INSTITUTE STRUCTURE.  The Arizona Debate Institute specializes in three modes of instruction to insure that each student leaves with the knowledge, skills, and evidence necessary.

Research Track:  Experienced students interested in concentrating on gaining large quantities of quality evidence should enroll in this track.  The curriculum includes in-depth topic lectures, extensive research in ASU’s nationally ranked 3 million volume library system, and argument analysis with nationally recognized coaches.

Critical Track:  Students interested in critical and performative argument should enroll in this track.  Emphasis will be placed on packing nontraditional arguments powerfully, dealing with framework arguments, and linking innovative presentations with important theoretical traditions. 

Skills Track:  Students interested in getting a jump on the topic and improving their “debate mechanics” should enroll in this track.  The curriculum of this track includes the topic analysis of the research track and full use of that research while concentrating on skill building.  Students will improve their rebuttal skills, theory background, argument analysis, and line-by-line technique.

Novice Track:  This track is designed for students with little or no past debate experience who are interested in learning the fundamentals of debate.  Specialists in teaching basic skills will help students construct affirmative cases, learn refutation skills, understand research methods, and focus on argument construction.

Coaching Track:   We are pleased to announce the addition of a Coaches Seminar to the ADI this year. From August 5th through the 10th, coaches are invited to attend the ADI to participate in our newly designed coaching curriculum and gain experience judging. We are pleased to have Theresa Perry (CSU Sacramento) joining our staff to lead this seminar, which is designed for new coaches and graduate assistants with limited debate background to get a leg up on the process of coaching and the 2008 CEDA-NDT Topic. Cost for the Coaches Seminar is $400 for double occupancy or $500 for single occupancy. If you have any questions or would like to register for the Coaches Seminar, please notify Sylvia Symonds via email (ssymonds@q.com).

In addition to these tracks, the ADI is pleased to announce a special lab for second year debaters. This lab will be devoted to students who have just completed their novice year and are preparing to make the jump to JV or Varsity.

All students will have access to hundreds of pages of research on the topic and will have a minimum of 10 debate rounds with a qualified critic.