DEBATERS BRIEFING

MADZIMBABWE AFRICA WSDC 2022

Acknowledgement
This guide is larg ely adopted briefing contents from online
WSDC 2020, Oxford WSDC 2 021, UPenn WS DC 2022 a nd B DC
Pre-WSDC 2021. The CAP would like to ex t end sincere
gratitude to the CAP, org anizer, and everyone involved in t he
aforementioned events.
Quick Overview
Prep time for impromptu motions are 1 hour
Prep time for prepared motions is 1 5 mins
Constructive speeches are 8 mins long
Reply speeches are 4 mins long
POIs can only be raised between after the 1st minute a nd
before the 7th minute. The first and last minute a re prot ected
and under no circumstance are sp eakers to be dist urbed during
this time
Each POI can only last 15 seconds and there ha s to be a 15
second interlude between 2 POIs
Speaker Roles and Reply Speeches
We expect everyone at t his competition to be we ll a cqua int ed w it h
the role of each speaker, however, we would stil l encoura ge you t o
look through the Basic Rules for the 17th B DC Pre W orlds
document in the announcement channel. Few things t o note:

Whip speakers cannot bring new substantive ma t eria l but ca n

bring responses.
Whip speakers cannot g ive reply speeches.
Speakers should not bring new material in the reply speech.
The reply is supposed to be a summary of each s ides’ ca se, not
another constructive speech.
Motion Understanding
Actor motions - TH, as X, would do Y : You will b e a ssuming t he
perspective of that actor. Examp le - TH, as Taliba n, w ould do X
(arguments about what helps Taliban) vs THB T USA should
attack Talib an (Arg uments about not the benefit of Taliban,
rather about who you think deserves g reater m ora l empa t hy).
Therefore, all arg uments ( both p rincip les and consequentia list )
should be viewed from the p erspective of the a ct or - their
incentives, value systems, etc.
Motion Understanding
THBT - a) for motions like “THB T we should do X”, you C AN
model. b) for motions t hat do not talk about a direct a ction,
such as - THBT we have no positive mora l obliga tion -
obviously, no model. Similarly, THBT x has done more ha rm
than good.
THS, THP motion - no model, value judg ement deba t e. Ex a mple
- THP a worl d with Karmic justice.
Motion Understanding
THR motion - retrospective, how it has p a nned out a nd
spanned. NO model etc. P rincip les are still fine - but in a
retrospective perspective. Examp le - THR the vilifica t ion of
communism, THR the rise of hook up culture.
THW motion - a direct action. Allows model - how you w a nt to
do it, etc. Both sides get equal p olitical and economic ca pita l -
therefore, Opp can counter- model too. Example - THW inva de
Zimbabwe - you can model. THW break up A maz on - both sides
equal political capital.
 THANK YOU!
MADZIMBABWE AFRICA WSDC 2022