Invitation
Warm Up Rooms- HERE
Internet is: "Pioneer WIFI"
Extemp Prep: Room 4190
Coaches'/Judges' Lounge: 2274
Student Lounge: 2265 (After 3pm on Friday)
Tab Room: 3190 (Tab Staff Only)
Coaches Meeting: Friday, March 1st 2:15-3:00 in room 4190
On behalf of the IIFA board, I invite you to join us at the 2024 Illinois Intercollegiate Forensic Association State Tournament. This year, the tournament will be held on two weekends: (1) IPDA & Parli on Feb 23-24 ONLINE (2) IE on March 1-2 LIVE AT Prairie State College.
In 2019, we added judge "conflict of interest forms" and swapped groups for poetry and site/ads.
Judges may be hired for $15.00 per slot not covered by a judge (new for 2024)
If you have questions, don't hesitate to contact Paul, since he will be the Tournament Director.
This year, we will again be using forensicstournament.net to run the tournament, so you should make your entry before 5 pm on Tuesday of each week. You can make drops and substitutions until 5 PM Wednesday of each week. After 5 PM Wednesday, please get in touch with Paul by text or cell phone (618-525-2749). If you leave a message, do not assume we have the change unless you get a confirmation.
One final reminder: if you wish to utilize a non-degreed judge, please complete the Non-Degreed Judge Request. If you know folks who want to be hired to judge, they can fill out the Hired Judge Form. These forms must be submitted by Monday of tournament week to be considered. We need hired judges, even if they can only do a round or two.
As we do every year, the IIFA board is looking forward to the pleasure of your company at the state tournament. With your help, we can continue to maintain the high standards of excellence for which Illinois forensics is known and respected.
Respectfully,
Paul Cummins
paul.cummins@sic.edu
618-525-2749 cell
Executive Director, IIFA
General Tournament Information
ELIGIBILITY/ENTRY RESTRICTIONS
Any regularly enrolled undergraduate student who has not already competed in four IIFA state tournaments and who has never judged at an IIFA state tournament is eligible to enter as many as six events; however, the participant may not enter more than two events in Groups A, B, and C (two Duos count as two events) and one event in Group D.
For years when Debate and IE are on separate weekends, IPDA students may enter 2 additional A events. Please note, however, that the general restriction of entering no more than six events in total is still in effect.
If a community college student competes in their fifth semester (or 3rd state tournament), they are not eligible for the two-year finals.
NOVICE- For the purposes of top novice, a "novice" is any student in their first two semesters of college competition. The top NON-ADVANCING novice in each event will be recognized.
A STE/ADS*, Informative, Drama Interp, & IPDA
In a traditional year (all events on a single weekend), IPDA is in the A grouping and students in IPDA may not enter any other events in the A group. Since in 2024 IPDA will take place the weekend before the individual events portion of the tournament, this rule is being suspended. IPDA students may thus enter 2 additional A events.
B Prose, Communication Analysis/Rhet Crit, Poetry* & Impromptu
C Duo Interp, Oral Interp, Oratory & Extemp
D Readers' Theatre & Parli Debate
Policies and Guidelines affecting entering a single student in debate (Hybrid and Maverick)
It is the preference of IIFA that all Parliamentary debate teams entered in the tournament be made up of two students from the same school. However, recognizing that situations do arise where a school could have a single student (or an odd number of students) wishing to do debate and wanting to extend the educational benefit of forensics to the greatest number of students, IIFA will allow entries of a single student, under the following conditions and subject to the following rules and guidelines:
1. A single student entry counts as one of the four allowed entries in parli, so these provisions are only available to schools entering less than four full teams into the tournament.
a) As schools are expected to create as many teams as possible from their own debaters, teams may only enter one student as a designated solo entry, and that entry will be subject to all of the following guidelines.
b) Coaches are expected to make every effort to field complete two-person teams from within the members of their own squad.
c) If, after exhausting all possible options, a school still has an odd debater, that student may still compete in the tournament, subject to the following:
2. If coaches cannot find a partner for a student from within their own squad, they should then make every effort to form a hybrid team with another school. Hybrid debate teams will be allowed, subject to the following terms and conditions:
- A school can only be a part of one hybrid team.
- Sweepstakes points earned, if any, are split equally between the two schools represented.
- Hybrid teams will only meet another team from the “home school” of either of the hybrid members if necessary. (This would be done before two full teams from the same school would meet).
- If either school making up a hybrid team is a 4-year school, the team will be considered a 4-year entry in determining breaking and sweepstakes points.
3. Hybrid teams created by coaches must be entered in the tournament prior to the entry deadline.
4. If, after exhausting all possible options, coaches cannot find a partner either on their own squad or through the coach-created hybrid option, the school may enter the one student as a solo entry, and must do so before the entry deadline. The tournament director will form hybrid teams from all single student entries, following this procedure:
- as many hybrid teams as possible will be created by random draw from among the students entered as solo entries
- after all possible hybrid teams have been created, the remaining student will be allowed to compete as a maverick entry.
- the tournament director will notify the affected schools of the results of the random pairing as soon as possible, but no specific timeline is guaranteed.
- after a school is notified of the results of the draw, they may opt to withdraw their student from the tournament, but may in no other way affect the results of the draw.
- if student(s) are withdrawn, the tournament director will recreate hybrid teams as necessary, in a manner deemed appropriate by the Director, in consultation with the tournament staff.
- in no case will more than one maverick entry be allowed in the tournament.
- for purposes of scheduling, a maverick entry will be considered an entry of the one school
- hybrid teams created by the tournament staff will be subjected to the rules and restrictions noted above for coach-created hybrid teams (and those rules will apply across all hybrid teams, regardless of how they were created).
Nothing in these procedures or guidelines will be deemed to allow the creation of any maverick entries as a result of a debater being left without a partner due to the partner withdrawing from the tournament for any reason. Should a partner be forced to withdraw unexpectedly from any debate team at any time, the IIFA Board will determine whether the remaining partner will be repaired with someone else, allowed to compete as a maverick, or removed from the tournament.
Flex Time
The Speaking Format:
Prime Minister (Government) - 7 minute Constructive
Opposition Flex Time - 2 minutes
Leader of the Opposition - 8 minute Constructive
Government Flex Time - 2 minutes
Member of the Government - 8 minute Constructive
Opposition Flex Time - 1 minute
Member of the Opposition- 8 minute Constructive
Leader of the Opposition - 4 minute Rebuttal
Government Flex Time - 1 minute
Prime Minister - 5 minute
Flex time may be used by the controlling team to prepare arguments, talk to their partner, drink water, button up suit coats set up stands, shuffle papers, ask questions of their opponents, etc. Flex Time may not be used as additional speech time. Flex time begins immediately at the end of the previous speech. Speakers are expected to immediately start their presentation when Flex Time is over.
ENTRY SUBMISSION
Final entries must be received by 5:00 pm on Tuesday of tournament week. Entries for all events will be through FTN.
CHANGES IN ENTRY
Schools may drop/substitute slots without penalty until 5:00 PM on Wednesday. After that time, change and drop fees will apply. After 5 PM Wednesday, you should contact Vance Pierce. Do not assume we have a change unless you get a confirmation.
TOURNAMENT FEES
The following fees will be charged for participation in the tournament:
a) The entry fee for all events except Oratory, IPDA, and Parliamentary Debate will be $10.00 (new 2024) for each slot entered.
b) The entry fee for Oratory will be $12.00 for each slot entered (new for 2024)
c) The entry fee for Parliamentary Debate and IPDA will be $25 for each slot entered. Each school that is part of a hybrid parli team will be charged $13.
d) A $25.00 IIFA membership fee will be charged to each school.
e) A drop fee of $5.00 per slot will be assessed after 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday
f) Drops made after the start of registration will cost $50.00 per slot.
g) A $50 nuisance fee will be assessed for judge drops after 5:00 p.m. on Thursday.
h) A $100 nuisance fee for judge drops at registration will be assessed.
i) Entry fees for student-run programs and programs in their first year will be waived. Judge fees will apply (new 2024).
Make checks payable to IIFA.
Checks made payable to anyone else may not be accepted.
JUDGING REQUIREMENTS
Schools must provide one judge for every six (6) slots entered in all events other than debate.
Judges may be hired for $15.00 per slot not covered by a judge (new for 2024)
No undergraduate judges ‑‑ degreed judges only! (except with permission of the tournament staff). Please fill out the form.
All schools that enter parli and IPDA slots are required to provide enough debate-qualified judges to cover their slots (1 judge minimum for 2 slots or less, 2 judges minimum for more than 2 slots). Schools that wish to enter debaters but do not provide the required number of judges for debate will not be allowed to compete in debate. Schools that drop previously submitted judges may also be required by the tournament staff to drop some or all of their debate entries (unless a substitute judge is provided by the school in question). Judges listed as "debate judges" can also be listed as "full-time individual event judges" relative to the covering of non-debate I.E. slots if they are available and willing to judge during all Flight A, Flight B, and Flight C rounds, in addition to judging Parli debate rounds (debate judges who are only available for some rounds in Flight A, B and/or C may be listed as a “half-judge”).
Regarding IPDA judging: A judge cannot be considered a full-time IE judge AND a full-time IPDA judge. A judge who wishes to cover IE and IPDA can at most be a 1/3 IE judge and IPDA judge. THIS RULE IS SUSPENDED FOR 2023
ALL DEBATE JUDGES MUST REMAIN TO JUDGE AT LEAST ONE ROUND PAST THE ELIMINATION OF THEIR LAST TEAM. ALL I.T. JUDGES MUST BE AVAILABLE TO JUDGE THE FINAL ROUND.
Everything possible will be done to balance judging assignments.
If possible, Oratory will have two judges each round. If this is possible, the low rank and rate will be dropped.
Unless other arrangements are made at the time of entry, ALL judges are required to stay at least until the start of the last final ie round. Any judge may be scheduled to judge one or both ie final rounds. No ballot packets will be released prior to the end of the tournament.
Preliminary rounds will be open competition, randomly paired. Competitors from the same school may be scheduled to meet each other in preliminary and/or elimination rounds (if scheduled) if the tournament staff determines that such intra-school competition is required in order to facilitate optimal efficiency and fairness in the scheduling of the tournament (for example, in order to avoid the scheduling of an undue number of "byes"). Brackets will not be broken in debate.
In all events except Interpreters’ Theatre, the six participants (2 in debate) with the best record will advance to the "open division" final round, and the six (2 in debate) two year college participants with the best rankings that have not advanced into open division elimination rounds will advance to the two-year college division finals. Standard tiebreakers will be used
In all events except Interpreters’ Theatre and Parliamentary Debate, if a semi‑final round is necessary (60 or more total preliminary entries in those events) the semi‑final will be held prior to separating into open and two-year college divisions. If there is an insufficient number of two-year college semi‑final breaks to make up a two-year college division final panel, the next highest preliminary rankings will be advanced.
IPDA and Parliamentary Debate
Scheduling of elimination rounds in debate will be left to the tournament director’s discretion. An attempt will be made to advance all winning records. This may result in full or partial quarter finals or super quarter finals if necessary. Subsequent to quarter finals (if any) an open semi final will be held. The winners of the semi-finals will advance to the open final.
In Parliamentary debate, the two teams from 2-year schools with the best records in the preliminary rounds who did not advance to the open elimination rounds will compete in the 2-year final. A team from a 2-year school who competes in the open elimination rounds is not eligible for the 2-year final.
In IPDA, we will hold semi finals in both open and 2-year divisions, regardless of whether quarter finals were held A student from a 2-year school who competes in the open elimination rounds will not be eligible for the 2-year semi final.
In Interpreters’ Theatre there will be one final round, open to all entries competing in the event. The three Readers’ Theaters with the best ranks will advance to the final round.
In final rounds, ties on ranks will be broken based on speaker/rating points. If ties still exist, they will be broken on judges’ preference. If ties still exist, they will be broken on preliminary round results.
Sweepstakes
Sweepstakes for all divisions will be based on appropriate elimination rounds only. Sweepstakes points earned in the two-year college division will not count in the open division. However, sweepstakes points earned in the open division by a two-year college participant will count in the two-year college division. The following point allocation will be used:
For all events, except RT, IPDA, and Parli Debate:
Two-Year Division Open Division
1st place 6 17
2nd place 5 15
3rd place 4 13
4th place 3 11
5th place 2 9
6th place 1 7
For Parli Debate:
Two Year Division Open Division
1st place 6 17
2nd place 5 15
Open Semi-Finals 4 13
Quarter Finals 2 9
Octo Finals. 1 7
For IPDA:
1st place 6 17
2nd place 5 15
Semi-Finals 4 13
Quarter-Finals 2 9
Octo Finals. 1 7
For RT:
1st place: 6
2nd place: 5
3rd place: 4
Awards
Awards will be presented to all participants in final rounds (or semifinals):
The top 6 two-year IPDA debate speakers
The top 6 four-year IPDA debate speakers
The top 6 two-year PD debate speakers
The top 6 four-year PD debate speakers
The top 5 two-year individual events speakers (all earned IE points)
The top 5 four-year individuals events speakers (all earned OPEN IE points)
The 5 teams accumulating the largest number of OPEN sweepstakes points.
The 5 two-year teams accumulating the largest number of sweepstakes points.
*It is possible for a two year college to place in both divisions; however, a university or "4‑year college" can only place in the open division.
The "Richard Paine Debate Sweepstakes Award" shall be awarded to the three 4-Year teams with the most points (open) in Parliamentary Debate and International Public Debate (IPDA)
The 2-year Debate Sweepstakes award shall be awarded to the three 2-Year teams with the most points (open & 2-year) in Parliamentary Debate and International Public Debate (IPDA)
The "Judy Santacaterina Individual Events Sweepstakes Award" shall be awarded to the three 4-Year teams with the most points in Individual Events
The 2-year Individual Events Sweepstakes award shall be awarded to the three 2-Year teams with the most points (open & 2-year) in Individual Events
To be eligible for individual sweepstakes, a contestant must be entered in a minimum of four events to qualify. Each student’s “best four” events will be counted toward this award. The winners will be determined by the largest number of sweepstakes points earned for their team in final rounds only.
Only the open division final round of Oratory will determine the two representatives to the Interstate Oratorical Contest.
The tournament committee will set up tab room procedures and determine tie‑breaking priorities. This year the tournament committee will consist of the following: Kacy Ablen, Jeff Przybylo, Paul Cummins, Judy Santacaterina, Richard Paine, and Vance Pierce.
Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), Titles I and II of the ADA of 1990, and Sections 503 & 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Illinois Intercollegiate Forensic Association and the IIFA State Tournament will not discriminate against any competitor, judge, or student because of a physical or mental impairment. Every effort will be made to assure reasonable accommodation.
In order to do so, IIFA requests that you report any impairment that may impact the participation of any of your competitors or judges in the tournament when you make your entry, so that accommodations may be planned/provided in advance.
EVENT RULES
General Notes:
· Schools are responsible for ensuring that their judges are knowledgeable of current tournament rules and procedures.
· Interpretive programs and public address entries should not have been used in forensics competition by the student prior to September 1, 2021.
· Unless audience reaction so hinders, all competitors are expected to adhere closely to the stated time limits. Serious violations of the time limit should negatively affect the violator's ranking.
· The extemp prep room is off limits to anyone who is not competing in the immediate extemp round.
- If a community college student is competing in their fifth semester (or 3rd state tournament) the student is not eligible for the two-year finals.
GROUP A EVENTS
Speech To Entertain/After Dinner Speaking: Each speaker must present an original speech which has the purpose to subtly instruct, prescribe, inform, or persuade within the guise of humor. MAXIMUM TIME: 10 minutes
Informative: Each speaker will present an original oration which has the purpose of clarifying, defining, describing, and/or explaining a significant object, idea, concept or process. Audio/visual aids may be used as long as they do not interfere with the speaker's ability to communicate. MAXIMUM TIME: 10 minutes.
Dramatic Interp: Contestants must present a program consisting of one or more cuttings from a play, teleplay, or screenplay, featuring either monologue or dialogue. If more than one selection is used, the selections should be linked by a central theme. All programs should have an appropriate introduction. MAXIMUM TIME: 10 minutes.
GROUP B EVENTS
Poetry: Each contestant must present a program of one or more selections of poetry by an author from any period. If two or more selections are used, they should be developed around a central theme. All programs should be presented with the appropriate introduction and, where necessary, transitions. MAXIMUM TIME: 10 minutes.
Communication Analysis: Each contestant will present an oration which employs rhetorical principles to provide insight into a single speech, a single speaker, the rhetoric of a movement, or any other legitimate communication event. MAXIMUM TIME: 10 minutes.
Prose: Contestants must present a program of one or more selections from a short story or novel. All programs should include an appropriate introduction. If the program consists of multiple selections, a central theme should be used along with, where necessary, appropriate transitions. MAXIMUM TIME: 10 minutes.
Impromptu: Each speaker will present a spontaneous oration based upon a choice of three philosophical topics drawn (words, phrases, and/or quotations). Some rounds may use nontraditional prompts. Each speaker will have a total of 7 minutes total to both prepare and speak. Judges must provide oral time signals prior to speaking and nonverbal signals once the oration has begun.
2024- All rounds will be quotations
GROUP C EVENTS
Duo Interp: Each pair will present a cutting from a play, screen play, teleplay, or dramatic treatment of another literary form which realistically lends itself to a dramatic construction involving the portrayal of two or more characters. The selection may be humorous or serious. Appropriate introductions are expected. Since this is an interpretive event, presentation is from manuscript, and the focus is primarily offstage. No props or special effects are to be used. MAXIMUM TIME: 10 minutes.
Oratory: A speaker must present an original oration that has the purpose of convincing or stimulating/actuating the audience in regard to a significant national or international issue. MAXIMUM TIME: 10 minutes.
Oral Interp: Contestants must present a program consisting of two or more different forms of literature (prose, poetry, and/or drama). All programs must have appropriate introductions and, where necessary, transitions. MAXIMUM TIME: 10 minutes.
Extemporaneous: Each contestant will be given his/her choice of three topics drawn thirty minutes prior to speaking. Topics will concern national and international events. MAXIMUM TIME: 7 minutes (Judges provide time signals!). 2024 Round 1 Domestic, Round 2 International, Round 3 Economic and Finals one of each.
GROUP D EVENTS
Interpreters' Theatre: A group of oral readers, who act as a medium of expression for an audience, will engage in the interpretation, from the printed page, of literature in any of its forms (prose, poetry, and/or drama). Each school may enter three teams of 3‑12 interpers, but no competitor may enter more than one I.T. Only a room will be supplied by the host school.MAXIMUM TIME: 25 minutes.
Parliamentary Debate:
Each team shall consist of two people prepared to debate for either the Government or the Opposition.
Three resolutions shall be presented to the opposition at the start of the round. One of those topics will be struck by the opposition. The government will select the resolution for the round from the remaining two resolutions. After topic strikes, the debate proposition shall be announced by the judge in the room at the beginning of the round time.
Each team shall be allotted fifteen (15) minutes total preparation time for the debate. The preparation time shall begin after the judge has announced the topic in the room. Either team may leave the room during the preparation period.
The speaking format shall be:
The Speaking Format:
Prime Minister (Government) - 7 minute Constructive
Opposition Flex Time - 2 minutes
Leader of the Opposition - 8 minute Constructive
Government Flex Time - 2 minutes
Member of the Government - 8 minute Constructive
Opposition Flex Time - 1 minute
Member of the Opposition- 8 minute Constructive
Leader of the Opposition - 4 minute Rebuttal
Government Flex Time - 1 minute
Prime Minister - 5 minute
Flex time may be used by the controlling team to prepare arguments, talk to their partner, drink water, button up suit coats set up stands, shuffle papers, ask questions of their opponents, etc. Flex Time may not be used as additional speech time. Flex time begins immediately at the end of the previous speech. Speakers are expected to immediately start their presentation when Flex Time is over.
People not involved in the specific debate round may take notes as long as the note taker has the permission of the contestants.
Judges should not disclose decisions and there will be no warm room.
Debaters will not be allowed to consult any other person during prep time. They will be allowed paper and/or electronic research material, which may be quoted or paraphrased from notes during the round, but not read directly, as extemporaneous delivery is required.
IPDA (International Public Debate Association)
a. Topics will be announced in-round with 5 topics (2 value, 2 policy, 1 metaphor) provided for strikes. Negative strikes first, and then turns are taken until one topic remains.
b. Debaters will not be allowed to consult any other person during prep time. Per IPDA rules, they will be allowed paper and/or electronic research material, which may be quoted or paraphrased from notes during the round, but not read directly, as extemporaneous delivery is required.
c. Time limits
Affirmative Constructive 5 minutes
Cross Examination 2 minutes
Negative Constructive 6 minutes
Cross Examination 2 minutes
First Affirmative Rebuttal 3 minutes
First Negative Rebuttal 5 minutes
Second Affirmative Rebuttal 3 minutes
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