Forensics is an activity intended to help you improve your public
communication skills through competition in intercollegiate speech
tournaments or through the presentation of speeches in public
settings. With the help of the Forensics coaches you will create
and revise presentations so you can successfully participate
and improve.Most members of the Forensics team travel to other
schools to compete in three types of events: public speaking
events, oral interpretation events, and debate. The public
speaking events include Informative Speaking, Persuasive
Speaking, After Dinner Speaking, Impromptu Speaking, Extemporaneous
Speaking, and Communication Analysis. The oral interpretation
events include Prose Interpretation, Poetry Interpretation,
Dramatic Interpretation, Dramatic Duo Interpretation, and Thematic
Oral Interpretation. Debate includes Parliamentary team
debate.Those who choose the public performance option prepare
the same public speaking or oral interpretation events, but they
don't travel to tournaments or compete. Instead, they perform
at events they set up themselves--either on campus or in the
community.Most students who have been in Forensics also think
it is a lot of fun. The team members help each other prepare
their events, travel together, meet new people, and generally
enjoy the activity and the socialization associated with it at
the same time that they learn.
DO
I HAVE TO DO ALL THOSE EVENTS?
No, you don't. The minimum requirements are that you do
either one prepared public speaking event plus one other event
(public speaking or oral interpretation) or debate.
You choose which events you'll do and you're welcome to go beyond
the minimum requirements if you want. To attend any tournament
you must have at least two events prepared or debate.
Certainly. You'll talk with coaches about your ideas for speeches
or oral interpretations so you don't pick something that has
no chance of success, but you still get to choose your own topics.
You'll also do your own research, write your own speeches, and
write your own introductions for oral interpretation.The exception
to picking your own topics is in debate, because our debaters
use the same general topic all the other debaters at the tournaments
use. However, you still have a great deal of choice in how you
approach the topic.
You're still welcome to join our team! No experience is required
to be a member of the HSU team. Our purpose is to help you learn
how to become a better communicator regardless of the level at
which you begin. The tournaments at which we compete usually
have three levels of competition: Novice, for people who
are just starting out; Junior, for those with less than
two years of intercollegiate experience; and Open, for
those with more than two years of experience--or less if they're
ready for the challenge. So you can always compete against people
with your same level of experience.
The HSU program is not based solely on competitive success (although
that is one goal), so your skill level is not as important as
your willingness to do your best and work to improve. The coaching
staff is here to help you develop your events for competition
or public performance and to help you practice to become better.
Naturally, everyone feels better when they win in competition,
but you don't need to guarantee you'll win in order to become
involved. If you do what you can to personally excel, that's
all we can ask of you. Most people discover they're better than
they thought.
There are opportunities to qualify for national championship
competitions where you could compete against some of the best
collegiate speakers and debaters from throughout the country.
Getting to nationals is a difficult task, and anyone who qualifies
should know they've accomplished something special.
Like any other intercollegiate team, you need to put time into
preparing for competition. The Forensics team currently meets
as a group Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30-6:30. Other coaching
sessions are arranged at a another time you have available. Between
coaching sessions you work on your events, doing research, writing
the speeches, and practicing them. The total amount of time you
spend will depend on how many events you do, and how well you
want to do at the tournaments.The number of tournaments we have
each semester is determined by the size of the budget and the
size of the team. Recently we have had between three and seven
tournaments in a semester. Depending on the tournament schedule
and the tournament location we usually leave either Thursday
afternoon or Friday morning and return either late Sunday night
or Monday afternoon.
No. The minimum requirement (to get a grade of "C")
for everyone who is enrolled for two units is to go to two tournaments
and compete in either two events or debate. Those enrolled for
one unit are required to attend one tournament or present four
public performances. Of course, if you want to go beyond those
minimum requirement you can.
Forensics is partly supported by the Instructionally Related
Activities (IRA) budget and many of the expenses are covered
by that budget. The Forensics budget generally pays for transportation
to tournaments, entry fees, lodging, and some meals. You would
pay for incidental expenses, such as materials for your speeches
and food in excess of the meal allowance. The Forensics budget
is very limited, though, and to insure everyone has opportunities
to travel we have to do what we can to conserve money and augment
the IRA funds.
Not at all. In fact, the majority of our team members are majors
from other departments such as Forestry, Engineering, Political
Science, English, Journalism, Business and Philosophy. They recognize
the importance of good communication and want to improve their
skills as well as challenge themselves in a supportive and enjoyable
environment.
We hear that question often. Early intercollegiate speech competition
was debate, and it was modeled after legal argumentation. Since
"forensic speaking" was the name given to legal speeches
in ancient Greece, the name was used to identify the activity.
Later public speaking and oral interpretation events were added,
but the name remained. (Medical examiners are often referred
to as "Forensic Pathologists" because they practice
medicine to render expert testimony in legal proceedings. We
don't cut up cadavers.)
To be in Forensics at HSU you must enroll in Communication
110: Forensics Workshop. If you want to take the public performance
option you should enroll for 1 unit, if you want to do competitive
individual events you should enroll for 2 units, and if you want
to debate you should enroll for 3 units. You should also be sure
to talk to Greg Young, the Director of Forensics, in House
54 Room 7 (826-3569) so you can get some specific
information about what's happening next semester.
"FUROR
LOQUENDI"
"Rage for Speaking"
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