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Debate Terms

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  • Summation
    The concluding speech on each side, providing a biased summary of the debate (British Parliamentary format)
  • Barrack
    To offer points of information too quickly in succession and be disruptive.
  • Rebuttal
    The explanation of why the arguments made by the other side is wrong.
  • Closed Round
    A round where the results of the adjudication is kept secret from teams.
  • Counterproposal
    An alternative policy to that of the definition advocated by the opposition
  • Protected Time
    The first and last minute of a speech during which points of information cannot be offered.
  • Knife
    When a closing team implicitly or explicitly contradicts the opening team on the same side
  • Wing
    A person who assists the chair judge in adjudicating the debate
  • Draw
    The announcement of team positions, judges and the motion before a debate
  • Squirrel
    An illegitimate and unreasonable attempt by opening government to restrict or shift a motion.
  • Open Round
    A round where the results of the adjudication is announced to teams after the debate.
  • Prep time
    The fifteen minutes between the draw and the start of the debate during which teams prepare for a debate
  • Proposition
    The side in favour of the motion. Also known as the government
  • Bin
    A low-ranked room where debates are often messy and poorly adjudicated
  • Motion
    The statement of the debate
  • Preliminary round
    A debating round where all the teams take part before the knockout outround
  • Opposition
    The side against the motion.
  • Swing Team
    A reserve team put into the competition to ensure a multiple of 4 teams or when a team is absent
  • Reply speech
    A speech given in a variation of the 3v3 format where teams give a ‘biased adjudication’ of the debate at the end
  • This house
    Used in motions, essentially a fancy way of saying that we are the actor in the debate.
  • Adjudicator
    The judge of a debate
  • Panel
    a set of multiple adjudicators who collectievly judge your debate
  • Definition
    interpretation of the motion created by the opening government team in the debate
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