Weeknight Online Rounds of Debate 7

2025 — Online, WI/US

** Results/Standings **

Note for judges applying to be hired: WISDAA is only able to contract with individuals with a United States Social Security Number or Employer Identification Number (EIN). This includes U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or non-citizens with correct immigration status to work in the United States.

We are excited to invite WISDAA member middle + high schools to participate in our State Debate Festival. Please consult "Results/Standings" above. At least one member of each entry (team of 3-5 students) must have achieved State Qualification.

Debate Categories & Entry Fees

  • World Schools Debate (3-5 students* = an entry); $15/entry
    in a Worlds round, 3 students may speak

All schools are expected to provide adjudicators; please see Adjudicators section below regarding fees for uncovered adjudicators.

Topics

Rules for Evidence

Impromptu Round

  • During the prep period, students on each team (3-5 students) will collaborate to handwrite speeches based on their prior research but are NOT allowed to utilize ANY resources (neither paper nor digital) besides an encyclopedia and/or dictionary and should be relying on reading and research they have done previously.
  • During the Debate: teams may not use any outside resources (no printed nor digital resources) besides a dictionary and encyclopedia; they may bring and utilize their own hand prepared notes created in the one-hour prep period.

Prepared Motion Round

  • Teams are ONLY allowed to use their hand-written and printed notes along with a dictionary and encyclopedia; they may NOT use the internet to research DURING the round; they are NOT allowed to read speeches off the computer (if they can, this opens the door to AI).
  • Computers should ONLY be used to access the video conference platform and NOT be used to research or utilized to show a script for a speech.

Judges' Roles with Evidence

How would a judge on Zoom be able to tell if students are using a computer to research during the round or if they are reading their speech off of a computer? We advise that students should be primarily reference their own notes and occasionally look at the camera, but should not be reading from their computer screen (nor any other device). Obviously, this is difficult to enforce on Zoom, but is good practice for the State Festival at UW-Madison, approaching in April.

Adjudicators & Uncovered Adjudicator Fees

Each school should provide adjudicators (judges) equivalent to the number of entries (or fraction thereof) participating during a given time slot. Those requirements are:

  • Congressional: 1 adjudicator per 6 entries or fraction thereof
  • Worlds: 1 adjudicator per 2 entries or fraction thereof

Uncovered adjudicator slots will be assessed a $100 fee per adjudicator per round not provided.

Schedule

2:30-3:29 PM Check-in**<-- see new requirement below
3:29-4:29 PM Worlds: Preparation for Impromptu round
4:30-5:30 PM Worlds Round 1 (Impromptu)
5:50-6:50 PM Worlds Round 2 (Prepared Motion)
7:10-8:10 PM Worlds Round 3 (Prepared Motion)
8:30 PM Claim Medals

** Each team must have a representative present at check-in in the Humanities building.

Awards

Medals for each student on a team:
3 Wins = Gold 2 Wins = Silver 1 Win = Bronze Participant = Copper