Tournament Preparation
When I discuss the role of NFA-LD in college forensics with people in the debate community I consistently hear about how refreshing it will be to hear “thought out, and prepared” arguments as a welcome alternative to parliamentary debate. In light of this observation and the use of evidence I do expect the NFA-LD rounds I watch to have substantial thought go into their development and practice.
Consistent with my expectations and that of the rest of the community I find it quite prudent to discuss some techniques of tournament preparation.
In general,
First, take the time to organize your tub. There is no excuse for not being able to find files or specific cards under duress. Prep time is a gift from the heavens don’t waste it or humiliate yourself. For coaches reading this you can administer a filing test to your debaters giving them 15 seconds to find a file or card in their boxes as a way of measuring their organization. Second, get some sleep before and during the tournament. I have seen a lot of debaters make large mistakes in key rounds when I know they would not have done that under “normal circumstances”. This takes new significance in LD because there is sometime debate over whether or not to sleep or cut cards for the coming days competition.
On the affirmative,
Make sure you affirmative is highlighted and within time limits. In order to adapt to various critics you may want to have a flex advantage that may or may not need to be read in the 1AC. You will need your extensions organized and highlighted if need be. Before big tournaments I sometime do and inherency check to make sure the case still applies. Another tactic I used to use to save time is to pre-flow my affirmative not only long before the tournament started but also electronically. I found that this was much clearer that my handwriting and very space efficient. Multiple copies could also be printed saving time on duplication.
On the Negative,
The rules of highlighting and timing apply to negative arguments as well. You should know how long a disadvantage takes to read and perhaps write two versions of it, one with less evidence to read for the take of time. Updating uniqueness on politics or spending can also make those arguments more persuasive. You can also look around in the news for any developments that could potentially impact cases that you are likely to see on the topic.
Final thought. While LD arguments should be more impressive because of the time of preparation it is up to the community to make that a reality. Proper preparation will improve this activity and I encourage coaches and competitors to do everything in their power to make that possible.
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I definitely agree with Kasey on the need to be organized before going into the round. Know where your answers are in your expando/tub/briefcase.
One thing I would suggest is avoid trying to find too many files DURING the other debater’s speech. It’s important to be listening to get the exact arguments being made by the debater. Avoid assuming that the african economy disadvantage is the same as the last time you heard one.
Plus, for many judges, I think it looks quite rude to be going through your files rather than listening to the other debater’s speech.