Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons^™

Solving For A Healthier Future: Creating National Standards For Training Future Directors Of Forensics, Thomas A. Workman

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

An important link has been made in current research between coach burnout and improper training of directors of forensics. Although the structure for such training is in place via the graduate programs of universities offering forensics, this arena has been underutilized. A competency-based model of training is presented utilizing both curricular and non-curricular methods. Six competency areas are established, with a call for national standards toward the development of future coaches by those programs with graduate assistantships in forensics.

Teaching And Coaching Individuals: The Use Of Learning Styles In Forensics Coaching, Thomas Bartl

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

When I ask myself how to approach the issue of training coaches in competitive speech and debate, I find myself posing a different question. It seems that before I can ascertain what could or should be done to train coaches effectively or to train effective coaches I need to know what it is these coaches are expected to do. The answer to this question must then determine what kind of training would be appropriate.

Afa-Niet: The Culture Of Qualifying And Its Effets On Forensics, Daniel A. West

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

It is my concern that we have created a culture that is primarily focused on qualifying for a national tournament rather than on the pursuit of excellence in performance. This "culture of qualifying" is just like any other culture: it has norms, rules and rituals. It has expected behaviors and offers rewards to those who meet those expectations and punishments to those who don't. When this "culture of qualifying" replaces or supersedes other missions or goals of forensics competition, the following three problems result.

Judge Agreement And Student Rotation: A Real-Life Study Of The 1990 Dsr-Tka National Forensics Tournament, Vicki L. Karns

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

During the third round of Poetry competition at the 1990 DSR-TKA National Tournament, a student approached the Tab Room and asked why the same people were competing against each other in the first and third rounds. After examining the schematics, it was determined that, indeed, the first and third rounds were identical. At that point in the tournament schedule, it was impossible to reschedule or redo the schematic, so the tournament continued as originally scheduled. Instead of treating this as a crisis, it became an excellent real-life opportunity for research. Thus, this study examines the ranks between Rounds One and …

Equal Opportunity?: The Impact Of Specialized Tournaments On Forensics Pedagogy, Forensics Professionals, And The Forensics Laboratory, Scott Jensen

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Among the most significant changes in the evolution of forensic activities has been the growth of specialized participation, with students, educators, and programs focusing on debate or individual events. The manifestations of this specialization are seen in the decreasing number of tournaments offering opportunities for students to compete in both categories of competition. While some preservation of broad-based participation is seen with the growing popularity of parliamentary formats, the move away from broad-based participation is clear. This trend is argued to be alarming due to its negative impact on forensics pedagogy, the training of forensics educators, and the forensics laboratory. …

Forensics Education And Tournament Management, Joel Hefling

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

When one thinks about managing a forensics tournament, frequently the components of that process that come to mind are the tasks of scheduling rooms, securing judges, ordering trophies and food, scheduling the rounds and getting through the awards ceremony as quickly and easily as possible. As the time draws nearer for the tournament to begin, there may be some details that escape the director's attention. At this time, the tournament director may become painfully aware of the admonitions presented by Hunsinger, Terry, and Wood (1970) when they point out that the director "... should not try to do everything by …

Presumption In Parliamentary Debate: Examining Whately's Ideas And Their Application To An Emerging And Evolving Debate Style, Tammy Duvanel Unruh

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Presumption as a part of formal debate is examined in this paper, which discusses Richard Whately's ideas about presumption and burden of proof in argumentation, how these ideas have been applied as paradigms and judging criteria in competitive debate, and how these same ideas fit into the practice of parliamentary debate. General conclusions about broad applications of debate "rules" are drawn, then, from this example, and suggestions are made for future study.

Forensics Fellows: Integrating Faculty Participation Into Intercollegiate Parliamentary Debate Programs, Lewis E. Rutledge

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

There are important benefits to integrating non-forensics faculty into assisting with the instruction and training of intercollegiate parliamentary debaters. These benefits may also spill over into individual events in a limited way. Parliamentary debate, if done well, requires that debaters have a broad based education covering many diverse disciplines, especially philosophy, history and political science, and of course a familiarity with current national and international events. Enlisting the aid of non-forensics professors from various departments to provide occasional mini-lectures on diverse topics can help improve this broad-based education. Additionally, there are other unique benefits to encouraging non-forensics faculty members to …

Maintaining The Status Quo: Recommendations For Preserving Public Argument In Parliamentary Debate, Steven L. Johnson

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Accompanied by praise and criticism, the growth of parliamentary debate in recent years has been exponential. As Robert Trapp, current President of the National Parliamentary Debate Association points out in his May 28, 1997 letter to the membership of the NPDA, "(f)rom 1994 to 1997, our Championship Tournament has grown from just over fifty teams to almost four times as many. Measured in numerical terms, the NPDA is a healthy infant." Given this growth, a discussion of the future of parliamentary debate seems appropriate.

Regardless of one's perspective of what parliamentary debate is, much has been written about what parliamentary …

Developing Functional Standards As A Means To Greater Accessibility In Nfa-Ld, John M. Devine

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

A consistent theme of debate league innovation and alternatives has been the attempt at an increased focus on "substantive" argument along with increased accessibility to the activity. The National Forensic Association's Lincoln-Douglas Debate (NFA-LD) is one of the more recent responses to the desire for an event which promotes topic specific argumentation, at a reasonable rate of delivery, which is accessible to students with no formal debate experience. NFA-LD's approach provides a reference point for examining the interaction of the league and event structure in the context of the desire for less speed, more substance, and, more accessibility.

The argument …

Returning To Our Roots: A New Direction For Oral Interpretation, Trischa Knapp

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

The text is dead--but not in some twist of Postmodern logic. Rather, an examination of current competitive oral interpretation practices reveals that, indeed, the text is dead in competitive forensics. Many texts in oral interpretation have been sacrificed to the idea of "theme" as witnessed by the recent trend toward interweaving different pieces of literature that revolve around a central theme. This practice involves dividing multiple pieces of literature to create, essentially, a new whole since no one piece retains its sense of completeness. Interweaving literature flies in the face of traditional oral interpretation practices, not just in the realm …

Challenging The Conventions Of Oral Interpretation, Christopher S. Aspdal

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

The forensic community is currently facing many difficult challenges. Many stigmas have been placed in the world of oral interpretation. The nature of oral interpretation is to educate students through the use of literature. Regardless of the literature used, students have the ability to grow from this material. However, we as coaches and judges have taken a more negative approach to this concept. Words such as recycle and trite have taken the place of more important words like education and research.

It is important for us to look at the reasons why we have taken this approach to oral interpretation …

Creating An Individual Events Judging Philosophy, Jeff Przybylo

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

What is an I.E. Judging Philosophy? It is a series of written statements concerning how the judge views Individual Events in general, variables in each events, and views concerning decision-making. It is a tool that judges, coaches, and graduate assistants can use to develop their views and attitudes concerning judging criteria. In addition, it can serve as a discussion starter for forensics classes, conferences, and graduate assistant training sessions. It is not intended to be shared with competitors ( as in debate).

Creating Space For The Physically Challenged Competitor In Individual Events, David L. Kosloski

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Recently I have written about the challenges of creating a space for physically challenged students in individual events competition (Kosloski, 1994). My research suggests that attitudes and inexperience among coaches and critics are preventing the total integration of physically challenged students into the forensics activity. Many coaches have admitted that while they will not discourage students with disabilities from participating in forensics, certain barriers make such participation difficult, if not impossible. These barriers include budget constraints, building/room accessibility, transportation, peer rejection, and judging concerns, among others. While increasing gender and minority diversity in forensics has recently been given much needed …

Professionalism And Forensics: A Matter Of Choice, Larry Schnoor, Bryant K. Alexander

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

In dealing with the topic of Professionalism and Forensics, much has been said about the various elements that go into the making of a forensic educator. This paper examines these elements by relating the choices that are involved in this educational activity. Opinions, probes, and questions are presented to challenge those involved in the education of a forensic professional to be aware of the choices that must be faced in determining the direction of a career and program in forensic education.

The Ghostwriter, The Lassez-Faire Coach, And The Forensic Professional: Negotiating The Overcoaching Vs. Undercoaching Dilemma In Original Contest Speeches, James J. Kimble

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

There has long been concern in forensic circles about coaches who allegedly write original speeches for their students. This essay argues that while such overcoachers are indeed acting unethically and uneducationally, their opposing number--undercoachers--are also acting undesirably. Perhaps most critically, both sets of coaches are acting unprofessionally. After breaking down the creative speech process into seven component parts, I suggest that there is a comfortable ground in between these two extremes, where a forensic coach can legitimately--and in a truly professional manner--contribute to a student's creative efforts without endangering either the student's learning process or any ethical boundaries.

Resolutions From The Third National Development Conference On Individual Events (Addressing Individual Events, Nfa-Ld, & Parliamentary Debate): August 13-16, 1997, Rice University, Houston, Tx, Shawnalee A. Whitney

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Resolutions from the 1997 National Developmental Conference on Individual Events.

EDITOR'S NOTES: Each new resolution is indicated with a •. Titles of panels or sessions that developed resolutions are indicated. Most resolutions were developed in panels and were brought to the legislative session for approval or rejection by the entire group. Resolutions that were developed by the entire group in the Keynote and Legislative Sessions are grouped together. All resolutions appearing in this document were endorsed by a vote of those attending the conference. Resolutions from the Keynote and Legislative Sessions are listed first. Other resolutions are listed in the …

Conference Attendees, Shawnalee A. Whitney

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

List of conference attendees for the 1997 National Developmental Conference on Individual Events.

Conference Schedule, Shawnalee A. Whitney

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Conference schedule for the 1997 National Developmental Conference on Individual Events.

Table Of Contents For The 1997 National Developmental Conference On Individual Events, Shawnalee A. Whitney

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Table of contents for Conference Proceedings: National Developmental Conference on Individual Events 1997.

Conference Notes, Daniel Cronn-Mills

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Notes on the 2008 National Developmental Conference on Individual Events.

Schedule Of The 2008 National Developmental Conference On Individual Events, Daniel Cronn-Mills

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Schedule for the 2008 National Developmental Conference on Individual Events.

Participants, Daniel Cronn-Mills

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

List of conference participants for the 2008 National Developmental Conference on Individual Events.

Resolutions, Daniel Cronn-Mills

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

The resolutions listed below were a product of the various panel sessions that met during the conference. A number of sessions produced resolutions similar in nature. The redundant resolutions were combined into this list. The resolutions were discussed during the general assembly and voted on by the participants in attendance. All resolutions are non-binding on state, regional, and national associations. All resolutions were passed along to the appropriate associations for consideration and deliberation.

Challenges And Opportunities For Forensics Programs: Offering Debate And Individual Events, Edward A. Hinck

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

The purpose of this paper is to inquire into the forces that might account for this shift in the focus of programs, to consider some of the values served by broad-based programs, and identify some of the challenges faced by directors of programs that strive to offer opportunities in both debate and individual events. Despite some sentiment that narrowly focused programs deliver the greatest degree of educational impact for the resources invested, in some instances broad-based programs might play a central role in the educational mission of a department or college. On these grounds, the forensic community should embrace diversity …

Facilitating Dual Service Programs: Imperatives For The Future Of Forensics, Terry L. West

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

I do not recall the last time I was at any sort of gathering of directors of forensics for any length of time when the discussion did not at some point turn to the issue of program mortality. Everyone has a story to tell of a program that recently ended, or is at risk of doing so. The most difficult moment in my own forensic career came only three years ago, when secret political maneuverings by a couple of self-aggrandizing administrators (who have since flown from their positions) put an end to a forensics program that was over 100 years …

Understanding The Hyphen: Addressing The Debate-Ie Divide, Brian Swafford

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

At the 2008 National Forensics Association National Championship Tournament, a special meeting was held for the coaches of Lincoln-Douglas (LD) debaters. At this meeting, those in attendance attempted to voice concerns about both the perceived "slights" and the actual structures in place (like sweepstakes formulas, awards, and qualifications) from the larger NFA community, made up of individual events (IE) coaches. Issues like limited judge strikes or mutually preferred judging, changing the schedule so that debaters did not go first and last on competition days, and allowing for oral comments by judges were all discussed. But at the heart of this …

Relating To Publics: An Additional Role Of The Director Of Forensics, Ryan Lauth

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Without fostering effective relationships with students, departments and administrators, a forensic program can easily succumb to budget cuts. This paper attempts to analyze the relationships that must be managed for a director of forensics to run a successful program. To this end, a review of the literature is given, an analysis of this literature is conducted and research questions are given that will further enrich future inquiry into the public relations role of the director of forensics.

The Liminal Graduate Student, Adam Gonzales-Weightman

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

The purpose of this paper is to expand individual event (IE) terminology. Expanding the terminology in which our IE community uses is essential to the growth of the IE community. This paper was inspired by people in the IE community who have realized how important it is to expand IE research and academic publications.

Perceptions Of Past Competitors: Presentation Of The Data, Leah White, Larry Schnoor, Grant Anderson

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

In the past five years several well established forensic programs in our region have been discontinued. The reasons given to justify these decisions often centered on a lack of resources available to sustain the programs. Certainly the presence of scarce resources in an academic setting is understandable, but what many current coaches and competitors found especially concerning was the perceived lack of resistance by faculty at those institutions who were themselves once forensic competitors and coaches. In fact, in some cases former competitors were active and vocal supporters of the decision to end their institution‟s forensic program. The idea for …