by Patrick McDonald | Dec 7, 2022 | Speaking, Technique
I have said elsewhere that one of the cardinal rules of forensics is to “never assume that the judge knows everything you do about a topic.” This is an essential rule because being on the same page with your judge is a prerequisite to persuading or informing them. If...
by Patrick McDonald | Nov 3, 2022 | NCFCA, Team Policy
Note: I’ll be taking NCFCA as my subject for this article because that is where my experience lies. I assume that many of these points will also apply to Stoa, but that is for Stoa-ers (Stoics?) to decide. For the first four years of my exposure to speech and debate,...
by Patrick McDonald | Sep 26, 2022 | Platform, Speech Events
A lighthouse (left) on the coast of Osaka Bay, Japan (bottom) stands ready to light the way for ships traveling in the dark of night. Disclaimer: I have begun writing this article from the refuge of my college dorm room while noted almost-poet Gwen Stefani’s Hollaback...
by Patrick McDonald | May 20, 2022 | From Intermediate to Advanced, Soapbox, Speaking, Technique
Now I’ve done it. If I was “rough around the edges” before, I’m practically Ebeneezer Scrooge now—and that’s before the ghosts paid him a visit. But hear me out on this one. My Problem With The Question™ “How are you doing...
by Patrick McDonald | Apr 9, 2022 | Team Policy
Well, it’s that time of year again: NCFCA has just released the potential resolutions for next year’s competition. This announcement seems to have released a wave of frustration and disappointment. But that isn’t surprising. Having experienced this wave several times,...
