A–Z

Affirmative

The side that supports a bill or resolution. Also called speaking “in favor” or “for.”

Agenda

The order in which a chamber takes up its legislation. The chamber sets the agenda by majority vote at the start of a session.

Amendment

A change to the wording of a bill. Allowed but optional for novices; the Chamber Coordinator will help if your chamber wants to try one.

Author / Sponsor

The first person to speak for a bill. The author explains what the bill does and makes the opening case in favor, and usually gets a slightly longer questioning period.

Bill

A proposed law written as numbered sections. If the chamber passes it, it “becomes law” for the purposes of the debate. Compare resolution.

Chamber

Your room and the group of students debating in it — like one house of a legislature. We keep chambers small so everyone speaks often.

Chamber Coordinator

The adult who helps run a room: keeping the speaking tally, timing, and supporting the Presiding Officer. The Coordinator does not score and does not debate.

Clash

Directly responding to what an earlier speaker said, rather than just adding your own point. Judges reward clash highly — it’s what makes a debate a debate.

Crystallization

A late speech that steps back and explains which two or three disagreements actually decide the bill, and why your side wins them. Advanced and well rewarded.

Decorum

Courteous, orderly conduct: addressing the chamber through the Presiding Officer, waiting to be recognized, and disagreeing respectfully.

Docket

The published list of bills and resolutions a chamber may debate. See the example docket on the Sample Legislation page.

Floor

The “right to speak.” To “have the floor” is to be the recognized speaker. To “seek the floor” is to stand or raise your placard to be called on.

Flowing

Taking organized notes that track who argued what, so your speech can answer the room. See the how-to in the Student Guide.

Motion

A formal request a legislator makes — for example, to end debate or change the agenda. Novices need only a few; see the motions table.

Negative

The side that opposes a bill or resolution. Also called speaking “against.”

Parliamentary procedure

The shared rules for orderly group decision-making (who speaks, how votes happen). We use a simplified version; you don’t need to master it.

Placard

The name card you raise to seek recognition from the Presiding Officer.

Precedence

The fairness rule for who speaks next: whoever has spoken fewest times goes first. It ensures everyone speaks before anyone speaks again.

Previous question

The motion to end debate on a bill and move to a vote. It needs a second and a majority.

Presiding Officer (PO)

The student who runs the chamber for a session — recognizing speakers fairly and keeping time. The role is scored, and a new student may preside each session. A script is in the Student Guide.

Questioning period

The short time (about one minute) right after a speech when other legislators may ask the speaker questions.

Ranking

At the end of a session, each judge lists the chamber’s speakers in order, best first. Combined rankings across the sessions decide awards.

Recency

The tiebreaker within precedence: among students who’ve spoken the same number of times, the one who spoke longest ago goes first.

Recognize

When the Presiding Officer gives you permission to speak or ask a question. You wait to be recognized before speaking.

Resolution

A statement of the chamber’s opinion or values (“Resolved, that…”) rather than a law with sections. Compare bill.

Rubric

The 1–6 scale judges use to score each speech (6 is best). See the full version in the Judge Guide.

Second (a motion)

When a second legislator says “second” to show a motion is worth considering. Most motions need one before the chamber votes.

Session

One block of debate. Our day has three sessions, each judged independently, with chambers re-formed between them.

Speech

A student’s turn to argue for or against a bill — up to three minutes (novices often two). See the four-part shape.

Yield

To give up your remaining time — for example, ending questioning early. “I yield” simply means “I’m finished.”

Getting there & parking

The tournament is at Ballantine Hall, 1020 East Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana, on the Indiana University Bloomington campus.

• Cars: free parking (including ADA-accessible spaces) is available in the nearby Sycamore surface lot and the Atwater garage.
• Buses: free bus parking is available at the Stadium.

Specific lot directions and room assignments will be posted by early October on the event page.

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Next: see these terms in action in the Format & Rules, or start preparing with the Student Guide.