An Overview of BP Format
In each debate round are four teams (eight debaters, 2 for each team) in total. The government bench consists of the Opening Government (OG) and Closing Government (CG), which are to argue in favor of the motion. On the opposition bench is comprised of the Opening Opposition (OO) and Closing Opposition (CO), whose job is to argue against the motion. The Opening Government (OG) and Opening Opposition (OO) are collectively referred to as the Upper House, while Closing Government (CG) and Closing Opposition (CO) are jointly termed the Lower House. The order in which each speaker delivers a speech is demonstrated in the figure below.
The role each speaker plays in a debate round is summarized below, in the same order in which the debater stands on the podium.
Prime minister (PM)
explains the background against which the motion arises, sets a model under which the motion shall be implemented, define words in the motion, and brings up the most important arguments of his/her team. |
Leader of Opposition (LO)
gives rebuttals to the PM and brings up the arguments of his/her team. LO is the only speaker entitled to challenge the definitions set up by the PM, though highly discouraged. |
Deputy Prime minister (DPM)
is expected to rebut to the previous speakers, bring forth other arguments of their team and to strengthen their case. |
Deputy Leader of Opposition (DLO)
is expected to rebut to the previous speakers, bring forth other arguments of their team and to strengthen their case. |
Member of Government (MG)
rebut and extend the debate to a wider range of issues and perspectives. Extensions can be done in two ways: (1) Contributing new arguments never mentioned during the upper house debate. (2) Analyzing more deeply existing arguments by providing more explanations, more concrete reasons, or missing linkages within. |
Member of Opposition (MO)
rebut and extend the debate to a wider range of issues and perspectives. Extensions can be done in two ways: (1) Contributing new arguments never mentioned during the upper house debate. (2) Analyzing more deeply existing arguments by providing more explanations, more concrete reasons, or missing linkages within. |
Government Whip (GW)
is to rebut, summarize, and more importantly, identify clashes and make comparative analyses. New examples and analogies to support existing arguments are allowed for the OW, but it should be noted that the OW is prohibited from bringing up new arguments since he or she is the last speaker in the debate round. The GW is highly discouraged from giving new arguments. |
Opposition Whip (OW)
is to rebut, summarize, and more importantly, identify clashes and make comparative analyses. New examples and analogies to support existing arguments are allowed for the OW, but it should be noted that the OW is prohibited from bringing up new arguments since he or she is the last speaker in the debate round. The GW is highly discouraged from giving new arguments. |
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Preparation time
Debaters have 15 minutes to prepare their speech once the motion is released. Teams cannot exchange ideas with each other during the preparation time. Only the Opening Government (OG) is allowed to stay in the room where the debate will commence.
Debaters have 15 minutes to prepare their speech once the motion is released. Teams cannot exchange ideas with each other during the preparation time. Only the Opening Government (OG) is allowed to stay in the room where the debate will commence.
Speech time
Each speaker has a 7-minute speech time and is allowed to extend his or her speech to 7.5 minutes. Arguments spoken after that will not be noted down by the adjudicators.
Each speaker has a 7-minute speech time and is allowed to extend his or her speech to 7.5 minutes. Arguments spoken after that will not be noted down by the adjudicators.
Point of Information (POI)
POIs are a vital weapon for teams to attack and interrupt the speaker. They can be questions or statements. POIs can only be raised between the first minute and the sixth minute, both of which will be signified by a clap of hands.
When raising POIs, debaters should stand up, and say sentences such as “POI, Sir/Ma’am,” “On that point,” “Before you move on” and so forth. Debaters need to wait until called upon by the speaker, who has the privilege to decide whether to take the POI or not. It is suggested that each speaker should take one or two POIs during his or her speech time.
Raising POIs is an effective way to show each team’s engagement with and contribution to the debate. Even though the debater is not called upon by the speaker and thus cannot offer POIs, adjudicators will still mark POIs on their notes and take them into account when deciding the final ranking and scores.
POIs are a vital weapon for teams to attack and interrupt the speaker. They can be questions or statements. POIs can only be raised between the first minute and the sixth minute, both of which will be signified by a clap of hands.
When raising POIs, debaters should stand up, and say sentences such as “POI, Sir/Ma’am,” “On that point,” “Before you move on” and so forth. Debaters need to wait until called upon by the speaker, who has the privilege to decide whether to take the POI or not. It is suggested that each speaker should take one or two POIs during his or her speech time.
Raising POIs is an effective way to show each team’s engagement with and contribution to the debate. Even though the debater is not called upon by the speaker and thus cannot offer POIs, adjudicators will still mark POIs on their notes and take them into account when deciding the final ranking and scores.
Judging Criteria
In the BP format, adjudicators principally rank the performance of the four teams and each speaker according to their overall contribution, namely, matter and manner in the debate round. Matter refers to arguments, rebuttals and POIs brought up by the debaters, while manner means the way debaters deliver their speech, including speech structure, eye contact, enunciation, etc.
Last but not least, adjudicators take account of role fulfillment of each speaker when judging. Violations of rules, say, lower house knifing their upper house, or OW bringing forth new matters, are punishable through the deduction of score of the team, yet will not automatically translate into their falling to the fourth place, i.e. no automatic losses.
In the BP format, adjudicators principally rank the performance of the four teams and each speaker according to their overall contribution, namely, matter and manner in the debate round. Matter refers to arguments, rebuttals and POIs brought up by the debaters, while manner means the way debaters deliver their speech, including speech structure, eye contact, enunciation, etc.
Last but not least, adjudicators take account of role fulfillment of each speaker when judging. Violations of rules, say, lower house knifing their upper house, or OW bringing forth new matters, are punishable through the deduction of score of the team, yet will not automatically translate into their falling to the fourth place, i.e. no automatic losses.
Other Reminders
In a debate round, debaters will hear a first clap at the first minute, which signifies that POIs are allowed from then on, a second clap at the 6th minute, which suggests that POIs are disallowed hence, and a double clap at the 7th minute. At 7.5 minutes, debaters will hear three consecutive claps and should quickly finish their speech and leave the podium.
In a debate round, debaters will hear a first clap at the first minute, which signifies that POIs are allowed from then on, a second clap at the 6th minute, which suggests that POIs are disallowed hence, and a double clap at the 7th minute. At 7.5 minutes, debaters will hear three consecutive claps and should quickly finish their speech and leave the podium.