The Official Debating Manual provides comprehensive and detailed guidance about the rules and technique of debating. Each Member School and team is provided with a copy each season.

Additional copies can be purchased for $5 at debating events, or a copy can be posted to you for $6.10. Please complete an order form to place an order.

Overview of Speaker Jobs

This document outlines the jobs of each of the six speakers in a debate.

Speech Structure Fact Sheet

[35KB, PDF]

Speech Structure Templates

We have created some templates that debaters can use to prepare their speeches.

[119KB, PDF]

Debating Word Definition Sheet

A worksheet exercise to help students become familiar with debating terminology. Answers included.

[30KB, PDF]

Argument Template for Primary School students

These sheets will help speakers to ensure that they have reasons to support their arguments. It also outlines a basic structure for the argument component of a speech.

[42KB, DOC]

Dos and Don'ts Checklist for Debating

A helpful guide of what to do and not do in a debate.

[108KB, PDF]

Sample Prepared Debate Topics

[66KB, PDF]

Sample Quodlibetical Debate Topic

[30KB, PDF]

Chairman and Timekeeper Sheet

This sheet is used by the Chairman to introduce the debate and each of the speakers. The timekeeper records the length of each speech. This is then handed to the adjudicator at the end of the debate.

Interesting fact : The 'man' in chairman has nothing to do with gender. The term man is derived from the Latin word manus meaning hand. Other English words that have this derivation include 'manual'.

[21KB, PDF]

Adjudication Sheet

This sheet is used to present the final scores for viewing by teams and audience members at the end fo the debate.

[22KB, PDF]

Adjudicator's Working Sheet

A convenient template for adjudicators to record their working and critique points on. The completed sheet is not usually made available for public viewing.

[14KB, PDF]