Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons^™

Open Discussion From Ethical Questions For Coaches/Competitors

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Discussion from the Ethical Questions for Coaches/Competitors session at the First Developmental Conference on Individual Events.

Recommendations From Ethical Questions For Coaches/Competitors, Michael Nicolai

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Recommendations from the Ethical Questions for Coaches/Competitors session at the First Developmental Conference on Individual Events.

Have We Been Offering Too Much Help?, Patricia Kalanquin

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Should the speech writing process be a completely collaborative effort between coach and student? Should an oral interpretation selection used successfully by one student be filed away and given to another student for competition two or three years later? If any of these situations sound familiar to you, it is probably because you are an individual events (IE) coach. Often as IE coaches, we are called upon to answer questions, like the ones above, that may not have one right answer. Questions like these, bring up issues of ethical standards. As an IE coach, I find it is most difficult …

Ethics And Forensics: There Is A Need, Joel L. Hefling

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

It has been fairly well established that the decade of the '80s is a very competitive one. We are bombarded daily with competition for our attention, for our affection, for our time, and for our dollars. As a result. It becomes increasingly important for us to be able to intelligently make decisions, and to make them quickly. Sometimes there is time to ponder alternatives and to consider options. Often, however, that time is not available. At those moments, it is important to be able to draw upon a broad-based background o! information to assist us in the decision-making process. That …

Looking In From The Fringe: A Need For Commonality And Accountability In Professional Ethical Standards In Forensics, Sujanet Mason

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Our conceptions of honesty, decency, and integrity determine who and what we are. We should ask exactly what is our concept of "right" and "wrong." As we can seldom circumvent the level of our skills, talents, or conscience, our decisions and conduct are the product of moral reference. It is suggested that education and training are the means to earn what is wanted from life, therefore, the educated man, at least ideally, doesn't have the temptation to cheat or steal. Further, it has been said, "One need not be as worried about the multiplication of sinners as with the disappearance …

Ethical Considerations For Forensics Educators, Sheryl A. Friedley

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

In 1984, the Ethics of Advocacy Committee at the National Developmental Conference on Forensics defined forensics as primarily an educational activity. In addition, that same Committee defined "ethical behavior" as that which promotes the educational goals of the activity while "unethical behavior" hinders such educational goals (Parson, 1984, p. 14). With this educational perspective as the focus of this discussion, I will posit three specific ethical responsibilities to which I believe forensic educators should aspire. While these ethical responsibilities do not dictate specific policy, they do provide an educationally-based philosophy from which specific ethical policy may be formed.

Maintaining Integrity Ii: Further Thoughts On Ethics And Original Literature, Thomas G. Endres

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

I have previously argued (Endres, 1987) that allowing original literature in forensics oral interpretation is a bad thing. While I remain true to that sentiment, my focus of blame is shifting from the act itself to the state of the activity, i.e. it seems that lack of policy is the primary culprit which allows the use of original literature to impugn forensics integrity. The primary focus of this essay is on the ethical concerns surrounding the use of original literature, and how the introduction of policy may help preclude unethical behavior. This analysis will first recap arguments from my previous …

The Ethical Use Of Evidence In Public Address Events, Sheryl A. Friedley

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

As we enter the decade of the '90s and round the corner heading toward the 21st century, American appear to be more concerned than ever about the issue of "ethics." This continued interest in studying moral behavior has lead to the development of more explicit codes of conduct in business, professional, and educational settings. In keeping with this interest, the forensic community has continued to consider the ethical standards that should be established for use of evidence in public address events.

Coding Our Judges Off Of Schools And Individuals: When Is It Necessary?, Ken Young

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

When examining issues that arise from tournament management, a chief concern among tournament administrators is the quality and size of their respective judging pools. In accordance with the AFA Code of Standards, many coaches try to avoid a "conflict of interest" by coding their judges off of particular schools and/or individuals when sending in their entry. Given that this coding process is self-regulated and highly dependent on individual ethics, coaches are left with no steadfast rules to dictate when a restriction is necessary and when it is not. This paper examines the coding process, the reasons coaches currently use to …

Forensics As A Business: A Business Ethics Approach To Ethical Violations, Joshua Randall

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

In a way, I consider myself to be an outsider in the forensics community. Although I did major in Speech Communication, I also received a major in Management with minors in Marketing and Business Administration. Due to this background I view the activity of forensics differently, while I think it is one of the greatest educational activities, I also see it as a business. Just like businesses, forensic programs have stakeholders they are responsible to and trophies are considered to be the profits that we can show our "supervisors and investors." Because of this idea that forensics is a business, …

A "Pedagogy Of Freedom" For Forensics: Moving From Convention To Theory, Terry L. West

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Even a brief survey of academic journals and communication convention programs will reveal that ethics is a major concern among forensics professionals. The 2008 National Developmental Conference in Individual Events is no exception. A panel has been convened to present papers, discuss implications, and suggest policy action regarding ethical procedures in competitive intercollegiate forensics. While much past discussion and action has occurred on the subject of rules violations—ethical issues which enjoy essentially consensual agreement in the discipline—there is also a substantial concern over normative standards. These normative standards, which I refer to as "conventions," largely govern what actually occurs during …

Etic Vs. Emic Values In The Culture Of Forensics, Richard E. Paine

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

The present essay is a very preliminary attempt at investigating the extremely broad topic of values in forensics. Its goal is twofold: first, to identify values as they are avowed and practiced on the emic level by the forensics community; and second, to begin considering how forensic values do or do not mesh with the values espoused by some of the other emic and etic communities forensics participates in. It is my hope that this brief introduction to the question can open the door to more detailed and incisive qualitative and quantitative research into some of the particular issues whose …

The Emperor Has No Clothes: Solidifying Inconsistencies In Judges' Preference, Anthony C. Cavaiani, David J. Nadolski

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Several leaders representing the forensics world were surveyed to examine the role judges preference plays in the outcomes of forensics tournaments. Similarities and differences concerning the definition of judge's preference emerged as dominant themes. Implications of this study offer new questions concerning definitions of judge’s preference and the role tabulation should play in the formation of leaders in forensics.

A Christian Ethic For Coaches, George Lamaster

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Coaching is a calling and ministry. At least for many in the Christian tradition, that‘s true. Be they little-league coaches, birthing coaches, or executive coaches, coaches often view their work as a sacred vocation. While in seminary, I moonlighted as a speech and debate coach at a state university. I quickly discovered that my so-called secular work transformed lives as surely as youth ministry in the local parish. Whether it occurs in the context of the church or the public sphere, the practice of coaching invites sacramental moments of transformation by grace.

What follows is my attempt to think theologically …