Wisconsin Forensics Daily

Thursday Thing to Read: Parliamentary Debate

Today’s Thursday Thing comes from Michelle Tellock. Tellock formerly of Hortonville, is a current senior at The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. She is the president of the school’s Woodrow Wilson Debate Council, which she will be representing at the World Universities Debating Championships in Vancouver later this month. In the following article, she discusses parliamentary debate – a form of interscholastic debate unique to the college level – and her involvement in college debate.

We’ve mentioned Parliamentary debate once before. There are now three active Parliamentary debate programs in Wisconsin: Marquette University, the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh, and Carthage College. Joining them next semester will be the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Because of all of this, WFD felt that it would be best to have an article relating to parliamentary debate. And so we have Michelle’s article:

Parliamentary and Proud: The Value of “Other” Forms of Debate

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Thursday Thing to Read: A Reminder

WDCA Awards Nominations are due to Past-President Jessie Hager by November 15. This means that students interested in the WDCA Scholarship awards or coaches interested in nominating their colleagues should submit the required forms to Jessie by the date mentioned above.

And since we’ve been talking about WDCA History. Let’s take a look at the coaches and students that have won each of the respective awards since they have been established. What’s listed below is correct. The only thing we are missing are scholarships.

Next week, we return with our regularly scheduled Thursday Thing to Read with a piece by James Madison Memorial coach, Tim Scheffler, on why procedural arguments are good for debate. Tim has a unique perspective on this issue, because he is an attorney.

Scholarship forms can be found here: (LINK)
Coaching Nomination forms can be found here: (LINK)

Updated 10/30/06
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Thursday Thing to Read: Politics Disadvantages

One of the main staples of modern policy debates are politics disadvantages.  Many judges often see these arguments as unrelated, poorly researched arguments.  Others love them.  But what are politics disadvantages?  How can debaters make them?  And are they good for debate?  Sheboygan North's recent graduate and current assistant coach, Jon Voss, takes on these issues in today's Thursday Thing to Read.

The Political Swamp: Washington’s impact on Policy Debate
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Thursday Thing to Read: Against Good Judges

The first Thursday Thing to Read is written by Nicolet Debate Coach Jason Chapman.  Often times we assume that more experienced judges are better for debate because they are used to how a debate works.  Jason's article questions whether or not our preconcieved notions of debate from good judges really advances debate.  It's pretty interesting.  Read on, in:

Why Good Judges Are Bad

by Jason Chapman 

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Thursday Thing to Read: Evaluating Performances or Contents?

After a long hiatus, the Thursday Thing to Read returns! And this time, the Thursday Thing focuses on forensics and the evaluation of content. (Psst… There’s still some debate commentary too!)

James Madison Memorial’s assistant forensics coach, (and WFD Editor-in-Chief) Nick Bubb begins a work of persuassion on how judges should evaluate rounds of competition. Mr. Bubb’s central thesis is that judges should evaluate performances before they consider the content of a performance.

By exploring a related issue, WFD hopes to continue the healthy dialog that has started with the WFD Poll on category reduction. Click “continue reading” below to read the text of the column.

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Thursday Thing to Read: NFL as an Honorary Society

Rufus King’s Head Coach of Speech and Debate, Adam Jacobi offers today’s Thrusday Thing to Read. I felt that this piece is an appropriate one, given that the 2006 NFL qualifiers starts in Wisconsin tomorrow. Mr. Jacobi’s piece examine’s the National Forensics League as dual function organization.

The Third NFL: The National Forensics League as an Honors Society
By: Adam Jacobi, Head coach at Rufus King

The National Forensic League (NFL) is as much an honorary society as it provides a league for competition. The NFL allows for a variety of methods of team recognition and awards within a school’s chapter. In this column, inspired by a similar one on Victory Briefs Daily I’ve shared how Rufus King’s treatment of NFL as an honor society has positively impacted our program. Read the rest of this entry »

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Thursday Thing to Read: The Topic Debate

The selection of a new policy debate topic is not a whismical one. Much effort and research is placed on the question of what topic is to be debated the next year. This article attempts to explore those efforts in consider the two remaing topics proposed for next year, as well as the process used to arrive at those two choices.

Today’s Thursday Thing is written by WFD Editor-in-Chief, Nick Bubb. Read the rest of this entry »

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Thursday Thing to Read: Analyticals

Today’s Thursday Thing to Read comes from the slightly colder land of Minnesota. Alumnus and Assistant coach of/for Appleton West, David Watson enlightens the Wisconsin Forensics and Debate community at a style of argument where he was very proficient: analytical arguments. Read on to hear how analytical arguments can increase your speaker points and can serve a strategic function in round. Read the rest of this entry »

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Thursday Thing to Read: Wisconsin Debate Persona of the Year

For the last two years a WDCA STOC reflection post shows up on cross-x.com. That reflection post, entitled “Wisconsin Debate Persona of the Year,” has again surfaced this year. Wisconsin Forensics Daily encourages everyone to participate in the reflection of the year that was in Wisconsin Debate. And, if you don’t want to contribute to Cross-x.com’s on going discussion, we’ll provide the list of questions right here, on Wisconsin Forensics Daily.

The Link to the Cross-x.com discussion is http://www.cross-x.com/vb/showthread.php?t=957746

The questionaire is included in the full aritcle. Read the rest of this entry »

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Thursday Thing to Read: From the Archives – Debate as a Strategic Game

In response to several requests, WFD has resurrected a previous Thursday Thing to Read. In this trip back to our archives, Andy Nolan, director of Policy Debate at Marquette High School responds to the previous weeks article regarding V4. The V4 position was how a “debate is a communication activity” can have significant benefits if done well. Andy’s position is a defense of debate as a strategic game, but also, a view of how that strategic game is structured. Please Enjoy our first “From the Archives”:

“How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Speed: A Defense of Varsity Switch Side Debate.”
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