How do you decide when to offer a point of information in a debate?

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A point of information (POI) is a brief interjection that a speaker from the opposing side can make during a debate, usually to challenge, clarify, or rebut an argument. POIs are common in parliamentary and British parliamentary debate formats, and they can be a powerful tool to enhance your persuasion, engagement, and refutation. However, they can also backfire if you use them poorly, or if you interrupt too often or too rudely. So how do you decide when to offer a POI in a debate? Here are some tips to help you make strategic and effective use of POIs.

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1 Know the rules

The first thing you need to know is the specific rules and norms of the debate format you are participating in. Different formats may have different timings, signals, and etiquette for POIs. For example, in British parliamentary debate, you can offer a POI by standing up and saying "point of information" or "on that point", and the speaker can accept or decline by saying "yes", "no", or "in a moment". You can only offer POIs after the first and before the last minute of a speech, and you should not offer more than two POIs to the same speaker. You should also respect the speaker's decision and sit down quickly if they decline your POI.

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Connor Campbell

Litigation Associate at McCarthy Tétrault LLP
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The general guideline of offering two POIs to the same speaker refers only to POIs accepted by the speaker. Since it is common for POIs to be declined, you may provide more than two opportunities for a speaker to accept a POI. However, decorum in some debate styles discourages debaters from offering new POIs after the speaker has accepted two POIs in total from any speaker during their speech.

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2 Have a purpose

The second thing you need to consider is the purpose of your POI. Why do you want to interrupt the speaker? What do you hope to achieve or convey? A good POI should have a clear and relevant point that either challenges, clarifies, or rebuts an argument that the speaker has made or is about to make. A bad POI is one that is vague, irrelevant, repetitive, or personal. A good POI should also be concise and coherent, ideally no longer than 15 seconds. A bad POI is one that is long, rambling, or confusing. A good POI should also be polite and respectful, avoiding personal attacks, insults, or sarcasm. A bad POI is one that is rude, aggressive, or mocking.

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Brianna Gonzalez, JD, MBA

Corporate & Securities Attorney | Non-Profit Executive Director | Sustainable Development Visionary | Alternative Education Advocate
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Take verbatim notes while the opposing side is speaking and know in advance of your POI, which points you are willing to concede on (if any). It is a good practice to take verbatim notes so you are able to quote and/or directly address a comment during your POI. A POI is not always used to offer a rebuttal, however, if you do use a POI for a rebuttal it is good practice to make sure your POI is used to attack misstatements or glossed-over weaknesses of the opposing side and/or address concerns. You want to avoid having your POI perceived as a meaningless distraction, instead aim for the POI to be a strategic shift of attention. If you have one to two points, make sure to state your most important first.

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Connor Campbell

Litigation Associate at McCarthy Tétrault LLP
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There are substantive and strategic POIs. Substantive POIs challenge a specific point or stance from the opposing side, and call for an answer, to develop clash. Strategic POIs are designed to disrupt the speaker's flow of argument, raise emotive points, and sidetrack the opposing case. Good debaters use a mix of both -- like attack and defence -- to advance their case.

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3 Pick your timing

The third thing you need to think about is the timing of your POI. When do you want to offer a POI? How often do you want to offer a POI? The timing of your POI can affect its impact and reception. A good time to offer a POI is when the speaker is making a crucial or weak argument that you can expose or undermine, or when the speaker is transitioning between arguments and you can disrupt their flow or structure. A bad time to offer a POI is when the speaker is making a strong or uncontroversial argument that you cannot refute or challenge, or when the speaker is concluding their speech and you cannot add anything new or significant. You should also balance the frequency of your POIs, offering enough to show your engagement and confidence, but not too many to appear annoying or desperate.

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4 Read the room

The fourth thing you need to pay attention to is the room. How is the audience, the judge, and the speaker reacting to your POIs? How are your teammates and opponents offering POIs? The room can give you clues and feedback on how well you are using POIs. A good POI should elicit a positive or neutral response from the audience, the judge, and the speaker, indicating that they find it relevant, interesting, or challenging. A bad POI should elicit a negative or indifferent response from them, indicating that they find it irrelevant, boring, or annoying. You should also observe how your teammates and opponents are offering POIs, and adapt accordingly. You should cooperate with your teammates and avoid overlapping or contradicting their POIs. You should also anticipate and respond to your opponents' POIs, and avoid repeating or ignoring them.

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Connor Campbell

Litigation Associate at McCarthy Tétrault LLP
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Many debates at tournaments are conducted in front of small audiences, sometimes only comprising 1-3 judges and a handful of spectators, if any. It can be difficult to read the room in such circumstances. Do not let that discourage you from offering POIs. A key reason to offer POIs consistently throughout the debate is to keep your arguments front & centre in your audience's mind. This is especially true in British Parliamentary format, where your team's arguments can be lost in the fray of eight consecutive speeches, plus rebuttals.

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5 Practice and improve

The fifth thing you need to do is practice and improve your POI skills. How can you become better at offering POIs? How can you learn from your mistakes and successes? The best way to improve your POI skills is to practice them regularly and receive constructive feedback. You can practice offering POIs in mock debates, drills, or workshops, and ask your coach, judge, or peers for their opinions and suggestions. You can also watch and analyze debates online or in person, and identify good and bad examples of POIs. You can also reflect on your own performance and note down what worked and what didn't, and what you can do differently next time.

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6 Enjoy the process

The sixth thing you need to remember is to enjoy the process. Why do you offer POIs in a debate? How do you feel when you offer a POI? Offering POIs in a debate can be fun and rewarding, as well as challenging and stressful. You can enjoy the process by seeing POIs as an opportunity to express your ideas, engage with your opponents, and impress your audience and judge. You can also enjoy the process by being confident, curious, and respectful, and by appreciating the diversity and complexity of arguments and perspectives. Offering POIs in a debate can help you improve your critical thinking, communication, and persuasion skills, as well as your knowledge and awareness of various topics and issues.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Connor Campbell

Litigation Associate at McCarthy Tétrault LLP
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POIs are different than heckling, and it's important to maintain that difference by showing the utmost respect and courtesy when offering POIs. When used constructively, POIs improve the quality of a debate, unlike heckling.

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How do you decide when to offer a point of information in a debate?

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1 Know the rules

2 Have a purpose

3 Pick your timing

4 Read the room

5 Practice and improve

6 Enjoy the process

7 Here’s what else to consider

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