Wisconsin Forensics Daily

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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Thursday Thing To Read: Small School Success

This week’s Thursday Thing To Read discusses some of the ways that debaters from small programs can succeed at the highest levels of policy debate. Bill Batterman, an assistant policy debate coach at Marquette University High School, outlines several areas where “small schools” can overcome the structural disadvantages that make entering the elite levels of our activity so difficult for those without strong institutional support. A graduate of West Bend East, Bill draws on his experience as a highly-competitive policy debater for a program with only one card-cutter as well as his time as a coach at Nicolet, Appleton East, and Marquette to develop and share some tips for how to hang with the powerhouses.

Best of luck to everyone competing at this weekend’s WDCA State Tournament of Champions. WFD will be providing live coverage from South Milwaukee High School beginning on Friday afternoon.

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Thursday Thing to Read: A New Season

In today’s Thursday Thing to Read Tim Scheffler, attorney, Director of Debate, and assistant forensics coach at Madison Memorial explains why debaters should consider doing “forensics” or speech events in Wisconsin during the spring semester. Because not everyone can debate all year long, Mr. Scheffler’s argument is specific to debaters, specifically showing how an engagement in spring semseter activities can help one become a better debater.

Additionally, tomorrow we are live from Appleton East High School for the Challenge tournament. Enjoy both Mr. Scheffler’s article and our live coverage

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Thursday Thing to Read: Policy arguments in LD

Today’s Thursday Thing to Read comes from St. Louis Park’s new assistant coach of debate, and former Wisconsin LD debater, Liz Vieira. Whether due to the wording of many LD resolutions or simply a desire to run arguments beyond the scope of the traditional positions, arguments like Topicality have become a large and important issues to resolve in LD. Liz gives us an overview of how these issues work in the land of Lincoln and Douglas.

Also, I forgot to bring my connecting cable home with me–so WFD’s Glenbrooks pictures are going to be up a bit late. Check back later today, though, for a full Glenbrooks article!

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Thursday Thing to Read: V4 important for communication skills

The Supreme Court of Wisconsin Forensics and Debate discussion (Wisconsin Foreniscs Daily) has granted certiorari to the on going case Varsity Switch Sides et al v. Varsity Four Person et al. [In case you have not noticed, there is a long and exhaustive debate between VSS and V4 people as to which is the superior form of debate.]

Instead of approaching this subject from the typical irresolvable rants, I’ve instructed our columnists on this topic to write about the paradigmatic differences. Focusing on a specific aspect of the VSS v. V4 debate will not resolve the debate, but it will make that discussion productive. Our representation of this on going debate will focus on two positions. First, V4 Debate is stylistical better because it supports communication and the development of speaking skills. Second, VSS Debate is stylistically better because it supports argumentation rather than communication.

Today we only start with the first position. John Knetzger of Cedarburg, writes today’s Thursday Thing to Read on why V4 promotes a specific style with unique educational benefits. Read the rest of this entry »

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