Stanford National Forensic Institute

Start your season with us and experience national championship caliber coaching combined with the highest caliber resources all in the beautiful, safe and relaxing atmosphere of the Stanford University campus. Our challenging curriculum ensures that speakers starting out their forensic careers will learn the basic skills necessary to become competitive immediately while providing them with a firm foundation for growth. Experienced speakers will master advanced techniques to improve their performances and make them more successful at local, state and national competitions.

Program Curriculum: SNFI features an experienced faculty prepared to provide students with an exceptional educational experience in any event. Unlike many individual events camps which require students to pay extra to work on a second event, at SNFI students can choose one major event AND attend electives on other events during their time at camp for the same low price!

Students will primarily focus on their “major event” and can expect to leave SNFI with that event “tournament ready.” Students may potentially have the option to attend occasional elective seminars in which they will have the option to work on a "minor event." Focus on any elective/"minor event" will be limited to theory, approaching piece selection and speaking exercises, but students should not expect to leave camp with a prepared piece from any electives/minors chosen, staff will not actively participate in piece identification/cutting/preparation, and the opportunity to work on a minor event is in no way considered a core or fundamental component of the SNFI experience when it comes to our curriculum planning or programming calendar.

Courses of Study: Extemp; Original Oratory; Original Advocacy; Dramatic Interp, Humorous Interp; Duo Interp (Both students must attend); Prose; Poetry; Oratorical Interp; Expository Speaking; Thematic Interp; Impromptu Speaking or Original Prose and Poetry*

• Limited Preparation Events: This track includes extemporaneous speaking, commentary and impromptu speaking. Students will focus on strategies to make the most out of prep time while working to develop skills necessary for both effective argumentation and delivery. Significant time will be spent mastering thesis development, research skills and introductions, as well as fine-tuning skillls that seperate competitors in final rounds. In addition, all students in the extemp lab will take part in lecture and discussion focused on today’s most relevant events, and will explore topics pertinent to both US and international extemp.

• Oratory/Writing/Platform Events: This track includes original oratory, original advocacy, exoposity/informative, etc.  Students will work to select a topic area, progress through the drafting and refinement of the writing that underlies their performative piece, and practice the delivery.  The program provides an in-depth focus on the entire process from start to finish.

• Interpretative Events: This track includes humorous interp, dramatic interp, duo interp (both students must be present), thematic interp, oratorical interp, prose/poetry. Interp students will learn how to choose an appropriate performance piece, cut it down to fit the event requirement and then how to bring it to life through a variety of interpretive techniques. In addition to learning competitive techniques, students will participate in lab activities and lectures which will help them develop their interpretive skills.

*Note: Additional events based on regional requirements may potentially be added upon request