Sample Cross-Ex Ballot and Instructions for Judges
Directions to Loomis Chaffee
Loomis Chaffee Campus Map (PDF)
Greetings Fellow Debaters,
Please find above the invitation to Loomis Chaffee’s 35th Annual Debate Tournament to be held on January 15, 2017 (switch-side, cross-ex, policy resolution with a one-hour preparation period using a supplied packet of information). Details about the day and the style of debate are included in the invitation. Those who have been coming to our tournament in the past will recall that last year we made several modifications to the tournament while still preserving the style of debate. You should, therefore, read very carefully the invitation which outlines the format of this tournament (identical to last year – a change from all earlier years).
Briefly, our tournament will be, a cross-ex, switch side, policy debate, but where none of the participants will know the resolution prior to the day of the tournament. Shortly after the close of registration we will give out the resolution along with a 10 to 12 page research packet (given to each debater) to accompany that resolution. Debaters will have one hour to work together in teams (schools) in the dining hall to prepare their cases using the packet (but no other research materials of any kind) before the rounds of debate begin. Thus, teams have access to exactly the same information, so the debates will be assessing how well you can work with that information to produce & defend cogent, persuasive arguments on both sides of the issue. After the one hour preparation period, the debate competition will begin with each team debating both sides of the resolution. The first two rounds will be assigned (one round on each side) – for the third round the side will be decided in the room by coin flip.
We hope you share our enthusiasm for preserving this form of debate. We believe it will preserve some of the best features of the long tradition of DANEIS prepared cross-ex tournaments while eliminating the sometimes challenging research burden that was difficult for some in in mid-January. Full details on the day, as well as guidelines for judges, are included in the attached invitation.
Teams may enter up to two 4-person teams in each division (Advanced & Novice) and must supply a judge for each 4-person team entered. We ask that you reserve your spots in the tournament by January 8 (earlier if possible) and that you supply the names of your debaters by January 12 (earlier if possible). The cost for entering is $75 per four-person team – no additional charge for observers
Curt Robison, Advisor to the Debate Society
The Loomis Chaffee School
Windsor, CT 06095 (860 687 6122)
