Debating

You have a topic. You have a week or two - or perhaps just an evening - to prepare. Where do you begin?

Debating is a team 'sport' (no, really, it is) with different roles for each member of a team to fulfil. This guide will let you know what you need to do, and how long you should spend doing it. To find out how much you should announce that you've moved between sections, see Signposting.

Points of Information are introduced in Senior debates. They are an opportunity to ask a brief question (<15 sec) of an opposing speaker. POIs can be either accepted or declined by the speaker.

From Round 3, Seniors take part in Impromptu debates.

These require you to prepare a case in 1 hour on an unseen topic. That's understandably daunting when you've always had 2 or more weeks to prepare before. It also means that you can't research the topic. So, what should you do?