1. Remember these important dates Legislation due Sept. 15 - - PDF document

6/30/14 1

Congressional DEBATE Tips for Success

• 1. Remember these

important dates

• Legislation due
• Sept. 15
• District legislation online
• Sept. 24
• Intent to participate due
• Oct. 1
• District window
• Nov. 1-15
• State legislation online
• Nov. 22
• State Meet
• Jan. 12-14
• 2. Understand the

structure of the district met

• TEA service center region
• Window – Nov. 1 – 15
• All sizes meet together
• Compete only against your conference
• Region 4 will be adjusted ******

TEA Regions

• 2. Understand the structure
• f the district meet
• 3 entries and 2 alternates
• Entry deadline 10 days prior to meet
• Less than 10 per conference –seat both alternates
• 11-15 per conference – seat one alternate per school
• District Clerk appointed by

State Office

• Clerk chooses 4 more for

District Committee

• 3. Know the basic rules
• Over 24 total entries – two or more chambers
• 2 sessions = 6 hours
• Speeches are 3 minutes long – unused time is gone
• Aff/neg block
• 1st cycle – 2 minutes questioning
• Then 1 minute questioning
• Precedence / Recency / Questioning
• Student PO if possible

6/30/14 2

• 3. Know the basic rules -

scoring

• 2 judges and 1 parliamentarian
• Judges score / Parli scores PO
• Rated 1 -6 mainly for NFL points
• Only 1st 5 speeches per student scored
• Judges rank top 8
• Parli scores all speakers and breaks ties
• 3. Know the basic rules -

advancing

• Multiple chambers – finals based on

RANKS

• Advance to final proportional to division

entries

• End of both sessions -- Top 3 RANKS /

division advance to state

• 4. Submit legislation
• Bill, resolution, amendment
• Submit to District Clerk by Sept. 15
• At least 1 bill and one resolution per school
• Each district has its own docket – online on
• Sept. 24
• At least 3 pieces of legislation will be Texas

based

• 10 for prelims and 10 for finals
• Invitations may use PRELIMS only
• 5. Research the docket.
• Don’t pre-script like a debate case
• List points, outline – like an extemp speech
• Collect evidence
• Prefer official rather than news sources
• File on laptop or in a notebook – no tubs
• Prepare more than 3 min. – rehash is bad
• 5. Research the docket –

speech preparation

• As many as you can
• Aff and neg as many as you can
• First 5 in order
• Must debate each item for a minimum of 30 min.
• Only speak if you volunteer
• No guarantee you’ll get to give the speech you want
• Keep arguments real world
• 6. Understand these

motions

• Main motion = the legislation
• I move / second
• Voice vote / Standing Vote
• Previous question – ends debate
• 2/3 vote
• Voting on main motion simple majority

6/30/14 3

• 7. Be familiar with other

motions/ jargon

• Table of motions handout
• Main motion
• Previous question – 2/3 vote
• Table / untable
• Divide the chamber – decision of chair
• Permission to leave / reenter chamber- chair
• Recess/Adjourn
• 8. Prepare your speeches
• Opening phrases – At the leisure of the judges, the PO and

the parliamentarian. Please nod when ready.

• SHORT attention device
• 2 -3 main points with source citations like extemp
• No cards – no scripts
• Have clash
• End with appeal for the vote
• Avoid debate jargon (CX/ contention / flow / opponent)
• No internet access in round
• All speeches 3 min. – unused time is GONE
• 9. Prepare for Questioning
• First 2 speakers face 2 min. of questioning
• Subsequent speakers face 1 min.
• Rise for questions often
• Can be informational or argumentative
• Never aggressive or rude
• Don’t preface or ask follow up or two part

questions

• If someone asks your question, sit down
• 10. Make allies in the

chamber

• Help others get in their speeches by keeping

debate open

• Don’t give throw away speeches to block other

debaters.

• Work together to reorder the docket
• Items 1-5 in order
• No new legislation from floor
• Judges penalize rudeness.
• Only competing with your division
• 11. Be active in the

chamber

• Stay in the room as much as possible.
• Ask questions.
• Make motions but not time wasters.
• Visual aids must be left for all to use
• Bad PO ruins it for everyone – don’t try

until you’re ready

• 12. Learn to P.O.
• All get an audition period of less than 1

hour

• Auditions aren’t scored
• Elected PO is scored every hour
• Call on speakers and questioners fairly
• Run a fast, efficient chamber
• Know Parliamentary Procedure

6/30/14 4

• 13. Use amendments

judiciously.

• Submitted to parliamentarian
• Parli will give to PO if the amendment is relevant
• Can’t be used to change the intent of the legislation
• PO calls on author of amendment to present it – no

guarantee of a speech

• Body may move the question on an amendment with a 1/3
• Keep the legislation debatable.
• Don’t use amendments to block out another debater.
• 14. Get ready for State

Meet!

• Conferences separated
• 24 qualifiers – 1 chamber
• 24 – 48 – 2 chambers
• 49-60 –3 chambers
• Top third advances to finals in capitol
• New judges and precedence each session
• Parli remains the same