1: Basics of WSDC

The Competition

WSDC teams comprise between 3 and 5 members. In any given round, only 3 students will
speak, although the other 2 join them during preparation time before the debate. Teams
typically change their lineup of debaters from round to round, in order to give everyone a
chance to speak and give others time off to rest.

Each team should have a designated adult as Team Manager and is also expected to bring a
Coach. (This can be the same person.)

The WSDC tournament takes place over 8 preliminary rounds of debate spread across 5
days (there is a day off halfway through the prelims). The first 2 rounds are drawn before
the competition; after this, rounds are “power-paired” according to results in the previous
rounds. So, for example, if a team wins one debate and loses one debate on the first day,
then in Round 3 they will be paired against an opponent who also won 1 out of 2 rounds on
Day 1. This is designed to ensure that teams don’t consistently meet opponents who are
significantly “stronger” or “weaker” than they are.

Of the 8 prelims, 4 are prepared rounds and 4 are impromptu rounds. Prepared rounds are
debates where the topic is announced a few weeks before the tournament, giving teams the
chance to research in depth. Impromptu rounds are debates where the topic is announced
to debaters 1 hour before the debate. (See “The Debate”, below, for more about
preparation time.)

After the 8 prelims have been completed, teams with 5 wins or more will contest the
knockout elimination rounds on the following days. Teams who do not qualify for the
elimination rounds are invited to watch the top teams in action in these rounds. All
elimination rounds, except for the final, are impromptu debates.

The Debate

World Schools debates take place between two teams, the Proposition (or Government)
and the Opposition debating on a topic, or motion, which they are given beforehand.

For prepared rounds, teams are given the topics several weeks in advance of the
tournament and can start preparing for the debates then. They will receive the draw for the
first prepared round in advance of the tournament, normally 2 weeks before, and at that
point they will know their opponent and what side of the topic (Gov or Opp) they are
debating on. For the other prepared rounds, teams will discover their opponent and side
only a day or so before the debate. Therefore, teams should prepare both sides of each
prepared motion before they arrive at the competition.

For impromptu rounds, teams will receive their motion and side 1 hour before the debate.
During this 1 hour preparation time, all the students on the team can participate even if
they are not speaking in the debate. No use of internet or phones is permitted during prep

Written by: Andy Hume, LearningLeaders

time and no contact with coaches, judges or anyone apart from those 5 team members is
allowed.

At the end of prep time, the debate will begin. Team members who are not speaking in that
round should join the team’s coach(es) in the audience of the debate, and play no further
role in the debate. Coaches and non-speaking team members are not allowed to help or
speak to debaters during the round, although giving visible time signals to speakers is
permitted if they so wish.

Speaker Roles

There are eight speeches in a WSDC debate, four on each side.

• Proposition 1st Speaker (Prime Minister)

• Opposition 1st Speaker (Leader of Opposition)
• Proposition 2nd Speaker (Deputy Prime Minister)
• Opposition 2nd Speaker (Deputy Leader of Opposition)
• Proposition 3rd Speaker (Government Whip)
• Opposition 3rd Speaker (Opposition Whip)
• Opposition Reply Speaker (Opposition Reply)
• Proposition Reply Speaker (Government Reply)

1. First Speaker: Introduce / set up a clear case for your team. This is achieved through
defining the key terms and context for the debate, and putting forward one or more
arguments that will help the team prove (or disprove) the motion. Typically, each 1st
speaker will introduce around 2 separate and distinct arguments. The Opposition 1st
speaker should also rebut the main points of the 1st Proposition speaker.

2. Second Speaker: Prove your case still stands, your opponent’s doesn’t, and to continue
explaining your team’s case. Typically, deputy speakers will spend part of their time
rebutting their opponents, part of their time rebuilding their team’s previously-stated
arguments, and the final part of their speech introducing an additional constructive
argument, though this is not obligatory.

3. Third Speech: To show how you were and still are winning the debate. This is done
through rebuttal which is the most important role of 3rd Speakers. It is also important for
3rd Speakers to provide a summary of their teams’ cases. Typically, whip speakers will try
to organize the debate into 2-3 main issues, themes or clashes and go through each clash
explaining why their team has been the one to win this clash. They should not introduce
new arguments at this stage.

4. Reply Speech: To deliver a summarised evaluation of why your team won the debate –
sometimes referred to as a “biased adjudication” on behalf of your side. Reply speeches
are given by either the 1st or 2nd speaker on each team (not the 3rd speaker). The order of
speaking is switched for the Reply speeches so that the Proposition team gives the final
speech in the debate.

Written by: Andy Hume, LearningLeaders

Teams from different parts of the world have different approaches to these speeches and
speakers will not generally be penalized for choosing to organize their speeches in different
ways. That said, there are good reasons why following these basic speech guidelines tends
to lead to better outcomes. For instance, if a 1st speaker does not set out the arguments
clearly, the team will be in a difficult position if the opponents’ arguments are clearer.
Similarly, if the 3rd speaker does not rebut what has been said on the other side, their
opponents’ arguments may be left standing, making them favourites to win the debate.

Speech times in WSDC are a maximum of 8 minutes in length, except for reply speeches
which are maximum 4 minutes. There is no minimum length for speeches, but speakers will
generally try to maximise their persuasiveness by filling as much of their time as possible.

Speakers may offer Points of Information (POIs) to their opponents. POIs are short (under
15 seconds) questions or rebuttals which should be offered during speeches. The debater
currently speaking has the right to accept or refuse as many or as few POIs as they wish;
typically they should aim to accept 1-3 POIs during their speech. Once the POI has been
made, the speaker should then respond to the point before continuing with their speech.
POIs may not be offered in the first or last minute of a speech, nor in Reply speeches.

The Result

Once the debate has concluded, all team members should leave the room while the judges
deliberate. There will usually be three judges in each round and they will vote
independently on the result before their discussion. Therefore, the result can be either
unanimous (3-0) or split (2-1) in favour of either team.

Once the judges have conferred, the teams should return to the room to hear an oral
adjudication, normally from the chair of the judging panel, which will announce the result
and give brief reasons for the decision. Afterwards, debaters are encouraged to approach
adjudicators for individual feedback on their speeches and cases. This should in all
circumstances be done politely and respectfully!

Activity: Speaker roles

1. Split your group or team in half so there are approximately equal numbers on both
sides. One team is Team A, the other Team B.

2. On a whiteboard, sticky notes or index cards, Team A should write down what they
think the crucial duties that each of the speakers in a WSDC team (first, second and
third). Meanwhile, Team B should write down what they think are the debating
strengths of each member of Team A. Be positive and constructive!

3. Now share your findings. Compare the role of each speaker in a WSDC team with the
strengths of each of your group. Who would make a good 1st, 2nd or 3rd speaker?

4. Team A and Team B now swap over and do the same exercise the other way round;
Team A assesses the strengths of the members of Team B.

Written by: Andy Hume, LearningLeaders