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Topics
The SADA communicates with interstate debating associations to obtain new and interesting topics. For Years 7-9, all debates are prepared topics, which are listed in the programme at the beginning of the season.
Secret topic debates are introduced at Year 10. In secret topic debates, teams have one and a half hours to prepare their debate. The Host school provides rooms for secret topic preparation.
Year 10 have one secret topic, in Round 5. Senior A and B grade have two secret topic debates each in the season. Senior B-Grade has secret topics in Rounds 2 and 4, and all debates for Senior A-Grade are secret topics.
The SADA also runs a Current Events Round for Year 10 and B-Grade. This was introduced to encourage debaters to extend their knowledge of and engage in Current Events, and ensure a competition that is relevant to recent issues. In the Current Events Round, the topic is released one week before the debate.
It must be remembered that that debating is all about setting aside one’s own personal beliefs, and constructing an objective and logical argument in an effective and interesting way. This is done with a view to improving abilities in understanding, discussing and presenting issues and ideas, and empathising with opinions even if they are contrary to one’s own. With this in mind, once a topic is set it will not be changed.
