By Dr. Kevin Meyer

Director of Forensics @ ISU

&

Donny Peters

Director of Debate @ ISU

FLOWING

Importance of flowing

Necessary materials

Setting up your flow

What to write on your flow

Flowing techniques

Advantages of flowing on computer

Flowing by speech

Suggestions

Exercise

Preview

Why is flowing important?

WHY FLOW

Why do we flow instead of traditional note taking?

MATERIALS NEEDEDLEGAL SIZE PAPER

DIFFERENT COLOR PENS

MATERIALS NEEDED

SETTING UP YOUR FLOW1AC 1NC 2AC NEGATIVE

BLOCK1AR 2NR 2AR

Make 8 Equal Columns: First Affirmative Constructive, First Negative Constructive, 2nd Affirmative Constructive, The Negative Block, 1st Affirmative Rebuttal, 2nd Negative Rebuttal, and 2nd Affirmative Rebuttal.

For off case arguments started in the 1NC, you only need 7 columns.

SETTING UP YOUR FLOW

In order of importance:

Claim or Conclusion

Citations – author’s name and date

Summary of Evidence

WHAT DO YOU WRITE ON YOUR FLOW

WHAT SHOULD YOU GET ON YOUR FLOWThe following is read into the debate: Starting School Later Would Improve Student’s

Academic PerformanceSarah Bernard, Edutopia Organization – The

George Lucas Educational Focus, January 23, 2007. http://www.edutopia.org/community/spiralnotebook/?p=223

“According to recent reports by the National Sleep Foundation and several university research centers, teenagers are wired to be sleepier in the morning — their levels of melatonin (a sleep-promoting hormone) don’t fall until at least 8 AM. As a result, some high schools have begun delaying the morning bell in order to make the school day more manageable for sleep-deprived teens. Some argue, however, that most of the evidence for teenage sleep patterns remains anecdotal, starting school later would cut into after-school activities, and other factors should take priority when it comes to student achievement.”

The following should be on your flow

1. Later Start ↑Acad. Perf.

Bernard 07Studies show that

melatonin levels still high in a.m.

***author admits anecdotal***

1. Each Major Issue in the Debate Should Get its Own Sheet of Paper.

Space Reasons – you would never have room to fit all the arguments from entire debate in one column.

Organization Issues – allows you to keep issue separate on a separate sheet of paper for analysis.

Strategic Reasons – allows you to strategically shuffle the order that you address issues in the debate.

FLOWING TECHNIQUES

2. Write Small – as you need to fit lots of information in narrow columns, the smaller you write the more neatly you can fit the arguments on the flow.

FLOWING TECHNIQUES

3. Use 2 Different Colors

1 color for your team

1 color for opposition

FLOWING TECHNIQUES

4. Abbreviate – formulate abbreviation system which will allow you to get more arguments down on the flow.

FLOWING TECHNIQUES

5. Write Neatly – you need to be able to read off your flowsheet during the debate!

FLOWING TECHNIQUES

6. Leave Space between Arguments

FLOWING TECHNIQUES

You can typically type faster than you can write

You do not need to worry about neat handwriting

Partners can share their flows easier. No need to rewrite an entire speech for back flowing

Easier to organize flows

Advantages of flowing on your computer

Easier to save flows

More difficult to lose flows

Easier to correct or fill in gaps in flow

No need to waste paper

Advantages to flowing on your computer

1AC: Everyone flows this speech (Affirmative should have speech preflow)

1NC: Everyone should flow (Negative should have preflow)

2AC: Everyone flows (1A should backflow for the 2A)

2NC: Everyone except 1NR flows this speech

Flowing by speech

1NR: Everyone

1AR: Everyone- You must have a complete flow of this speech

2NR: Everyone

2AR: Everyone, especially 1N

Flowing by speech

Don’t ever stop

Be organized

Preflow

Backflow- Use your partner

Suggestions

Label your arguments

Always keep your flows handy

Don’t lose your flows

Consult with your partner

Flow on your computer if possible

Suggestions

Flowing exercise