Debate Procedure

Rules of Debate

  • Delegates must refrain from using personal pronouns (I, me, you, etc…) and must refer to themselves as the delegate/delegation of their country.

  • Delegates must remain calm and kind during debate, ad hominem and general insults will not be entertained and will result in the chair/student officers contacting your school.

  • Delegates must raise their placards before talking and must not engage in back and forth chat during debate. Please do not interrupt debate by speaking loudly to those next to you, but if necessary you may communicate to those around you.

  • Delegates must remain seated during debate time, if a delegate would like to speak to another delegate we ask that you use the note paper that will be handed out before debate, admin staff will then collect this note and bring it to the delegate you wish to talk to.

  • Delegates must heed the instructions given by the chairs/student officers, e.g. if asked to come to the front, they must comply.

Submitting Resolutions

  • To submit a resolution, we advise that delegates use the resolution template on this website.

  • Disregarding the security council, resolutions must include at least 4-5 preambulatory clauses and 3 operative clauses (with subclauses).

  • Resolutions must have a certain number of signatories.

  • Resolutions will be read by your chair before being given to the Board of Approval, the location of this room will be shared on the day.

  • If a delegate would like to submit a resolution, they should prepare it in advance.

Speaking and Debate

  • Delegates may volunteer to speak if the chair allows it. This is done by raising your placard in accordance with the chair’s instructions.

  • When speaking, we recommend that you open by addressing the house “Honoured chairs, fellow delegates, hard-working admins…”

  • When a delegate is finished speaking, the chair will ask you if you are open to any points of information, to which you can answer any number (we recommend that if you are open to more than free, you just say “any and all”)

  • When points of information are finished, you may either yield the floor to the chair or to another delegate. This delegate must accept the yield and you may not yield to a delegate more than twice in a row.

Points of…

Point of Information

A point of information is a question to a delegate, it must be phrased as a question and can only be asked if the chair and delegate who has the floor gives permission. Points of information can either answer a concern or affirm something to strengthen an ally delegate’s argument. These are also referred to as POIs

Point of Personal Privilege

A point of personal privilege is question to the chair, usually for things unrelated to the debate, such as increasing the size of the resolution on a screen, asking a delegate to speak louder, etc.

Point of Order

If the chair misses or incorrectly calls out a mistake by a delegate, another delegate may raise a point of order to tell the chair. For example, if a delegate were to use personal pronouns and a chair did not remind them that this is incorrect procedure, you may raise a point of order to tell the chair that delegates should refrain from using personal pronouns.

Point of Information to the Chair

A point of information to the chair is a question raised to the chair, usually pertaining to procedure. A good use of a point of information to the chair would be to ask about how to yield the floor, or to ask for a list of motions/procedures.

Motions

Motion to Move to Previous Question

This motion is used to move to the next part of the debate (it has a name that may fool you though). For example, if you would like to move from arguments for to arguments against, you would propose a motion to move to previous question. These motions do not have to be entertained if there has not been enough arguments for/against, or if there are amendments that a delegate would like to raise. This can be used to move to voting procedure as well.

Motion to Extend Debate Time

Self-explanatory, if you would like more debate time on a specific issue/amendment, you can raise a motion to extend debate time. This does not have to be entertained if there has been sufficient time on the debate, or if there are no more delegates wishing to speak.

Motion to Extend Points of Information

This motions is used to allow more points of information. If you have not had your point entertained, or would like a better answer from the delegate with the floor, you may make a motion. This may be rejected if there is not enough time, or if the delegate does not accept.

Motion to Divide the House

This is used if there is a resolution with very close votes (e.g. 30 for and 32 against) where each delegate matters. If you believe that the delegates have not been counted correctly, you may put forward a motion to divide the house, where all delegates will be asked individually their stance on the resolution where they are not allowed to abstain. Please use this sparingly, as it takes a lot of time in larger councils. This may be rejected if the disparity between votes is too large or if there is not enough time.

Motion to Table Resolution

This motion puts aside the current resolution in favour for debate on another resolution on the same topic. This will often be rejected.

Motion to Reconsider Resolution

This motion puts back the tabled resolution, restarting from where the resolution was tabled.

Objection to the Main Motion/Motion

This is used if the resolution, clauses or amendments are inappropriate. This will probably never happen, as all resolutions are approved before being put to their respective council. If this does happen, you may use this motion. If the objection is not substantiated it will not be entertained.