Parli Debate

The Speaking Format Parli Debate

Prime Minister (Government) - 7 minute Constructive 

Opposition Flex Time - 2 minutes 

Leader of the Opposition - 8 minute Constructive 

Government Flex Time - 2 minutes 

Member of the Government - 8 minute Constructive 

Opposition Flex Time - 1 minute 

Member of the Opposition- 8 minute Constructive 

Leader of the Opposition - 4 minute Rebuttal

Government Flex Time - 1 minute 

Prime Minister - 5 minute 

Rebuttal Flex time may be used by the controlling team to prepare arguments, talk to their partner, drink water, button up suit coats set up stands, shuffle papers, ask questions of their opponents, etc. Flex Time may not be used as additional speech time. Flex time begins immediately at the end of the previous speech. Speakers are expected to immediately start their presentation when Flex Time is over. ​

​IPDA

Welcome to public debate (IPDA- International Public Debate Association)

Philosophy

Public Debate (IPDA) privileges the use of lay judges, accessibility to all, and real-world application. In other words, the goal should be an intelligent argument that everyone can understand.

Debaters are expected to be courteous, to have real-world oratory skills, and to avoid falling back on ‘debate truisms’ and tactics like ‘spreading’ or reliance on highly technical debate jargon or unwritten rules of debate theory. This form of debate should be accessible to Individual Events teams as well as ‘debate schools.’ This concept is best-illustrated by a point made in the IPDA guidelines:

“The goal of the International Public Debate Association is to promote a highly rhetorical and oratorical style of public speaking. For this reason, it is recommended that judges be instructed to award the decision in a close round to the superior speaking style rather than to the negative.”

Basically, the rules explicitly favor the better speaker over a long-held debate tradition.

In the Round

Each debate will begin with five topics, and contestants will alternate striking off topics until only one is left—that topic becomes the resolution for the round.

Contestants are allowed 30 minutes of prep (2023) time that is open-note, open-file, open-everything. However, at IIFA this year, we are going to ask students and coaches to refrain from interacting during prep time.

During the debate itself, students may consult notes made during prep time, but, quoting from the IPDA website: “The use of evidence cards and/or verbatim printed materials is prohibited. Such materials may be studied, memorized and/or paraphrased and handwritten notes made, but printed information may not be physically present in the round.”

Also during the debate, avoid turning the round into a Parliamentary Debate round. IPDA encourages having the Negative redefine terms when presented with unfair definitions by the Affirmative (in contrast to running a procedural). Likewise: “There will be no "rising" to points of order, standing with one hand on your head, or heckling during speeches. If debaters have questions or problems they should ask about them during cross-examination and/or raise them as points during their next speech.”

Finally, electronic devices beyond a timer or a stopwatch are forbidden during the round. No device that can be used for electronic retrieval will be permitted. The only exception is a cell phone to be used ONLY as a timer and must be set to airplane mode.

A General Note

The idea behind IPDA is that a well-educated college student without debate experience should be able to walk into a round, and that a well-educated citizen should be able to judge the round. Please help us keep this event ‘true’ to its purpose at IIFA.