RULES AND REGULATION

GENERAL RULES
1. This tournament follows the World Schools Debating Championship (WSDC) format.
2. There will be three speakers in one team and there will be two teams (Proposition and Opposition) per debate.
3. The Chairperson will call the House to order at the start of the debate and remind everyone present of the rules. The three speakers on each team will then make their substantive speeches in the following order:
 1st Proposition Speaker
 1st Opposition Speaker
 2nd Proposition Speaker
 2nd Opposition Speaker
 3rd Proposition Speaker
 3rd Opposition Speaker
4. After the 6 substantive speeches (after the 3rd Opposition Speaker’s speech), there will be a 2 minute break for teams to confer with their 2 reserve speakers in preparation for the reply speech. Reply speeches will be delivered by either the first or second speaker for each side. The opposition reply will go first, followed by the proposition reply.
5. The alloted speaking time for speeches is as follows:
 6 minutes for each substantive speech.
 3 minutes for each reply speech.
6. For substantive speeches:
 The timekeeper will ring a bell once at the end of the first minute and at the begnning of the fifth minute.
 During the time in between the two signals, speakers from the other team may offer points of information.
 A double bell will sound at the end of the sixth minute, after which the speaker has 15 seconds to conclude their speech.
7. For reply speeches:
 No points of information are allowed.
 After two minutes, the timekeeper will ring the bell once to indicate that the speaker has one minute left to conclude their speech.
 The bell will be rung twice after three minutes.
8. Note that the Chairperson may stop speeches that extend more than 15 seconds beyond their time.
9. In the event that any member is unable to speak halfway during the tournament, teams are not allowed to replace them. Instead, teams are to utilise their reserve speakers.
10. In the event that a team is unable to participate, it is up to the organising committee’s discretion to choose either one of the following contingency plans:
 A swing team. Note that the swing team may not consist of secondary school debaters.
 Declaring a walkover.
Points of Information
1. A POI should be brief, lasting no longer than 10 seconds.
2. It is up to the discretion of the speaker on the floor which POIs to accept and reject. However, as a general rule, each speaker should accept at least one POI in their speech. Points may be deducted from a speaker who does not accept any POIs during their substantive speeches.
3. It is recommended that each speaker offer 2 to 4 POIs for every speech of the opposite team.
 Debate Etiquette
1. All teams are expected to be in their formal school attire. Do note that blazers are optional.
2. Every motion teams are given is to be debated, regardless of the side that teams have been presented.
3. Debaters and audience members should keep distractions (e.g. use of mobile phones, loud discussions at the table) to a minimum during the debate.
4. When the debate is ensuing, should any member of the audience need to leave or re-enter the room, they should do so only when nobody on the floor is speaking.
5. Members of the audience should set their mobile phones to silent mode or turn them off during the debate.
6. For short preparation debates, debaters are not allowed to communicate with anyone outside the team until the debate has concluded.
7. Coaches are reminded that they are not allowed to communicate with teams through gestures.
8. Any team that violate rules 6 and/or 7 may have a walkover declared against them or disqualified from the competition.
Information regarding Impromptu Debates
1. There will be 1 hour preparation time for teams to craft their substantive speeches for impromptu debates.
2. Only the 5 registered speakers are allowed to participate in the preparation. Group preparation (teaming up and preparing with other teams that were allocated the same side) is strictly not allowed as well.
3. Communication with anyone outside the team (including but not limited to coaches, teachers and other teams) before the round is over is strictly prohibited.
4. Electronic devices that are capable of (but not limited to) storing and/or displaying visual and/or verbal information are strictly prohibited, even if they are turned off. However, teams will be allowed to bring in an almanac and a dictionary if they wish to do so, as long as they are non-electronic.
5. Any team that violates these rules may have a walkover declared against them or disqualified from the competition.