Debate · Formats · Parli, APDA, NPDA, American Parliamentary
American Parliamentary Debate (APDA and NPDA)
Two teams of two, Government and Opposition, debate a motion with short preparation and no published evidence in the round, relying on reasoning, general knowledge and wit.
- Who
- College students through the American Parliamentary Debate Association (APDA, mostly at colleges in the eastern United States) and the National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA, nationwide). Many high school leagues offer a parliamentary event too.
- Teams
- 2 vs 2
- Length
- About 45 minutes plus preparation
- Topic
- A new motion each round. In NPDA it is announced twenty minutes before the round. In APDA the government often writes its own case; at "motions" tournaments both teams get a motion and fifteen minutes.
- Prep time
- No prep time between speeches. NPDA: twenty minutes from the motion's announcement to the round, with any printed or electronic materials; after that, only handwritten notes. APDA: fifteen minutes (the opposition's prep after hearing the case, or both teams at motions tournaments).
Speeches in order
| # | Speech | Side | Time | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PMC Prime Minister Constructive | Government | 7:00 | Interpret the motion and present the government case. |
| 2 | LOC Leader of the Opposition Constructive | Opposition | 8:00 | Answer the case and present the opposition's arguments. |
| 3 | MGC Member of Government Constructive | Government | 8:00 | Rebuild the government case, answer the opposition, and add arguments. |
| 4 | MOC Member of the Opposition Constructive | Opposition | 8:00 | The opposition's last constructive; it sets up the opposition rebuttal. |
| 5 | LOR Leader of the Opposition Rebuttal | Opposition | 4:00 | Sum up why the opposition wins. No new arguments. |
| 6 | PMR Prime Minister Rebuttal | Government | 5:00 | Sum up why the government wins. It may answer new arguments made in the MOC, and nothing else new. |
Total speaking time: 40 minutes.
APDA's rulebook allows up to 30 seconds beyond each speech's time (for example, 7:30 for the PMC).
Points of information are allowed in constructive speeches except in the first and last minute, and are short questions of under 15 seconds. In rebuttals, a debater may raise a point of order to object to a new argument.
Protected time: the first 60 seconds and the last 60 seconds of each speech that allows them. A point lasts about 15 seconds at most.
How a round works
The government proposes a case for the motion; the opposition argues against it. There is no cross-examination period. Instead, during the middle minutes of constructive speeches, the other team can rise for a short point of information.
Debaters may not read published evidence in the round, so arguments stand or fall on their reasoning and on facts any well-read person knows.
What it rewards
- Logic and analysis over quoted evidence
- Broad general knowledge of history, economics and current events
- Quick thinking, humor and clear speaking
- Good use of points of information
How to start
- Read widely: a good newspaper and an introductory economics book help as much as anything.
- Practice twenty-minute prep with a partner and a legal pad.
- Practice the rebuttals: four or five minutes, only what’s already in the round, weighed.
- Ask your college team about novice tournaments.
Varies by league or state
- Prep: twenty minutes in NPDA; fifteen minutes in APDA.
- Who chooses the topic: NPDA announces a motion each round; APDA often lets the government write its own case.
- Grace time: APDA allows 30 seconds beyond each speech’s time; NPDA does not list grace time.
- High school parliamentary leagues set their own times and rules.
Always check the rules your tournament publishes; they win over anything here.
Topics that suit Parli
Rules and sources
- NPDA Round Rules, National Parliamentary Debate Association (current). Accessed 2026-10-25.
- American Parliamentary Debate Association Rulebook (as of the 2025-2026 season), APDA (2025-26). Accessed 2026-10-25.
- American Parliamentary Debate Association, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-25.
Speech times checked against the sources above on 2026-10-25.