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Introduction
Welcome
Welcome to the new and improved Montville Forensics website.
Forensics? That's like that TV show, CSI!
Sorry, no. Forensics is an extracurricular activity based on public speaking. Tournaments are held almost every Saturday throughout the school year, and students can compete in a variety of categories. The categories that individuals can compete in are separated into "speech" categories and "debate" categories. Speech categories are much more performance oriented, whilst debate categories are based on argumentation and discourse. Competitors do not have to be confined to either one however, and can compete in both speech and debate, and any of their subsequent categories.So, who should I talk to?
If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail an officer or come to the meetings held every Thursday throughout the school year in room 301 during lunch.Schedule
Schedule
Last updated November 16, 2007.
CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE (sans graphics/color) VERSION OF OUR SCHEDULE.
| Date | Tournament | Events | Be at school | Leave for home? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 29-30, 2007 | Storytelling Contest, Spring Lake, NJ | S | 7:30 A.M.<\td> | 5:00 P.M |
| October 5-7, 2007 | UPenn - Liberty Bell Classic | |||
| October 20, 2007 | Newark CFL #1 @ Montville, NJ | S, LD, C | 7:30 AM | 5:00 PM |
| October 27, 2007 | Hanover Park I, East Hanover, NJ | S, LD, PF | 7:45 AM | 7:00 PM |
| November 3, 2007 | Phillipsburg (?) | 7:00 AM | 7:00 PM | |
| November 10, 2007 | Newark CFL #2 @ Montville | S, LD, C | 7:00 AM | 5:00 PM |
| November 17-18, 2007 | St. Joseph's University - Villiger | |||
| November 17, 2007 | Randolph HS, Randolph, NJ | S, LD, C, PF | 7:30 AM | 7:30 PM |
| December 1-2, 2007 | George Mason University | |||
| December 1-3, 2007 | Princeton University Classic | |||
| December 1, 2007 | Montville | S, PF | 7:00 AM | 7:00 PM |
| December 8, 2007 | Bridgewater-Raritan HS | S, PF | 7:15 AM | 7:00 PM |
| December 8, 2007 December 9, 2007 | Ridge "Devils" | LD, PF, C | 2:00 PM 7:15 AM | 9:00 PM 6:00 PM |
| December 15, 2007 | Phillipsburg HS Newark CFL #3 @ Ridge, Basking Ridge | S, LD, PF S, LD, C | 7:30 AM | 5:00 PM |
| January 5, 2008 | Hanover Park II, East Hanover, NJ | S, LD, PF | 7:45 AM | 7:00 PM |
| January 12, 2008 | Freehold Twp HS, Freehold, NJ Newark CFL #4, Basking Ridge, NJ | S, LD, PF S, LD, C | 6:45 AM 7:30 AM | 7:00 PM 5:00 PM |
| January 18-19, 2008 | Columbia University | |||
| January 19, 2008 | ||||
| January 26, 2008 | Ridge HS, Basking Ridge, NJ | LD, S, C, PF | 7:15 AM | 7:00 PM |
| February 1-2, 2008 | Newark Science HS LD, Newark NJ | Policy, LD, PF | ||
| February 2, 2008 | ALJ II, Clark, NJ Newark CFL #5 @ Ridge | S, LD, C | 7:15 AM | 7:30 PM 5:00 PM |
| February 9, 2008 | Morristown HS, Morristown, NJ | S, LD, PF | 7:00 AM | 7:00 PM |
| February 15-19, 2008 | Harvard University, Cambridge, MA | S, LD, CX, C | TBA | TBA |
| February 23, 2008 | NJ District Congress & Novice Tournament - Montville | C | 7:15 AM | 7:00 PM |
| March 1, 2008 | Borelli Scholarship Tournament - Freehold Twp. HS, Freehold, NJ | S, LD, PF | 6:45 AM | 7:00 PM |
| March 8, 2008 March 9, 2008 | NJFL State Championships - Hunterdon Central, Flemington, NJ | S, LD, PF | 12:30 PM 7:15 AM | 9:00 PM 8:00 PM |
| March 15, 2008 | Newark CFL #6 @ Union Catholic, Springfield, NJ | S, LD, C | 7:15 AM | 5:00 PM |
| March 28, 2008 March 29, 2008 | New Jersey District Tournament - Summit- HS, SUmmit, NJ | S, LD, CX, PF | 1:30 PM 7:30 AM | 9:00 PM |
| April ___, 2008 | Surflight Theatre One-Act Competition, Long Beach Island, NJ(TBA) | |||
| May 3-5, 2008 | TOC Debate Tournament at University of Kentucky | |||
| May 6, 2008 | Shakesperience Festival at Drew University | 7:30 AM | 4:00 PM | |
| May 20, 2008 | Chase Cup | 7:30 AM | 4:00 PM | |
| May 23-26, 2008 | NCFL Nationals - Appleton, WI | |||
| June 17-24, 2008 | NFL Nationals - Las Vegas, UT | |||
Debate
Debate
Here you'll find a descrption of the various debate categories one can participate in.
Lincoln Douglas Debate
LD debate is a individual debate where competitors debate over a resolution arguing either the affirmative or negative position. Case constructive typically include factual as well as hypothetical evidence dealing with philosophical as well as ethical/moral dilemmas. The resolution changes every two months, requiring new cases to be written.Round breakdown: Your total prep time is generally three (3) minutes per person, but is tournament-dependant.
| Affirmative Constructive (AC) | 6 minutes |
|---|---|
Negative cross-examination (CX) |
3 minutes |
Negative Constructive (NC) |
7 minutes |
Affirmative CX |
3 minutes |
Affirmative first rebuttal (1AR) |
4 minutes |
Negative first rebuttal (NR) |
6 minutes |
Affirmative second rebuttal (2AR) |
3 minutes |
Public Forum Debate
Public Forum Debate is a recently created event that is very similar to the TV show "crossfire". Teams of two people use evidence and effective communication to persuade everyday people on current event issues. The topic is a current event issue which is changed every month.If you are interested or are seeking more information, please email Alex or Venanzio.
Congress
Numerous students gather to participate in parliamentary debate. Legislation is prepared by the students in advance in the areas of Domestic, Economic, and Foreign Affairs. Students then debate and vote on the merits of the legislation presented.Speech
Speech
Here you will find a description of the various speech categories one can participate in.
Original Oratory
This is the category for you writers out there! This is much like Dec, except you are writing your own speech! The subject matter is whatever you feel passionate about; something that you believe strongly in. It can be a personal issue, a worldly issue, a societal concern, anything you think you can make a case out of! Generally oratories begin with personal anecdotes, where the writer relates the subject matter to a personal experience. The piece should be the standard five paragraphs, with an opening, body, and closing. You should have three distinct points in the body of your piece that support your argument, including veritable facts and statistics. It should be 7-10 minutes in length, memorized. Oratories are judged on written content, as well as your delivery of the speech (articulation, gestures, eye contact, etc). There is a great deal of work that goes into writing an oratory, but if done correctly the rewards can be immense!Poetry
Poetry reading is a category that many start out with. In this category you hold your piece(s) in front of you in a small, black, binder. No memorization is required, aside from a short introduction explaining your piece. You can either choose 5-10 minutes’ worth of poems from the same author, or chose poems based on a constant theme. As with prose, this is not simply reading, there is a great deal of performing involved. This category can be as fun as you want it to be, just use your creativity and imagination!Prose
Prose reading is a category that most start out with. In this category you hold your piece in front of you, in a small, black binder. No memorization is required, aside from a short introduction explaining the piece. The piece should be 5-10 minutes in length. Performers, do not be fooled, for this is not merely reading. When you “read” your piece, you act it out with motions, voices, and emotions, the same way that you would a monologue. You just don’t have to memorize ten minute’s worth of material!Impromptu Speaking
The first of two categories that require no preparation beforehand, impromptu focuses on the more articulate and formal form of on-the-spot thinking. Competitors in each round will be offered a selection of topics that range from random phrases to quotes and ideals. Three of these are selected and one of the three becomes the topic of the prepared speech. The speaker has seven minutes to divide up how they should choose provided they preform for a minimum of three minutes. While the critical thinking required to compete in such a category is hard to learn but it is quite impressive once mastered.Improvisional Speaking
The second of two categories that require no preparation beforehand, improvisation tends to deal with the more quirky and unusual side of an actors capabilities. Differing from Impromptu only in presentation, "Improv" requires the actors to create a skit, scene or odd short from topics that could, quite literally, be anything! The seven minutes rule applies here as well and it is strongly encouraged that the competitors ask for "time signals" (hand signals from the judge warning the actor of how much time is left). Arguably the most laid-back category, it is not uncommon to see improvisation actors develop close friendships as they compete with and help one another improve.Humorous Interpretation
Humorous interpretation is just that- an interpretation of a humorous piece. Generally, forensics members chose scenes from plays, or books, with more than one character, though some people do perform the traditional one-character monologue. The piece should be 7-10 minutes, memorized. This is one of the most difficult categories, because of all the character “pops” that are involved (switching from one character to another), but once mastered it is a lot of fun. It is most closely related to...Dramatic Interpretation
This category is just what it says it is- the interpretation of a dramatic piece, or monologue. It should be 7-10 minutes in length, memorized. The actor may perform either a monologue or dialogue, acting as one or more characters. The piece may be from a play or from a book. The subject matter is generally serious, making its name DI not very coincidental. This category is most closely related to Humorous Interpretation (see above).Extemporaneous Speaking
Participants draw three topics on current issues; chooses one and have thirty minutes to prepare a speech of a maximum length of seven minutes. Any periodical or other published material is permitted in the preparation room.Duo Interpretation
This is the only speech category, (aside from public forum, which is technically a speech category) that involves partners. This is much like HI/DI except you're not facing a group of people by yourself, but with another member! There are many types of duos out there; some where each partner is playing a variety of characters, others where each represents only one character. You can do a lot with this category in terms of choreography and movements. What you do with it depends on how much time and effort you are willing to give! The pieces are generally from plays, though they can be from books, and range from 7-10 minutes, memorized.Declamation Speaking
This is a good category for beginners, especially for those of you who want to participate in OO. In this category you are asked to perform a speech that has been previously given and published. You are asked to memorize the speech, which should be 7-10 minutes long. Generally you are judged on your articulation, gestures, and understanding of the piece. You should be able to connect with the subject matter, and demonstrate your understanding to the audience. It is good to find something that you yourself feel emotionally passionate about, because the more you believe in what you are saying, the more your audience will want to believe you!Contact Us
Contact information
Click a name to e-mail that person.
Mary Gormley - Coach (marytuff@aol.com)
Jon Kayne - President
Alex Bondroff Vice President of Debate
Anne Ceconi - Vice President of Debate
Andrew Sidebottom - Vice President of Speech
Cara Bernstein - Vice President of Speech
Niko Moustakis - Vice President of Speech
Venanzio Cortese - Vice President of Outreach
Stephen Badras - Treasurer
Zach Cassler - Secretary
Rusty Van Riper - Historian
Katherine Schmidt - Public Relations
Katherine Haugh - Freshman Mentor
Stephen Leu - Webmaster