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Durham IV 2023

2023-11-24 · BP

Part of the Durham IV series →

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The field

Below Average

A smaller or newer tournament. Good for building confidence and getting reps.

34 teams (This edition), 51 teams (2021), 57 teams (2020)

Motions from this series

Durham IV 2023 (2023)8 motionsCA: 🇬🇧 Adam M., 🇬🇧 Alyssa M.
  • Round 1THP a world with a dominant norm of spiritual fluidity
  • Round 2THW ban saviour siblings
  • Round 3THS policies of debt monetisation in times of significant crisis and economic downturn (eg the Covid-19 pandemic, wars)
  • Round 4THBT the Scottish government should prioritise teaching Gaelic in schools over modern langauges (eg French, Mandarin, German)
  • Round 5THBT the institutionalization of art has done more harm than good
  • SemifinalsTH predicts that the proportion of people in the UK identifying as religious will be greater in 2060 than it is today
  • ProAm FinalTHP a decriminalised to legalised model of prostitution
  • Grand FinalTHP a world where children are raised communally
Durham IV 2021 (2021)10 motions
  • Round 1THBT historically oppressed communities should heavily prioritise teaching values of individualism to their children
  • Round 2THW build social housing in high wealth areas
  • Round 3THS the increased academisation of education
  • Round 4THR the cancellation of the European Super League
  • Round 5THW heavily tax corporations which automate their workforce
  • Partial QuarterfinalsIn post-colonial states, THBT education (e.g. history curricula) should graphically and exclusively focus on the negative impact of colonialism
  • SemifinalsTHO 'stock market populism'
  • Grand FinalTHW remove the chip
  • Pro-am FinalsTHP a world in which people believe in the Epicurean model of happiness
  • ESL FinalsTHP a world where this machine exists
Durham IV 2020 (2020)10 motions
  • Round 1This House prefers a world where people are told to aspire towards self-acceptance rather than self-improvement
  • Round 2TH as the European Union would implement a unifrom, common tax policy (e.g. corporate tax, value-added tax, and income tax)
  • Round 3Assuming he wins, THBT President Biden should repair relations to China
  • Round 4THW outsource UN Peacekeeping Missions to Private Military Corporations
  • Round 5TH, as new immigrants, Would prioritise the preservation of their traditional culture in the household over assimilating to the new culture
  • QuarterfinalsTHBT France should abandon its policy of Laicite
  • SemifinalsTHW encourage the loud reclamation of provocative and vulgar language in pop culture (e.g. Cardi B's WAP, Eminem's Insane)
  • Grand FinalTHR the increasing usage of memes and political satire in political commentary
  • Pro-Am SemifinalsTHBT Muslim majority countries should boycott China
  • Pro-Am FinalsAssuming feasibility, THP a world without clothing

What gets set here

Social & Identity32%
Economics18%
Education11%
International Relations11%
Abstract7%
Health & Medicine4%

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Practice Social & Identity motions ›Read: Generating arguments

You vs this tournament

What gets set here, next to how you have scored on each category across your own imported rounds.

  • Social & Identity · 32% of motions hereno rounds on record yet
  • Economics · 18% of motions hereno rounds on record yet
  • Education · 11% of motions hereno rounds on record yet
  • International Relations · 11% of motions hereno rounds on record yet
  • Abstract · 7% of motions hereno rounds on record yet
  • Health & Medicine · 4% of motions hereno rounds on record yet

This week's plan

Built from what this tournament sets most. Import more tabs and this plan tunes itself to your weak spots.

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Breaking here

25% of teams break

Teams usually guarantee their break on 10 points.

Break on speaks? Average at least 77.8.

Last edition: 8 of 34 teams broke.

  • 202010 pts · 78.2 speaks16/57
  • 202110 pts · 76.7 speaks12/51
  • 202310 pts · 78.4 speaks8/34
~??% estimated break chance
??.?–??.? estimated speaker score

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Break categories

This tournament runs a separate break for each category. From the most recent edition:

  • Open break8 teams
  • ProAm break7 teams

How scoring works here

75.6 avg speaker score

Most speakers land between 72.9 and 78.3.

This is 1.1 points above tournaments of similar calibre.

What finishing high has taken:

Top speaker pace 81.6

Top-10 pace 79.0

Top-20 pace 77.2

Median average speaks at each finishing spot, across 3 editions.

Comparable: Macau Debate Open 2026 (75.6), Tilburg Open 2026 (75.3)

Top speeches

The highest individual speaker scores recorded at this tournament.

DebaterSpeechMotionScore
Esmé T.MOTHBT the institutionalization of art has done more harm than good86
🇬🇧 Dominic W.OWTHBT the institutionalization of art has done more harm than good86
🇬🇧 Dominic W.OWTHS policies of debt monetisation in times of significant crisis and economic downturn (eg the Covid-19 pandemic, wars)84
Esmé T.MOTHS policies of debt monetisation in times of significant crisis and economic downturn (eg the Covid-19 pandemic, wars)83
🇬🇧 William S.DLOTHBT the Scottish government should prioritise teaching Gaelic in schools over modern langauges (eg French, Mandarin, German)83
🇬🇧 William S.MOTHS policies of debt monetisation in times of significant crisis and economic downturn (eg the Covid-19 pandemic, wars)83
🇬🇧 Eli F.GWTHW ban saviour siblings82
Helen W.MGTHBT the Scottish government should prioritise teaching Gaelic in schools over modern langauges (eg French, Mandarin, German)82
Sebastian E.GWTHBT the Scottish government should prioritise teaching Gaelic in schools over modern langauges (eg French, Mandarin, German)82
Shazhen C.OWTHW ban saviour siblings82
🇬🇧 Harvey O.DPMTHP a world with a dominant norm of spiritual fluidity82
Alastair B.DPMTHS policies of debt monetisation in times of significant crisis and economic downturn (eg the Covid-19 pandemic, wars)82

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