NPEDC Rule 1: General Regulations

1. Dates for the Tournament
   • The tournament shall be held in March, April or May
2. Registration Regulations
   • Process of registration must be announced at least two months prior to the tournament
3. Format
   1. Overview of the Format
      • There shall be five preliminary rounds of debate, involving all teams eligible to debate in the Competitions.
      • Seminars on debating and adjudicating are mandatory.
      • Following the five preliminary rounds, there shall be an elimination round consistin of the top 16 teams from the preliminary round.
   2. The Preliminary Rounds
      • All teams eligible to debate at the Competitions compete in the preliminary rounds
      • Composite or "swing" teams must be added by the Tournament Director to under the following circumstances:
        1. If the number of teams eligible to debate in the preliminary rounds is equal to a number divisible by two, no composite teams are allowed; or
        2. If this is not the case, then composite teams may be added until the number of teams in the preliminary round is equal to a number divisible by two.
        3. If a team withdraws from competition before or during the preliminary rounds then they shall be removed from the draw and replaced with a composite team.
   3. Selection of teams for the elimination rounds
      • At the conclusion of the five preliminary rounds, teams are ranked in consecutive orders (from highest to lowest) as follows:
        1. Total aggregate Victory Points accumulated by the team; and
        2. Total team score accumulated from speakers point from 5 rounds.
      • The highest 16 ranking teams will participate in the Main Competition elimination rounds, and shall be ranked from 1st to 16th.
      • Teams shall compete in the elimination rounds subject to the qualification requirements of this Constitution.
   4. The Main Competition elimination rounds
      • At the conclusion of each of the Octo-Finals, Quarter Finals and Semi Finals, the adjudication panel shall select one winning team from each debate. The teams shall progress to the next elimination round.
      • In the Final, the adjudication panel shall select the one winning team and the runner-up.