KEEPING SCORE.

• Author: KELLEY, TIMOTHY
• Position: Evaluating Vice President Al Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush, presidential candidates

When the candidates face each other in TV debates, this viewer's guide will help you tell a foul from a field goal

Listen carefully, because there will be a test. When Vice President Al Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush meet in TV debates this month, each candidate's advisers will tell you that their man won. The test: It's up to you to decide which side is all wet.

The debates will be your best chance to evaluate the two men who are battling for the presidency. To sift through the rhetoric and be a critical viewer, experts offer these suggestions:

KEEP SCORE. There's no official point system, but don't let that stop you. Try taking notes on a sheet of paper with columns labeled "Bush" and "Gore," marking a + for successes and a -- for failures, with a quick word next to each mark to remind you what it's about.

BEWARE HOT AIR. Do the candidates support their assertions with specific evidence (+), or do they rely on unexplained generalities (-)? How well do they rebut their opponents' points? Do they state each other's views fairly (+) or unfairly (-)?

KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL. "These guys will have been trained by their handlers to answer the question they wanted somebody to ask, not the question they were asked," says James Copeland, a former high school debate coach who helps the Associated Press judge presidential debates. For example, he says, suppose Gore is asked if he still supports the Clinton health-care reform plan of 1993. "He may say something like, `It is enormously important that we work toward health coverage for all, beginning with children.'" If he says a clear yes or no, he could lose support from those who disagree. But if he doesn't, he should get a -- from you.

WATCH FOR GAFFES. This is the fear that keeps handlers up nights. In 1976, President Gerald Ford earned a big -- hen he incorrectly denied Soviet domination of Poland. His error seemed to reveal a devastating ignorance--and Democrat Jimmy Carter quickly pounced on it.

CHECK THE LAUGHS. Funny lines can be a +; we all love wit. But be careful. In debates, jokes have a serious purpose. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan's shaky performance in his first debate with Democrat Walter Mondale made people ask if Reagan, 73, was still mentally up to the job. In the next debate, Reagan defused the issue by joking, "I won't hold my opponent's youth and inexperience against him." But the real question remained. A joke that evades an issue may merit a -.

DON'T BE A TUBE...