Disclosure Theory
Overview
Disclosure theory is a shell read to critique one debater's disclosure practices. In recent years, it has become a common norm in the debate community to disclose, in part due to the prevalence of disclosure theory on the circuit. There are many different degrees to which debaters choose to disclose, but it is almost always done on the HSLD wiki. Below, we will highlight various methods of disclosure. Please note that these methods are not necessarily mutually exclusive.
Open-Source
Debaters upload a word document containing their constructive position to the wiki after the round ends. This word document should contain all of the highlighted tags and cards from these constructive speeches. Essentially, it should be the same as the speechdoc that you've emailed to your opponent and judge in-round. Disclosing responses made on case is optional. Common standards in a "must open-source" shell include helping small school debaters get access to evidence, helping educate younger debaters about what ideal cases look like, and improving in-round clash by providing better access to evidence.
Open-source is considered the norm in the debate community today, with most debaters choosing to do so. Note that even if you choose to open-source, it is also recommended to create an entry in the cite-box detailing what position you have ran that way it is easy for your opponents to see a summary of all the positions you have read.
Full-Text
Debaters copy and paste the full text of their speechdoc into the cites box on the wiki. As a result, none of the highlighting or formatting is disclosed – simply the full text of everything that has been read.
Full-text, while once popular, is rarely followed in circuit LD today because people will read theory if you don't also choose to open-source. However, it is still acceptable to put the full-text of your speech into the cite box if you also open-source.
Cite Box
Debaters will disclose the tags of their cards, as well as the first and last three words of the cards themselves, into the cite box. However, the cite box can sometimes glitch when certain characters are pasted in, so many debaters will remark in their cite box that the "cites aren't working" and that their opponents should "see open-source."
Disclosing both via open-source and also putting an entry in the cite box is probably the most ideal form of disclosure. If your cite box isn't working, at least include an entry with a note to check open-source.
Round Reports
Round reports give a summary about what was read during each speech in the round. Each time you create a disclosure entry, the wiki also gives you an option to create a "round-report." Although this shell is slightly more frivolous, some debaters will claim that debaters need to include round reports on all of their rounds to help teach younger debaters strategy.
Correct Tournament Name
This is even more frivolous. Many names people use to refer to tournaments are not the name of the tournaments on tabroom. For example, the tournament that is often referred to as "Valley", on tabroom, is named "Mid America Cup". The shell claims that when inexperienced debaters look at someone's wiki, they'll want to sign up for the tournament. However, if the wiki entry does not have the correct tournament name, then novices will not see anything on tabroom, and not be able to sign up.