Spring Tulane Xavier Middle School Tournament at Willow School
2023 — New Orleans, LA/US
Middle School Debate
Event Description:
Number of Teams and Speakers, Speech Order
Teams and Speakers
Each PDP debate has 2 teams – proposition and opposition.
Each PDP team has 3 speakers.
Each debater on a team delivers one speech. The first 2 speeches (longer speeches in the debate) are constructive speeches – new material may be presented in these speeches. The third speaker delivers a rebuttal (summary) speech. No new argumentation may be presented in the rebuttal speech. *See rules for “New Arguments in Rebuttal.”
2-person team
If for some reason (illness during a tournament, for example), a team is unable to continue with 3 speakers, the team may proceed with 2 debaters. In that case, the team member who speaks first also delivers the third speech, the rebuttal speech. A speaker on a 2-person team is not permitted to deliver both constructive speeches (the first two speeches for a side in a debate).
Schools may not regularly register 2-person teams for competitions. The official number of debaters on a team is 3.
At league and invitational tournaments, a 2-person team may not be eligible for awards. The league president, in consultation with coaches and the tab director, will determine if 2-person teams may compete for awards. At the overwhelming majority of events, 2-person teams are declared eligible for awards. At the MSPDP regional/national championship tournament(s), 2-person teams may not register for the event and are not eligible for awards, except in an extraordinary emergency situation.
Speaker Order
Speakers make their presentations in the following order. The speaking time is themaximumfor each speech.
- First Speaker, Proposition Team 5 minutes
- First Speaker, Opposition Team 5 minutes
- Second Speaker, Proposition Team 5 minutes
- Second Speaker, Opposition Team 5 minutes
- Third/Rebuttal Speaker, Opposition Team 4 minutes
- Third/Rebuttal Speaker, Proposition Team 4 minutes
The MSPDP added 1-minute to rebuttal speeches, allowing students to speak for 4 minutes rather than 3 minutes, in 2013.
Preparation Time During a Debate
There is no preparation time period during a debate. A judge will thank a student for a speech and immediately recognize the next speaker (e.g., after the first proposition speech of the debate, “Thank you. I now recognize the first speaker for the opposition team.” At that verbal signal, the opening speaker for the opposition would rise and move to the center of the room or the podium to deliver the first speech for the opposition team).
Preamble and Grace Period
ALL speaking is included in the debater’s speaking time. If a student starts talking, the judge or designated timekeeper MUST start the speaker’s time. It does not matter if the speaker is delivering a ‘roadmap’ (“I will begin with new material and then move to the case’s three contentions in reverse order…”) or another preamble (“Are my teammates ready? Opponents ready? Judge ready? My time starts now!”) This verbal material must be timed by the judge.
In addition, there is no ‘grace period’ at the conclusion of a speech. A judge MUST stop taking notes when time ends at the 5-minute or 4-minute mark. Students do not receive credit for any material entered into the debate after their speaking time has concluded. Of course, a students may elegantly end a speech (and this might take a few extra seconds beyond the official end time). But judges may not record or include this additional material in a debate deliberation and outcome.
Points of Information and Argumentative Heckling
APoint of Information, also known as a POI, is an interjection by a speaker’s opponent to make a comment or ask a question. It is a request of a member of one team to a speaker holding the floor to yield time. If approved by the speaker, an opponent has up to 15 seconds to deliver the POI. Because the speaker yields time for a POI, thespeaker’s timecontinues to run during a POI.
A Point of Information is theONLYapproved parliamentary point in the PDP format. There is no Point of Clarification, Point of Order, Point of Inquiry, Point of Personal Privilege, etc.
Guidelines for Attempting/Making a POI
POIs are directed to members of the opposing team. They may not be directed to teammates.
POIs are permitted during constructive speeches – the first 4 speeches of the debate (the speeches with longer speaking times; the speeches delivered by the first and second speakers of each team). They are not permitted in rebuttal speeches.
POIs are permitted after the first minute and before the last minute of constructive speeches. The opening and closing minute of each constructive speech are ‘protected time’ for the speaker – no POIs.
Students may make a non-verbal or verbal request for a Point of information. A standing student or a standing student with an arm extended is considered to be making a request of the speaker holding the floor for a Point of information. Nothing needs to be said by the student requesting the point. A student may make a verbal application for a Point of information by standing and saying “Information.” The verbal request may only be made once; the speaker may not use any other than that single approved word to request a Point of information (e.g., the person requesting a Point of information may not say “Point of Information,” “Clarification, sir,” “On that point, ma’am” or any other language).
A POI may be a statement, e.g., an argument directed to the judge. A POI may also be a question. POIs donotneed to be in the form of a question.
An argument made as a Point of Information ought to have the same consideration as any argument entered in the debate.
More than one person on a team can request a POI at the same time. A speaker will only recognize one of them if accepting a POI.
The maximum amount of time to make a POI that is approved by a speaker is 15 seconds.
Guidelines for Accepting a POI
A speaker may accept or reject a POI.
Debaters must accept a POI during a speech (for success in the performance rubric) but there is no required number of POIs that a speaker must take.
If rejecting a POI, a speaker may use a gesture to wave down speakers attempting a POI – no verbal reply is required. This is not considered impolite – it is an acceptable part of the format.
If more than one debater attempts a POI, the speaker may choose to accept a POI from a particular debater (pointing at, for example, the first speaker on the opposing team and saying, “I will take your point.”)
If more than one debater attempts a POI and the speaker makes a gesture to wave down the opposing side or says, “No, thank you,” all opposing speakers must sit.
For a rejected POI, opposing team speakers must sit for a reasonable time (approximately 154 seconds or more) before rising again for a POI.
Argumentative Hecklingis an interruption of a speaker by one or more members of the opposing team. Heckles may be presented at any time in the debate. They are 1-2 words (or, perhaps, 3 brief ones) in length and never 4 or more.
Argumentative heckles are for the benefit of the judge and add value to the debate in a substantive way (they support or make arguments). Only argumentative heckling of this sort is permitted; disruptive heckling is not permitted in the format.
Some heckling is positive. Applause for speakers at the beginning and conclusion of each speech is an example. Teammates may also applaud a member of their team during the member’s speech by rapping on a tabletop or desk; this is conventional applause. Teammates may also call out “Hear, Hear!” in support of an effective argument.
Some heckling is negative. Opponents may call “Shame!” This should not be used for simple disagreement; it is a debate and disagreement is expected. It should be reserved for those times when a speaker makes a claim that is at odds with the facts of the debate (e.g., a speaker states “And my opponents never discussed the issue of unemployment” when the other side did so, and with some detail).Debaters must allow speakers to make a full argument before heckling to insist on more information or critique a speaker. For example, some students heckle by requesting that a speaker
Debaters must allow speakers to make a full argument before heckling to insist on more information or critique a speaker. For example, some students heckle by requesting that a speaker add evidence or source material to complete an argument. These heckles include “Source!”, “Evidence!”, and “For Example?”…Responsible hecklers wait for the speaker to complete an argument and consider if properly sourced evidence is included in a speech BEFORE making these heckles. A debater unfamiliar with appropriate heckling might heckle a request for evidence without allowing a speaker the time to complete an argument and present evidence. That is non-argumentative and not permitted.
No New Arguments in the Rebuttal Speeches
Speakers are not permitted to present new arguments in the rebuttal speeches (the third and final speeches for each side) of the debate.
A new argument, by definition, is one without a foundation in the constructive speeches. Students may continue lines of argument from the constructive speeches to the rebuttal speeches and add more analysis, evidence, and evaluation (these additions must not make an entirely new argument). They simply may not introduce entirely new positions at the latter stages of the debate.
A judge does not penalize students for presenting new arguments. A judge simply disregards new arguments when evaluating the outcome of a debate.
Rules for Observers
Observers may not verbally heckle students or disrupt a debate. They may politely applaud for debaters at the beginning and end of each speech but they must do so for all speakers I the debate.
Observers may not speak to judges or have any other contact with judges about their debate decisions. If an observer has any comment about a judge, that person may speak the coach of their school.