Coach Management Helpers
This document contains handouts that we hope you will find useful to managing your debate team. Included are the following:

Coach Management Helpers
Practice Signup Sheet   Name ___________________________
Memo: Request for a Check
Trip Information Sheet
Beginning of the year Preparation Session Note
Schedule for the Prep Session
Policy Debate Research Standards
Individual Event Descriptions
Coaching Staff--The Philosophy of Our Program
Signup for a Partner Meeting
Partner/Goals Meeting
Notes for First Team Meeting
Notes for Second Team Meeting
Contact Sheet
Example Syllabus
Forensics Experience and Events Sheet
Practice Signup Sheet
Team Participation Guidelines
Prep Room Computer Use Agreement
Absences Sheet
Team Evaluation Sheet
Hiring an Assistant
Recruiting Letter to incoming students

Practice Signup Sheet   Name ___________________________
Below, mark with an X any times you CANNOT meet for practice sessions. We will schedule your debates and IE practice sessions to avoid the times you mark with an X. 
Hey: Talk with your partner right now, to figure out at least four times during the week where you can debate (parli: two hour slot; policy: three hour slot). Note: We will use this schedule throughout the semester.

Day	1-2pm	2-3pm	3-4pm	4-5pm	5-6pm	6-7pm	7-8pm	8-9pm	9-10pm	10-11pm	11-midnite	
Mon.												
Tues.												
Wed.												
Thurs.												
Fri.												
Sat.												
Sun.												
Note: Make sure there are times you can debate with your partner; leave as many spaces open as possible.

Practice Signup Sheet   Name ___________________________
Below, mark with an X any times you CANNOT meet for practice sessions. We will schedule your debates and IE practice sessions to avoid the times you mark with an X. 
Hey: Talk with your partner right now, to figure out at least four times during the week where you can debate (parli: two hour slot; policy: three hour slot). Note: We will use this schedule throughout the semester.

Day	1-2pm	2-3pm	3-4pm	4-5pm	5-6pm	6-7pm	7-8pm	8-9pm	9-10pm	10-11pm	11-midnite	
Mon.												
Tues.												
Wed.												
Thurs.												
Fri.												
Sat.												
Sun.												
Note: Make sure there are times you can debate with your partner; leave as many spaces open as possible.

Practice Signup Sheet   Name ___________________________
Below, mark with an X any times you CANNOT meet for practice sessions. We will schedule your debates and IE practice sessions to avoid the times you mark with an X. 
Hey: Talk with your partner right now, to figure out at least four times during the week where you can debate (parli: two hour slot; policy: three hour slot). Note: We will use this schedule throughout the semester.

Day	1-2pm	2-3pm	3-4pm	4-5pm	5-6pm	6-7pm	7-8pm	8-9pm	9-10pm	10-11pm	11-midnite	
Mon.												
Tues.												
Wed.												
Thurs.												
Fri.												
Sat.												
Sun.												
Note: Make sure there are times you can debate with your partner; leave as many spaces open as possible.

Memo: Request for a Check
Hi

	Please have a check made out to _____________________________________________ in the amount of ______________.  The check is for __________________________________.  
_______ I have included a sheet with the invoice/request for the payment.
_______ I have included an addressed envelope for mailing the check.
_______ I have included receipts for the item.
	If I can be of any further help on this matter--just give me an e-mail or call.

Thanks

Jim Hanson
Rhetoric and Film Studies
hansonjb@School.edu     (5499)

Please charge the circled account:
Debate				Debate Tournament		Rhetoric and Film Studies
790-12				790-13				790-14

Trip Information Sheet
Trip to ___________________________________ Dates ________
Ask how many students and coaches are going; are any arriving early or late?
Ask how many vans and trailers do we have reserved? We need one van per 15 people maximum. 
For policy debaters, we need a trailer or 8 max can fit in a van with their tubs; 3 can fit in a mini-van with their tubs.

Day 1: First rounds are at: _____________________ Policy _____________________ Parli/IEs
Day 2: First rounds are at: _____________________ Policy _____________________ Parli/IEs 
Day 3: First rounds are at: _____________________ Policy _____________________ Parli/IEs 
Day 4: First rounds are at: _____________________ Policy _____________________ Parli/IEs 
	
Hotel Information     Hotel Name:  ______________________________
Hotel Phone No: _____________________________ Hotel reserved under this name: ___________________________
Request Non-smoking, first floor, modem access rooms. Check in:  ________________ Check out:  _______________
Rooms reserved:  _____________ Rollaways reserved: __________
We need one room per 4 students; 5 if we have rollaways. Jim should always have his own bed or rollaway to sleep on.
Cost per room: _______________ Confirmation number is: ____________________________________
Directions to/Address of the hotel: __________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

National Trips 
Tickets for (names):  _________________________________________________________________________________
Ticket Cost: _______________________ Airline: _____________________________

Flight to Tournament:
Leave: Day: ___________ Date: ___________ Time: __________ from airport: _________________________________
Arrive at: Time: _______________ Airport: _______________________________________
Other:  _______________________________________________________________________________________________

Return Flight:
Leave: Day: ___________ Date ___________ Time: ___________ from airport: _________________________________
Arrive at: Time: _______________ Airport: _______________________________________
Other:  _______________________________________________________________________________________________

Rental Car Information:
Rental Company:  ____________________________________ Phone Number: ______________________
Alamo: 1-800-327-9633; Budget: 1-800-527-0700; National: 1-800-227-7368
Auto Type: 1. _______________________________ Price: _______________ Conf. No. ____________________________
Auto Type: 2. _______________________________ Price: _______________ Conf. No. ____________________________

Special Info./Directions  ________________________________________________________________________________	

CREDIT CARD EXPENSES FORM
Tournament: _________________

Credit Card	Date	Type of Expense	Vendor	Cost	

					

					

					

					

					

					

					

					
	TOTAL COST		

Place receipts in the same order as above.  Attach the receipts to this form until you receive the Credit Card Bill.  When you receive the Credit Card Bill, paper clip them to the Bill in the order of the charges listed on the Bill.

Beginning of the year Preparation Session Note
Obviously, change this to match your own needs.

Hi

That’s great that you are coming to the Prep Session. You’re joining a strong and large team. Below is information that should be useful in your planning for the xxx Prep Session.

1. INFO ON THE PREP SESSIONS

1A. POLICY PREP SESSION ARRIVAL DAY
Arrive Sunday, August 19, preferably after 1pm.
We will have dinner together at 5:45pm on that Sun. night, meet in xxxx. The Policy Prep Session begins that evening with a few meetings covering the topic and research on the team. The next day we begin a Monday thru Thursday schedule, Noon to 11pm each day.

1B. PARLI-IE PREP SESSION ARRIVAL DAY
Arrive Tuesday, August 21, preferably between 2 and 6pm.
We’ll have dinner together at 6:00pm on that Tues. night, meet in the Hunter building foyer. We’ll have a fun night with movies, etc.
The Parli-IE Prep Session begins the next day and occurs Wednesday and Thursday, 10am to 11pm.

1C. INTERP PREP SESSION ARRIVAL DAY
Arrive Wednesday, August 22, preferably after 4pm.
We’ll have dinner together at 6:00pm on that Wed. night, meet in the Hunter building foyer.
The Interp Prep Session begins that evening from 7 to 11pm and continues Thursday, 10am to 11pm.

2. INFO ON HOUSING

2A. IF YOU ARE LIVING OFF CAMPUS DURING THE FALL SEMESTER
You handle your own housing. Please contact other team members if you need housing just for the Prep Session.

2B. IF YOU WILL BE LIVING IN THE RESIDENCE HALLS DURING THIS COMING YEAR

2B1. WHERE TO GO WHEN YOU ARRIVE
When you arrive, go to the XXX building. GIVE DIRECTIONS XXX. Come to my office XXX. I will have keys and directions to your temporary residence hall room.

2B2. WHERE YOU WILL STAY
During the Prep Session, you’ll stay in XXX with other early arrival students.

2B3. YOU CAN (AND PROBABLY SHOULD) BRING ALL YOUR BELONGINGS
You will be able to put all of your belongings (clothes, computer, stereos, jewelry boxes, etc.) into your permanent residence hall room (even though you will stay in xxx during the prep session).  On the day of your arrival, you will be able to store your items in your permanent room and lock the door.

2B4. YOU’LL MOVE INTO YOUR PERMANENT ROOM AT THE END OF THE PREP SESSION
On Thursday evening, August 23, you will check in officially with your fall semester residence hall staff.  At this time, you will check out of xxx.

3. EVERYONE: SPEECH-DEBATE MATERIALS YOU SHOULD BRING
Bring extemp backfiles, debate backfiles, manuscripts, interp cuttings, etc. WE ALSO HOPE YOU’LL BRING A PORTABLE COMPUTER IF YOU HAVE ONE WITH AN ETHERNET PORT. We have 16 computers for the team but during the prep session, we often come up short.

4. EVERYONE: FOOD DURING THE PREP SESSION
We will provide lunch and dinner. All other food is your responsibility.

5. WHAT WE WILL DO AT THE PREP SESSION

5A. WHAT HAPPENS AT THE POLICY PREP SESSION
You will explore the new topic; you’ll prepare affirmative cases, disadvantages, critiques, and counterplans working with others; you’ll discuss partners with us; you’ll engage in practice debates; you’ll meet the team; we’ll set goals for the year; and you’ll have some fun such as playing ultimate frisbee and watching movies.

5B. WHAT HAPPENS AT THE PARLI-IE PREP SESSION
You will prepare extemp files and parli cases; practice parli debate; engage in public policy debates; prepare individual event manuscripts/cuttings; present individual event speeches; you’ll meet the  team; we’ll set goals for the year; and you’ll have some fun such as playing ultimate frisbee and watching movies.

5C. WHAT HAPPENS AT THE PARLI-IE PREP SESSION
You will prepare interpretation cuttings; you’ll practice your pieces; you’ll meet the team; we’ll set goals for the year; and you’ll have some fun.

6. PREPARING FOR THE PREP SESSIONS

6A. FOR EXPERIENCED PARLI-IE STUDENTS: WORK ON YOUR SPEECH MANUSCRIPTS OVER THE SUMMER
Take initiative by doing this:
1. Send your speech/interp idea to me for input BY AUGUST 1 at xxx
2. Email me your cutting/manuscript, AT LEAST ONE WEEK BEFORE THE PREP SESSION
3. Fix your cutting/manuscript to address my comments BEFORE YOU ARRIVE AT THE PREP SESSION
4. You will practice, polish and present your speech during the prep session. 
NOTE: Students with little or no experience: you can wait until you show up to prepare your interps and speeches. However, you are also welcome to contact me to work on a speech.

6B. FOR EXPERIENCED POLICY DEBATERS, DO RESEARCH ASSIGNMENTS
We will be contacting you about the new topic and any research areas we think should be completed.

6C. FOR THOSE NEW TO THE TEAM
We’re here to work with you. We know college speech and debate is going to be a new experience for you and that you’re probably both a bit apprehensive and excited about meeting a whole new group of people. Cool. We welcome you to the team and hope that we’ll make the adjustment easier. If you wish to get involved in preparing manuscripts and/or policy research assignments, just contact me at: xxx

6D. FOR THOSE NEW TO SPEECH AND DEBATE
We’re excited to have you on the team. We really like having people new to the activity and we will work hard to explain things to you and to make you feel comfortable when you speak. This team is supportive of each other and that means we support you. There is no need for you to prepare for the Prep Session; we’ll give you training early on. But, if you want to get a head start, feel free to email me at: 

If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to email me at xxx (you can also call me at 509-527-5499).

xxnamexx
Director Forensics
xxschoolxxx
xxxemailxxx

Schedule for the Prep Session
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16 (Staff only)
Tell security to have doors open until midnight each day; check computers and scanners; get dinner locations settled; get check for costs: get check cashed by Friday afternoon.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, AUGUST 18 AND 19 (Staff and returning students only)
Staff and Returning Seniors work on positions and prepare for the Prep Session

SUNDAY, AUGUST 19 (POLICY ONLY)
  9:00 to 5:30			Welcome to School; get key from xxx at xxxx.
  5:45				Meet and walk to xxx for dinner
  7:30				Resolution Analysis
  9:00				Research Standards, Research Assignments, Fun Policy
10:15				Movie/Fun Time

MONDAY AUGUST 20 (Policy ONLY)
12:00	________________	Everyone: Welcome to the team/Lunch
  1:00				Using the Library, Lexis, Scanning, Research
  2:30	Research Groups		Research
  5:30				Dinner with Ultimate Frisbee/Volleyball
  7:00	Research Groups		Research every person must get and cut five articles on their research assignment.
Finish at 11:00pm

TUESDAY AUGUST 21 (pOLICY AND PARLI-IE)
		POLICY			PARLI-IE	
12:00		Lunch	12:00		Parli-IE Competitors Arrive
Get key from xx	
12:45		New Student Refutation, Rebuilding Arguments				
2:15		Research				
			5:00		Intro to Parli and IEs	
6:00		Dinner, Movies, Fun	6:00		Dinner, Movies, Fun	

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 22 (POLICY AND PARLI-IE)
		POLICY			PARLI-IE	
			10:00		Writing Parli Cases	
			11:30		Flowing/Refutation	
12:00		Lunch	12:00		Lunch	
12:45		Research-Finish Positions
Partner Meetings	1:00		Example Debate 1	
			2:15		Member speeches: Rebuilding arguments	
			2:45		Rebuttal speeches: voting issues	
			3:30		Example Debate 2	
			5:00		Preparing IEs	
6:00		Dinner, Staff Meeting	6:00		Dinner	
7:00		Print Positions, Strategy Discussions, Copy backfiles	7:00		Practice Parli Debate 1/Intro to College Interp	
			8:30		Practice Parli Debate 2/Work on interps	
			10:00		Extemp and Parli Files/Work on interps	
11:00		Finish	11:00		Finish	

THURSDAY, AUGUST 23 (POLICY AND PARLI-IE)
		POLICY			PARLI-IE	
10:00		Print/File	10:00		Intro to NFA LD/Interp work	
			11:00		Individual work on IEs	
12:00		Lunch	12:00		Lunch	
12:45		Practice Debate 1 (1AC speaks at 1pm)	1:00		NFA Debate 1 and 2 plus IE work	
			3:30		IE Practice	
  3:30		Practice Debate 2 (1AC speaks at 3:45pm)	5:30		Parli Drills/Redos/Interp reworking	
  6:30		Dinner--Ultimate Frisbee	6:30		Dinner--Ultimate Frisbee	
  7:30		Move into your real room	7:30		Move into your real room	
  9:00		Meeting: Upcoming Assignments	8:30		IE Showcase	
  9:45		Meeting: finish by 10pm	9:45		Meeting: Moving Forward; finish by 10pm	

Policy Debate Research Standards
RESEARCH
	During the season, you will be expected to complete research assignments. When you do an assignment, your main goal is to produce a winning set of arguments.  This means that you need to develop a strategy that will win based on the evidence you get and to think about how that evidence can be used to persuade a judge to vote for you.  To do your research, you need to do the following:
1.	Get Articles
2.	Bracket Evidence in the Articles
3.	Cite and tag the evidence
4.	Add in other evidence that other people give you
5.	Categorize and Brief the evidence
6.	Write a case, disadvantage or case responses (depending on the assignment)
7.	Index the remaining briefs
	After you are finished, turn in your work for a coach’s approval.  Your coach will give you feedback. After reworking your materials, print one copy for each policy team on the squad. Then, distribute a copy to each team in the green baskets in the prep room. After that, you need to file the briefs you get in your basket.
1. GET ARTICLES
To do this:
1. IDENTIFY THE ISSUE YOU NEED TO RESEARCH
You will receive assignments at team meetings or via the forensic listserv or you might choose an affirmative case to research
2. FIND ONLINE ARTICLES
Use the web for Infotrac on-line articles, Lexis articles, Lexis-Universe articles, and web pages.
For further tips on these--see the “Using the School Library” and “How to use Lexis” handouts.
3. FIND PRINTED BOOKS AND JOURNALS
Go to the Library for printed journals and books
Please scan sections of these printed materials. You either use the Epson Presto manager to scan or you use a button inside of Microsoft Word to scan. Ask a senior team member or staff member for help in scanning. Scanning saves the team a lot of money AND means we get electronic backfiles that are very easy to access.
Ethical Bracketing
1.	You should maintain the meaning of the author (for example, taking out the word “not” or leaving out “but the United States should not change its policy because of this as it isn’t a good enough reason”).
2.	Absolutely no fabrication of evidence.
3.	If the argument you are quoting is not the author’s conclusion, you should note that on the piece of evidence.  If the article goes on to point out that a fact in the section you bracketed is not accurate--you should not cut that piece of evidence.
2. BRACKET EVIDENCE IN ARTICLES
Select and copy the beginning and end of each piece of evidence that you find.  For example, you’d copy the lines in the article below:
	"In recent weeks, these fears are beginning to become reality in South Asia. India and Pakistan, long rivals and military opponents, are currently making the final preparations for what very well could be an unrestrained nuclear arms race in this region.  This arms race would threaten security of these two free world nations and of other U.S. friends because of the animosity between the countries and the lack of security features of their weapons.
	Several weeks ago, I made a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate disclosing in detail information I have received regarding a full scale drive by the radical Iraqi regime to attain a nuclear weapons capability."
Note: Many people find writing a tag for this evidence right away to be a big time saver.
Note: No handwritten evidence is permitted unless you have a coach’s approval.
•	A GOOD PIECE OF EVIDENCE IS USUALLY 3 OR MORE LINES LONG.
•	YOU SHOULD UNDERLINE THE KEY PARTS OF EVIDENCE; YOU’LL READ JUST THE UNDERLINED SECTIONS IN YOUR DEBATES. SOMETIMES YOU WILL WANT TO UNDERLINE QUITE A BIT OF THE EVIDENCE, OTHER TIMES YOU WILL UNDERLINE AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE. Underline lots for affirmative cases, really develop critiques, etc. Underline very little for 2AC and 1NC quite response cards.
•	YOUR UNDERLINING SHOULD MAKE ITS ONE MAIN POINT AND THEN END. If it goes on, make another piece of evidence. Here is an example:
	In recent weeks, these fears are beginning to become reality in South Asia. India and Pakistan, long rivals and military opponents, are currently making the final preparations for what very well could be an unrestrained nuclear arms race in this region.  This arms race would threaten security of these two free world nations and of other U.S. friends because of the animosity between the countries and the lack of security features of their weapons.
	Several weeks ago, I made a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate disclosing in detail information I have received regarding a full scale drive by the radical Iraqi regime to attain a nuclear weapons capability.
•	THE MAIN POINT OF YOUR EVIDENCE SHOULD MAKE AN ARGUMENT THAT SUPPORTS OR REJECTS AN ARGUMENT IMPORTANT TO AN ISSUE, CASE, DISADVANTAGE, ETC.
•	YOUR EVIDENCE SHOULD MAKE ITS POINT FORCEFULLY.  Skip evidence that includes "maybes," "ifs," and information that your opponents can use against you.  If Your Evidence Uses The Term "It" Or "This" Or "The Program"--You Need To Write In Parentheses What "It" "This" Or "The" Refers To
•	IF YOUR EVIDENCE DOES NOT GIVE ANY REASON--DO NOT USE THAT PIECE OF EVIDENCE.
•	YOUR EVIDENCE SHOULD OFFER CLEAR, SOLID REASONS TO SUPPORT ITS MAIN POINT.
3. PASTE, CITE AND TAG EVIDENCE
Note: Highlight the author’s last name and the year and then click “Cite Bolder” in MS Word.

Note: All evidence is 10 point times font except the tag, name, and year are 12 point bold times font.
To do this:
1. PASTE THE EVIDENCE YOU COPIED INTO A DOCUMENT
2. SOURCE CITE THE EVIDENCE
Your evidence source citation should include the following:
First Name Last Name, Qualifications, TITLE OF BOOK/JOURNAL, Date and year, Page number.
So, your citations will look like this:
July Davis, Professor of Politics, Harvard University, JOURNAL OF COMPLEX ISSUES, June ’99, p. 227
DO NOT USE THIS KIND OF SOURCE CITATION: Smith '97
Why? Because we want judges to be impressed with the quality of our evidence.  Qualified evidence does make a difference.
DO NOT USE: Same source as above Why? Because when briefs are cut up--the source "above" no longer is above.
3. TAG THE EVIDENCE TO MAKE ARGUMENTS
A label is a short, complete sentence that states the main point of evidence.  Your label should:
1. BE ACCURATE
State the main point of the evidence. Try to use the wording in the evidence itself.
2. BE CONCISE
Use 4 to 9 words; If you want, add in a 2nd line to the tag giving further explanation.
NOTE: Some debaters use long, explanatory tags. This can be fine.
3. BE PERSUASIVE
Make the label an argument worth making in a debate.
4. USE NO SYMBOLS OR ABBREVIATIONS
They slow down readers and frequently are not comprehensible.
YOUR EVIDENCE WITH LABEL AND SOURCE CITATION SHOULD LOOK LIKE THIS:
Iraq would use post-sanction windfall for WMDs, not its people
DANIEL BYMAN is Policy Analyst at the RAND Corporation, Foreign Affairs, January/Feb, 2000 
The greatest difficulty is in shoring up sanctions, which are necessary to block Saddam's WMD programs. Sanctions fatigue is acute. Critics in the region -- and, increasingly, at home -- regularly denounce the humanitarian cost of sanctions. To counter, sanctions' defenders need to more vigorously and more frequently point out the obvious: Saddam has spent what limited money he controls on arms and lavish rewards for his followers, not on the well-being of the Iraqi people; money earmarked for humanitarian purposes often goes unspent; the regime smuggles humanitarian goods out of Iraq to sell on the black market; and Iraqis living in the parts of northern Iraq under U.N. control fare far better than those under the Baathist thumb. If sanctions were removed, there is little reason to expect that Saddam would spend the new revenue on the Iraqi people and every reason to believe that he would blow it on Iraq's WMD programs.
4. ADD IN OTHER EVIDENCE
Talk with other debaters about any evidence that they cut that will help you complete your assignment.  Incorporate it into your work.
5. CATEGORIZE AND BRIEF THE EVIDENCE
•	To do this, paste evidence that makes the same general argument onto the same page.
•	At the top of each page, write a brief title—a complete sentence that states the argument the evidence on that page makes. HIGHLIGHT THE BRIEF TITLE with your mouse and click the “Block Title” button in MS Word.
•	BE SURE TO USE PAGE BREAKS BETWEEN EACH BRIEF. OTHERWISE, WHEN YOU PRINT, IT WILL BE TROUBLE.
6. WRITE THE CASE, DISADVANTAGE OR COUNTERPLAN
If you are doing a case response assignment, skip this step
To do this step, see the material in this packet on “How to write a Case,” “How to write a Disadvantage” etc.
For very large assignments that are likely to be put into Expandos (a file “accordian” with 21 to 31 sections), subdivide the briefs into sections for the expandos, then create an index on a piece of paper horizontally to go on the front of the index; the page numbers will usually be A, B, C depending on which section of the expando they go in.
7. INDEX REMAINING BRIEFS
To do this:
1.	MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL THE BRIEFS YOU NEED
Don't do an index before your briefs are really done--it's a waste otherwise.
•	You have thoroughly researched at least the Green Screen On-Line Catalog, Government documents and Lexis.
•	You have asked other squad members if they have anything on your assignment.
•	You have used quality evidence from a diversity of sources.
•	You have sound, believable arguments.
•	You have answers to all of the key arguments.  ALL OF THEM.
•	Your briefs have been approved by a senior team member, JP or Jim.
2.	PUT BRIEFS THAT DON’T BELONG INTO A SEPARATE DOCUMENT OR GIVE TO ANOTHER DEBATER ON OUR TEAM.
3.	MOVE THE BRIEFS INTO THE ORDER YOU WANT
4.	DOUBLE CLICK THE HEADER (where the page number is). REPLACE “FILE TITLE” WITH THE NAME OF THE FILE ON EACH PAGE SUCH AS “CUBA SANCTIONS GOOD.”
5.	CREATE A TABLE OF CONTENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR DOCUMENT
Put your cursor at the beginning of the document and Click the “Table of Contents” 
6.	TAKE THE EVIDENCE TO JP OR JIM FOR REVIEW
They will review your work, suggest changes, you will revise it.
8. PRINT FILES AND DISTRIBUTE TO TEAM MEMBERS
Copy or move the completed file to the Printed Assignments Folder. INCLUDE YOUR INITIALS IN THE FILE NAME PLEASE. Print enough copies of your assignment for each team and place them in the green baskets in the Prep Room (Hunter 306).

Note: Get ready to read, highlight, and file.

RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT AGAINST AN AFFIRMATIVE CASE
1. Establish a strategy against the case that will win. For example, a counterplan to take out the affirmative advantage and disadvantages to the affirmative plan. Or perhaps, utilize one of the team’s generic strategies against the case.
2. Prepare frontlines against every case scenario that we cannot counterplan out.  A frontline is a brief with at least 2 pages of evidence and analytic responses.  We’re looking for a minimum of 3 good pieces of evidence against each scenario.  We especially like case turns!  To assure that you answer every scenario, we strongly suggest that you:
•	Talk with other debaters on our team
•	Talk with other schools--ask the coaching staff for phone numbers or e-mail addresses
•	Talk with senior debaters about any backfiles that will help
•	Lay out the cards and briefs and make sure they answer every case scenario that an affirmative could argue and is arguing.
•	Add in analytical and logical responses to positions.
3. Provide and update specific links to the squad generic disadvantages.  Be sure to write down or lock into memory these disadvantages so that you can do this.
4. Write specific disadvantages and counterplans against the case.
5. Be sure to brief and index per the Team Research Standards.
RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT PREPARING A DISADVANTAGE
1. Prepare a disadvantage per the standards outlined in “PREPARING DISADVANTAGES”
2. Prepare backup briefs to support the disadvantage and answer all affirmative responses.
3. Place all specific and generic links to the disadvantage into the disadvantage folder.
RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT PREPARING A COUNTERPLAN
1. Prepare a counterplan per the standards outlined in “PREPARING COUNTERPLANS”
2. Prepare backup briefs to support the counterplan and answer all affirmative responses.
3. Place all specific and generic links to the counterplan into the disadvantage folder.
RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT PREPARING AN AFFIRMATIVE CASE
1. Prepare an affirmative case as per the standards outlined in “PREPARING AFFIRMATIVES”
2. Prepare backup briefs against every single topicality argument (i.e. virtually every word in the topic), case response, disadvantage and counterplan.  Briefs responding to topicality arguments, disadvantages and counterplans should include at least 10 responses with at least 3 pieces of evidence.
WITH ALL ASSIGNMENTS--If you find evidence that will help beef up another assignment--give the evidence to the person doing that assignment.  So, cut evidence you find!

PREPARING AFFIRMATIVE CASES:
	Your affirmative case needs to include the following:
First, at the top, include a one paragraph explanation of the case.  Include:
•	An explanation of the problem and how the plan would solve the problem.
•	Tips on how to argue the case, respond to disadvantages and topicality arguments and any other pertinent information.
Second, include the Plan and Case.
The Plan should include:
•	The mandates--the actions needed to solve the problem
•	The logistics--the funding, board, enforcement to ensure the mandates go into action.
The Case should use:
•	Outline organization
•	Two to three word titles for each section of the case like “Mexican Economy Collapse” followed by a thesis statement explaining that section of the case
•	Any reasonable case structure--comparative advantage, needs-plan, goals, etc.
•	Strong significance, inherency and solvency arguments
Third, include the Backup Briefs in order by stock issue as follows:
•	Significance briefs
•	Inherency briefs
•	Solvency briefs
•	Disadvantage Responses
•	Counterplan Responses
•	Topicality Responses
Fourth, index the backup briefs

PREPARING AFFFIRMATIVE FRONTLINES
	Your goal is to prepare responses to each of the arguments you expect other teams to present.  You need to answer the main scenarios/sections of each affirmative case you are assigned to research.  Again, we strongly urge case turns--but also consider arguments that show the plan won’t solve the problem, the problem is not significant or is declining, or that other actions would be better to solve the problem.

PREPARING DISADVANTAGES
Write your disad like this--
I. TWO OR THREE WORD TITLE
Thesis: The plan will cause this terrible consequence    X    .
A. CURRENT POLICY/ACTIONS WON’T CAUSE X
(evidence) OR
A. WE ARE ON THE BRINK OF _____X_____
(evidence) 
B. THE PLAN WILL CAUSE _____X_____
(evidence)
C. X WOULD BE DISASTROUS
(evidence)

Note--the word “X” is the same in every single label.
Sample Disadvantage:
I. SPENDING CRISIS
The plan will increase spending thereby crushing investor confidence and sending us into an economic tailspin and conflict
A. CURRENT POLICIES STOP INTEREST RATE SURGES
(evidence)
B. THE PLAN WILL CAUSE INTEREST RATE SURGES
(evidence)
C. INTEREST RATE SURGES WILL CAUSE MASS SUFFERING IN THE THIRD WORLD
(evidence)

Your disadvantage should have:
1.	A clear scenario--in other words, your judge should be able to identify what specific event will occur when the plan is passed.  Generic “this will cause war” does not cut it.  A piece of evidence that argues something like “China would invade in the south seas setting off a conflict with Japan, Russia and the U.S.” does. This scenario does not need to be in the shell but must be at least in the backup briefs.
2.	Note--if you are writing a “blowoff” disadvantage that you will punt in the rounds (a disadvantage that you will not support in rebuttals) or if you want to provide more details about the scenario in the second negative speech, then you may have a weak scenario.
3.	Clear links.  Show the plan really will cause the disastrous X.
4.	Clear internal links.  An internal link is the second part of the following--(1) The plan will cause Y which (2) will cause X.  For example, (1) the plan will cause interest rates to go up. (2--the internal link) Interest rates going up will cause third world backlash. MAKE SURE YOUR INTERNAL LINKS DON’T ALLOW THE AFF TO ARGUE “NOT-UNIQUE.” For example, if you argue “any action would cause interest rate hikes” is a real easy one to not-unique.
5.	New brinks.  Brinks should not be older than 1 or 2 weeks.
6.	Impacts should be big and outweigh other arguments.
7.	NOTE: KEEP YOUR DISAD SHORT! Your shell should not take more than 1.5 minutes to present.

Your backup briefs for your disadvantages
1.	You should answer every single affirmative response.
2.	Use cards and analysis in your responses.
3.	Use full sentences for your labels followed by explanations.
4.	Start with the opposite statement for your first response.  For example, for a versus “not unique” brief--your first response would be “it is unique.”
5.	Include additional links and extensions for the impacts.

PREPARING COUNTERPLANS:
	Here is what we are looking for when you write a counterplan.
First, at the top, put the name of the counterplan, like STATES COUNTERPLAN.
Second, include a one paragraph explanation of the counterplan.  Include:
•	An explanation of how the counterplan will solve the problem better or address a more important problem.
•	Tips on how to argue the counterplan, respond to arguments against the counterplan and any other pertinent information.
Third, include the Counterplan itself including the mandates of action and logistics.
Fourth, include outlined arguments (I, A, B) on why the counterplan is not topical and/or why topical counterplans are justifiable. You might be able to skip this if it isn’t an issue.
Fifth, include outlined arguments (II, A, B) on why the counterplan is competitive.  Have at least point against the most likely perm.  You should include one or both of the following:
•	Mutual Exclusivity--The plan and counterplan cannot be enacted at the same time
•	Net-Benefits—A perm of the plan and counterplan would be illegitimate, impossible or disadvantageous.
Sixth, include outlined arguments (III, A, B) on why the counterplan is advantageous.
•	No need for transitions, introductions, conclusions, etc.  Just the documented arguments in an outline.
•	Include 1 card on the advantage and, if appropriate, 1 card on an advantage that only the counterplan without the plan will achieve
NOTE: KEEP YOUR CP SHELL SHORT! Your shell should not take more than 1.5 minutes to present.
Seventh, include the Backup Briefs in order as follows:
•	Counterplan is not topical
•	Counterplan is competitive
•	Counterplan will solve affirmative harms
•	Counterplan will gain an advantage
•	Counterplan will not cause disadvantages
PREPARING TOPICALITY ARGUMENTS
	Use the following format:
I. THE PLAN IS NOT TOPICAL
   A. The Plan violates THIS term IN THE TOPIC
[Include definition and statement of how the plan violates the definition.]
B. This interpretation/definition is superior.
[Write in the reasons that your interpretation/definition is good.]
C. TOPICALITY IS A VOTING ISSUE
[State why topicality is a voting issue—keep this very brief.]
SAMPLE VIOLATION SPECIFIC TOPICALITY FORMAT
I. THE PLAN IS NOT TOPICAL
A. (THE PLAN) VIOLATES THE TERM COMPREHENSIVE
This is because the definition of  comprehensive is:
CORPUS JURIS SECUNDUM 1976
Comprehensive: The word "comprehensive" is defined as meaning including much; comprising many things; have a wide scope
The plan only focuses on one aspect of health insurance--AIDS.  It is therefore not topical.
B. FOCUSING ON JUST ONE DISEASE SHOULD NOT BE TOPICAL
1. IT COMPLETELY UNLIMITS THE TOPIC
The affirmative could choose the flu, one kind of sinus infection, one type of cancer, etc. and the negative could never win.
2. COMPREHENSIVE MODIFIES HEALTH INSURANCE
It does not modify a specific kind of insurance.  Hence, health must be comprehensively covered--not just one illness.
C. TOPICALITY IS A VOTING ISSUE
because the affirmative does not affirm the topic and negative ground is eroded.
TIPS ON WRITING WHY  YOUR INTERPRETATION IS SUPERIOR
	There are many reasons you can offer to support your topicality interpretations or definitions.  BE SURE TO SHOW THAT THE AFFIRMATIVE INTERPRETATION WOULD BE HARMFUL. At a minimum, you can argue that:
1.	Your interpretation prevents the topic from becoming unlimited thereby allowing the negative to be prepared when debating
2.	Your interpretation clearly divides negative and affirmative ground so affirmatives cannot usurp negative arguments and claim that they are actually affirmative arguments
3.	Other terms in the topic support your interpretation.
Be sure to identify how your definition or interpretation specifically does any of the above.  For example, specifically state how your interpretation prevents too many affirmatives cases.
UPDATE FILES
	When you find new evidence on a position, or you complete an assignment to update an argument with new evidence please do the following:
1 page brief: Type UPDATE in big bold letters at the top of the brief
2 or more pages of briefs: Include a Table of Contents with UPDATE in big bold letters at the top of the index

Individual Event Descriptions
AFA event rules (taken from national AFA national bylaws as of 2002):

LIMITED PREP EVENTS
Extemp Speaking
Definition: Contestants are given three topics in the general area of current events. 30 minutes to prepare. 7 minutes. Limited notes permitted. Students will speak in the listed order. Posting of topics will be staggered.
Key Tips: 1) Need at least six source citations in the speech; 2) Need to avoid past-present-future organization; 3) Have a clear answer to the question; 4) Go beyond the basic news report on the subject.
Impromptu speaking
Definition: topics will be of a proverb nature; 7 minutes for both preparation and speaking; limited notes are permitted.
Key Tips: 1) Need to show appreciation for the topic’s meaning; 2) need developed, interesting examples; 3) need a unique twist on the topic so it stands out from other people’s commentary.
PLATFORM EVENTS
Informative Speaking
Definition: an original, factual speech. Audiovisuals may or may not be used. Multiple sources should be used and cited. Minimal notes permitted. 10 minutes.
Key Tips: 1) pick a topic involving science or technology; 2) pick a topic that would be directly useful to any judge’s daily life.
Persuasive Speaking
Definition: An original speech designed to inspire, reinforce or change beliefs, attitudes, values or actions of the audience. Audiovisuals may or may not be used. Multiple sources should be used and cited in the development of the speech. Minimal notes are permitted. 10 minutes.
Key Tips: 1) pick a topic where the judge him or herself can do something to solve the problem.
After Dinner Speaking
Definition: Original, humorous speech designed to exhibit sound speech composition, thematic coherence, direct communicative public speaking skills, and good taste. The speech should not resemble a nightclub act, an impersonation, or comic dialogue. Audio-visuals may or may not be used. Minimal notes permitted. 10 minutes.
Key Tips: 1) the speech should cause people to laugh; 2) the speech should make a point, usually persuasive.
Communication Analysis
Definition: An original speech by the student designed to offer an explanation and/or evaluation of a communication event such as a speech, speaker, movement, poem, poster, film, campaign, etc. through the use of rhetorical principles. Audio-visuals may or may not be used. Manuscripts are permitted. 10 minutes.
Key Tips: 1) intro should raise interest in the artifact you will study; 2) lay out a 2 to 4 point communication “model” for studying the artifact; 3) provide insight beyond what others would see in the artifact at first glance; 4) your conclusion needs to revise/add to/modify/reject communication theory AND provide insight on the artifact that is directly useful to the judge; 5) pick an artifact that is unusual; that is important yet not well known or at least not well understood; 6) pick a contemporary artifact (the past year)
INTERPRETATION EVENTS
Prose: a selection or selections of prose material of literary merit, which may be drawn from more than one source. Play cuttings and poetry are prohibited. Use of manuscript required. 10 minutes.
Drama Interpretation: A cutting which represents one or more characters from a play or plays of literary merit. This material may be drawn from stage, screen or radio. Manuscript required. 10 minutes. (AFA has passed a rule that will allow manuscripts to be optional in this event at a future national tournament.)
Poetry Interpretation: A selection or selections of poetry of literary merit, which may be drawn from more than one source. Play cuttings are prohibited. Use of manuscript required. 10 minutes. 
Duo: a cutting from a play or plays of literary merit, humorous or serious, involving the portrayal of two or more characters presented by two individuals. May be drawn from stage, screen or radio. No costumes, props, lighting, etc. Presentation from manuscript and the focus should be off-stage and not to each other. 10 minutes.
POI: a program of thematically linked selections of literary merit, chosen from two or three recognized genres of competitive interpretation (prose/poetry/drama). A substantial portion of the total time must be devoted to each of the genres used in the program. Different genre means the material must appear in separate pieces of literature. (e.g. a poem included in the short story that appears only in the short story does not constitute a second genre). Only one selection may be original. Use of manuscript required. 10 minutes.
Key Tips: 1) Your introduction needs to develop the theme; explain the main point and why it is important; 2) Need to interpret the feeling and thoughts and emotions of the characters as they would actually say them; 3) Need pieces that speak to you and your judges.
INDIVIDUAL DEBATE
NFA Lincoln-Douglas Debate: One on one debating on a policy topic. The event uses evidence, cross-examination periods, and times for speeches vary from one tournament to the next. Note: This event is offered only at national tournaments and the School tournament and maybe the Oregon tournament.
Extemp LD Debate: One on one debating on contemporary political issues. You do not use evidence but there is cross-examination and you do reference sources as you would in extemp speaking. Note: This event is offered only at the School tournament.

NPDA Tournament Rules

The purpose of these rules Is to define some goals and procedures of the debates so that, to the extent possible, everyone will enter the debates with a shared set of expectations. These rules are designed to apply to the goals and procedures of debate rather than the substance. They are framed in ways that attempt to allow many degrees of freedom in regard to debaters' creativity.

These Rules apply to the NPDA Championship Tournament. The also shall he considered to apply to any NPDA sanctioned tournament unless the director of that tournament publishes changes or alterations to these Rules in the tournament invitation.

RULES OF DEBATING AND JUDGING
1. Resolutions
1A. A different resolution for each round will be presented to the debaters at a specified time
prior to the beginning of each debate. The specified time will be determined by adding
fifteen minutes to the amount of time needed to walk to the most distant building in
which debates are to occur.
1B. The topic of each round will be about current affairs or philosophy. The resolutions will
be general enough that a well-educated college student can debate them. They may be
phrased in literal or metaphorical language.
2. Objective of the debate
The proposition team must affirm the resolution by presenting and defending a sufficient
case for that resolution. The opposition team must oppose the resolution and/or the
proposition team’s case. If, at the end of the debate, the judge believes that the
proposition team has supported and successfully defended the resolution, they will be
declared the winner, otherwise the opposition will be declared the winner.
3. Before the debate
The proposition team, if they wish, may use the room assigned for debate for their
preparation. If the proposition team uses the debating room for preparation, both the
judge and the opposition must vacate the room until the time for the debate to begin.
4. During the debate
4A. Any published information (dictionaries, magazines, etc.), which may have been
consulted before the debate, cannot be brought into the debating chambers for use during
the debate. Except for notes made during preparation time and a copy of the NPDA
“Rules of Debating and Judging,” no published materials, prepared arguments, or
resources for the debaters’ use in the debate may be brought into the debating chambers.
4B. Debaters may refer to any information that is within the realm of knowledge of liberally
educated and informed citizens. If they believe some cited information to be too specific,
debaters may request that their opponent explain specific information with which they are
unfamiliar. In the event further explanation of specific information is requested, the
debater should provide details sufficient to allow the debater to understand the connection
between the information and the claim. Judges will disallow specific information only in
the event that no reasonable person could have access to the information: e.g.,
information that is from the debater _ s personal family history.
4C. Format of the debate
First Proposition Constructive: 7 minutes
First Opposition Constructive: 8 minutes
Second Proposition Constructive: 8 minutes
Second Opposition Constructive: 8 minutes
Opposition Rebuttal: 4 minutes
Proposition Rebuttal: 5 minutes
4D. Constructive and Rebuttal Speeches
Introduction of new arguments is appropriate during all constructive speeches. However,
debaters may not introduce new arguments in rebuttal speeches except that the
proposition rebuttalist may introduce new arguments in his or her rebuttal to refute
arguments that were first raised in the Second Opposition Constructive. New examples,
analysis, analogies, etc. that support previously introduced arguments are permitted in
rebuttal speeches.
4E. Points of Information
A debater may request a point of information—either verbally or by rising—at any time
after the first minute and before the last minute of any constructive speech. The debater
holding the floor has the discretion to accept or refuse points of information. If accepted,
the debater requesting the point of information has a maximum of fifteen seconds to make
a statement or ask a question. The speaking time of the debater with the floor continues
during the point of information.
4F. Points of Order
Points of order can be raised for no reason other than those specified in these Rules of
Debating and Judging. If at any time during the debate, a debater believes that his or her
opponent has violated one of these Rules of Debating and Judging, he or she may address
the Speaker of the House with a point of order. Once recognized by the Speaker of the
House, the debater must state, but may not argue for, the point of order. At the discretion
of the Speaker of the House, the accused may briefly respond to the point of order. The
Speaker of the House will then rule immediately on the point of order in one of three
ways: point well taken, point not well taken, or point taken under consideration. The time
used to state and address a point of order will not be deducted from the speaking time of
the debater with the floor. A point of order is a serious charge and should not be raised
for minor violations.
4G. Points of Personal Privilege
At any time during the debate, a debater may rise to a point of personal privilege when he
or she believes that an opponent has personally insulted one of the debaters, has made an
offensive or tasteless comment, or has grievously misconstrued another’s words or
arguments. The Speaker will then rule on whether or not the comments were acceptable.
The time used to state and address a point of personal privilege will not be deducted from
the speaking time of the debater with the floor. Like a point of order, a point of personal
privilege is a serious charge and should not be raised for minor transgressions.
Debaters may be penalized for raising spurious points of personal privilege.
5. After the debate
5A. After the final rebuttal, the Speaker of the House will dismiss the teams, complete the
ballot and return it to the Tournament Director. The judge should not give oral comments
before the ballot is completed and returned to the Tournament Director.
5B. A running update of all teams’ records will be publicly posted in a “warm room” or
common area accessible to all tournament participants. After returning the ballot, the
judge may, at his or her discretion, give brief constructive comments to the debaters.
Such conversations should, if possible, take place in the established “warm room” area.
No one may be required to enter the “warm room” or participate in discussions. Judges
should refrain checking the records of teams they are about to judge.
5C. Debaters or coaches will refrain from arguing with judges’ decisions or comments.
Debaters or coaches who harass judges may be withdrawn from the tournament on a two-thirds
vote of the Tournament Committee.

Coaching Staff--The Philosophy of Our Program

The philosophy of this program has been and continues to be focused on helping students be the best that they can be. We're dedicated to high quality research, excellence in argumentation, persuasive oratory, humorous ADS, and being competitive with other squads. At the same time, the program is opposed to excessive hierarchy, animosity between team members and coaches, disproportionate focus on a few individuals, and irritations between differing portions of our program (Parliamentary and Policy Debate, for example). We need to be concerned about academic needs (good grades, time to study, etc.); social needs (time to have fun, spend time with friends, etc.); emotional needs (helping out students who are having a rough time emotionally, encouraging someone on the team, etc.); and, of course, the need to improve communication skills (debating, speaking, etc.).
To that end, these are the general objectives of being a coach on our squad:
1. 	Coaches need to do their jobs; to take responsibility for completing their jobs on time.
2. 	Coaches need to maintain communication with each other. This includes but is not limited to face-to-face, e-mail and phone call communication. E-mails should be confirmed upon receipt; phone messages should be returned.
3. 	Coaches need to treat students with respect. We expect a lot from our students and we should treat them as such.
4. 	Coaches should not exclude any particular students. Team oriented parties and get-togethers should not exclude students on the team for whatever reason. Coaches should work to help all the members of the team with advice, strategies, research tips, etc.
5. 	Coaches should not make coaching issues public issues. If you disagree with a team policy, research assignments, etc., you should privately e-mail or call Jim or another coach. In addition, sometimes things don’t go the way we want them to and that is something that each of us need to deal with without becoming angry or reclusive.
6. 	Coaches should not make statements about team policy that are not stated in any team policy document. Jim, the director, makes the policy.
7. 	Coaches should work to augment and promote the program. Coaches should actively seek to improve the program, to add to it.
8. 	Coaches should explicitly work toward the goals of the program and not their own agendas.
9. 	Coaches need to be at practices on time. If not, they should tell students that they will not be able to attend. Students justifiably become upset and reluctant to practice when coaches do not show. Keep track of practice sessions. If you cannot attend because of a serious and important reason, please contact the student well ahead of time via e-mail and phone, and post a note near the room where you were to practice.
10. 	Coaches support individual events, parliamentary debate, and policy debate. We do not need to be involved in all three aspects of the program but we should support all aspects. They are part of the comprehensive nature of the program.
11. 	Coaches should refrain from talking negatively about each other behind their backs especially in front of students.
12. 	Coaches do not write student speeches. Coaches can help students write a speech and they can help research debate positions and extemp files.

xxx
Job	Comments	Complete by	
Work at the Parli-IE Prep Session	Give lectures and watch some practice sessions; coordinate with xxx	Be there Tuesday evening, Wed. and Thursday	
Attend staff meetings	Provide constructive comments on how students, other staff and our program can improve
Provide input on decisions xxx needs to make
The amount of control you have over decisions depends on the subject--xxx usually makes the final decision	Staff meetings will occur periodically
There will be several partner and procedural meetings during the first part of the first semester	
Run the Parli-IE Portion of the Meetings	Plan activities, practice sessions, discussions, strategies, etc.
xxx would like to see a “Parli-IE Night” probably Tues. night	This occurs at the Tuesday meetings from about 6:30-7:00	
Review rough drafts of manuscripts and interps	Provide written comments and talk with students	Be prompt in returning manuscripts—complete them within 2 days	
Schedule and watch practice speeches with students
Schedule extemp/impromptu group speaking practice sessions	Provide thoughtful feedback—identify strong areas and make students work on areas they need to improve on	Parli Debates and Individual Events practice happens when you schedule it	
BEFORE TOURNAMENTS
Pickup Van
Pickup Check from xxx
Cash Check at the Bank
Pickup food from xxx	Expect this to take 2 to 3 hours.
Note: we may need to get rental vans and this can increase the time it takes to complete this.	Do so before trips
NOTE: The Physical Plant opens at 8am; if we leave earlier—get the van the afternoon before—by 4:30pm (as the physical plant closes at 4:30pm)
NOTE: xxx’s office closes at 4:30pm and the bank closes by 4pm	
Register the team at tournaments	Pay the tournament
Pickup and hold on to the tournament information
Distribute maps, schedules, etc. to the team members and to xxx	During the tournament	
Distribute money and hold on to receipts	Make sure students sign a sheet of paper stating they received money
Be sure to keep any and all receipts	During the tournament	
Take pictures	Take pictures of Policy, Parli and IE people	During each tournament you attend	
Judge rounds	Judge Parli & NFA debate and individual events	During tournaments	
At the end of the tournament, pick up the envelope with the ballots	Give to xxx immediately
We review ballots during the team dinner
xxx will put ballots in the second prep room; cums are kept in xxx’s office	If xxx is not on the trip with you, return the cums and ballots to him the day after the trip	
AFTER TOURNAMENTS
Review ballots with students	Read the ballots and talk with students about problems and get ideas about judges
Be sure to schedule these meetings with students	Monday afternoon or evening after tournaments as scheduled with the students	
Complete Expense Report Form	Be sure to keep all receipts, signed statements from students, etc.	By 2 p.m., the day after the tournament submit your report to xxx	
Help with the Intramural Debate Contest	Judge	Judge on the days it is scheduled (twice each semester)	
Team Newsletter	Be sure to take photos during the season; take at least 48 pictures by the newsletter deadline
Need to write it and submit on disk or via email	Dec. 1 for the Fall Version
May 1 for the Spring Version	
NIET/NFA Entry	Complete the NIET entry and qualification sheet well ahead of schedule	Do this immediately after the last tournament before nationals, confirm this with xxx	

xxx
Work with students and xx to plan affirmative and negative research assignments and strategies	Keep in touch with who will be at upcoming tournaments
Contact other schools via phone and e-mail to find out about teams and cases we need
Contact xx about neg. arguments our aff’s need to respond to
Discuss strategies against “the teams” with xxx	Post assignments on the listserv asap
Note: First year students may not have more than one assignment unless Jim gives permission.	
Direct Policy Prep Sessions	Work with students on Prep Sessions on the weekend	Most Policy Prep Sessions are Wednesday evening; there are additional ones in late August; before the Cal Swing and before CEDA Nationals and the NDT	
Make sure neg. assignments are turned in on time	Keep a checklist of completed assignments
Evidence will be counted; students who fail to meet the requirements may not travel nationally	The week before we go to tournaments	
Assure the quality of negative assignments	Speak with Jim about the assignments; identify weaknesses; conduct emergency repairs via research	Complete so that students get materials in time to file at tournaments	
Attend staff meetings	Provide constructive comments on how students, other staff and our program can improve
Provide input on decisions Jim needs to make
The amount of control you have over decisions depends on the subject--xxx usually makes the final decision	Staff meetings will occur periodically
There will be several partner and procedural meetings during the first part of the first semester	
Judge rounds	Judge policy and parliamentary debate and individual events	During tournaments	
Manage Case Info Sheets	Collect “Case Info” Sheets from Policy debaters
Make sure debaters fill these out at tournaments and turn them in
File and distribute them as appropriate	During tournaments	
Review ballots with students	Read the ballots and talk with students about problems and get ideas about judges
Be sure to schedule these meetings with students	Usually the day after tournaments; arrange with students	
Watch practice debates and drills with students	Provide thoughtful feedback—identify strong areas and make them work on areas they need to improve on	Policy Debates and drills will happen at various times	
Help with the Intramural Debate Contest	Judge	Judge on the days it is scheduled (twice each semester)	
BEFORE TOURNAMENTS
Pickup Van
Pickup Check from xxx
Cash Check at the Bank
Pickup food from xxx	Expect this to take 2 to 3 hours.
You will do this only at tournaments where the Parli-IE Assistant does not attend.
Note: we may need to get rental vans and this can increase the time it takes to complete this.	Do so before trips
NOTE: The Physical Plant opens at 8am; if we leave earlier—get the van the afternoon before—by 4:30pm (the physical plant closes at 4:30pm)
NOTE: xxx’s office closes at 4:30pm and the bank closes by 4pm	
Register the team at tournaments	Pay the tournament
Pickup and hold on to the tournament information
Distribute maps, schedules, etc., to the team members and to xxx	During the tournament	
Distribute money and hold on to receipts	Make sure students sign a sheet of paper stating they received money
Be sure to keep any and all receipts	During the tournament	
Complete Expense Report Form	Be sure to keep all receipts, signed statements from students, etc.	By 2 p.m., the day after the tournament, submit your report to xxx	

Xxxxstudent assistantxxx

•	Fill out trip information for fall and spring regional tournaments; work with xxx to complete these
•	For national travel involving plane reservations, assist Jim in filling out trip information forms
•	Assist in our departure to tournaments by helping load the van, making sure Jim and the team have everything, and completing and submitting the van safety list
•	Post the tournament results to the web page and to the forensic listserv
•	Put ballots into the second prep room; Put cum sheets into the cabinet in xxx’s office
•	Help xxx with various projects as they come up
•	Make sure that all coaching staff have turned in their expense report the day after the tournament is over.
•	Complete expense report forms, credit card report forms, etc.
•	As needed, photocopy Policy and Parli briefs and distribute them in people’s boxes; file extra copies into the backfiles cabinet
•	Promote, coordinate and manage the Intramural Debates
•	Attend staff meetings except for partner meetings (optional)
•	Help the coaching staff and the faculty of the Rhetoric Department with various projects as directed by xxxx
•	Coordinate getting a host location, people who will cook; purchase of food; and sending out notices for:
--the Prep session
--the beginning of the year potluck dinner
--winter holiday party
--January prep session
--senior-staff dinner
--end of the year party

HEAD COACH DUTIES
Beginning of the Year

______ Setup budget for the year

______ Setup schedule for the year 
create calendar of events

______ E-Mail money requests to XXXX
Make the dates 1 week ahead of the tournament
Estimate based on tournament fees, food money, judging fees, emergency dollars

______ Send out the van request form
Send to XXXX

______ Setup the Beginning of the Year Prep Session
Get the schedule setup
Call and get rooms for the camp
Make the flier
Get the Research Assignment Standards ready

______ Setup the first meeting
Team Rules and Criteria for Travel
Syllabus with grading criteria
Individual Events Rules and helpers
Advertise the meeting and team

______ Create the Phone and E-Mail List
Get student phone numbers and room information
Type up the Phone and E-Mail List
Put onto our web page

Before each trip

_________ Send note to XXX re “these students will miss class

_________ Send note to XXX re “we need sack lunches for these students”

______ Make sure we have enough judges for the tournaments

_______ Send out the entry to the tournament on e-mail (watch for changes)

_______ Setup affirmative research assignments

_______ Check research assignments--meet with students, discuss how to improve

_______ Setup drills and practice debates

_______ Watch drills and practice debates/IEs

AFTER TOURNAMENTS

______ Handle ballot distribution and collection at the end of tournaments
All competitors should be able to view their ballots if they wish immediately at the end of the tournament or at the team dinner at the end of the tournament
NO COMPETITOR CAN KEEP HIS OR HER BALLOT unless they have coach’s permission and they agree to return them by NOON ON MONDAY

______ Send judge payment information to xxxx
Keep a copy of this information for our records

______ Confirm the completion of all Expense Report Forms
Get receipts from xxx
Double check all items from xxx
Do the Credit Card Sheets
Send to xxx

OTHER ITEMS

______ Run the General portions of the Meetings

______ File and post CEDA, NFC, NIET, Parli Items to the team listserv
Post points on the wall

______ Handle Invitations
Review them
Put ones we will use in the appropriate folder
Put ones we will not use in the back of the file cabinet drawer

______ Manage the web pages

______ Manage the debate prep rooms

______ Handle Recruiting
Send Letters
Call people up
Choose us letter
Review Presidential Scholarships

At the end of both Semesters

______ Edit, print and mail to all alumni the Team Newsletter
Get photos of the team members
Get articles from people in the newsletter

______ Team Party

IN MARCH

______ Coach’s Commemorative (NFC)

______ Confirm that NIET at large qualifications form are done

______ All American Honors recommendations

______ Select Senior Awards

______ Campus Oratory Contest

AT THE END OF THE YEAR

______ Awards for Seniors

______ Letter to the special alumni

Signup for a Partner Meeting

Policy Partner Preference Meetings
DATE XXX

Time	Your Name
1.	1:00	________________________________
2.	1:15	________________________________
3.	1:30	________________________________
4.	1:45	________________________________
5.	2:00	________________________________
6.	2:15	________________________________
7.	2:30	________________________________
8.	3:00	________________________________
9.	3:15	________________________________
10.	3:30	________________________________
11.	3:45	________________________________
12.	4:00	________________________________
13.	4:15	________________________________
14.	4:30	________________________________
15.	5:00	________________________________
16.	5:15	________________________________
17.	5:30	________________________________
18.	5:45	________________________________

POLICY Partner/Goals Meeting			Name __________________________
1. What are your goals for the upcoming year including success and participation through April?
______ I want to have fun; learning and doing well are cool too but having fun is most important
______ I want to focus on learning and building up my skills; trophies would be good but not critical
______ I want to do as well as I can but I know I have a lot to learn about college debate
______ I want to do as well as I can including in upper divisions and in national competition
______ I want to ___________________________________________________________________________
2. In general, what characteristics of a partner work for you? (eg equal skill level, likes to hack about debate, etc.) 

3. What characteristics don’t work? (eg yells at me after rounds, an inexperienced partner, etc.)

4. How do you feel about debating with . . . 
Name	Are you willing to debate with this person (yes, no, maybe, don’t know)	Rank the people you are willing to debate with (eg 1st through 10th). You can give several people the same ranking	

Why do you feel this way about this person as a debate partner?
	
Beth Schueler				
Brian Ward				
Charles Olney				
Christopher McCool				
David Guidry				
Dru Riggs				
Emily Cordo				
Emily Marr				
Joey Bennett				
John Poor				
Michael Winnike				
Scott Daniel				
Scott Thompson				
Sean Beaver				
Thad Blank				
5. How much time will you spend on debate each week?
________ aside from school work, this is my life (15 and more hours a week)
________ I want to spend a lot of time on debate but school and social life are important too (10 to 15 hours per week)
________ I want to balance debate work with school and social life (5 to 10 hours per week)
________ I like debate but I want to focus on other things at School (3 to 5 hours per week)
6. How many tournaments can you go to?
________ I want to go to every tournament I possibly can (fall--3 to 5 tournaments; spring--5 to 8 tournaments)
________ I want to go to most tournaments (fall--2 or 3 tournaments; spring 3 to 4)
________ I want to go to about 2 tournaments each semester
________ I want to go to one tournament each semester
7. NEW PEOPLE, Please write out significant awards you won in high school DEBATE, EXTEMP, AND IMPROMPTU. Please state how many times have you been in quarterfinals or higher at TOC qualifying tournaments?

Partner/Goals Meeting
Name __________________________
1. What are your goals for the upcoming year including success and participation through April?
______ I want to have fun; learning and doing well are cool too but having fun is most important
______ I want to focus on learning and building up my skills; trophies would be good but not critical
______ I want to do as well as I can but I know I have a lot to learn about college debate
______ I want to do as well as I can including in upper divisions and in national competition
______ I want to ___________________________________________________________________________
2. In general, what characteristics of a partner work for you? (eg equal skill level, likes to hack about debate, etc.) 

3. What characteristics don’t work? (eg yells at me after rounds, an inexperienced partner, etc.)

4. How do you feel about debating with . . . 
Name	Are you willing to debate with this person (yes, no, maybe, don’t know)	Rank the people you are willing to debate with (eg 1st through 10th). You can give several people the same ranking	

Why do you feel this way about this person as a debate partner?

				

				

				

				

5. How much time will you spend on debate each week?
________ aside from school work, this is my life (15 and more hours a week)
________ I want to spend a lot of time on debate but school and social life are important too (10 to 15 hours per week)
________ I want to balance debate work with school and social life (5 to 10 hours per week)
________ I like debate but I want to focus on other things at School (3 to 5 hours per week)
6. How many tournaments can you go to?
________ I want to go to every tournament I possibly can (fall--3 to 5 tournaments; spring--3 to 6 tournaments)
________ I want to go to most tournaments (fall--2 or 3 tournaments; spring 3 to 4)
________ I want to go to about 2 tournaments each semester
________ I want to go to one tournament each semester
7. NEW PEOPLE, Please write out significant awards you won in high school DEBATE, EXTEMP, AND IMPROMPTU. Please state how many times have you been in quarterfinals or higher at TOC qualifying tournaments?

Notes for First Team Meeting

FOR EVERYONE

1. Introduce the staff
A.	Me
B.	XXX
C.	XXX
2. Overview of the Program
Intramural Debate and Campus Oratory
Policy Debate
Parliamentary Debate
I.E.'s--(Interp., Platform and Limited Prep.) (handout the IE Rules List)
Varying levels of commitment: Rhetoric 121, 221, 222
Coaching Help
Recent Team Successes
3. Sign up on the Contact sheet (Contact signup sheet)
4. Sign up for debate partner meetings (sign-up sheet)
5. Syllabus for the class (Syllabus for the Class)
Attend Meetings
Go to Tournaments
Don’t cause trouble
Contribute with assignments, speeches, etc.
1 credit--must attend the School On-campus tournament and an NFC tournament if the director requests it
2 credit--must attend 2 or more tournaments
	Tournament Schedule and Meetings (included in the second half of the syllabus)
On-Campus Tournaments
Regional Tournaments
Competitive National Tournaments
Handout Absence Sheets for students.
6. Our Competitive Goals this year
--xxx
--xxx
--as we do this, we want you to improve as a speaker, learn about important issues, to work well in a group and as an individual
7. We need drivers
8. SPECIAL
•	Remind everyone to turn in contact and practice signup sheets.
•	Clean up rooms upstairs.

	SPLIT THE CLASS

PARLIAMENTARY AND IE ONLY Meet with xxx
POLICY DEBATE ONLY Assignments

Notes for Second Team Meeting

General Meeting
1.	Attendance
2.	Syllabus Sheets (handout Syllabi to people who didn't get one)
3.	Contact Sheets (handout Contact Sheets to people who didn't get one)
4.	Doublecheck the Phone List (handout the Phone List)
5.	IE and Parli descriptions (handout the IE Descriptions and NPDA Rules Sheets)
6.	Your Experience and Your Events (handout the Experience Sheet)
7.	Signup for Practice Sessions (handout the Practice Signup Sheet)
8.	Team Participation Guidelines (handout the Team Participation Guidelines)
9.	Want a key to the forensic rooms? (handout the Key Request Form)
10.	Prep room use (handout the Computer use Agreement Form)
11.	Using the team’s web page (NOTE: Have the computer setup and ready to go)

Contact Sheet
Name: _________________________________________________ Year at school: ______________
Walla Walla Phone #: _______________________________ School ID # _______________________
Address/Res. Hall Room at school: ___________________________________________________
School Email address: ________________________________________________________________
Address at home: ______________________________________________________________________
		    City ___________________________________ State ________ Zip _____________
Phone number at home (not given out): ____________________________________________________
Are you a licensed van driver? __________ Are you on food service? ____________________
Do you have special dietary needs? (e.g. kosher, vegan, etc.) ____________________________________
Privacy of the Information you provide
We post a list to our web page with your name, email address and School phone number and we print and distribute a list with your name and School phone number to team members. If you do not wish some or all of this information to be distributed--mark an X below. 
______ Don't list my school phone number on the team phone list
______ Don't list my home phone number on the web page
______ Don't list my Email address on the web page

If we haven't already, we will add you to the forensic listserv so that you can stay up-to-date with team info like practice times, leaving times for tournaments, etc. If you do not wish to be on the listserv and you accept responsibility for finding out information on your own (we do not send out individual e-mails), mark an X here _________

Class Schedule
Please fill this out as accurately as possible. This helps us locate you during classes if we really need to contact you and helps us avoid committing you to obligations that conflict with your classes. 
Class (eg Politics 121)	Room	Professor	Time/Days	

				

				

Weekly Commitments
Please list any weekly commitments (besides forensics) that you absolutely cannot miss, such as work. We will try to schedule practices, etc. around these commitments, but we cannot make any promises. Please note what the commitment is, the time and day, and where.

Commitment (eg work, ASWC)	Location	Time/Days	

			

Thanks for taking the time to fill this out!
Please return to xxx

Example Syllabus
Instructors
•	Jim Hanson, Director of Forensics: Team Administration
•	Brian Simmonds, Assistant Director of Forensics: Policy Debate
•	Keola Whittaker, Assistant Director of Forensics: Parliamentary Debate and Individual Events
•	Julie Caton (Miller), Student Assistant and Intramural Debate Coordinator

This course involves the basic theory, preparation, and practice of individual speaking events, extemporaneous forms of debate (Parliamentary Debate), and prepared forms of debate (Policy Debate). Your grade is based on completing the following items.
•	Attend the Introductory Meeting
Attendance will be taken.  The meeting is required for everyone who has not competed on the squad before.
•	Participate in at least one event
You are expected to do parliamentary debate or an individual event or policy debate. If you wish, you may do more than one individual event.
•	Prepare Your Events
If you do PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE OR EXTEMP SPEAKING, you need to submit a case and file ten articles for the extemp files each week until October 5 (when the practicum occurs). A case includes arguments for and against an issue. Filing means highlighting key quotations in your articles, coding the articles, and placing the articles into the proper section of the extemp file. You do these both on the forensics server and in the printed extemp tub and parli folders.
If you do other INDIVIDUAL EVENTS, you need to do the following: For platform speeches you need to submit a manuscript of your speech. For Interpretation events, you need to submit interpretation cuttings with themes.
If you do POLICY DEBATE, you need to file briefs and go over the arguments you need to present in your debates. 
•	Practice Your Events
If you do PARLIAMENTARY OR POLICY DEBATE, you are expected to engage in one practice debate or drills each week until Oct. 5 when the practicum occurs.
If you do INDIVIDUAL EVENTS (including Extemp Speaking), you are expected to do one practice session each week for each individual event that you do. 
Note: You are expected to be prepared to start your practice sessions as soon as they start. So, be ready to go with your manuscript, extemp box, or case for debate.
Note: You will signup for a regular practice time. Be there! Students who miss practices will place their grade in jeopardy.
•	Participate in at least one event for the Intrasquad Practicum which occurs here at School College, Friday, Oct. 5, 2 to 5:30pm OR 6 to 9:30pm (debate); and Satuday, Oct. 6, 12:30pm to 3pm and/or 3pm to 6pm (individual events).
•	Students who qualify will participate in either the Lewis and Clark or Oregon tournament. These occur October 11-14 and October 25-28.
•	Students who do not qualify will participate in the intramural debate contest, November 29, 4 to 6pm.
•	NOTE: It is your responsibility to assure that you can participate at the School intra-squad practicum and the School swing tournaments and the intramural contest to meet this requirement.  121 students who do not do their practice and who do not participate in these required tournaments will need to see Jim to do makeup work or they will not receive an A.

Note: You must be enrolled in Rhetoric 121, 221, or 222 in order to compete on the School Forensics team.

RHETORIC 221: PUBLIC ADDRESS IN INTERCOLLEGIATE FORENSICS
Instructors
•	Jim Hanson, Director of Forensics: Team Administration
•	Brian Simmonds, Assistant Director of Forensics: Policy Debate
•	Keola Whittaker, Assistant Director of Forensics: Parliamentary Debate and Individual Events
•	Julie Caton (Miller), Student Assistant and Intramural Debate Coordinator

This course involves the theory, preparation, and practice of individual speaking events and extemporaneous forms of debate (Parliamentary Debate). Your grade is based on completing the following items.
•	Attend the Tuesday Meeting each week 6:15 to 7:00 p.m. (first two meeting start at 6:00 p.m. and may go later than 7 p.m.)
Attendance will be taken.  You may miss up to 2 meetings during the semester. In addition, we expect you to arrive at meetings on time.  I will speak with students who are tardy repeatedly.
•	Compete in at least three events
You are expected to do three individual events or parliamentary debate and two individual events. Note: You must do at least one platform or interp speech, or compete in NFA LD debate; NFA LD debate is an option only for national traveling students during the first semester. Note: Parliamentary debaters are encouraged to do extemporaneous speaking as an event. Further note: I f you do parliamentary debate and two or more manuscripted events, you are excused from the extemp assignment.
•	Prepare Your Events
If you do PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE OR EXTEMP SPEAKING, you will be assigned a topic; you will need to BOTH of the following: 
1. PARLIAMENTARY ASSIGNMENT. Create a MS Word document with a parli case with 10 supporting, highlighted articles included in this document each week. Save your files on the server and print the file for distribution to other parliamentary teams.
2. EXTEMP ASSIGNMENT. Create a MS Word document with at least 10 articles from at least 5 sources to address an issue Keola gives you; Save your files on the server and print and file the articles into the extemp tub; Filing means highlighting key quotations in your articles, coding the articles, and placing the articles into the proper section of the extemp file.
Note: We will have a prep night to work on these materials either Tuesday or Wednesday each week.
Due Dates: Each week until the last tournament you attend for the semester.
If you do other INDIVIDUAL EVENTS, you need to do the following: For platform speeches you need to submit a manuscript of your speech. For Interpretation events, you need to submit interpretation cuttings with themes. Manuscripts for speeches are due as requested by coaches to address feedback you receive. You are required to revise complete manuscripts at least twice. For NFA LD, you need to have an affirmative case, complete at least 20 pages of evidence before each tournament, and to file and organize your arguments.
Students who wish to national travel will go beyond these minimum requirements.
•	Practice Your Events
If you do PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE, you are expected to engage in two practice debates each week until the last tournament you attend.
If you do INDIVIDUAL EVENTS (including Extemp Speaking), you are expected to do one practice session each week until the last tournament you attend, for each individual event that you do.
Note: You are expected to be prepared to start your practice sessions as soon as they start. So, be ready to go with your manuscript, extemp box, or case for debate. 
Note: You will signup for times to practice. Be available! Students who miss practices will lose travel privileges.
•	Have a Ballot Review with a coach after each tournament
These ballot reviews are designed to identify areas where you need improvement and to setup strategies for addressing those weaknesses. You will have a set time after each tournament to meet with a coach to review your ballots. Make sure you show up on time. These sessions last 30 minutes for team debate ballot reviews; 15 minutes for individual events ballots review. WHEN YOU MEET, YOU TURN IN CASE-JUDGE REPORTS.
•	Assist in the management of the tournament that School hosts
You must do 3 things to assist with the School hosted Tournament:
1. You will be given a job that requires you to work; you will receive information about when you will do your tournament job. Your job usually will be during the week of the tournament including getting food, setting up chairs, helping the tab room, etc.
2. You will also work and compete during the entire tournament; from 4:30pm to midnight, Thurs. Nov. 1 and 8am to midnight, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 2-3. DO NOT PLAN ANYTHING AT ANY OF THESE TIMES FOR THESE DAYS NOR AT THE TIMES YOU ARE DESIGNATED TO WORK.
3. YOU MAY NOT NOT LEAVE AT ANY TIME DURING THE TOURNAMENT WITHOUT JIM’S APPROVAL.  You may not show up late in the morning without Jim’s approval.
You will NOT be excused from your tournament obligations for parties, dances, visits to parents, movies, concerts, friends, etc. You may not leave early without permission. You might be excused from your obligation to the tournament for classes. Excuses are granted only in return for compensating work. Failure to work at the tournament or to leave early or arrive late will seriously harm your grade and your ability to travel.
•	You may have team service including history notes
You will be notified about this after theThanksgiving break and it will involve at most one hour of work.
•	Help with Intramural Debate
You must do one of the two following things to help with intramural debate:
OPTION 1. You can sponsor an intramural debater for and judge at the Intramural Debate Contest. If you do recruit a debater, you are expected to bring the debater to the tournament, coach him or her, and judge at the tournament (you will be compensated for judging). 
OPTION 2. You can debate in the Intramural Debate Contest but you will not advance nor win any cash prizes. 
INTRAMURAL DEBATE CONTESTS WILL OCCUR THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 4 TO 6PM. Your grade will be docked 1/3 (A to an A-) if you do not sponsor or judge at both of these tournaments.
•	Compete in a minimum of two speaking events at a minimum of two tournaments during the semester to receive two credits.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to assure that you can participate in enough tournaments to meet the requirement for this course.  In order to attend tournaments, you must prepare and practice your speeches.  DO NOT DELAY ATTENDING TOURNAMENTS.  If you do not compete in at least two events at a minimum of two tournaments, you will need to see Jim to do makeup work or you will not receive an A in the course.
Note: You must be enrolled in Rhetoric 121, 221, or 222 in order to compete on the School Forensics team.

RHETORIC 222: DEBATING IN INTERCOLLEGIATE FORENSICS 
Instructors
•	Jim Hanson, Director of Forensics: Team Administration
•	Brian Simmonds, Assistant Director of Forensics: Policy Debate
•	Keola Whittaker, Assistant Director of Forensics: Parliamentary Debate and Individual Events
•	Julie Caton (Miller), Student Assistant and Intramural Debate Coordinator

Course Expectations
This course involves the theory, preparation, and practice of extensively prepared forms of debate (Policy debate). Your grade is based on completing the following items.
•	Attend the Tuesday Meeting each week.
Attendance will be taken.  You may miss up to 2 meetings during the semester. In addition, we expect you to arrive at meetings on time.  I will speak with students who are repeatedly tardy.
•	Prepare Research Assignments
You are expected to prepare at least five pages of briefs each week (10 pages for national travel) for a total of 75 pages over the semester (150 for national travel).  Typically, these assignments are one of the following: an affirmative case, affirmative case backup briefs, a negative case assignment, a disadvantage, topicality positions, etc.  You are expected to turn in substantial drafts of your research assignments to Brian Simmond’s forensic folder on Mondays the week of tournaments.  You must print your complete assignment on regular paper briefs AND place the MS Word document in the Policy Printed folder. Typical research assignments are at least 25 pages and meet the team standards for research assignments.
•	Attend Policy Group Preparation Sessions
You will work with coaches and other debaters during these research sessions to refine and finish your assignments.  You should arrive at the session having completed preliminary research and briefs. These Research Sessions will occur from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings (we will decide as a group). Sometimes, during these sessions, we will discuss strategies. Notice: if you have class or other commitments, no problem, just tell us.
•	Engage in Practice Debates and Drills.
You are expected to engage in practice debates and drills when they are scheduled.  These will occur before tournaments. You are expected to be prepared to start your practice sessions as soon as they start; hence have your flowsheets, briefs, tubs, etc., well ahead of the starting time. 
Note: You will signup for times to practice. Be available! Students who miss practices will lose travel privileges.
•	Have a Ballot Review with a coach after each tournament.
These ballot reviews are designed to identify areas where you need improvement and to setup strategies for addressing those weaknesses. You will have a set time after each tournament to meet with a coach to review your ballots. Make sure you show up on time. These sessions last 30 to 45 minutes for team debate ballot reviews; 15 minutes for individual events ballots review. WHEN YOU MEET, YOU TURN IN CASE-JUDGE REPORTS.
•	Assist in the management of the tournament that School hosts
You must do 3 things to assist with the School hosted Tournament:
1. You will be given a job that requires you to work; you will receive information about when you will do your tournament job. Your job usually will be during the week of the tournament including getting food, setting up chairs, helping the tab room, etc.
2. You will also work and compete during the entire tournament; from 4:30pm to midnight, Thurs. Nov. 1 and 8am to midnight, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 2-3. DO NOT PLAN ANYTHING AT ANY OF THESE TIMES FOR THESE DAYS NOR AT THE TIMES YOU ARE DESIGNATED TO WORK.
3. YOU MAY NOT NOT LEAVE AT ANY TIME DURING THE TOURNAMENT WITHOUT JIM’S APPROVAL.  You may not show up late in the morning without Jim’s approval.
You will NOT be excused from your tournament obligations for parties, dances, visits to parents, movies, concerts, friends, etc. You may not leave early without permission. You might be excused from your obligation to the tournament for classes. Excuses are granted only in return for compensating work. Failure to work at the tournament or to leave early or arrive late will seriously harm your grade and your ability to travel.
•	You may have team service including history notes
You will be notified about this after the Thanksgiving break and it will involve at most one hour of work.
•	Help with Intramural Debate
You must do one of the two following things to help with intramural debate:
OPTION 1. You can sponsor an intramural debater for and judge at the Intramural Debate Contest. If you do recruit a debater, you are expected to bring the debater to the tournament, coach him or her, and judge at the tournament (you will be compensated for judging). 
OPTION 2. You can debate in the Intramural Debate Contest but you will not advance nor win any cash prizes. 
INTRAMURAL DEBATE CONTESTS WILL OCCUR THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 4 TO 6PM. Your grade will be docked 1/3 (A to an A-) if you do not sponsor or judge at both of these tournaments.
Two credits: Compete in policy debate at a minimum of 2 tournaments during the semester.
•	You are required to compete in one individual event at the School Intra Squad Practicum tournament plus either the NFC designated tournament or a speaking activity.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to assure that you can participate in enough tournaments to meet the requirement for this course.  In order to attend tournaments, you must prepare and practice.  DO NOT DELAY ATTENDING TOURNAMENTS.  If you do not compete in policy debate at a minimum of two tournaments, you will need to see Jim to do makeup work or you will not receive an A in the course.
Note: You must be enrolled in Rhetoric 121, 221, or 222 in order to compete on the School Forensics team.

FALL 2001 TOURNAMENTS AND EVENTS (tentative)
Date	Tournament/Activity	Events you can do	Who can go	
Arrive Sun. Aug. 19
Finish Thurs. Aug. 23	Policy Prep Session	Policy	All Policy debaters	
Arrive Tues. Aug. 21
Finish Thurs. Aug. 23	Parli-IE Prep Session	Parli, IE	All Parli, IE	
Leave Thurs. evening, Sept. 20
Return Sun. Sept. 23, very late	Northwest Scrimmage	Policy, Parli	Experienced Debaters who meet Northwest Standards may go	
Leave Thurs. Sept. 27 and return Sun. Sept. 30	Alaska Speakout	Parli	One Parli Team, Exceptional National Qualified	
Fri. Oct. 5: 4 to 8:30pm
Sat. Oct. 6: 10am to 6:30pm	School Fall Intrasquad Practicum	All 121, 221, 222	Required for all 121, 221, 222 students	
Leave Thurs. Oct. 4
Return Tues. Oct. 9	Kentucky	Policy	One Policy Team, Exceptional National Qualified	
Leave 4pm, Thurs, Oct. 11
Return late Sun. Oct. 14	Lewis and Clark
DESIGNATED	Policy, Parli, IE	Required for all 221 and 222 students
Qualified 121 students go (choose L&C or Oregon)	
Leave 4pm, Thurs. Oct. 25
Return very late, Sun. Oct. 28	University of Oregon
DESIGNATED	Policy, Parli, IE	Northwest qualified 221 and 222 students may go
Qualified 121 students go (choose L&C or Oregon)	
Thursday, Nov. 1 through Saturday, Nov. 3	School HS Tournament	221 and 222 students judge and help at the tournament	Required for all 221 and 222 students	
Thursday, Nov. 8 through Monday, Nov. 12	Air Force	Parli and IE	Senior National Qualified Debaters	
Thursday, Nov. 15 through Tuesday, Nov. 20	Wake Forest	Policy	Senior National Qualified Debaters	
Thursday, November 29, 4 to 6pm	Fall Intramural Debate Contest	Judge or participate in IM Debate	Required for all 221 and 222 students	

•	All students are expected to participate in the School Intra-Squad Practicums.
•	All 221 and 222 students are expected to participate in the Northwest Tournaments; qualified 121 students are expected to attend one Northwest tournament. Students going to Northwest tournaments are expected to complete assignments, practice events, do well in classes, attend general meetings, be coachable, support the team, act appropriately at tournaments, and assist with tournaments the team hosts.
•	Speaking generally, National Tournaments are for students who work hard and have a 50+% win-loss record; Senior National tournaments are for senior division students who work hard and usually are in elimination rounds; Exceptional National tournaments are for a select one or two teams who work very hard and usually win elimination rounds; and Qualification National Tournaments are for senior national qualified students who qualify according to the NPTE, NDT, or NIET/NFA rules. See the Team Participation Guidelines National tournament travel appendix to be distributed next week

Forensics Experience and Events Sheet
This sheet helps us place you into the proper division of events at tournaments. Please fill it out honestly and accurately.
1. Your Name ________________________________ Your Student ID# ___________________ Do you have Food Service? _____
2. Circle your year in school:            First Year            Sophomore             Junior              Senior
3. Debate Experience:
I have competed in debate at two or more hs or college tournaments during ________ semesters (write the number of semesters where you competed in at least two or more tournaments during the semester).  Debate includes LD, Policy, Parli, CEDA, NDT, NFA-LD, etc.

I have won ________ (number of) quarterfinalist or higher awards in 1) college debate and 2) TOC qualifier divisions at high school tournaments.

4. Platform IE Experience:
I have competed in Platform IE’s at two or more hs or college tournaments during ________ semesters (write the number of semesters where you competed in at least two or more tournaments during the semester).
	Platform Speaking Extemp, Impromptu, Oratory (Persuasive), Expos (Inform), After Dinner Speaking (Speech to Entertain), Communication Analysis, Editorial Commentary, Sales Speaking, etc.

I have won ________ (number of) 3rd, 2nd, or 1st awards in Platform Speaking at college tournaments.

5. Interp IE Experience:
I have competed in Interp IE’s at two or more hs or college tournaments during ________ semesters (write the number of semesters where you competed in at least two or more tournaments during the semester).
	Platform Speaking Dramatic, Humorous, Serious, Dual, Poetry, Prose, Interpretive Reading, Oral Interpretation, Programmed Oral Interpretation, etc.

I have won ________ (number of) 3rd, 2nd, or 1st awards in Interp. Speaking at college tournaments.

6. Signup for at least TWO EVENTS below (Debate + at least one IE OR at least two IEs)
6A. I will do this kind of debate during the semester:   Parli      Policy     Unsure       No Debate
6B. I will do these individual events:     Drama         Prose          Poetry          Programmed Oral Interp          Duo
   Extemp          Impromptu        Persuasive        Informative         After Dinner          Communication Analysis
7. Please hand this to Julie or Jim.                   Thanks!

Practice Signup Sheet   
Name ___________________________
Below, mark with an X any times you CANNOT meet for practice sessions. We will schedule your debates and IE practice sessions to avoid the times you mark with an X. 
Hey: Talk with your partner right now, to figure out at least four times during the week where you can debate (parli: two hour slot; policy: three hour slot). Note: We will use this schedule throughout the semester.

Day	1-2pm	2-3pm	3-4pm	4-5pm	5-6pm	6-7pm	7-8pm	8-9pm	9-10pm	10-11pm	11-midnite	
Mon.												
Tues.												
Wed.												
Thurs.												
Fri.												
Sat.												
Sun.												
Note: Make sure there are times you can debate with your partner; leave as many spaces open as possible.

Practice Signup Sheet   
Name ___________________________
Below, mark with an X any times you CANNOT meet for practice sessions. We will schedule your debates and IE practice sessions to avoid the times you mark with an X. 
Hey: Talk with your partner right now, to figure out at least four times during the week where you can debate (parli: two hour slot; policy: three hour slot). Note: We will use this schedule throughout the semester.

Day	1-2pm	2-3pm	3-4pm	4-5pm	5-6pm	6-7pm	7-8pm	8-9pm	9-10pm	10-11pm	11-midnite	
Mon.												
Tues.												
Wed.												
Thurs.												
Fri.												
Sat.												
Sun.												
Note: Make sure there are times you can debate with your partner; leave as many spaces open as possible.

Team Participation Guidelines

Who travels to which tournaments in what division

Who goes to which tournaments? The basics of our Travel Criteria
•	You must be enrolled in Rhetoric 121, 221, 222, 401, or 402 in order to attend tournaments except in unusual situations with the Director’s permission.
•	All students are expected to participate in the School Intra-Squad Practicums.
•	All 221 and 222 students are expected to participate in the Northwest Tournaments; qualified 121 students are expected to attend one Northwest tournament. Students going to Northwest tournaments are expected to complete assignments, practice events, do well in classes, attend general meetings, be coachable, support the team, act appropriately at tournaments, and assist with tournaments the team hosts.
•	Speaking generally, National Tournaments are for students who work hard and have a 50+% win-loss record; Senior National tournaments are for senior division students who work hard and usually are in elimination rounds; Exceptional National tournaments are for a select one or two teams who work very hard and usually win elimination rounds; and Qualification National Tournaments are for senior national qualified students who qualify according to the NPTE, NDT, or NIET/NFA rules.
•	See the National Tournament travel criteria appendix at the end of this document.

In what division do I compete?
You will compete in the division based on the definitions used by the tournament that we attend. For regional tournaments, this usually means the following:
•	Novice: 2 or less awards of 3rd or higher place in the event AND has not competed in high school.
•	Junior IE’s: 7 or less awards of 3rd or higher place in the event.
•	Junior Debate: 5 or less quarterfinals or better awards in debate at high school TOC qualifying or College debate tournaments.
National tournament definitions vary widely but we follow the definitions provided by those tournaments. The staff may, in unusual situations, move a competitor into a more advanced division based on exceptional performance and ability.

Practice Sessions for tournaments

Setting up Practice Sessions and Tournament Entries
We will work over the listserv to establish practice sessions and the events that you will compete in at tournaments. Please watch for announcements about practice sessions and respond promptly. When the tournament entry is posted, please double-check it to make sure you are in the right events. TO ASSURE THIS GOES SMOOTHLY, PLEASE CHECK YOUR E-MAIL EACH AND EVERY DAY AT LEAST ONCE.

Working with coaches
•	At a minimum, we expect you to listen courteously to coaching.  We hope that you will consider staff ideas seriously and attempt to improve your speaking and debating.
•	We expect you to show up to meetings on time.  If you cannot make a meeting, you should call AND e-mail the people involved well in advance, at least one day.
•	We expect you to be honest in your dealings with staff members.  If you are late, if you miss a meeting, if you do something that is not in accord with the objectives the staff or this document has outlined, we expect you to be honest concerning your behavior.
Preparing to go to Tournaments

Be ready to go
We expect that you will pack and be ready to go at the scheduled times including when we leave School to go to the tournament; when we leave the hotel in the morning to go to the tournament; and when we leave the tournament to return to School.

Items to bring to tournaments
1. Clothes
•	Bring nice clothes. “Nice,” means wear clean, wrinkle free clothing that represents the best quality dress in the style that works for you. Parliamentary debaters and individual events competitors should wear more formal dress.
•	Bring a different set of clothes for each day of the tournament.
•	Many students also like to bring an extra set of casual clothes for when they aren’t competing.
2. Toiletries
•	Deodorant, razors, toothbrush, toothpaste, combs, dental floss, shampoo, etc.
•	For some tournaments, you will also need to bring a comforter/sleeping bag and towel.
3. Extra money
•	The team will provide food money, sack lunches, 1 or 2 paid team meals, transportation and hotel.
•	Bring extra money for all other items including flowpads, pens, paper, medicines, personal items, etc.
•	We do not pay for photocopying at tournaments unless you have the prior approval of Jim. Items should be scanned, typed, or retrieved from an electronic source and printed.
4. Your Speech and Debate Materials
•	Check for Extemp Tubs.
•	Check for Debate Tubs including your first affirmative.
•	Check for Speech Manuscripts and Visual Aids.

Competing at Tournaments

Coaching before rounds
We expect you to speak to one of the coaches before debating, especially before going to your elimination rounds.  So, patiently remain where people meet until you speak with a coach (unless, obviously, you would be late to your round).

Policy preparation during tournaments
•	You are expected to fill out case list forms so that we have immediate access to the outline of a case.  The forms are very simple--list 3 to 5 of the key cites, state the aff. plan and the aff. advantages or state the negative positions. It should take no more than 2 to 3 minutes to write up. Coaches and students should fill these out.
•	On the day/night before the tournament starts, we expect coaches and students to help prep key areas. We expect work on files, practice reading briefs, etc., but you should have some fun too.
•	On the night(s) of prelims, we will discuss cases, neg. positions, etc. on an ad hoc basis. If we're in trouble, we'll spend time researching.  If we're okay (which is most of the time), we'll be able to spend our time freely. We encourage students and coaches to interact with people from other schools including at parties.
•	On the night before elims, we will make every effort to return to the hotel as soon as possible. This means that we will not do team dinners and we may very well order pizza so we do not have to make any stops.
•	For our prep, we will group together and go through the list of elim participants. We will discuss our strategy against each case and each major negative position. We will identify areas needing further research. While we will try to go through this list as quickly as possible, it will probably take a good 30 minutes to do this. After the research areas are identified, people will be given assignments that we expect to be finished by the next morning. If you're not going to get it done, tell us at this meeting; not in the morning right before we hit that team.
•	We will attempt to balance competing concerns for sleep and preparation. First, we will attempt to make assignments that you can complete in 1 to 3 hours of work. Second, coaches and students should get enough sleep, at least 6 hours, particularly if you are still competing in rounds the next day. Third, if you can't stay awake or you're worried about getting sick, we will not force students to do something harmful to their health.  Overall, we expect people to get their assignments done, but we understand the need to get sleep. Partying or other socializing on the night before elims is a "luxury" and is not a reason to leave an assignment incomplete.  That's true for coaches just as much for students.
•	A quick story--the night before Jenn and Char went to their octas and quarters rounds, Steve, Loan, Andy, Jim, and others stayed up until 5:30 in the morning putting together positions and briefs (using Lexis for Dos, an old dot matrix printer, 2400 baud modem, and Word for Dos 4). You’ll see Brian and others on the team carry on this tradition. Your willingness to do the same is very helpful. We expect students and coaches to prepare so we can do the best that is possible.

Parliamentary preparation during tournaments
•	In general, students may use prep materials during the 15-minute prep time if that is the policy of the tournament and if it helps you prepare effectively.
•	We think teams should talk with each other and their coaches about the cases and arguments that teams are presenting.
•	You are expected to fill out round reports after each round including information about your opponent’s case and the judge’s comments.

Your research materials

Integrity of your researched materials
•	We will not permit any fabricating, plagiarizing, or taking material out of context.
•	If you believe another person or team has misused or fabricated a piece of evidence, please do not make a public issue of it.  For example, we frown on evidence challenges made in a round.  We expect you to check the evidence by researching it and to speak with the other person or team quietly.  If there is a serious problem that you are unable to resolve, speak to one of your coaches.

Trading research materials
•	We encourage exchanging source citations, argument ideas, and flows with the exception of arguments and speeches that we have not presented yet.
•	We do not permit our teams to trade briefs with other teams against other Northwest teams. Such trading creates resentment and angers other coaches who will judge you and other School teams.
•	You may trade with other teams, including high school teams, only if you have the permission of Jim, Brian, or Keola. If you do receive permission, you must make certain that the materials are re-cut and that any reference to School College is removed.

Borrowing and purchasing materials
•	The team can purchase books and journals IF AND ONLY IF you get Jim’s permission first. If you do not receive permission first, the team is under absolutely no obligation to reimburse you.
•	The team accepts no responsibility for overdue fines or lost books/journals even if you checked out items for other people and they lost them or returned them late.

Behavior at Tournaments

Supporting the team
•	We expect you to support the team and other team members.  If you have a disagreement with another person on the team or a squad policy, we encourage you to address the matter away from students and coaches from other schools.
•	We expect you to watch other team members in both debate and individual events if you are not competing in a finals round unless you have a specific assignment approved by a coach.  We expect you to demonstrate supportive behavior during these rounds.  In addition, we expect policy debaters to research, brief and strategize arguments to help those who remain in elimination rounds.  We also expect all team members to watch and flow other elimination rounds to assist our debate teams in later elimination rounds.
•	We expect you to attend the awards assembly of the tournament.
•	We expect you will treat the hotels and restaurants we use with respect including, obviously, not taking items from rooms, not mistreating those serving you, etc.

Supporting the community
•	We expect you to support the other teams and competitors in the Northwest. As a representative of School College, your actions reflect on School College, our program, yourself and other members of our team.  If you have any questions, ask.
•	We ask that you not speak negatively about other schools, judges, coaches, team members, etc.  Negative comments like, "He is a jerk" and "She's a lousy judge," reflect poorly on our squad and damage the kind of community we have created in the Northwest.
•	We expect you to listen courteously to decisions and critiques that judges give.  You may ask very polite questions to understand better how the judge viewed the round. Arguing with a judge about his or her decision is absolutely inappropriate.  If you have a problem with a judge's behavior, bring it directly to your coach's attention as soon as possible.
•	We support talking with other teams about the arguments and positions we present in speeches and debates except items that we have not yet presented (for example, new affirmative cases, negative strategies against a team, new speeches). You should allow others to watch and flow you in debates and in speeches.

Keep your mental faculties focused
While we will not invade your privacy nor become police officers, your behavior at tournaments is subject to school and state regulations and it has consequences for your competitive abilities.  Students are not to use illegal substances nor engage in illegal activity.  Consuming alcohol to the degree that it interferes with personal performance or team efficiency is not permitted. Socializing or staying up until late in the night is not permitted if it harms your competitive abilities and team responsibilities. Coaches who view students engaged in behavior damaging to their mental faculties are required to report such behavior to the Director and suspensions and expulsions may result.

Tell us where you are
We expect you to keep your coach apprised of where you are.  This is particularly true when you wish to visit friends or family at tournaments, when you go to a party, if you wish to leave the tournament via your own transportation, and when we are on plane trips.  We are willing to accommodate students who wish to do other things.  Just, tell one of the coaches before you go.

After Tournaments
•	When we return to School, we need to return all items to the debate cove and Jim's office.
•	We need to clean the vans and throw away all garbage.
•	We need to make sure that everyone has taken all of the items they own. Please help us avoid lost and found problems.
•	All trophies are the property of the forensics team for approximately three semesters. Students may take their trophies when they are no longer used in the Trophy case. Students who win prestigious trophies (like national championship tournament trophies in late outrounds) should talk with Jim about getting a copy of their trophy for their personal ownership.

Helping the Team’s Travel

Reducing Travel Costs
If you know of a place where we can stay cheaply (for example, a home), it would be of great benefit to our budget.

Van Driving
•	Contact the School Safety Department for more information.
•	We need drivers for travel—so, sign-up for safety training. Jim will post information about this to the listserv.
•	Obviously, if you are a driver it means that you should not be drinking or staying up late because you will be needed as a driver.
•	If you’re tired—stop!!! Don’t kill people simply because you or others want to get some place.
•	NOTICE TO RIDERS: The radio is owned by the driver (within reasonable limits) and the front seats must have at least one person who is awake at all times.
Plane travel
•	Get a frequent flier number, contact Julie Miller, Student Assistant
•	Have Government Picture ID with you, including preferably a driver’s license and social security card.
•	POLICY: Each team may bring up to 4 tubs on plane travel flights. If you exceed this limit, you pay for the cost of transporting the extra tubs. NOTE: TUBS MAY ONLY WEIGH UP TO 70 LBS. Excess will be charged to you.
•	Clothes should be brought in luggage/backpacks that you can carry on to the plane. 
•	Further, POLICY DEBATERS should arrange to place two people’s clothes into one suitcase or tub.
•	Do not bring carry-ons to the ticketing area; it can create the impression that we are exceeding the baggage limit. Keep carry-ons in a separate location.
•	After exiting from the plane, always stay near the plane exit until everyone is gathered together.

Forensics and your interests

Travel and Academics
You are expected to keep up in your schoolwork and to maintain good grades. Your future plans depend on it, as does the reputation of our squad. Consider the following:
•	Missing classes for debate tournaments is an officially excused absence. Even so, it is very important that you work with your professor to assure that you complete assignments and makeup for the missed classes.
•	Schedule as many Tuesday-Thursday and Tuesday and Wednesday evening classes as you can. For parliamentary debaters/individual events competitors, Monday-Wednesday and Monday evening classes work well too. Everyone on the team should avoid Thursday evening and Friday classes when alternatives exist.
•	Keep your professors apprised of your travel. At the beginning of the semester, hand your professor a sheet with your absences. Talk to your professor about makeup work. 
•	Turn in assignments on time. Do not turn in papers late. Do not turn in shoddy “last minute” papers. Plan ahead so you can complete your papers BEFORE tournaments rather than after. Turn in high quality work on time.
•	Attend classes. NEVER cut class when you are not traveling. It makes it harder to keep up in class AND it creates a negative image of the program on campus. In addition, your travel may be cut if a professor complains that you are not in class on non-tournament dates.
•	Your coursework—which is forensics AND all of your other courses—is the MOST important objective as far as our program is concerned. Work hard; give your very best. Forensics students should be maintaining a 3.0 or better GPA.

Eating Right
Take control. You are in charge of what you eat. NO ONE can take that away from you.
•	Eat healthy. We encourage you to eat breads, fruits, vegetables, proteins, etc. You are welcome to use the team’s cooler to bring store-bought food to tournaments.
•	Food allotments at tournaments. Students receive sack lunches, team paid meals, and food money at tournaments. Please use your food money for food.
•	Eat enough. We encourage you to eat well during tournaments and other days. Students who don’t eat enough can faint, get dizzy, and compete less effectively. Have a little something!
•	Be flexible. There are 30 plus members on this team. Please be flexible about the food establishments we go to at tournaments. Not everyone’s choices can be supported though we will do our best to choose places, over the course of the semester, that meet the variety of student diet needs.
•	Want to take more control? You can contact Sharon Kaufman-Osborne. She’s a fabulous resource.

Treating each other right
Our squad should give you the opportunity to participate in speaking and debating events COMFORTABLY. We encourage you to support the diversity of people on our team—women and men of different colors, sexualities, cultures, and experiences. We encourage you to respect people’s privacy and to watch for “touchy” subjects where someone does not feel comfortable discussing his or her personal life. We encourage you to treat others with respect and not as sexual objects or objects of derision because of their looks, perceived intelligence, etc. If you believe another person or persons are harassing you, please talk to a staff member that you feel comfortable talking to. If that doesn’t work for you, contact Cindy Waring.

School College Forensics Ethics Statement

The Northwest Forensics Conference is made up of squads from Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Western Montana. Our conference is a strong and very tight-knit community. If you aren’t already, you will be friends with many Northwest competitors. We want to emphasize five objectives based on the NFC Ethics document:
1.	Forensics should be considered a form of rhetorical scholarship. This means that speech and debate is part of an academic effort to study, practice and evaluate the best means of persuasion. Our program is an academic activity housed in the Rhetoric and Film Studies Department.
2.	The primary invention of speeches, briefs, cases, extemp files, etc. should be by the individual who uses those materials. On our program, we understand the need and value of student and coach participation in the collaborative invention, preparation and sharing of materials. At the same time, students should not participate in an event in which they had no role in the preparation of the materials they use for that event.
3.	Fabrication of materials is not permitted. Plagiarism of materials is not permitted. If you are caught, expect to be expelled from the squad and to have a report submitted to the registrar. If you have any question, please ask a coach or team member.
4.	Individuals should not be presumed guilty of ethical violations. If you think someone has violated an ethical norm, talk with that person in private—rather than in the public glare of a debate or individual event round. If you are unsure about an ethical violation, please speak with your coaches or other team members.
5.	Students must be at least half-time enrolled and not on academic probation. At School, if you are not enrolled full-time, you should have a conversation with Jim.
In addition, the School program affirms the importance of all participants’ cooperation in creating an educational and competitive environment that is fair, humane and responsible while, at the same time, encouraging competition that is devoted to full and robust argument about a diverse range of ideas.  Specifically, our program affirms that:
1.	 Competitors, judges, and coaches should talk about the expectations that they have for creating rounds that focus on ideas instead of personal attacks.
2.	 Competitors, judges, and coaches should communicate with respect, not attacking each other.
3.	 Competitors, judges, and coaches should reject discourse which devalues other members of our community based on their race, age, gender, class, sexual or religious orientation, or any reason that is not directly related to the ideas that they present.
4.	 Competitors, judges, and coaches should communicate with each other when they observe instances of verbally aggressive attacks rather than silently objecting.
5.	 Competitors, judges, and coaches that engage in serious and/or repeated demeaning speech that materially or substantially disrupts the opportunity for a student, judge, or coach to compete, judge, or coach fairly shall be discouraged.
In sum, our program supports discourse that respects the individuals in our community while at the same time encouraging robust conversation, including disagreement, about ideas that individuals share.

Appendix: National Tournament Travel Criteria

Basic Criteria for National Tournaments
•	National Tournaments: We have budgeted for up to six policy teams to attend the California Swing, Northwest CEDA Championship, Utah, and CEDA Nationals. We have budgeted for up to six parliamentary debate teams to attend Utah and the Hatfields tournament.  The students that will actually travel must meet the criteria for Northwest tournaments, produce 10 pages of briefs each week (policy) or 1 parli case with 10 supporting articles and 10 additional extemp articles plus a prepared individual event (parli-ie), help out the team (e.g., clean forensic rooms, host a team function, recruit many students for intramural debate, etc.), spend at least 5 hours each week in the Hunter forensic offices, and should have at least a 50% win-loss record (in the division in which they will compete; adjustments will be made for students changing among junior and senior and parliamentary and policy debate when relevant). Records are considered over the past year and especially in the recent two to four months. Your actual ability to travel depends on a variety of factors listed below.
•	Senior National Tournaments: We have budgeted for up to four policy teams to attend Wake Forest and up to four teams to attend Baylor or West Georgia. We have budgeted for up to four parliamentary debate teams to attend Air Force, Point Loma, and Parliamentary Nationals. These tournaments are reserved solely for senior division debaters who meet the national tournament standards and who usually advance to elimination rounds.
•	Exceptional National Tournaments: We have budgeted for up to one policy team to attend Kentucky and for up to two teams to attend Northwestern. We have budgeted for up to one parliamentary team to attend the Alaska Speakout and one team to attend the Point Loma Round Robin. The students that actually travel must meet the criteria for Northwest tournaments, produce 20 pages of briefs each week (policy) or go beyond a parli case and 20 articles plus a prepared individual event (parli-ie), help out the team, spend at least 10 hours each week in the Hunter forensic offices, and should be winning at least the first elimination rounds in senior division at Northwest tournaments and making the first elimination round at national tournaments. Records are considered over the past year and especially in the recent two to four months. Your actual ability to travel depends on a variety of factors listed below.
•	Qualification National Tournaments: We have budgeted for up to two debate teams for the NDT, up to two teams to attend the National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence (NPTE) and up to two speakers for one of the NIET/NFA tournament. You must meet the senior national tournament standards and also meet the criteria based on the NDT, NPTE, and NIET/NFA qualifying process.

How decisions are made for who qualifies
•	Planned numbers of teams for national travel may change: The number of teams/students budgeted for national travel may be changed during the year based on the budget, student work ethic, and perceived competitiveness of the students in our program.
•	Sometimes fewer students will travel than planned: We will travel fewer than the budgeted number of teams/students if students do not meet the minimum standards for attending the tournament remembering that we try to give students the benefit of the doubt. 
•	In a few situations, more students will travel than planned: We will travel more students than we have budgeted only in situations where we project adequate funds to do so; where these additional students have exceeded the national/exceptional guideline expectations; and where we can make a distinction in terms of work or win-loss record between such students and other students on our squad.
•	When decisions are made: Decisions about who is eligible to travel are made at the time travel is arranged and include performance up to that point. Decisions for fall national tournaments are usually made one to two months prior to the tournament. Decisions for travel during the winter break are usually made in mid-November. Decisions for travel in February are usually made in early-mid January. Decisions for travel to the national tournaments are usually made in mid-February. For these decisions about the national tournaments, national travel criteria may be loosened if there is additional money available.
•	Unusual situations require different decision-making: The expectations for travel cannot possibly cover every possible situation. The coaching staff will make determinations about unusual situations including but not limited to situations where partners change, where plane fares have decreased or increased, and where we believe we have or do not have enough money.
•	Travel for students on the “edge:” In particular, if you are someone who is at the low end of eligibility for national travel consideration, hold no expectations that you will be traveled “equally” with others who have similar or even worse records or work effort because team finances at the time we make a decision, number of teams we expected to travel, and partner changes are the most frequent factors in determining whether minimally qualified team members actually travel or not.
•	Missing a national tournament: All students who agree to attend a national tournament who do not attend for any reason are expected to pay for the cost of their ticket. Students who skip such a tournament will have their travel ability subject to the director’s discretion with a minimum loss of one tournament.
•	We do NOT change our travel schedule for newly assumed “stars” nor for any other reason than those noted above.
•	Communicate with us: If you are confused about which tournaments you can attend, why you were or were not chosen to attend a national tournament, or have any other question about travel decisions, ask Jim.

Prep Room Computer Use Agreement
I agree to:
1. Not change the start menus on the computers
2. Not install any software without the permission of Jim Hanson
3. Not delete any software without the permission of Jim Hanson
4. Not to change printer cartridges unless I have been trained to do so
5. Not to save mp3’s, large graphic files, wav files, .exe and .dll files to the server
6. Not to save mp3’s, large graphic files, wav files, .exe and .dll files to hard drives that have less than 400mb of free space
7. Not mistreat the physical equipment including the mice, monitors and keyboard
8. Not alter MS Word, IE Explorer, etc. with customizations that are not approved by Jim Hanson

Signed _______________________________ Print name ___________________________________

Prep Room Computer Use Agreement
I agree to:
1. Not change the start menus on the computers
2. Not install any software without the permission of Jim Hanson
3. Not delete any software without the permission of Jim Hanson
4. Not to change printer cartridges unless I have been trained to do so
5. Not to save mp3’s, large graphic files, wav files, .exe and .dll files to the server
6. Not to save mp3’s, large graphic files, wav files, .exe and .dll files to hard drives that have less than 400mb of free space
7. Not mistreat the physical equipment including the mice, monitors and keyboard
8. Not alter MS Word, IE Explorer, etc. with customizations that are not approved by Jim Hanson

Signed _______________________________ Print name ___________________________________

Absences Sheet

Hi

Some faculty at xxx have expressed interest in knowing, in advance, about absences for forensics coursework that occurs off campus. To that end, we have asked this student to talk with you and provide information that we hope you will find useful.
This student is in Rhetoric xxx course number and title xxxx. For this course, this student is scheduled to miss regularly held classes on the following days:
•	Thurs, 4pm to Sun. midnight, Sept. 20-23 (Northwest Scrimmage)
•	Thurs, 4pm to Sun. midnight, Oct. 11-14 (Lewis and Clark)
•	Thurs. 4pm to Sun. midnight, Oct. 26-28 (U. of Oregon)
•	There is also the possibility that this student may leave for the Thanksgiving break on Thurs. morning (Wake Forest)
This student should work out makeup work with you.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact me, Jim Hanson, at hansonjb@School.edu
Thanks!

Jim Hanson, Associate Professor of Forensics, Rhetoric and Film Studies
hansonjb@School.edu

Some faculty members have asked what happens at these tournaments. At each tournament, this student will wake up at about 6 a.m., get ready, and begin debating at about 8 a.m. Each policy debate involves intensive argumentation against other students who have also been spending 5 to 20 hours each week researching their topic area. Working with our coaching staff, this student and partner will prepare for each debate for about half an hour. Then, the actual policy debate lasts about 2 hours long, followed by about 30 minutes in which the judge discusses his or her decision and offers comments for improvement. There are some breaks during the day but this student will usually compete in three to four policy debates until about 10:00 or 10:30 p.m. each day.

Hi

Some faculty at xxx have expressed interest in knowing, in advance, about absences for forensics coursework that occurs off campus. To that end, we have asked this student to talk with you and provide information that we hope you will find useful.
This student is in xxx course number and title xxxx. For this course, this student is scheduled to miss regularly held classes on the following days:
•	Thurs, 4pm to Sun. midnight, Sept. 20-23 (Northwest Scrimmage)
•	Thurs, 4pm to Sun. midnight, Oct. 11-14 (Lewis and Clark)
•	Thurs. 4pm to Sun. midnight, Oct. 26-28 (U. of Oregon)
•	There is also the possibility the student will go Thurs. morning through Mon. midnight, Nov. 8-12 (Air Force)
This student should work out makeup work with you.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact me, Jim Hanson, at hansonjb@School.edu
Thanks!

Jim Hanson, Associate Professor of Forensics, Rhetoric and Film Studies
hansonjb@School.edu

Some faculty members have asked what happens at these tournaments. At each tournament, this student will wake up at about 6 a.m., get ready, and begin debating at about 8 a.m. Each debate involves argumentation on a topic that is announced 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the debate. Because of this short preparation time, our parliamentary debate students research materials on a wide variety of topics from recurring debates about values (individual vs. community) to policy issues (affirmative action) to recent news events. 
This student has also prepared to compete in two different speaking events. This student will present each speech three to four times during each tournament. There are some breaks during the day but the students usually compete in three debates and one to two rounds of each of their speeches until about 10:00 or 10:30 p.m. each day. At the end of the tournament, each student receives written comments from their judges so that they can improve.

Team Evaluation Sheet
1. Which events did you do this year? (circle the ones that apply)
Policy Debate		Parliamentary Debate		Individual Events

2. Consider the following:
•	Fall Prep Session
•	Team Parties
•	Team Meetings
•	Practice Debates/Drills
•	Research/Extemp Assignments
•	Wed. Nite Prep Sessions
•	Forensic Listserv
•	Travel Arrangements
•	Tournament Logistics
•	Travel Decisions
•	Other Aspects of the Team not listed here

State at least two good things about the team.

State at least two ways the team could be improved.

Any other comments? Feel free to use the other side of this form.

Hiring an Assistant

xxx has a proud tradition of excellence in Rhetoric and Forensics.  Our Parliamentary and Individual Events program is a strong program (for example, we xxxx). We have at least eight talented, motivated and hard working returning competitors, and we expect a strong group of incoming students. We are building on our first semester of outreach providing communication training and support to students, staff, and faculty on our campus. Want to help make us even stronger? Then, consider working as an assistant at our school.  The position involves the following:

Coaching Parliamentary Debate and Individual Events including handling extemp assignments, watching practice rounds, giving coaching advice, assisting with expense reports, staff meetings, picking up vans, etc.
The position pays xxx.

You can make a major contribution with this position.

E-mail me if you are interested in the position and I will send you an application.

xxxnamexxx 
Director of Forensics
xxxschoolxxx
Xxxemailaddressxxxx

X,

	I’m glad that you’ve expressed interest in applying for the xxx Assistant Coach of Parliamentary debate and individual events. We are proud of our program and our school.  Our speech and debate program has a young and dedicated group of individual events and parliamentary debaters as well as a strong record in policy debate.  We expect an excellent group of incoming students to augment a talented group of students who are excellent speakers and debaters.
This is a position where you can make a major contribution. As a coach, you can xxxxx. We had xxxx. We also have a growing cadre of talent and involvement in individual events. They need the right kind of coaching to move into the next level of competitiveness. Your position will give you the opportunity to cultivate a regionally and nationally competitive program in parliamentary debate and individual events.

	Here is what you need to do to apply.  You need to send me the following by Monday, April 30 (I’d prefer e-mail, but whatever works):
1. A resume
2. Answers to the following questions
--What courses have you taken in public speaking, rhetoric, and speech communication?
--What experience do you have coaching parliamentary debate?
--What experience do you have coaching individual events and teaching public speaking?
--What experiences do you have in parliamentary debate, individual events, and public speaking?
--What experience do you have using Powerpoint?
--What experience do you have working with high school students and teachers?
--What other computer skills do you possess? (word processing, databases, tabroom programs, etc.)
--What experience do you have completing expense reports and/or handling budgets?
--What is your driving record?  Also, confirm that you will have a valid driving license for the 2001-2002 academic year.
--Ideas you have for any of the responsibilities of being the assistant for our speech and debate program.
--If you have any other areas you wish to mention, feel free to do so.

If you decide you do not wish to apply, I would appreciate you telling me so soon.  If you are the person chosen, we would want to know whether you wish to accept or decline sometime later that week or the next week depending on the process’s timeliness.

This  is the kind of person are we looking for:
1. Hard working
Gets thing done, completes them on time, produces high quality output, works to improve, takes on challenges, recognizes problems and solves them.
2. Diligent
Knows not every aspect of an assistant job is entertaining but still keeps on going, maintaining commitment and an effort to help out.
3. Takes initiative
Has a vision and takes it upon him or herself to do extra work, create projects that are helpful for the team. Someone who will go beyond the requirements listed below.
4. Cooperative
Works well with other students, other staff members.

Your position will require you to do the following:
Your duties for the assistant position will be:
1. Working with the Director of Forensics, take primary charge of the individual events and parliamentary debate portion of our program. In parliamentary debate, this includes working with students and other staff members to develop our extemp-“parli preparation” box, discuss strategies, and instruct and assist students in parliamentary theory. In individual events, this includes working with students and other staff members to create and to establish standards for quality interpretation, platform, and limited-prep events.
2. Watch practice parliamentary debates and individual events and offer critiques. You will be expected to watch approximately 3 - 6 practice debates each week during the main portion of the tournament season. You will be expected to watch approximately 8 - 12 individual events practice sessions per week during the main portions of the tournament season. Review and edit speech manuscripts and interpretation cuttings. Cooperate and encourage our policy debaters. You will probably be asked to judge a practice round or two, watch a drill or two, etc. during the year.
3. Handle logistical responsibilities.  You will pick up checks, cash them, get the van(s) and trailer, pickup sack lunches, distribute money, maintain receipts, and fill out the expense report forms. You will have meetings with the director about four or five times during the semester and provide thoughtful input, respect the final decision of the director, and maintain the privacy of other staff members.
4. Go to, judge, and coach at tournaments.  You will drive students to tournaments in a van, sometimes with a trailer hitched to it.  You will be a primary driver—meaning you may drive the majority of the time when you are traveling depending on whether we take only one van or the head director does not go on that trip. You will judge both individual events and debate and you will probably judge every round at every tournament you attend.  Coaching includes giving tips to students before rounds, reworking briefs and speeches with students based on feedback they receive during the tournament, and helping students cope with and enjoy the tournament experience.
5. Assist in running our high school and college tournaments and take photos and write articles for our team’s alumni newsletter.

The position begins Saturday, August 18, 2001 with a forensics team preparation session. You’ll be in full motion doing forensics travel and coaching through later November. In December, you’ll take a break from forensics travel. Your work will begin again in early-mid January, about a week before school starts. You’ll be in full motion again, working on forensics through mid‑April.
As you can imagine, no list can adequately describe all the duties that this position will perform.  This covers the basics.  Suffice it to say, you will be busy, working about 6 to 8 hours per day--but you will enjoy working with great students and a cooperative, knowledgeable and helpful staff.

Salary is $xxxx.

Thanks and I look forward to receiving your application.

xxnamexxx
Director of Forensics
xxdepartmentxxx
xxschoolxxx
xxxcity,state,zipxxxx
xxemailxxx
xxxphonexxx

Recruiting Letter to incoming students

xxx
	Hi. You have expressed interest and/or experience in speech and debate. I am writing to tell you about the opportunities you have in speech, debate, and rhetoric at School.
 
Policy Debaters
Join us for the Policy Prep Session before school starts. We begin Sunday evening, August 20. We'll prepare cases and disads, do practice debates, learn the new topic (announced Aug. 1), we'll partner some teams and we'll have fun. The Policy Prep Session ends Thursday late evening, August 24. We provide housing and food (lunch and dinner). When we finish, the residence halls open and the school year begins. To attend, e-mail me, xxxx, at xxxx or call me at xxxxx and tell me you want to do the Policy Prep Session.

Parli Debaters and Speakers
Join us for the Parli-IE Prep Session before school starts. We begin Tuesday evening, August 22. We'll prepare manuscripts, cuttings, and learn about and practice parli debate. We'll partner some teams and get in some fun too! The Parli-IE Prep Session ends Thursday late evening, August 24. We provide housing and food (lunch and dinner). When we finish, the residence halls open and the school year begins. To attend, e-mail me, xxxx, at xxxx or call me at xxxxx and tell me you want to do the Parli-IE Prep Session.

I want to know more before I commit time
That's cool. Join us for a team intro dinner right as school starts. We'll discuss the speaking you can do while we eat spaghetti, salad and more. The team intro dinner is Sunday evening, August 27. You'll get word about the intro dinner when you check your mailbox when you arrive at school.

I want low commitment
Fine. You can participate at a low-key level. Attend an intro session, a few practices and go to just one tournament during the semester. 

The team isn't for me but I like speaking
Great. Consider participating here on campus in the intramural debate contests (held once in the fall and once in the spring) or the on-campus oratory contest (held in spring). In the intramural contest, you'll discuss a contemporary issue with someone with similar experience. In on-campus oratory, you present an 8 to 10 minute persuasive speech.

I'm interested in Rhetoric and Persuasion
Go for it. Study legal argument, feminist discourse, social movements, and political rhetoric. If you are interested in better communication, then take Rhetoric courses. You can even minor or major in Rhetoric. Rhetoric 380E, Political Campaign Rhetoric, has openings this fall and there are three special courses offered Spring 2001. Consider taking these rhetoric courses! 

xxxnamexxx
director of forensics
xxschoolxxx
xxxemail addressxxx
xxxphone numberxxxx
xxxweb addressxxxx