Event Rules

The basics:

Policy

(1) Open-Source Wiki. Open source pre-round disclosure on the wiki of some sort required. We suggest this includes any evidence read in any speech during any prior debate during the year and also includes disclosing relevant past 2NRs if not already on the wiki. But we understand novices will be competing and happily accept a team-wide "stock" open source disclosure.

(2) Judge Qualifications. All judges must be qualified - former or current national circuit competitor or coach. 

(3) Judge Prefs. Ordinal MPJ will be used.

(4) Physical Awards. These will be mailed to elim participants (plus applicable speaker awards).

(5) Feedback. Judges must provide ample verbal disclosure and written feedback.

(6) Coinflips - Tabroom.com coinflips wills be used for policy elims. 

(7) Pre-Round Disclosure - should be within 5 minutes of released of pairings. This includes simply saying "new aff". 

(8) Single Flighted. Rounds will be single flighted.

(9) Double Entry. Debaters cannot double enter in other events. 

Public Forum / Lincoln Douglas

(1) Best Practices. We offer the following suggestions for students competing. These suggestions are not requirements, but are best practices that will explained to judges during training.

We suggest for Public Forum: (a) students do not paraphrase when first introducing evidence ("must read direct quotes"). (b) do not make brand new arguments in the summary or final focus (c) start "front-lining" in the 2nd rebuttal, (d) use email chains to provide speech docs prior to constructive and rebuttal, (e) verbalize minimal methodology for any proof given, and (f) remain polite during cross-fire. 

(2) Parent Judges okay. Although we prefer experienced judges (see Judge Rules), we're happy to train parent judges if needed. 

(3) Judge Prefs. A healthy amount of strikes will be given for entries whose judges have completed judge paradigms.

(4) Physical Awards. These will be awards for elim participants (plus applicable speaker awards).

(5) Feedback. Judges must provide ample verbal disclosure and written feedback.

(6) Coinflips - Tabroom.com coinflips wills be used for public forum rounds and lincoln douglas elims. 

(7) Single Flighted. Rounds will be single flighted.

(8) Double Entry. Debaters cannot double enter in other events. 

(9) Card Requests. Like many coaches, we interpret NSDA's new evidence sharing rules to require opponents to send a cut card, not simply a url link or a pdf. We will the TOC's rule that students should provide cut cards for all evidence read or paraphrased prior to the speech (as part of a speech doc sent in an email chain), but if they choose only to send cards by request, the team requesting gets free prep time until all requested cards are sent. Card requests should be reasonable, and judges should feel free to disregard cards from teams unable to provide them in a timely manner. Card requests are times to send pre-cut cards, not to finish your research and cut missing cards. 

Speech

(1) Rules. Will follow TOC rules generally, which model NSDA rules for the most part.

(2) Live. All events including duo will be live. No backup videos will be used.

(3) Physical Awards. These will given to elim participants.

(4) Feedback. Judges must provide substantial written feedback.

(5) Parent Judges okay. Although we prefer experienced judges (see Judge Rules), we're happy to train parent judges if needed.  

(6) Patterns. There will be one pattern.

(7) Double Entry. All speech competitors except extemp competitors can enter a maximum of two speech events. No double entry between debate and speech is allowed.