host county is responsible for the individual prizes in this competition.

Closing Date

The closing date for entries to National Office is Wednesday, March 10^th, 2021