International Public Debate Association
The International Public Debate Association (IPDA), inaugurated on 15 February 1997 at St. Mary's University, Texas in San Antonio, is a national debate league currently active in the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Kansas, Alabama, California, Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Florida, Georgia, and Oklahoma. The central focus of IPDA is to promote a debate format that emphasizes public speaking and real-world persuasion skills over the use of evidence and speed. To further this goal, IPDA predominantly uses lay judges in order to encourage an audience-centered debate style.¹ While most member programs within the International Public Debate Association are associated with colleges or universities, participation in IPDA tournaments is open to anyone whose education level is equivalent to secondary school or higher.²
Format
Individual Debate
IPDA primarily utilizes a one-on-one, or individual, debate format in which one debater takes the side of the affirmative where they have the burden of advocating and proving the resolution. The other debater takes the side of the negative where they have the burden of refuting the affirmative's case. For each round, the two debaters are given five possible resolutions. The negative begins the topic selection by striking one resolution, then the affirmative strikes one resolution. The negative strikes again. Thus, the affirmative has two resolutions to choose from. The affirmative then strikes one of the remaining resolutions, selecting the other as the topic for the round. After the topic has been selected, both debaters have thirty minutes to prepare a case.
The round itself has a maximum length of 26 minutes, divided as follows:
- Affirmative constructive speech (5 minutes)
- Negative cross-examination of affirmative (2 minutes)
- Negative constructive speech (6 minutes)
- Affirmative cross-examination of negative (2 minutes)
- Affirmative rebuttal (3 minutes)
- Negative rebuttal and summary (5 minutes)
- Affirmative summary (3 minutes)[1]
Team Debate
IPDA also offers a team format of public debate. The team format consists of 2 teams made up of 4 debaters, 2 representing each school, with one team representing the Affirmative and the other representing the Negative. Each debater will speak a maximum of 2 speeches each round, usually according to their speaker order determined by the team themselves, numbered as First and Second.
A team round itself has a length of 40 minutes and is divided as follows:
- First Affirmative constructive speech (4 minutes)
- First Negative cross-examination of Affirmative team (2 minutes)
- First Negative constructive speech (5 minutes)
- First Affirmative cross-examination of Negative team (2 minutes)
- Second Affirmative constructive speech (5 minutes)
- Second Negative cross-examination of Affirmative team (2 minutes)
- Second Negative constructive speech (4 minutes)
- Second Affirmative cross-examination of Negative team (2 minutes)
- First Negative rebuttal speech (3 minutes)
- First Affirmative rebuttal speech (4 minutes)
- Second Negative rebuttal speech (4 minutes)
- Second Affirmative rebuttal speech (3 minutes)[2]
Divisions
Most IPDA tournaments offer four divisions of competition. The Novice division is open to any person without a bachelor's degree who has competed in less than 8 debate tournaments in their entire life. The Junior Varsity division consists of students without a bachelor's degree and those that have either competed in the maximum number of Novice tournaments available to them (8) OR if they have competed in 16 debate tournaments in any capacity at the collegiate level in any combination. The Varsity division is open to any person without a bachelor's degree and those that have not competed within the division for more than 10 semesters. The Professional division has no restrictions on participation and includes participants who are undergraduates, graduate students, professors, coaches, and professionals. As of the 2009 Convention, the Open division has been renamed the Professional division.
Tournaments and Schools
IPDA tournaments are held approximately every other weekend from late September until early April. Some of the schools that host tournaments on an annual basis include the University of Arkansas at Monticello, Arkansas Tech University, The University of Southern Mississippi, Bowling Green State University of Ohio, Union University, the University of Central Arkansas, Louisiana State University at Shreveport, East Texas Baptist University, Lee College, Tulsa Community College, and Mississippi College . Other schools that actively compete in IPDA but do not currently host a tournament are Tulane University, Louisiana College, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Louisiana Tech University, the University of Texas at Tyler, the College of Southern Idaho, St. Mary's University, Texas, Arkansas State University, and the University of Tennessee.
More recently, IPDA has spread to various parts of the nation, including the Northwest, West Coast, and Northeast parts of the United States. Many tournaments in the Northwest Forensics Conference now sponsor IPDA divisions, including Linfield College, Oregon State, Mt. Hood Community College and Clark College. States such as Georgia, New York, West Virginia, and Kansas will also host tournaments that include IPDA events during the 2015-2016 season.
Typical IPDA tournaments last two or three days, usually having six preliminary rounds and three or four elimination rounds per division, depending on the number of competitors.The tournaments that host Team IPDA events and/or individual events typically have four to five preliminary team rounds and two to three elimination rounds.
Speaker points are awarded during each round of a tournament. These speaker points are given to competitors by the judge and are determined based upon certain aspects within the round that each competitor would typically have, including organization, refutation, courtesy, delivery, tone, and logic. These speaker points are then added up, with the top 5 speakers from each division being recognized at the end of the tournament. Points are then awarded for each speaker based upon their position.
The culminating event for the IPDA season is the annual National Championship Tournament & Convention. The National Championship Tournament features eight preliminary rounds and at least four elimination rounds for individual competition and four preliminary rounds and at least three elimination rounds for Team IPDA. The final round for either the Professional division or the Varsity division takes place at an awards banquet, where season-long sweepstakes awards are presented in addition to tournament awards.
National Championships
National Champions are crowned at the conclusion of the National Championship tournament, most often held in April. Each division crowns three National Champions per year. One is designated the Season-long Champion; while one is designated as the National Tournament Champion. Newly added at the end of the 2014-2015 IPDA season, the top speakers for each division will be awarded and given recognition for being the one who earns the most cumulative points throughout the season. All three winners are referred to as "National Champion."
Founder's Award
The Founder's Award is given annually to the school that earns the most amount of points in individual debate events throughout the year. The top 6 scores for each school are calculated, with the scores being derived from tournament performance throughout the regular season.[3]
- 2015-2016 Union University
- 2014-2015 Union University
- 2013-2014 Union University
- 2012-2013 Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2011-2012 Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2010-2011 Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2009-2010 Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2008-2009 Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2007-2008 University of Arkansas at Monticello
- 2006-2007 Louisiana Tech University
- 2005-2006 Louisiana Tech University
- 2004-2005 University of Arkansas
- 2003-2004 Louisiana Tech University
- 2002-2003 Stephen F. Austin State University
Professional Program Season Long Award
The Professional Program Season Long Award is give annually to the school who has the most amount of points in the Professional division.
- 2015-2016 Union University
- 2014-2015 Union University
- 2013-2014 Union University
- 2012-2013 Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2011-2012 Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2010-2011 Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2009-2010 Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2008-2009 Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2007-2008 Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2006-2007 Louisiana Tech University
- 2005-2006 Stephen F. Austin State University
- 2004-2005 University of Arkansas
- 2003-2004 University of Arkansas
- 2002-2003 Stephen F. Austin State University
- 2001-2002 Stephen F. Austin State University
- 2000-2001 Central Missouri State University
- 1999-2000 St. Mary's University, Texas
- 1998-1999 University of Texas at Tyler
- 1997-1998 University of Texas at Tyler
Scholastic Award
The Scholastic Award is given annually to the school who has the most amount of points in the Novice and Varsity divisions. Newly added in the 2015-2016 season, the Junior Varsity division will also be calculated in correlation with the Novice and Varsity divisions when determining a Scholastic Award winner.
- 2014-2015 Union University
- 2013-2014 Union University
- 2012-2013 Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2011-2012 Union University
- 2010-2011 Union University
Varsity Program Season Long Award
The Varsity Program Season Long Award is given annually to the school who has the most amount of points in the Varsity division.
- 2015-2016 University of Arkansas at Monticello
- 2014-2015 Whitworth University
- 2013-2014 Union University
- 2012-2013 Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2011-2012 Union University
- 2010-2011 Union University
- 2009-2010 Union University
- 2008-2009 University of Arkansas at Monticello
- 2007-2008 University of Arkansas at Monticello
- 2006-2007 University of Arkansas at Monticello
- 2005-2006 Louisiana Tech University
- 2004-2005 Stephen F. Austin State University
- 2003-2004 Stephen F. Austin State University
- 2002-2003 Stephen F. Austin State University
- 2001-2002 Stephen F. Austin State University
Professional (formerly Open) Division
National Season Long Champion (Daniel Webster Award)
- 2015-2016 Chris Brown University of Arkansas at Monticello
- 2014-2015 Allison Pulliam Union University
- 2013-2014 Chris Brown University of Arkansas at Monticello
- 2012-2013 Tim Sears Sam Houston State University
- 2011-2012 Adam Key Sam Houston State University
- 2010-2011 Adam Key Sam Houston State University
- 2009-2010 Mark Lowery University of Central Arkansas
- 2008-2009 Robbie Reeves Tulane University
- 2007-2008 Keith Milstead Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2006-2007 Keith Milstead Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2005-2006 Trey Gibson Louisiana Tech University
- 2004-2005 Keith Milstead Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2003-2004 A.J. Edwards Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2002-2003 Mike Cruz St. Mary's University
- 2001-2002 Jamie Wells St. Mary's University
- 2000-2001 Sean Williams Central Missouri State University
- 1999-2000 Matt Talcott St. Mary's University
- 1998-1999 Keith Peterson University of Texas at Tyler
- 1997-1998 Craig McGee University of Texas at Tyler
National Tournament Champion
- 2015 Chris Brown University of Arkansas at Monticello
- 2014 Glenn Prince Illinois State University
- 2013 Andrew Dufour Louisiana College
- 2012 Jeremy Coffman Sam Houston State University
- 2011 J.J. Thompson Groovy Forensicating Youngsters
- 2010 Adam Key Sam Houston State University
- 2009 Kris Lucas Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2008 Henry Shuler and Evie Breithaupt Louisiana Tech University
- 2007 Keith Milstead Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2006 Steve Goode Stephen F. Austin State University
- 2005 Keith Milstead Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2004 Trey Gibson Louisiana Tech University
- 2003 Rachel Leal Stephen F. Austin State University
- 2002 Jonathan Huber Ouachita Baptist University
- 2001 Elizabeth Cook Stephen F. Austin State University
- 2000 Chris Banks and Jeremy Garrett Central Missouri State University
- 1999 Keith Peterson University of Texas at Tyler
- 1998 Joe Hoelscher St. Mary's University
Varsity Division
National Season Long Champion (Edmund Burke Award)
- 2015-2016 Cody Bijou University of Arkansas at Monticello
- 2014-2015 Kyle Diamond Lee College
- 2013-2014 Chaz Coleman Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2012-2013 Chelsea Anthony Louisiana State University Shreveport
- 2011-2012 Chris Brown University of Arkansas at Monticello
- 2010-2011 Clayton Goss Sam Houston State University
- 2009-2010 Clayton Goss Sam Houston State University
- 2008-2009 Lauren Raynor University of Arkansas at Monticello
- 2007-2008 Sean Dodd University of Texas at Tyler
- 2006-2007 Chris Halley University of Arkansas at Monticello
- 2005-2006 Evie Breithaupt Louisiana College
- 2004-2005 Max Croes Stephen F. Austin State University
- 2003-2004 Steve Goode Stephen F. Austin State University
- 2002-2003 Mike Cruz St. Mary's University
- 2001-2002 Chris Joffrion Louisiana College
National Tournament Champion
- 2016 Alex Hoffman Whitworth University
- 2015 Spencer Hinton University of Tennessee
- 2014 David Monghi University of Tennessee
- 2013 Amanda Bennett Union University
- 2012 Abby Williams Union University
- 2011 Clayton Goss Sam Houston State University
- 2010 Jeremy Coffman Sam Houston State University
- 2009 J.J. Thompson, Har-Ber High School
- 2008 Nick Ducote Louisiana Tech University
- 2007 Dan Eldridge Stephen F. Austin State University
- 2006 Kristopher Lucas Louisiana Tech University
- 2005 Noah Conklin and Ryan Palmquist University of Texas at Tyler)
- 2004 Beth Carr Louisiana College
- 2003 A.J. Edwards Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2002 Josh Garrett Central Missouri State University
Novice Division
National Season Long Champion (Susan B. Anthony Award)
- 2015-2016 Gabrielle Swain University of Arkansas at Monticello
- 2014-2015 Graham Gardner Union University
- 2013-2014 Zachary Martin Lee College
- 2012-2013 Christian Winter Union University
- 2011-2012 Caleb Brown Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2010-2011 Devin Moncada Louisiana College
- 2009-2010 Kylie McDonald Union University
- 2008-2009 David Tubbs Louisiana State University at Alexandria
- 2007-2008 Adam Smith Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2006-2007 Colt Roan University of Arkansas at Monticello
- 2005-2006 Henry Shuler Louisiana Tech University
- 2004-2005 Jessica Gartman Ouachita Baptist University
- 2003-2004 Zach Smith Ouachita Baptist University
- 2002-2003 Jennifer Crawley Ouachita Baptist University
- 2001-2002 Christopher Duerringer Stephen F. Austin State University
- 2000-2001 Andrew Quirl Arkansas Union Society
- 1999-2000 Sean Lutmer St. Mary's University
- 1998-1999 Jeremy Garrett Central Missouri State University
- 1997-1998 Kevin Piwowarsky Texas Public Debate
National Tournament Champion
- 2015 Leigh Standfield Middle Tennessee State University
- 2014 Amanda Rodriguez Texas A&M International University
- 2013 Christian Juneau Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2012 Travis Walker and Jacob Wilson Whitworth University
- 2011 Desiree Garrison University of Central Arkansas
- 2010 Trey Miller East Texas Baptist University
- 2009 Stephanie Baer Louisiana College
- 2008 Kady Mitchel University of Louisiana at Monroe
- 2007 Edwin (Wynn) Estrada Tulsa Community College
- 2006 Sam Bailey Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2005 Jason Jones Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2004 Adam Ward University of Arkansas
- 2003 Sheldon Clark Louisiana Tech University
- 2002 Shawn Collette Louisiana Tech University
- 2001 Sean Grieshiemer Central Missouri State University
- 2000 Wayne Bell Arkansas State University
- 1999 Phil Creason Central Missouri State University
Team Division
National Season Long Champion
- 2014-2015 Reagan Dobbs & Cody Bijou Lee College
- 2013-2014 Julie Thomas & Elizabeth Kemp Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2012-2013 Steve Sears & Tim Sears Sam Houston State University
- 2011-2012 Kelly Reed & Chris Brown University of Arkansas at Monticello
- 2010-2011 Rachal Cox & John Mazur Louisiana State University at Shreveport
- 2009-2010 Adam Key & Jeremy Coffman Sam Houston State University
National Tournament Champion
- 2015 Braxton Johnson & Danielle Casey University of Central Arkansas
- 2014 Nathan Hernandez & Meyer Ungerman, Ken Voet & Will Moore United States Military Academy at West Point
- 2013 Ken Corbit & Micah Christensen Arkansas State University
- 2012 Kyle Bickham and Chelsea Anthony Louisiana State University at Shreveport
Bennett Strange Coach of the Year Award
- 2014-2015 Mike Ingram Whitworth University
- 2013-2014 Bob Alexander Bossier Parish Community College
- 2012-2013 Jim Evans University of Arkansas at Monticello
- 2011-2012 Scot Loyd Louisiana College
- 2010-2011 Web Drake Union University
- 2009-2010 Trey Gibson Louisiana State University in Shreveport
- 2007 Keith Courville Louisiana College (Tournament Champion)
- 2007 David Kerr Henderson State University (Top Essayist)
- 2006 Pat Richey Stephen F. Austin State University (Tournament Champion)
- 2006 Pat Richey Stephen F. Austin State University (Top Essayist)
References
- ↑ "The Constitution and Bylaws of the IPDA". International Public Debate Association. September 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
Article 1. Event Description, Section H. Format.
- ↑ "The Constitution and Bylaws of the IPDA". International Public Debate Association. September 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
Article 1. Event Description, Section H. Format.
- ↑ http://www.ipdadebate.info/national-awards.html