Certain formats of debate have the ability for speakers to be questioned and interjected during their speeches in the form of polite ‘Points of information’. These points are questions targeted at the speaker by the opposing team. This technique obliges the speaker to engage with the opposing point of view raised during their speech.
If your opponents are speaking and they discuss something that is untrue, you can respectfully raise your hand and say ‘point of information.’ The opponent can then choose whether to accept or decline it. If the speaker accepts your request, you can then ask a short, snappy question that aims to expose your opponent’s flaws and weaknesses. They can be asked at any point in time during the opponent’s speech, apart from the allocated protected time and reply speeches.
It is encouraged that a speaker accepts at least one POI during their speech. In addition, a team should wait a minimum of 15 seconds before asking their next POI to the speaker. This is an important part of debate etiquette which respects the speaker and allows them to frame their team’s argument without too much disruption. Certain judges will frown upon teams who ‘badger’ and ask too many POIs to the speaker as this can be construed as unfair. There is a fine balance that needs to be achieved which will come as you continue to gain experience.
POIs are very important for you to develop as a debater, because this allows you to develop a presence of mind and teaches you to think quickly on your feet. At the same time, they also learn to frame well-phrased arguments, both while asking and answering points of information, in a short period of time.
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