here - College of Arts & Sciences - Bethel University

7. Clash is the heart of debate. Teams should establish their approach to the topic,
advance their arguments, and thoroughly refute those of the other team. In rebuttals,
debaters should trace the evolution of the most important arguments, showing why their
approach prevails.
8. I do not wish to observe and judge ‘critical/performance styles’ of debate.
Dilley, Benita
Monmouth College
Background of the critic:
I am currently the faculty advisor for a club based debate and forensics program at
Monmouth College, a selective admission small liberal arts college in rural southern
Illinois The team is self-coached, managed, and raises all of its own money to compete
in tournaments. Because participation in debate and forensics in helping to prepare me
for professional life, I couldn't stand by and allow students that had raised their own
funds and prepared for tournaments be told they couldn't attend or travel, just because
they didn't have a faculty member to travel with them. So I go along . . .as a volunteer.
I competed in NDT debate in College and served as a professional NDT coach until 1992
for the University of Iowa. I also spent many years working professionally in politics, so
have participated in many "real world" public policy, fact and value debates. I teach
argument, speech and various forms of communication and hold a doctorate in rhetoric
and political communication from the University of Iowa. I have taught at Monmouth
College, Iowa, University of Colorado and at Yale. While I participated and coached in
NDT debate for many years, I love the higher standards of eloquence and civility
exemplified in the parliamentary debate rounds I have seen and judged, but I am not an
expert on the rules or procedures of parliamentary debate.
Approach of the critic to decision-making (for example, adherence to the trichotomy,
stock-issues, policymaker, tabula rasa, etc.):
As a judge I see myself as a supportive educator, assigned to evaluate the effectiveness of
the arguments presented. Quality of argument and the support offered is important, but
so to are the standards of very clear organization (I love sign posts and tag lines), clarity
of synthesis in final speeches (discussion of the relationship of voting issues), eloquence
and humor/fun in the round I hope to always be fair but carry with me years of
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