Speech & Debate Frequently Asked Questions

NO -- but they're never boring!!!! Debate I, II, III students have research and writing assignments as well as debate in class. Those who procrastinate, dig themselves into a hole VERY quickly. Using the time provided for research and writing in class is the best way to do well.  I'm here to help, and I don't know any student who enjoys homework! 

Competitive Debate students prepare cases and practice for interp events during zero period as well as after school. Their grades are based primarily on tournament attendance and in-class participation.

It's more challenging than hard. Debate requires A LOT of research, and that is time-consuming. Students who use their time wisely to research and write multiple drafts find the course more rewarding and less difficult than students who procrastinate. Debaters also debate in class -- in front of their peers.

Because you'll learn more in one year (or semester) of competitive speech & debate than you can imagine!

In Competitive Speech & Debate, you will have a chance to debate and compete against students from all over the country. The bad news is that you won't get to travel in person, but the good news is that you will compete much more widely than team members have in the past.

In Debate I-IV, you'll not only learn how to research a variety of topics completely, but you'll also learn to determine "good" sources of information (as opposed to "alt-facts"). The focus of this course is reading in depth about a monthly topic, learning the format of competitive debate, writing  persuasive "cases" which argue for or against the monthly topic, and participating monthly in an in-class debate.

In Oral Communications, you will improve your speaking skills through a variety of public speaking exercises such as reciting quotations and poetry, writing and delivering speeches, and interviewing.  The focus in this course is learning how to use your voice (tone, pacing, volume) as well as your body (eye contact, stance, posture) to convey your thoughts orally with clarity and confidence. 

For 2020-2021:

In order to take speech & debate courses in 2020-2021, you will need to join the competitive team. As of August 15, the roster is set, but if you are just now learning about the team and want to compete (not just be in a debate class), you will need to speak with Mrs. Fortner immediately in hopes that you can be added to the zero period class. You MUST be willing to commit to competing if you join the team.

Because, for every tournament you attend, you compete in at least 5 preliminary rounds. If you advance to elimination rounds, you get even more experience. The old saying, "Practice makes perfect" is VERY true in speech and debate.

Oxford High School is a member of MHSAA (Mississippi High School Activities Association). We're also a member of the National Speech & Debate Association and the National Catholic Forensic League. These state and national organizations sponsor speech & debate tournaments. OHS students have been competing since 2005, and they've qualified for at least one national tournament every year since 2006.

Students will compete in online tournaments in 2020-2021. Students who qualify to compete at national tournaments will compete more. Since the team has not competed online previously, it's hard to say how many tournaments each student will compete in because everyone does not have to compete in every tournament. BUT -- the more you compete, the more you improve.

It's not free, so, in my world, that makes it expensive. Your registration fee (usually between $10.00 and $20.00) and bus expenses will be paid for by the school district. You will have to pay for 1/4 of your motel room and for food. You will also need to own a suit -- think lawyer-wannabe! We are working on a plan to measure new debaters for clothing so that we can start a team wardrobe. You are free to buy your own clothing, BUT until you are sure that you enjoy competing, I wouldn't. Look at the pictures posted on this site to get an idea of what you'll be wearing. We'll talk more about dressing for a tournament in class!