RULES AND REGULATIONS 2 ND OIC INTERVARSITY DEBATING CHAMPIONSHIP 2012 1. GENERAL 1.1 This guideline is applicable for the OIC Intervarsity Debating Championship 2012 hosted by the International Islamic University Malaysia in collaboration with the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation. 1.2 The interpretation of this guideline is at the discretion of the Chief Adjudicator. 2. DEFINITION 1.1 Chief Adjudicator and Adjudication Core refer to individuals appointed by the hosts to hold said positions. 3. PARTICIPATION 3.1 Each OIC member country may register up to five (6) teams following the regisration procedure announced by the organiser. The 1 st TWO teams from any country will be automaticially accepted as registered team upon receiving of the registration from. The remaining 4 teams of any country will be on a first come first served basis. 3.2 The OIC affiliated universities will be elligible for the competition and will not be included in the quota reserved for each member country. 4. ELIGIBILITY 4.1 In order to be eligible for this championship, debaters must consist of students currently studying in the university they represent. Every member of the team must be from the same university. 4.2 Participants may only debate for the team they are registered in. 5. COMPETITION SYSTEM 1.1 This championship adopts a power matching system used for all major international debating tournament. 1.2 Match-ups for the first round will be randomly determined by a computerized system.
1.3 The team position (Government/Opposition) for the first round will be randomly determined through a computerized system. 1.4 The determination of team position for every consequent round will be according to the position of the team for the previous rounds. It is common practice to ascertain the position based on the number of times a team has been in a particular position. 1.5 The determination of team position (Government/Opposition) for the Quarterfinal, Semifinal and Final round will be based on a coin toss witnessed by the team captains. 1.6 The team rank will be determined after the preliminary rounds. This is to ascertain the eligible teams proceeding to the break rounds. The team rank will be assessed by the following criteria : a) Win/Loss b) Scores c) Margin 1.7 The top 16 teams will proceed to the Octofinal where the draws will be based on a fold-system winners proceeding to the next round. 6. PREPARATION TIME 6.1 Debate motions will be announced 30 minutes prior to the commencement of the debate. Travel time is included within the 30 minutes. All teams are expected to promptly adhere to the time allotted. 6.2 Only the four debaters in the team are allowed to be involved in preparation. 6.3 Any telecommunication or electronic device (Except an electronic dictionary) and outside help is strictly prohibited during preparation time. 6.4 Teams failing to be present at the debate venue fifteen (15) minutes after the end of preparation time may be given an automatic loss. 7. DEBATE STRUCTURE 7.1 Debates will be conducted in English according to the Asian Parliamentary Format. 7.2 Every debate round consists of two teams, the Government and the Opposition. Each team consists of three debaters and a reserve debater (optional). 7.3 The Government team consists of the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and the Government Whip whilst the Opposition team consists of
the Leader of Opposition, Deputy Leader of Opposition and Opposition Whip. 7.4 Every speaker is required to deliver a substantive speech. Reply speeches for the teams may be delivered by the first or second speaker of each respective team. 7.5 The time limit and order of speeches are as follows : Substantive Speeches : Prime Minister / First Proposition Speaker Leader of Opposition / First Opposition Speaker Deputy Prime Minister / Second Proposition Speaker Deputy Leader of Opposition / Second Opposition Speaker Government Whip / Third Proposition Speaker Opposition Whip / Third Opposition Speaker 42 minutes Reply Speeches : Opposition Reply Speech Government Reply Speech Total 4 minutes 4 minutes 50 minutes 7.6 For every substantive speech, a bell will be rung once after one minute, signalling the beginning of the time allotted for points of information, and once more at the end of the sixth minute, signalling the end of the time allotted for points of information. A bell will be rung twice at the end of the seventh minute. 7.7 For the reply speeches, a bell will be rung once at the beginning of the third minute and twice at the end of four minutes. 7.8 Speakers speaking after 30 seconds of the end of the time allotted will be given a warning by the Speaker of the House. The debater will be asked to end his/her speech and may be penalized. 8. ROLE OF DEBATE TEAMS 8.1 The role of the Government team is to support the motion. They are required to provide a reasonable definition, arguments in favour of the motion and refute the challenges made by the opposing side. 8.2 The role of the Opposition is to negate the motion. They are required to respond to the defintion of the Government by accepting or rejecting the definition (if necessary), provide arguments in opposition to the motion
and refute the challenges made by the opposing side. Adjustments to the definition are not allowed. 9. ADJUDICATION 9.1 Every debate round will be adjudicated by either a single adjudicator or a panel of adjudicators. This panel must always consist of an odd number of adjudicators. 9.2 In the preliminary rounds, one judge will act as the Chair of the panel of adjudicators and will be addressed as the Chair or Speaker of the House. In the break rounds, the Chair or the Speaker of the House need not consist of the members of the adjudication panel. 9.3 The Chair or Speaker of the House is responsible for inviting the debaters to speak, maintaining the conduct of the debate and will have the final decision over arising concerns regarding the conduct of the debate. 9.4 Adjudicators must: a. Reach a verdict. Deciding to award a draw is not allowed. b. Never interrupt or pass a comment during the course of the ongoing debate. 9.5 The chair of the panel must announce the verdict to the teams debating in the room and give his/her reasons for the decision in an oral adjudication not exceeding 10 minutes. 9.6 The panelists are disallowed from discussing and must reach a verdict individually. 9.7 If a unanimous decision cannot be reached, then the majority vote will determine the verdict. No changes may be made once the verdict has been announced. 9.8 The Adjudicators decision is final. 9.9 Teams will be required to provide feed-back on the quality of adjudiation at the end of every round. 10. SCORING 10.1 Each substantive speech will be awarded a maximum of of 100 based on: Matter Manner Method 40 marks 40 marks 20 marks
10.2 Content will be adjudicated from the perspective of its relevance, development and substantiation of arguments and evidences used, and effective rebuttals towards the opponents. 10.3 Method will be adjudicated from three angles: a. Effectiveness of the arrangement and the structure of the speech of the debater. b. Effectiveness of the arrangement and the structure of the case of a team as a whole. c. Teams and individuals dynamics during the debate d. Teamwork. 10.4 Manner will be adjudicated by the appropriateness and effectiveness of the style of delivery. Elements of style include, but not limited to, ability to persuade, voice modulation, quality of language used, humour, wit, body language etc. 10.5 Reply speeches will be awarded a maximum of 50 marks based on the ratio of scoring for a substantive speech mentioned above. 10.6 In areas of other details of marking scheme of the tournament, for example minimum, maximum score to be awareded etc., the scheme of the United Asian Debating Championsip will be followed. 11. NEW ARGUMENTS 11.1 No new argument is allowed to be presented in the whip speeches and the reply speeches of either teams. A new example is not a new argument. An argument is considered to be new except when: a. It has been used by any of the other pervious speeches, b. It is a rebuttal to the arguments of the oppenents. 12. DEFINITION 12.1 The duty to provide a definition of a fair and debatable motion is the right and responsibility of the Government. 12.2 The opposition can: a. accept the definition entirely/absolutely, or b. reject the definition entirely/absolutely and provide an alternate definition. 12.3 The Opposition can reject the definition of the Government entirely only if; a. the definition of the Government does not have any strong relevance with the real meaning of the motion. b. the definition of the Government is truistic : which is unopposable with rational argument. c. the definition of the Government is unfairly place or time set. 13. POINTS OF INFORMATION
13.1. Points of information in this context means points of information which is asked by an opposing team to correct or raise an important fact to a speaker while that speaker is speaking. It must be short and relevant to what is being discussed by that speaker. Marks will be awarded for responses and answers which are effective. 1.2 Debater holding the floor has the absolute right to either accept or reject the points of information offered. However, excessive rejection of points of information which compromises the quality of the debater s speech will be regarded as serious by the adjudicator. It is recommended that every debater should accept at least two points of information. 13.2. Point of information cannot exceed 15 seconds. A debater offering a POI may be stopped if he/she has taken more than 15 seconds. 13.3. Points of information cannot be offered before the end of the first minute and at the last minute of any substantive speeches. The bell will be rung once to mark the start and at the end of the period when points of information are allowed to be offered. 13.4. No Point of information is allowed during the reply speeches. 13.5. Only the member of the opposite bench can offer a point of information. Debaters must give a signal if they want to offer a point of information (stand up, raise a hand, utter shor phrases to that effect, etc). 13.6. Debaters who are delivering their speech can accept or reject a point of information by giving physical signals or gestures or made verbally. If rejected the debater offering the point of information must sit down and wait for another opportunity. 14. POINT OF ORDER 1.1 Point of Order in this context refers to objections made by debaters to the Chair or the Speaker of the House while the debate is in progress in order to call their attention to violations of the rules and regulations of debating. This includes the following acts : a) The usage of offensive language or acts during a debate; or b) The introduction of new facts in the Opposition whip/reply speech; or c) Speakers exceeding the speech time limit by over 30 seconds 1.2 It is the responsibility of each team to voice out any objection in the eventuality of the above actions. The decision of the Chair or Speaker of the House to accept or reject an objection is at the discretion of the Chair or Speaker of the House and is final.
1.3 If an objection is accepted, the Chair or the Speaker of the House can instruct the debater in question to adhere to the rules and regulations of debating. 15. APPEALS 1.1 The adjudicator s decision is final. 1.2 Any complaint must be forwarded to the Chief Adjudicator or members of the Adjudication Core immediately after a debate. 1.3 If the Adjudication Core finds a discrepancy in the handling of conduct of a debate, effort will be placed in minimizing the negative effects onto related parties. If necessary, adjudicators and debaters will be informed of the issue as to avoid it from arising again. 16. MISCELLANEOUS 1.1 The Chief Adjudicator will have the prerogative to interpret this rules. 1.2 On any matters on which this tournament rules are silent, the practice of the United Asian Debating Championship will be followed.