Modelling

  • Date 2022-07-21

General Definition: The proposition’s ability to determine the agency or actor that enacts the motion, as well as define terms and burdens for the motion.

  • Public Forum: Not used in PF, where actors and resolutional mechanisms are explicitly stated in the “Resolution“.
  • World Schools Debate: In WSD, a model is a proposition of policy made by side Proposition to make clearer the implementation strategy for a given motion. If the motion is not one that requires policy implementation, then a model is not necessary. For example, if the motion is “THW ban homework”, the model would explain what a ban is, how it would be implemented, how it would be enforced, etc. Models should serve a competitive advantage for team Proposition, but should not skew the motion to make debate unfair for Opposition.
  • British Parliamentary: In BP, a model is set of definitions for key terms in the motion given in the PM speech, in order to narrow & focus the debate. Most of the the time a model should just define the House and a few other specifics, and should take up no more than 30 seconds. For example, if the motion is “THW ban homework”, the model would explain broadly how the ban would be enforced. Models should not be designed to restrict the arguments available to the Opp teams (see also “Squirreling”).
  • Canadian National Debate Format: In CNDF, modelling is done by defining the terms of the motion and who this house is (if it is a policy motion).