Appendix 2
Rules for Debate Competition
Speech time limit
Captain of the Affirmative Side
3 minutes
Captain of the Negative Side
3 minutes
First Speaker of the Affirmative Side
3 minutes
First Speaker of the Negative Side
3 minutes
Second Speaker of the Affirmative Side
3 minutes
Second Speaker of the Negative Side
“Questions and Answers”
The Second Speaker of the Affirmative Side first questions the second
speaker of the Opposition Side. Then the Second Speaker of the
Opposition Side answers the question and poses another question to the
First Speaker of the Negative Side, who then answers the question and in
return questions the First Speaker of the Opposition Side and so on until
all debaters on both sides have finished asking and answering questions.
One minute is given for each question or answer. Each speaker has a
maximum of 20 second to prepare for their question or answer.
“Debate Team Think Tank”
First, the think tanks of the two sides ask each other questions. Starting
with the Affirmative Side. The Affirmative Side can ask at most 3
questions and the Opposition Side has to assign a representative to
answer the question. Bear in mind that the same team member cannot
ask or answer more than one question. Each student has 20 seconds to
formulate a question and 40 seconds to answer it. After the Opposition
Side has answered the question posed by the think tank of the Affirmative
Side, the Opposition Side can then posed their question. Each student
has a maximum of 20 seconds max to prepare for their question or
answer.
Captains from both sides prepare for the conclusion
3 minutes
12
minutes
6 minutes
3 minutes
Conclusion - Captain of the Opposition Side
3 minutes
Conclusion - Captain of the Affirmative Side
3 minutes
Total(for each competition)
45 minutes(an extra
8 minutes of
preparation time;
each competition
lasts for about 1
hour)
Source:
“SCOLAR junior secondary debate teaching plan”, May 2007
http://www.hkedcity.net/article/project/debate/files/rule_20070315.doc