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Points of Information
By Candace Williams, Claremont McKenna College
In the hustle and bustle of preparation time, it is rare to see debators pre-planning their points of information (POIs) along with their speeches. This is a mistake that plagues even seasoned college debaters. Since points of information are measured in seconds rather than minutes, debaters feel that they are insignificant and that the outcome of the round depends only on their speeches. POIs, when successfully executed, can greatly influence the outcome of a round. This article will explain why POIs are important, how to successfully implement POI strategy into your debates, and POI etiquette. There are many reasons why points of information are pivotal to any debate round. The first reason is that POIs give you the ability to make compelling arguments outside of your own speech. This ability allows you to quickly defeat arguments raised by the opposing side and draw the judge’s attention back to your major arguments. This is an amazing feat that allows your side to control every aspect of the debate. The ability to assert your positions throughout the round allows you to be a dynamic public speaker. When you draw the judge and the opposing team’s attention to your arguments, even when your team does not have the floor, the judge views you as an active and assertive participant in the debate. The judge identifies with your strong presence and associates with your apparent authority over the topic. Another reason why POIs make speakers more dynamic is because they are perfect times for wit. Poignant themes and arguments, when expressed with humor, entertain the audience and make your ideas more memorable. Engaging the other side with a point of information helps your teammates. When you make a point of information, you cause the speaker to diverge from their main topics. This allows your partners to catch up with flowing and work on the next speech. POIs may also give your partners new ideas for their speeches. Planning POIs is an extension of research on the motion, writing your speeches, and anticipating opposing arguments. The first step in the POI strategy is to keep an ongoing list of arguments you hear during your debates. Even though the arguments that you past arguments, the next step is to use the information from these lists to create POIs. With your partner, use the lists to anticipate arguments that the other side will make. Come up with creative,compelling, and witty answers to these arguments. POIs can include statistics that disprove the opposition, rebuttal arguments, and arguments that turn the attention back to your side. You can also apply this work to build up your case during your speeches. The information can also serve as answers to the opposition arguments during the refutation phase of your speeches. Next, you should turn your attention to how to present compelling POIs during a round. Although all members of a team should actively listen to the debate and give POIs, the two members who do not have to give a speech next should take up this burden so that their partner can write his or her speech. When you stand to give a POI, there is no need to say “Point of information!!!” unless the person delivering the speech is using a large amount of space and cannot see the other Points of Information: team, or unless the other team is ignoring your side. You should calmly stand without Etiquette making any noise. If you jump up and make noise you are distracting the speaker. Reserve verbal applications for points of information to situations where the speaker • Be respectful to the is ignoring you or can’t see you. Most speakers will accept two to four POIs. You speaker should feel free to stand up calmly when you have a point to make. • Rise calmly and quietly • Wait patiently for a