Parli is practiced all over the world, but customs in the US alone differ so widely that two styles have emerged: "East Coast" and "West Coast." Learn the varying conventions!
Note that even these conventions may break down based on more specific regions. The best practice is to inquire about customs from distinct locations before competing.
| East Coast | West Coast |
American Parliamentary Debate Association (APDA) | National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA) | |
Prep time | 15 minutes | 20 minutes |
Internet | No internet prep | Access to internet during prep |
Striking | The team that wins a coin flip gets to decide either their side (gov or opp) or the resolution (from three choices). The other team then decides the remaining factor. | Teams are automatically assigned a side. Opp strikes one of three reses, then gov strikes another from the two remaining. |
Case types | Fact, value, policy, narrative, link, etc. (customs vary) | Fact, value, policy |
Stylistic values (policy) | Every aspect of the case is equally important | Having a functional plan that solves for harms is necessary to win |
Know any other differences? Comment below!
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