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5.2 Worlds-Style Debate Format
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An analogical situation is created in the educational debate format called Worlds-Style debate. Two teams of two persons each, assigned to the Government side, will support the motion though the teams may not support the motion for the same reason. Similarly, the two Opposition Teams will oppose the motion perhaps using different reasons to do so. While in an actual parliament, speakers from the same side may choose different reasons to appeal to their constituents, in the Worlds-Style debate format, different teams may choose to support (or oppose) the motions for different reasons in order to make sure their particular team appeals positively to the adjudicator.
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Worlds-Style debaters try to distinguish themselves from the other team on the same side in a manner similar to the way the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative party try do distinguish themselves from one another. The Conservative and Liberal Democrats support one another by being members of the Government Coalition but, at the same time, have interests in distinguishing themselves to their audience of voters. Another reason for creating this distinction involves a practical reason that stems from the convention of how a Worlds-Style debate is judged. At the end of the debate, the judges are asked to rank each of the teams from first (best) to fourth (worst). So, while the Government Teams are primarily competing with the Opposition Teams, each Government and Opposition Team is subtly competing against the other team on their own side. This internal competition is set because of the forced rankings that a judge is expected to deliver.
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The Worlds-Style debate format used in educational debate differs from an actual debate in the Parliament because the Worlds-Style debate format maintains very strict speaking times for each speaker. A debate format consists of a description of the teams in the debate, and the order and times for the speeches that make up that debate. The Worlds-Style debate format differs from many other educational debate formats because it involves four teams rather than two. As already stated, the choice of four teams is consistent with the kinds of debate that we might envision in a Parliament involving a coalition government.
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Each of the four teams in a Worlds-Style debate is assigned to one of four “positions.” These positions are: First Government, First Opposition, Second Government, and Second Opposition. The First Government and Second Government Teams are charged with the responsibility of supporting the motion while the First Opposition and Second Opposition Teams are charged with opposing it. Two speakers represent each of the four teams and each speaker gives a speech of seven minutes. Usually a debate tournament consists of at least four “rounds” of debate. In the first round, teams are assigned to the four positions at random, and then are rotated through the other positions until each team has had the opportunity to debate in each of the four positions.
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Each team consists of two persons, each with a unique title. The chart below shows the title that is given to each speaker, the team of which that speaker is a member, and the time limits for the speech. The members of each team can decide which of the team members will fill each role. For instance, the members of the First Government Team can decide who will be the Prime Minister and who will be the Deputy Prime Minister.
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Worlds-Style Debate Format
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As can be seen from the above chart, the First Government and the First Opposition Teams deliver the first four speeches, then, the Second Government and Second Opposition Teams deliver the last four speeches. Therefore, the First Government and First Opposition Teams, sometimes called the “Upper House,” generally are responsible for the first half of the debate, and the Second Government and Second Opposition Teams, sometimes called the “Lower House,” have the responsibility for the second half.
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The table above describes all of the formal speeches but it does not describe one of the most important and dynamic parts of the debate: points of information. Points of information provide opportunities for members of each team to interact with members of the teams defending the opposite side of the motion. Points of information can be questions to the opposing speaker, brief arguments in refutation of the speaker’s position, brief arguments directed against the motion in general, or any other kind of statement that the person making the point of information wishes to make. For instance, if the Prime Minister is speaking, any member of either Opposition Team may request a point of information. Similarly, if a member of the Opposition Team is speaking, any member of either Government Team may offer a point. Points of information can be offered after the first minute of a speech and before the last minute of the speech. The first and last minute of each speech is “protected” against interruption. The point of information can last no more than fifteen seconds and may take the form of a question, a statement, or an argument. The speaker’s time continues during the point of information, so the fifteen seconds becomes a part of the speaker’s seven-minute speech.
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Only a debater defending the opposite side of the motion as the speaker can request a point of information. In other words, the debaters supporting the motion can request points of information of members of the Opposition Teams, and vice versa. To request a point of information, a debater rises and politely says something like “Point of information please,” or “On that point.”
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The debater giving the speech has the authority to accept or refuse the request for a point of information. If the request for a point of information is accepted, the person who has requested the point has a maximum of fifteen seconds to make the point. As stated earlier, the point can be a question, a statement, or an argument. Sometimes points of information are made to ask an opponent to clarify a position but more commonly, they are made to attempt to undermine an argument being made by the speaker. More will be said about points of information in Chapter 11.
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思辨精英：英语辩论-构筑全球视角 [:1705132349]
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5.3 Responsibilities for Speakers in Worlds-Style Debate
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Although points of information are a common occurrence in every speech in the debate, each speech contains elements that are unique to that speech. The following table explains the basic responsibilities of each debater. Following the table is a fuller explanation of the responsibilities of each speaker.
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Speaker Responsibilities for Worlds-Style Debate
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The following sections briefly describe the speeches given by each of the eight speakers listed in the previous table. Those very brief descriptions will be expanded in later chapters.
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5.3.1 Prime Minister
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The debate begins with a seven-minute speech by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has three basic responsibilities: 1) to define and interpret the motion, 2) to describe the approach the First Government Team will take, and 3) to develop the case for the motion. The first of those responsibilities, defining and interpreting the motion, is particularly important because it sets the stage for the entire debate. Defining and interpreting the motion are similar but subtly different processes. When defining the motion, the Prime Minister will explicitly define any ambiguous terms that might be contained in the motion. When interpreting the motion, the Prime Minister will then use those definitions, along with the motion as a whole, to focus and narrow the motion so that the rest of the debate can be productive.
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So, the process of defining and interpreting the motion consists of defining any ambiguous terms, then focusing and narrowing the debate. The Prime Minster has the right to define and interpret the motion and the responsibility to do so in a reasonable fashion. If the Prime Minister’s interpretation is a poor one, the likely result will be a poor debate. In order to properly define and interpret the motion, the Prime Minster should: define any ambiguous terms in the motion; show how those definitions are reasonable ones and; interpret the motion by appropriately narrowing it in a way that will lead to a good and productive debate. More will be said about defining and interpreting the motion in Chapter 6 on constructing arguments for the First Government Team.
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The second responsibility of the Prime Minister is to describe the approach that the First Government Team will take in the debate. That responsibility is most important in situations where the motion involves advocating a policy or action. In those cases, the Prime Minister’s interpretation may include a proposed policy or action. Sometimes, the Prime Minister’s interpretation of the debate will consist of a brief description of some course of action that the Government Team will defend. When the Prime Minister interprets the motion by describing a proposed policy or course of action, that interpretation sometimes is called a “model” or simply a “proposal.” The Prime Minister is not required to present a model, but may choose to do so when he or she wants to present a clear outline of the proposed policy or action.
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