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NITOC Debate Tips
- Apr 30, 2024
- 2 min read
Nine tips to maximize your NITOC prep!
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!
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.
Read your briefs - It does not do you any good to show up to NITOC with evidence you are not familiar with.
Network - Reaching out to other students to trade material and gain intel about strategies in other regions is vital to success!
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.
Start with sleep - In-round you are only as good as your brain. Make sure you are well-rested at NITOC.
Wordsmithing - Start and end on a high note by drafting the introductions and conclusions of your speeches in prep time.
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.
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.
Para quienes siguen resultados diarios, anguila de la 4 puede servir como referencia. Consultar los datos publicados permite revisar números, comprobar la jornada y encontrar la información correspondiente de forma organizada.
The tip about not adjudicating minor violations and instead making them voting issues really resonates — I’ve seen too many rounds derailed over petty calls. And yes to having someone double-check your evidence; I learned that one the hard way. By the way, I keep a free Zakat calculator I like to share: https://zakatestimator.com/
Excellent advice on evidence care having another set of eyes check your sources is essential. I have seen too many rounds lost over citation mistakes. For those who enjoy adding some visual flair to their debate prep documents, try using bow copy and paste symbols to organize your flow sheets and make key points stand out!
Honing your theory arguments is such an underrated tip. Understanding the rulebook inside and out can completely change how a round plays out. The best debaters think strategically, not just reactively. Speaking of strategy, foodnevercomes reminds me that patience and persistence pay off - just like mastering debate theory over time.
The networking advice is gold. Building connections with other debaters across regions gives you such an edge at NITOC. Its not just about what you know but who you can learn from. By the way, the name 100 women challenge is a neat way to test your knowledge of influential women in debate and public speaking history too!