Monday, June 25: And It Begins...

The first full lab session in the Babb/Conrad (BC) lab began with a flowing and argument comprehension drill involving an affirmative case from the elimination rounds of the 2007 TOC. The drill was followed by a discussion of how to construct a case position that encourages technically proficient debaters to exploit all the tools of effective line-by-line debate while never sacrificing argument quality in a more substantive sense. To that end, students disclosed the content of their first assignment (assigned Sunday night): a position list that included possible frameworks/interpretations and contention arguments for both sides of the resolution. The ensuing discussion greatly increased students' exposure to the many varieties of cases available to them (and their opponents) on the topic. We'd like to commend Vivian Ho for submitting an especially good position list. After lunch, students headed to the library for the first major research session of camp. Once in the library, they began compiling the evidence that will be integral to their success over the next two weeks. Finally, students participated in a critical reading activity that revolved around an article discussing several controversies associated with labor standards. The article presented both arguments for and against the promotion of labor standards and evaluated several issues related to the economic and normative dimensions of the camp topic (Resolved: In its trade agreements, the U.S. ought to value the welfare of workers in developing countries over its own economic gains.). Before dinner, students were assigned an evidence assignment due tomorrow morning. If today is any indication, the quality of the BC lab experience will be phenomenal for both students and lab leaders alike.