The Guide
WUDC World/British Parliamentary Debating Rules
(taken from Roy D’Cruz & IIUM Spice Unit)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This Guide is prepared by the IIUM English Debating Association with the view to help those who are interested in the British Parliamentary format of debate. They have tried to make this guideline as simple and straight forward as possible keeping in view the fact that many participants of the championship will not have prior experience in debating.
It highlights some of the qualities and methods which make an effective debater while providing you with an introduction to the format of the British Parliamentary format of debate. The suggestions outlined serve only as a general guideline, and not as the official rule of any championship using the British Parliamentary format.
Part 1 - Introduction
Debating is an acquired skill. It is a fine art which combines two roles; the presentation of the debater's case in a reasonable, attractive and persuasive manner, coupled with the effective response to the opposition's case and counter arguments. As such, a debate works very much in favour of developing objective, critical thinking and the structured presentation of ideas. These two qualities summarize the important characteristics of a dynamic leader who is well equipped to face contemporary and future challenges.
In the British Parliamentary format of debate, four teams, the Opening Government, the Closing Government, the Opening Opposition and the Closing Opposition, of two debaters each, debate a resolution proposed to the House. A different motion is proposed for each round. The result of the round is decided by a panel of adjudicators. No evidence or other outside written or printed material may be consulted during the round.
1.1 The format of the debate
1.1.1 The debate will consist of four teams of two persons (persons will be known as "members"), a chairperson (known as the "Speaker of the House" or "Mister/Madame Speaker" and an adjudicator or panel of adjudicators.
1.1.2 Teams will consist of the following members:
1.1.3 Members will deliver substantive speeches in the following order:
(1) Prime Minister (7 minutes);
(2) Opposition Leader (7 minutes);
(3) Deputy Prime Minister (7 minutes);
(4) Deputy Opposition Leader (7 minutes);
(5) Member for the Government (7 minutes);
(6) Member for the Opposition (7 minutes);
(7) Government Whip (7 minutes);
(8) Opposition Whip (7 minutes).
Opening Government "Prime Minister" & "Deputy Prime Minister"
Opening Opposition "Leader of the Opposition" & "Deputy Leader of the Opposition"
Closing Government "Member for the Government" & "Government Whip"
Closing Opposition "Member for the Opposition" & "Opposition Whip"
1.1.4 Members will deliver a substantive speech of seven minutes duration and should offer points of information while members of the opposing teams are speaking.
ROLES OF TEAMS
Government (Proposition) Teams in General: The role of the Government teams shall be to support the motion (topic). This involves defining the motion, constructing a positive case in favour of the motion, providing substantive material and arguments in support of their case and responding to any challenges made to that case by the Opposition.
Opposition Teams in General: The role of the Opening Opposition team is to negate the motion. This involves responding to the Government's definition, constructing a case in opposition to the motion, providing substantive material and arguments in support of the case and responding to the arguments delivered by the Government.
The Opposition should also provide "value-clash" in the debate. In other words, the argumentation they forward must constitute a clash or disagreement with the case presented by the Government. From experience, when the Government presents a case which is not similar to the expectation of the Opposition, some Opposition teams refuse to respond appropriately by forwarding a case in direct disagreement. They instead simply deliver prepared speeches based on their speculation of what the Government's case would have been. This would result in there being two separate "speech presentations" instead of a debate. Needless to say, any Opposition team that does not provide value-clash while not explicitly challenging the definition proposed by the Government shall not be marked favourably (please refer to the rules on Definitions below).
Role of Opening Government: The role of the Opening Government is to define the topic and build a case in support of the topic. Building a case involves providing a case line or theme and arguments that proves the topic. The team also has to respond to the case built by the Opening Opposition Team.
Role of the Opening Opposition: The Opening Opposition has to respond to the definition, build a positive case to negate the topic. The team must also respond to the arguments introduced by the Opening Government.
Role of the Closing Government: The Closing Government is generally expected to follow and support the line of argumentation introduced by the first team on their side i.e. Opening Government. They must introduce new positive matter e.g. new arguments, new dimension or new analysis into the debate which were not introduced by the first team. The Closing Government may dump the Opening Government in an extreme case. However, if possible, they should not sound like opposing their own first team. Besides introducing new positive matter in support of the topic, they must also address the arguments introduced by both the Opposition Teams (Opening and Closing Opposition).
Role of Closing Opposition: The role of the Closing Opposition is somewhat similar to that of the Closing Government the only material difference by the fact that they build the case in opposition to the topic. The Closing Opposition is generally expected to follow and support the line of argumentation introduced by the first team on their side i.e. Opening Opposition. They must introduce new positive matter e.g. new arguments, new dimension or new analysis into the debate which were not introduced by the first team. The Closing Opposition may dump the Opening Opposition in an extreme case. Again, if possible, they should not sound like opposing their own first team. Besides introducing new positive matter in support of the topic, they must also address the arguments introduced by both the Government Teams (Opening and Closing Government).
(taken from Roy D’Cruz & IIUM Spice Unit)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This Guide is prepared by the IIUM English Debating Association with the view to help those who are interested in the British Parliamentary format of debate. They have tried to make this guideline as simple and straight forward as possible keeping in view the fact that many participants of the championship will not have prior experience in debating.
It highlights some of the qualities and methods which make an effective debater while providing you with an introduction to the format of the British Parliamentary format of debate. The suggestions outlined serve only as a general guideline, and not as the official rule of any championship using the British Parliamentary format.
Part 1 - Introduction
Debating is an acquired skill. It is a fine art which combines two roles; the presentation of the debater's case in a reasonable, attractive and persuasive manner, coupled with the effective response to the opposition's case and counter arguments. As such, a debate works very much in favour of developing objective, critical thinking and the structured presentation of ideas. These two qualities summarize the important characteristics of a dynamic leader who is well equipped to face contemporary and future challenges.
In the British Parliamentary format of debate, four teams, the Opening Government, the Closing Government, the Opening Opposition and the Closing Opposition, of two debaters each, debate a resolution proposed to the House. A different motion is proposed for each round. The result of the round is decided by a panel of adjudicators. No evidence or other outside written or printed material may be consulted during the round.
1.1 The format of the debate
1.1.1 The debate will consist of four teams of two persons (persons will be known as "members"), a chairperson (known as the "Speaker of the House" or "Mister/Madame Speaker" and an adjudicator or panel of adjudicators.
1.1.2 Teams will consist of the following members:
1.1.3 Members will deliver substantive speeches in the following order:
(1) Prime Minister (7 minutes);
(2) Opposition Leader (7 minutes);
(3) Deputy Prime Minister (7 minutes);
(4) Deputy Opposition Leader (7 minutes);
(5) Member for the Government (7 minutes);
(6) Member for the Opposition (7 minutes);
(7) Government Whip (7 minutes);
(8) Opposition Whip (7 minutes).
Opening Government "Prime Minister" & "Deputy Prime Minister"
Opening Opposition "Leader of the Opposition" & "Deputy Leader of the Opposition"
Closing Government "Member for the Government" & "Government Whip"
Closing Opposition "Member for the Opposition" & "Opposition Whip"
1.1.4 Members will deliver a substantive speech of seven minutes duration and should offer points of information while members of the opposing teams are speaking.
ROLES OF TEAMS
Government (Proposition) Teams in General: The role of the Government teams shall be to support the motion (topic). This involves defining the motion, constructing a positive case in favour of the motion, providing substantive material and arguments in support of their case and responding to any challenges made to that case by the Opposition.
Opposition Teams in General: The role of the Opening Opposition team is to negate the motion. This involves responding to the Government's definition, constructing a case in opposition to the motion, providing substantive material and arguments in support of the case and responding to the arguments delivered by the Government.
The Opposition should also provide "value-clash" in the debate. In other words, the argumentation they forward must constitute a clash or disagreement with the case presented by the Government. From experience, when the Government presents a case which is not similar to the expectation of the Opposition, some Opposition teams refuse to respond appropriately by forwarding a case in direct disagreement. They instead simply deliver prepared speeches based on their speculation of what the Government's case would have been. This would result in there being two separate "speech presentations" instead of a debate. Needless to say, any Opposition team that does not provide value-clash while not explicitly challenging the definition proposed by the Government shall not be marked favourably (please refer to the rules on Definitions below).
Role of Opening Government: The role of the Opening Government is to define the topic and build a case in support of the topic. Building a case involves providing a case line or theme and arguments that proves the topic. The team also has to respond to the case built by the Opening Opposition Team.
Role of the Opening Opposition: The Opening Opposition has to respond to the definition, build a positive case to negate the topic. The team must also respond to the arguments introduced by the Opening Government.
Role of the Closing Government: The Closing Government is generally expected to follow and support the line of argumentation introduced by the first team on their side i.e. Opening Government. They must introduce new positive matter e.g. new arguments, new dimension or new analysis into the debate which were not introduced by the first team. The Closing Government may dump the Opening Government in an extreme case. However, if possible, they should not sound like opposing their own first team. Besides introducing new positive matter in support of the topic, they must also address the arguments introduced by both the Opposition Teams (Opening and Closing Opposition).
Role of Closing Opposition: The role of the Closing Opposition is somewhat similar to that of the Closing Government the only material difference by the fact that they build the case in opposition to the topic. The Closing Opposition is generally expected to follow and support the line of argumentation introduced by the first team on their side i.e. Opening Opposition. They must introduce new positive matter e.g. new arguments, new dimension or new analysis into the debate which were not introduced by the first team. The Closing Opposition may dump the Opening Opposition in an extreme case. Again, if possible, they should not sound like opposing their own first team. Besides introducing new positive matter in support of the topic, they must also address the arguments introduced by both the Government Teams (Opening and Closing Government).
posted by ms. ana at 2:29 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home