Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons^™

As Your Writing And Reading Teacher, Jean Prokott

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

AS YOUR WRITING & READING TEACHER, and as a poetry enthusiast (fangirl), I was thinking about you yesterday as I watched Amanda Gorman perform her poem at Biden's inauguration, and then I was really thinking about you, students, as I watched Anderson Cooper interview her last night. I hope so much that you heard the poem, and I would truly love for you to watch the interview: she talks about the task to write a poem, the feel of words over images, the research she did from history and culture to pull this poem together. It is a feat that …

Reflections On Writer's Block, Hilary Rasmussen

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

When I finished the MA program at Northern Illinois University in 2010, I initially had no intention of returning for a PhD. I felt burned out on academics and was itching to get into my own classroom to teach. Despite the intense pressures of a tightening job market, I was fortunate. I found a permanent, full-time faculty position at a small, rural university in the southwest corner of Minnesota. Deciding to leave that wonderful and supportive community was difficult, but after three years there, I realized that I had more to say (and more to learn) and I wanted to …

“Whose Team Is It Anyway?”: Exploring The Impact Of Coaching Changes On Forensics Team Culture, Brenton Lynn Mitchell

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Previous research in the field has documented the many aspects of coaching difficulties faced by forensic teams (Chouinard & Kuyper, 2010; Louis, 2011; Outzen, 2016; White, 2005 & 2010). While research in this area is necessary to understand the struggles associated with a coaching change and the impact it has on team culture, little research has been done to analyze how the students are affected by the shift in coaches and the changing culture of the team. This thesis examines how collegiate forensics competitors navigate these difficult transitions in an activity that heavily influences the creation of close relationships between …

Sexual Assault In The News, Sydney Blair

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Previous research has evaluated the presence of blame, myths, and stigma that sexual assault survivors experience online and within interactions with others. In the era of the #MeToo movement, has that changed? With perpetrators recently being held legally accountable for their crimes, my research addresses the current representation(s) of sexual assault through a content analysis of existing news media. I found a variety of rhetoric that supports survivors, #MeToo and perpetrators accountability, with additional evidence that negatively counters those positive changes. My research is important because these findings contribute to social science literature by examining the current representation of sexual …

Limited Preparation And Accessibility: Rethinking Some Conversations In Limited Prep Events For 2020/2021

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Presentation on the Limited Preparation event and accessibility.

Forensics Code Of Student Conduct

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Example of a forensics code of conduct.

Smsu Forensics Team Handbook & Policies 2018-2019

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Handbook and policies from Southwest Minnesota State University's forensics program.

Niu Forensics Code Of Conduct

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Code of Conduct from Northern Illinois University Forensics program.

Lafayette Forensics Standards And Policies, Scott Placke, John Boyer, Simon Center

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Standards and policies from the Lafayette Forensics Society at Lafayette College.

Hastings College Bronco Forensics Team 2018-2019

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Handbook from Hastings College's 2018-2019 Bronco Forensic Team.

Navigating The Digital Divide, Dawn Lowry

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Dawn Lowry (George Mason University) talks about how we are essentially switching from an interpersonal medium to a mass medium. Coaches and competitors should have equal access to the visual vocabulary that society has learned through a lifetime of exposure to mass media.

Online Tournaments And Speechwire: The Show Goes On, Ben Stewart

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Ben Stewart (SpeechWire) details the various ways that people have administered online contests on SpeechWire, and ideas for the future regarding online contests.

Asynchronous Tournaments: A Resource For Now And The Future, Erick Roebuck, Jared Kubicka-Miller

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Erick Roebuck and Jared Kubicka-Miller (SEARK College and Santiago Canyon College) share their experience with an asynchronous tournament hosted with the organization, protocommunications.com. Additionally, they will propose a possible season format for asynchronous competition that can begin immediately or after the pandemic.

Lessons Learned From The 2020 National Online Collegiate Forensics Festival, Danny Cantrell

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Danny Cantrel (Mt. San Antonio College) will provide the resources and discuss the process of hosting the 2020 festival online.

Becoming A Virtual Host: How To Run An Online Tournament, Brandon Johnson

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Brandon Johnson (Cornell University) covers the basics for creating an online tournament and hosting site. He also talks about best practices for how to make the experience accessible to students and judges. He will discuss the differences between preparing for an in person tournament vs. an online tournament.

Improving Extemp Within Collegiate Forensics, Samantha Burke

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Samantha Burke (Hastings College) speaks about research conducted regarding the experience of extemp speaking in collegiate forensics, suggestions are provided on how to improve the tournament experience for students in extemp.

Listening To The Question: Is Forensics Accessible And Accountable To Minority And Disenfranchised Communities?, Nathan Carter

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

This brief presentation asserts that the leaders and tournament directors of the forensics community must do better! Based on the data collected, the answer to the title question is a resounding NO! This guide which touches on the state of accessibility and accountability in the activity is based on countless interviews with students of color and students from the LGBTQ community who experienced insults, discrimination and purposeful silencing. As a mixed-race man, I've also experienced these things throughout my tenure in the forensics community as a competitor, coach and DOF. My perspective on this matter is deeply personal but I …

Morale And Motivation: Nurturing Team Cohesion During Covid-19, Kittie Grace, Austin Mcdonald

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Virtual connection takes more energy and commitment than face-to-face connections. Degges-White (2020) found, “you are likely to feel a kind of exhaustion from that screen time that's unlike the exhaustion you’d feel from an hour at the gym. Even extroverts can feel worn down by the ‘high-intensity virtual connection’” (para. 4). Forensics teams are not immune to this exhaustion and therefore coaches and teammates have to be intentional with providing opportunities for connection to strengthen team survival. Through a survey of our team, with 100% participation, we were able to assess the needs of the individual student and provide opportunities …

Nfa Wellness Menu, National Forensic Association

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

NFA wellness handout

And The Awards Goes To...Award Ceremonies In A Time Of Social Distancing, Jay Bourne

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

This virus is novel, new, and we are discovering more about it every day. There are numerous moving parts and elements to in person tournaments. Yet among them, perhaps none appear more complicated currently than opening ceremonies and award ceremonies. The easiest thing to do regarding opening ceremonies would be to eliminate them currently, and offer needed info online to participants, coaches and judges.

Awards ceremonies are significant for teams and competitors, and in an age of increasing pressure of team budgets, one of the metrics (rightly or wrongly) used to evaluate program success. With that in mind here is …

Coming Together: Exploring Peer Verbal Abuse And Combating Conflict, Elizabeth Hansen

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Elizabeth Hansen (Hastings College) will provide an outline for a protection policy that students can adopt into their team handbooks. The handout will provide common themes of verbal abuse, an established system towards ending verbal abuse, and ways coaches can support students.

Competitive And Collaborative Options For Forensic Programs, Jay Bourne

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Jay Bourne (University of the Cumberlands) will explore options used for debate tournaments in the past, collaboration options both on campus and on other campuses, and program options with other teams and organizations.

Reshaping & Expanding Our Mission As A Co-Curricular Activity In The Time Of Covid-19, Matt Dupuis, Judy Santacaterina

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Judy Santacaterina and Matt Dupuis (Northern Illinois University) will present a written report with some strategies to "pivot" our programs and include valuable experiences outside the competitive arena.

Four Forensic Families Stand In Solidarity

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Statement on equality, accessibility and accountability in the forensic community.

Introduction And Overview, Karen Morris

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Introduction and overview of the Sixth National Development Conference on Individual Events, June 19-20, 2020, hosted online by Illinois State University.

Table Of Contents For The Sixth National Developmental Conference On Individual Events, Karen Morris

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Table of contents for the Sixth National Developmental Conference on Individual Events, June 19-20, hosted online by Illinois State University.

Proceedings Of The Sixth National Developmental Conference On Individual Events, Karen Morris

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

The June 19-20 National Developmental Conference (NDC) on Individual Events (IE) was a series of free zoom webinars sponsored in a joint effort by AFA-NST, NFA, PKD, and PRP. The overall goal of the conference was to work together to set shared standards for the upcoming 2020-2021 season because of the uncertain times for intercollegiate forensics. The conference provided a collaborative space for the forensic community to discuss best and promising practices.

Prior to the conference, the NDC-IE planning committee sponsored a COVID-19 Coaches Webinar on May 1st, 2020. The recordings of the sessions by AFA-NST, NFA, PKD, and PRP …

Closing Conference Remarks

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Closing remarks for the First Developmental Conference on Individual Events.

Role Of Research In Individual Events

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Discussion held at the Role of Research in Individual Events session at the First Developmental Conference on Individual Events.

Recommendations, Bruce B. Manchester

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Recommendations from the Role of Research in Individual Events session at the First Developmental Conference on Individual Events.