NITOC Debate Tips

Nine tips to maximize your NITOC prep!

1. Do not adjudicate - Only the most extreme issues (evidence fraud/manipulation etc.) warrant adjudication. If you see a minor violation, make it a voting issue and impact it for the judge!

2. Avoid adjudication - Here's how to avoid adjudication: 1) read the rules, 2) have another set of eyes check your evidence, and 3) print/highlight the original source for all evidence cited in-round.

3. Read your briefs - It does not do you any good to show up to NITOC with evidence you are not familiar with.

4. Network - Reaching out to other students to trade material and gain intel about strategies in other regions is vital to success!

5. Hone your theory - Theory arguments allow you to tilt the playing field in your favor. Pre-prepare and drill theory blocks so they come off smoothly in-round. 

6. Start with sleep - In-round you are only as good as your brain. Make sure you are well-rested at NITOC.

7. Wordsmithing - Start and end on a high note by drafting the introductions and conclusions of your speeches in prep time. 

8. Impact calculus - Do not just tell the judge what you are winning, but tell them why what you are winning is more important than what your opponent is winning.

9. The Oracle lies - Large Language Models like ChatGPT frequently fabricate sources. Using them to find information is fine, using them to write briefs and then trusting their citations is not. Do not use AI generated evidence. If you do, note that the information is AI generated and knowingly accept the risk that you will suffer penalties for evidence fabrication if the information you cite in the round is an AI delusion.