2025 Ready Response

Response (CA) - Jan 16-18, 2025 | Status: Open | 6:13 PM Pacific

Tournament Time
6:13 PM Pacific

Important Etiquette Guidelines for Speech and Debate Tournament

Parents and Students,

We are excited for the upcoming Speech and Debate Tournament at Las Positas College. Your cooperation is crucial in ensuring the success of the tournament and the safety of all participants.

Parental Presence on Campus:

Parents are expected to be on campus at all times during the tournament.
While Las Positas College boasts a beautiful open campus, it is important to note that it is a public space. Student safety is our utmost priority, and your presence is vital in monitoring not only your own students but also young children who are not actively participating in the competition.

Exclusive Use of Designated Areas:

Students, please limit your activities to the competition rooms and the designated student lounge in room 2401.

Refreshments and drinks will be provided for your enjoyment. However, please be mindful to clean up after yourselves and dispose of any waste in the designated bins.

Do not Move or Remove FURNITURE:

Moving or removing furniture within rooms, common areas, lobbies, hallways, or any shared spaces may seem like a small task, but it cause have significant work for our facilities team. Please DO NOT move or remove furniture.

Do Not Touch Classroom Equipment:

Please be advised that under no circumstances should you touch, turn on, or turn off any equipment present in the classrooms. This includes but is not limited to projectors, computers, audio-visual devices, and any other instructional tools.

Restricted Access to Buildings and Rooms:

Strictly adhere to the rule that no one is allowed in buildings or rooms that are not designated for the competition.
This includes respecting areas that may be reserved for other purposes during the tournament.

Ensuring a Warm Welcome for Years to Come:

It is our collective responsibility to maintain a positive and respectful presence on the Las Positas College campus.

By following these guidelines, we can ensure that we leave a lasting positive impression, paving the way for future tournaments at this venue.
Your cooperation in adhering to these guidelines is greatly appreciated. By working together, we can create a supportive and welcoming environment for all participants. We look forward to a successful and enjoyable tournament, and your contributions are instrumental in achieving this goal.

Let's represent STOA well!

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

READY RESPONSE Script Submission

Script Submission Opens: Monday, December 16th, 2024 at 8:00am (PST)
Script Submission Closes: Tuesday, December 31st, 2024 at 5:00pm (PST)

APPROVAL DEADLINE: All scripts MUST be approved on or before Friday, Jan. 3rd, 2025 at 3:00pm (PST) in order to be eligible for competition in that event.

Ready Response Script Submission -- 100% electronic

ALL scripts MUST be submitted electronically by the above closure date AND approved on or before the approval deadline. NO LATE SCRIPTS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Scripts not in compliance by the approval deadline will be dropped from that event with no refund.
Script reviewers will communicate via email, SO it is imperative that you check your email frequently once you have submitted.
You will only have 24 hours to make your necessary corrections and resubmit your script for approval.
ALL approval confirmations will be emailed to competitors and parents.

How to Submit Scripts Electronically

1. Follow the rules for your speech event that can be found here.

2. Follow the script submission guidelines and use forms found here.

3. Watch THIS six-minute video for help! If you've watched it before it is always good to refresh your memory.

4. PREPARE your script and submission form WITH your parent or coach. Include ALL initials and ALL signatures. Submission forms MUST have the current tournament listed!

5, Combine each speech into a single PDF file. You may scan into a single file or use a file joiner. See resources below.

6. Name the file correctly: Last Name, First Name-event.pdf

7. Submit Scripts: e-submission here (Link will be active Monday Dec. 16th at 8:00am (PST))

8. Correct or Celebrate: If your script is returned for corrections, complete any requirements within 24 hours and resubmit before the approval deadline of Friday Jan. 3rd, 3pm (PST). Otherwise, it is time to celebrate your approval!

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Resources for Script Submission

Stoa Resources

Work Cited Page Helps

EasyBib
Citation Machine

PDF File Joiners

PDFsam (Free download to your computer)
PDFmerge (Merging via a website)

To make PDFs of printed docs with your phone, search your app store for "PDF Scanner App". We recommend Adobe Scan Free version.

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Questions regarding script submission: readyresponsescripts@gmail.com

Ready Response will use the Joy of Tournament tabulation software with Stoa recommended presets for tiebreaks.

For debate events, club protection is not guaranteed for any round.

For debate outrounds, the following No-Flip protocol will be used

If two teams have debated in a preliminary round (i.e. rounds 1 thru 6) and are paired against one another in an outround, their sides will be the opposite of their previous match-up. In other words, their sides are locked.

If two teams have not debated in a preliminary round, sides are assigned in outrounds to maintain side balance whenever possible. In other words, teams should debate an equal number of rounds on each side of the resolution, if at all possible.
- Example 1: In outround 2, Team 1 with 4 AFFs/3 NEGs and Team 2 with 3 AFFs/4 NEGs meet. Team 1 is assigned NEG and Team 2 is assigned AFF to maintain side balance of four of each side for both teams.
- Example 2: In outround 1, Team 1 with 3 AFFs/3 NEGs and Team 2 with 3 AFFs/3 NEGs meet. One team will have be to side-imbalanced going forward. The sides are randomly assigned by Tab. THERE IS NO COIN FLIP TO DETERMINE SIDES.

In all outrounds, the sides for each team will be clear in the postings and in the printed ballots JUST AS IN PRELIMINARY ROUNDS.

THERE IS NO COIN FLIP IN OUTROUNDS. TEAMS ARE NOT RANDOMLY GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE SIDES.

Why are we using a no-flip protocol?

The ability for a debate team to choose a side conveys an advantage. This is irrespective of whether one believes there is an advantage for the affirmative or the negative side of a resolution. The ability to opt for a side is an advantage!

We believe it is unfair in a debate outround for one team to given an advantage, however slight, over another team. Furthermore, side balance has always been a prevailing pairing principle in preliminary rounds. We believe that outrounds should continue the same pairing principle as well. Ideally, the champion of the debate event should demonstrate the ability to debate both sides of the resolution equally well.

In the past, some tournaments with many outrounds using coin-flips to give one team the ability to opt for sides have resulted in teams who have progressed deep into outrounds with substantial side imbalances. The no-flip protocol aims to minimize side imbalances.

Note that in a tournament with elimination outrounds such as this one, it is still possible for teams to have side imbalances as they progress deeper into the outrounds because it may be the side-imbalanced teams that eliminate the side-balanced teams. At least with this protocol, the likelihood of side-imbalanced teams is reduced.

If you have any questions regarding this no-flip outround protocol, please contact the Tabulation staff.

Thank you for your interest in judging at our tournament. We appreciate your support! Please click the button below to sign up.