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Points of Information

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Points of information (POIs) are an aspect of the Middle School Public Debate Program meant to increase engagement between teams. During one team’s speeches, members from the other team can stand up and say something along the lines of “POI” or “point of information.” The speaker can either reject the POI by stating “no thank you” or waving their hand downward” or accept the POI by acknowledging it. POIs cannot be offered during the first and last minutes of constructive speeches, which are known as protected time, and there are no POIs during the rebuttal speeches.

  • If the speaker rejects the POI: Anyone currently offering a POI must sit down and wait at least 15 seconds before offering another POI. Failure to abide by this rule can result in speaker point deductions.

  • If the speaker accepts the POI: The person offering the POI has 15 seconds to make a statement or ask a question regarding the content of the current speech. There are no follow-ups.
     

Offering POIs

  1. Offer as many POIs as possible without violating the rules. Doing so not only can boost your speaker points but also provides you with an opportunity to refute the other team.

  2. Write out a POI beforehand so that you can offer a POI the moment protected time ends.

  3. Address your POIs to the judge.

  4. If the speaker fails to adequately respond to a POI, bring it up in a later speech and expand upon the POI.

 

Taking POIs

  1. If you accept a POI, you must respond to it.

  2. Take at least one and no more than two POIs during your speech. Taking no POIs can suggest that you are afraid to engage with the other team and will decrease your speaker points; taking too many POIs can prevent you from presenting your own material.

  3. Reject POIs with a firm handwave, not a floppy fish.

  4. Do not accept a POI until reaching a natural stopping point. If you are in the middle of an argument or a refutation but would like to take a POI, signal to the other team to hold on.

  5. If a POI does not make sense to you, tell the judge that you the POI was unclear but respond as best you can. If the judge appears confused, then just state that the POI was confusing and move on.

  6. If the person offering the POI continues to speak after 15 seconds, wave them down and talk over them; you have the floor as the speaker.

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