Points System
Current point totals (Excel chart)

Section I: Purpose
Section II: Administration
Section III: Application and Selection
Section IV: Points

UADS Selection System

Section I: Purpose


The purpose of this Selection System is to provide a means by which to rank UADS debaters based on both performance and participation, taking into account both subjective and objective factors. The primary application of this system will be to select teams when a team cap prevents all interested teams from attending a tournament.

Section II: Administration

  1. Points Record
    Each year, one member of the executive (the "Administrator") shall be designated to keep a record of the point total of all UADS members. This record shall be updated after each tournament and shall be made available so that members may check their totals on a regular basis. As much as is possible, a paper copy of the tabs from all tournaments shall be kept in the office. If a member feels that his points record is incorrect, he shall contact the Administrator who shall investigate whether a correction is necessary.

  2. Awarding Points
    Points shall be totaled from the last four consecutive semesters of debate, including the current semester. Debaters are awarded points as individuals but for the purposes of team selection, teams may be ranked according to the total number of points between the two debaters.

  3. Rounding
    In cases where fractional points or cut-offs occur, all numbers shall be rounded so as to award the greatest number of points.

  4. Changes to the Selection System
    This Selection System shall be considered Executive Operating Policy and can be changed with the consent of two-thirds of the executive. Any changes to the system shall not be retroactive.


Section III: Application and Selection

  1. Application
    An application shall consist of a completed form submitted on or before a set and well-advertised deadline. It shall include the applicant's point total as well as any additional information relevant to the decision.

  2. Selection
    In general, decisions shall be made on a purely quantitative basis. Members are responsible for verifying the accuracy of their points. Should a discrepancy arise, the official points record shall prevail. In extenuating circumstances only, up to 10 additional points may be awarded to a debater based on subjective factors. This requires the unanimous consent of the executive and the decision to do so must be publicized to the general membership.

  3. Appeals
    Should a conflict arise, a member in good standing may appeal to a panel consisting of the UADS President and two members-at-large who have not applied to attend the tournament in question. The decision of this panel shall be final.


Section IV: Points

  1. Debating

    1. In-House Tournaments
      Includes one-day tournaments such as Grant Davy's which do not have out rounds and to which other universities do not usually send teams. It does not include Club Rounds or tournaments that take place during regular Wednesday meetings.

      Attending:
      +2 points
      In the Finals:
      +2 points
      Winning:
      +2 points
      Total:
      6 points


      1. Small Regional Tournaments
        Includes all regular invitational tournaments within Canada whose total attendance composes twelve teams or less. There will be no extra points awarded to the quarter-finalists if quarter-finals exist, nor for hidden quarter-finals.

        Attending:
        +2 points
        Breaking to Semis:
        + points
        In the Finals:
        +2 points
        Winning:
        +2 points
        Total:
        6 points


      2. Invitational Tournaments held within Western Canada
        Includes tournaments taking place in British Colombia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta (including Edmonton). Does not include McGoun or the National Championships (see sections D,E)

        Attending:
        +4 points
        Breaking to Quarters:
        +3 points
        Breaking to Semis:
        +3 points
        In the Finals:
        +3 points
        Winning:
        +3 points
        Total:
        16 points


      3. Tournaments held outside of Western Canada, but inside North America
        Includes all Central or Eastern Canadian tournaments, excluding the National and World Championships (see sections E,G), as well as tournaments in the United States

        Attending:
        +6 points
        Breaking to Quarters:
        +3 points
        Breaking to Semis:
        +3 points
        In the Finals:
        +3 points
        Winning:
        +3 points
        Total:
        18 points


      4. McGoun
        Refers to the Western Canadian Championships. Points for McGoun are awarded separately, without regard to where the tournament was held.

        Attending:
        +5 points
        Breaking to Quarters:
        +4 points
        Breaking to Semis:
        +4 points
        In the Finals:
        +4 points
        Winning:
        +4 points
        Total:
        21 points


      5. Nationals
        Refers to the Canadian National Championships. Points for Nationals are awarded separately, without regard to where the tournament was held.

        Attending:
        +7 points
        Breaking to Quarters:
        +6 points
        Breaking to Semis:
        +6 points
        In the Finals:
        +6 points
        Winning:
        +6 points
        Total:
        31 points


      6. North Americans
        Refers to the North American Debating Championships. Points for NorAms are rewarded separately without regard to where the tournament was held.

        Attending:
        +6 points
        Breaking to Quarters:
        +5 points
        Breaking to Semis:
        +5 points
        In the Finals:
        +5 points
        Winning:
        +5 points
        Total:
        26 points


      7. Worlds
        Refers to the World Debating Championships. Points for Worlds are awarded separately, without regard to where the tournament was held.

        Attending:
        +10 points
        Breaking to Octos:
        +10 points
        Breaking to Quarters:
        +10 points
        Breaking to Semis:
        +10 points
        In the Finals:
        +10 points
        Winning:
        +10 points
        Total:
        60 points


    2. Hidden Quarters
      Hidden quarters are worth the same number of points as break quarters.

    3. Breaks to Semis
      At tournaments that break directly to semis, semi-finalists shall also receive points for quarters. No points are awarded to those debaters who "would have been" quarter-finalists.

    4. Judging
      A judge or deputy chief adjudicator at a university tournament receive half the number of points a debater would for attending that tournament. A judge at high school ADSA debate tournament in a formal style in a capacity as a UADS representative shall receive 1 point.

    5. Large Tournaments
      Teams placing in the top third of a tournament with 30 or more teams receive a bonus equal to the number of points that a quarter-finalist would receive at that tournament. Teams which break at such a tournament receive the bonus in addition to the points which they would otherwise receive. No such large tournament bonus is available for McGoun, Nationals, NorAms, or Worlds.

    6. Pro-Am Tournaments
      For any tournament that is officially sanctioned by CUSID as a Pro-Am or Novice Tournament, the number of points for attendance shall be determined as usual based on the region and the size of the tournament, but the increment by which points are increased for each break level shall be divided by two (rounding up).

    7. International Invitational Tournaments
      A point scale shall be set by the Executive for each international invitational tournament based on its size and the level of competition, before any UADS members participate in it. Once this scale has been determined, it shall be recorded in an Appendix to the Points System, and shall be used for that particular tournament in all future years, subject to significant changes in size or level of competition. This shall not include the World Debating Championships.

    8. French Debate Tournaments
      Tournaments for which the debate rounds take place in French shall be considered Invitationals and rewarded points based upon 1. b,c and d. This includes French Nationals.

    9. Canadian British Parliamentary Championships and U.S. British Parliamentary Nationals
      For the purposes of the point system, both these tournaments shall be considered as invitational tournaments and awarded points accordingly, subject to small and large tournament status if applicable.

    10. Novices
      The top novice speaker at a tournament shall receive an additional 2 points. Each member of the top novice team shall receive 2 additional points. These additions do not apply at Pro-Am tournaments.

    11. Speakers
      The top five speakers at a tournament shall receive 2 additional points; the top speaker shall receive a total of 3 points. These additions do not apply at tournaments where standings are based entirely on speaker points rather than win/loss.

    12. Public Speech
      1 point shall be awarded for breaking to public speech finals. The winner of public speech or top Model Parliamentarian shall receive a total of 2 points.

    13. Tournament Directing
      For a university tournament, the TD(s) and Chief Adjudicator shall (each) receive the same number of points as a debater would receive for attending that tournament. The TD(s) of a high school tournament shall (each) receive the same as a judge would receive at that tournament.

    14. Transferring into the UADS from another Debate Society
      Debaters entering into the UADS and wishing to acquire points in the UADS for past successes accrued while a member of another Debate Society shall be eligible for receiving all points that a UADS debater would have been eligible for had the UADS debater attended the same events, except for the following:
      a. In-House Tournaments that were not hosted by the UADS, for which no points shall be received;
      b. Judging or assisting in High School Tournaments and Workshops that were not UADS sanctioned, for which no points shall be received;
      c. Tournament Directing for all tournaments that were not hosted by the UADS; Directors of tournaments for which UADS members were eligible to attend and receive points shall be treated as judges and awarded points accordingly.

    15. Qualitative Participation
      In their applications, debaters may also detail any other activities they have undertaken that benefit the club. These activities may include running a tabs room, purchasing food or supplies, attending most Wednesday meetings, fundraising,participating in a high school workshop, running an ADSA event, or anything else they deem relevant to the selection process. A maximum of 10 additional points may be awarded for subjective factors.