Prep Time

  • Date 2022-07-21

General Definition: Time alloted for debaters to prepare upcoming speeches.

  • Public Forum: In PF, debaters have 4 minutes of prep time over the course of the entire debate to use as needed. Typically, debaters will keep track of how much time they have used, although the judge may time debaters as well.
  • World Schools Debate: In WSD, students are given between 30 minutes to an hour to prepare for an “Impromptu Motion”; competitors are not given prep time to use during the debate.
  • British Parliamentary: In BP, students are given 15 minutes to prepare for an “Impromptu Motion”; competitors are not given prep time to use during the debate.
  • Canadian National Debate Format: In CNDF, debaters typically have 15 minutes to prepare for an “Impromptu Motion”, although novice students may receive additional time depending on the tournament. Debaters typically don’t receive additional prep time during the round.