What do you know about Forensics

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What do you know about Forensics
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What is forensics

• Competitive Public Speaking
• With performers from 16 categories
• Performing the same piece (in 15 categories) for
  two or three rounds
• It is competitive because you are judging them,
  the only one judging for that round

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The Pull of judging expectations, support
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Ten helpful Terms

• I will use each of these terms in the next two
  segments

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A day in the life of a forensic student

• Learning to cope with Pressure
• Learning to flirt
• Learning to deal with expectations
• Looking for some support

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A day in the life of a forensic judge

• Moving from Clueless to enjoyment
• Adjusting expectations
• Learning to Support

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If you want to see your own child, make it quick!
Believe me if something good happens they will
find you ... if something bad happens, they will
find a friend.
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Judging is about

• Two THINGS!
• Age appropriate expectations
• Fully engaged support

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Questions moving to the center

• Did you show that you value this performer?
• Do you want to ride home with a student who
  received these comments?
• Did your scores reflect the development
  expectations for a middle school student?
• Did you offer specific suggestions for
  development?
• Did you give three to six quality pieces of
  feedback?
• Did you tell them one thing they do well?

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• Were you objective enough?
• Did you allow your sympathy (or empathy) to
  overwhelm your scoring?
• Did you provide a realistic goal for achievement?
• Can any middle school student in a pressure
  situation live up to the feedback you gave?
• Could you do the things you suggest?
• Are your suggestions directed toward the true
  impact of the performance?

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There are three types of rounds you will judge

• Scoring
• Scoring/ranking
• Ranking only

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Scoring

• Scoring Only, you must only concern yourself with
  that person
• When you score ... Rubric

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Scoring/ranking

• In the Scoring/Ranking you must concern yourself
  with the performance AND how it relates to the
  other performances
• When you score and rank ... Use the Rubric and
  make sure that you have both in chronological
  order
• A student cannot get a higher score than someone
  with a lower rank

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Ranking only

• Ranking is the most subjective
• It is concerned only with who does the best job
  that round
• When you rank
• You use a ballot folder, keeping track as you
  go along
• I use tick marks with the first speaker being
  ranked first in the room. When the second speaker
  performs, they are either one or two, etc
• There are things really important to me that I
  always use to rank a power round

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An invitation to speak

• Suppose you are taking a public speaking class
  and I am your teacher. What would you expect
  from me?
• Wouldnt you expect me to be fair, reasonable,
  consistent, realistic, use positive language,
  prop up your emotions rather than destroying your
  self worth?

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There are principles for judging

• Expectations
• Never hold them to a standard you dont want to
  live up to as a speaker
• Impact, not perfection
• Creating atmosphere
• It dehumanizes a performance to expect perfection
  with words
• Be consistent
• Be realistic

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Support

• ALWAYS STATE SPECIFIC REASONS.
• Use the range of scoring
• Know the rules of the category ... and enforce
  the rules ...
• Your opinion about the rules or category are not
  important

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Scoring

• Dont question a students work ethic
• Make the comments match the score
• Three comments are required for great
  performances
• More are required for less satisfactory
  performances
• If you feel they earn a 28" ... you need to tell
  them why, every detail!!!!!
• Use supportive language

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Supportive Language

• Let your volume match the mood is better than
  Way Too LOUD
• Work at vocal energy is better than You are
  boring
• Avoid generalities
• Great job is too general ...
• try ... I loved your emotion ...
• or ... powerful choice of words ...
• or ... great smile
• AND NEVER GIVE ORAL COMMENTS
• Keep the rounds moving

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The Categories
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DEMONSTRATION

• WRITE TO EXPLAIN AND SHOW HOW TO DO A SKILL OR
  MAKE SOMETHING USEFUL
• 6-12 MINUTES
• 1-2 EQUAL PARTS
• ONE 4x6 NOTE CARD WITH SEVERAL VISUALS

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Group Acting

• 2-7 Performers
• Acting out a script with characters, plot, and
  staging

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GROUP INTERP

• ACT A PROFESSIONALLY WRITTEN SCENE WITH FOCUS ON
  GROUP INTERACTION
• 6-12 MINUTES
• 2-7 PEOPLE WITH EQUAL PARTS
• MANUSCRIPT REQUIRED, CANNOT BE MEMORIZED

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HUMOROUS SOLO

• HUMOROUS ACTING OF A PROFESSIONALLY WRITTEN SCENE
• 4-8 MINUTES
• CHOOSE YOUR OWN PIECE
• MUST BE MEMORIZED

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IMPROMPTU

• TAKE TWO MINUTES TO PREPARE A SPEECH AND SPEAK
  FOR 3-4 MINUTES
• 2 MINUTES TO PLAN, 4 MINUTES TO SPEAK
• NEW TOPIC EACH ROUND
• 4x6 NOTE CARDS

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INFOMERCIAL

• WRITE AND PRESENT A TV STYLE COMMERCIAL TO SELL
  YOUR OWN INVENTION, SERVICE OR PRODUCT
• 3-6 MINUTES, INCLUDING SET UP AND TAKE DOWN
• 1-2 PEOPLE WITH EQUAL PARTS
• ONE 4x6 CARD, VISUAL AID, AND ATTIRE APPROPRIATE
  FOR PRESENTATION

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INFORMATIVE

• WRITE A SPEECH TO INFORM THE AUDIENCE ABOUT A
  TOPIC THAT INTERESTS YOU
• 2-4 MINUTES
• WRITE YOUR OWN SPEECH
• ONE 4x6 NOTE CARD ALLOWED OR MEMORIZED

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MOMENTS IN HISTORY

• RESEARCH AND WRITE AN INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION ON
  A TOPIC FROM THE 1960S
• 3-6 MINUTES
• ONE 4x6 NOTE CARD AND ONE VISUAL BOARD
• CHOOSE YOUR OWN TOPIC FROM THE DESIGNATED DECADE

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News Reporting

• Simulation of a news cast
• Remember that they are not professional
  broadcasters
• Must present four parts of the news news,
  weather, sports, editorial

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NON-ORIGINAL

• INTERPRET AN INSPIRATIONAL OR PERSUASIVE SPEECH
  GIVEN BY SOMEONE ELSE IN THE PAST
• 4-8 MINUTES
• CHOOSE YOUR OWN SPEECH
• MANUSCRIPT ALLOWED

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POETRY

• INTERPRET POEM(S) WITH A COMMON THEME
• 4-8 MINUTES
• CHOOSE YOUR OWN POEMS
• MANUSCRIPT REQUIRED-CANNOT BE MEMORIZED

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PERSUASIVE

• WRITE A SPEECH TO PERSUADE YOUR AUDIENCE TO YOUR
  WAY OF THINKING
• 4-7 MINUTES
• WRITE YOUR OWN SPEECH
• 4x6 NOTE CARDS ALLOWED

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PROSE

• INTERPRET A SHORT STORY OR A CHAPTER FROM A BOOK
• 4-8 MINUTES
• CHOOSE YOUR OWN STORY
• MANUSCRIPT REQUIRED-CANNOT BE MEMORIZED

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STORYTELLING

• MAKE YOUR FAVORTE STORY COME ALIVE IN THE MIND OF
  THE LISTENER
• 4-8 MINUTES
• CHOOSE YOUR OWN STORY

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SERIOUS SOLO

• SERIOUS ACTING OF A PROFESSIONALLY WRITTEN SCENE
• 4-8 MINUTES
• CHOOSE YOUR OWN PIECE
• MUST BE MEMORIZED

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SPECIAL EVENTS

• Creative! Creative! Creative!
• 1-3 Performers
• Write a speech for a special event
• Vacation blog, salute a hero, Entertainment
  review, news event coverage (real or imaginary)
  Gossip! Gossip! Gossip! (gossip show reporting)

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Rules

• TIME
• If it seems like someone could have a competitive
  advantage, check the rules
• Memorized categories must be memorized!!
• Nonmemorized categories must be read!!
• Props or costumes not allowed in any category
  but Special Events
• Difference between acting and moving

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Rules for categories

• Read them before judging
• Ive written much of the rules and I still go
  back and look