This format was very popular in Continental Europe and Asia and it was promoted by IDEA – International Debate Educational Association, www. idebate.org however its popularity is diminishing, debate programs  moving towards Worlds Schools Debate Format. 

 

In Slovenia and Croatia the format is used at the middle school level, in some other countries like Czech R, Slovakia, Lithuania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia  … they still debate it at the highshool level.  However, there is almost no international Karl Popper debate tournament in English  organised anymore, that is why I am not spending a lot of time on presenting this format. Also  majority of the countries using it have the information  available in their own languages.

 

Here are the basics about Karl Popper Debate Format:

• 3 speakers on both sides,

• each speaker speaking once,

• first speeches are 6 minutes (5 at the middle school level), second and third are 5 (4 at the middle school level) minutes long;

• after first two speeches on both sides there is a  3 (2) minutes cross examination period when a member of the other side is asking questions;

• all the constructive arguments should be presented in the first speeches, no new arguments in second and third speeches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Video lecture about Karl Popper Debate Format by Juraj Labant