Card Clipping Policy

Card clipping is one of the more serious intellectual sins plaguing the activity which deserves serious attention and attempts to deter the practice. Our definition of card clapping is similar to the National Debate Coaches Association which currently defines card clipping as follows, “A judge should find clipping has occurred when a debater represents they have read five words or more that they did not read in any speech. If the judge finds that clipping has occurred the penalty is a loss for the team and zero speaker points for the debater who “clipped.” Additionally, clipping also includes the practice of intentionally highlighting/reading evidence to propose an argument clearly contrary to the author’s/evidence’s intent.

Technical malfunction isn’t an excuse for clipping. Debaters have an obligation to accurately represent the material they have read. If a judge finds that students represented they read material that they did not read then it’s clipping and penalties should be imposed even if the judge doesn’t think there was ill intent.

Students/judges should not prematurely end the round if they believe clipping is to have occurred

Judges should wait until the end of the round and notify the tournament director and offer a brief explanation. If the judge’s concerns are validated, the tournament director will validate the penalty.

Debaters who believe that their opponents are guilty of clipping should bring this grievance to their coach who in turn should notify the tournament director.
There are three possible outcomes:

·         If a team is found guilty of clipping, the penalty is a loss and zero speaker points.

·         If there is an investigation and no clipping is to have been found, the judge’s original decision will be preserved.

·         If a team is believed to have dishonestly fabricated a false accusation of clipping the penalty is a loss and zero speaker points for both debaters on the team who made the false accusation.