How to use Points of Information (POI) to your Advantage ？

POI（Points of Information）作为Junior WSD比赛中的特别环节，给选手们提供了正面交锋的机会。同时也可能是一针见血、扭转局势的关键机会，该在什么时机打断对手发言？应该围绕哪些内容进行发言？都是赢得比赛的关键。

今天我们就继续有请，资深教练Robert Raos为大家带来规则解读干货：How to usePoints of Information (POI)to your Advantage。

Robert Raos

超6年WSD/BP辩论及教学经验

Radboud大学辩论队主席

曾获多项国际辩论赛事冠军，包括欧洲Queer公开赛2020，芝加哥公开赛2022等。

Points of Information（简称POI）是Junior WSD比赛中的重要组成部分，为选手们提供了在比赛中直接与对方发言人交锋的机会。本文将为大家解释什么是POI以及如何利用POI赢得比赛。

Points of Information, or POIs for short, are a crucial part of Junior WSD.They give students an opportunity to directly engage with opposing speakers during the debate. This article will explain what POIs are and how to use them to win rounds.

#1 、What is POI ?什么是POI？

想要利用好POI这个特殊的机制，首先要弄清楚相关规则：POI环节的发言时间有多长？可以提出POI的时间范围是什么？合理的提出方式又有哪些？

POIs are questions or interjections a speaker can make during the constructive speech of an enemy speaker.

The first and last thirty seconds of each constructive speech fall under“protected time”which means that points of information cannot be asked during this period.

To ask a POI in online tournaments, you may type “POI” in the chat or unmute yourself and say “POI”. Speakers may indicate a preference as to how they want to receive POIs before their speech.

For example, if you find verbal POIs distracting, you can state that you only want written POIs.

Similarly, when it comes to in-person tournaments, you may indicate a preference regarding how you want your POIs taken.
Some ways to ask a POI in person include: raising your hand, standing up and raising your hand, or exclaiming “POI”.

After you request a POI, the speaker may reject or accept your POI. Unless your POI is accepted, you cannot ask your question. It is critical to remember thatyou aren’t allowed to request POIs too often. This is called badgering.
Typically, if your POI request is rejected, you should wait at least around 20 seconds before asking for a POI again.

What’s more, if you already have had one POI accepted, you should not expect another POI to be accepted. Sometimes, speakers accept 2 or more POIs per speech, but this is not expected of them.
If your POI is accepted, you have 15 seconds to speak.This time is counted as part of your opponent’s speech.

#2 、How to use POI ?如何利用POI赢得比赛？

使用POI的最常见方式是就对方的case进行提问，指出其逻辑分析中的矛盾或漏洞。除此之外，还可以就对方论据提出反驳意见，或权衡双方论据的重要性。这些对赢得辩论都是至关重要的。

Now that you know the rules of how to ask POI, how should you do it strategically?

The most common way to use a POI is to ask a question regarding the enemy case that can point out a contradiction or a gap in their logical analysis.

If the speaker cannot resolve the contradiction or fill in the logical gap, their case seems less credible to the judge, increasing your chances of winning.

However, there are other ways to use POIs aside from just asking questions.

You may ask a POI to offer a piece of rebuttal to destroy the enemy’s case or you may use your POI to weigh the comparative importance of your arguments by impacting why the material you have proven in your constructive speeches is crucial for winning the debate.

In any case, POIs are a fun way to make world schools debating more active and dynamic.

Speakers are expected to accept at least 1 POI per speech (unless no POIs are asked) otherwise judges may flip close decisions (about who wins the debate) or deduct speaker points from the speaker who failed to take a POI.