LD/PF: I flow diligently, but I want you to speak pretty, too. I'm okay with speed, but not spreading. Don't make warrantless claims, please. I'll listen to any idea, no matter how bizarre, if you have cards for it. Be polite and sportsmanlike, above all else.

WSD: I'm most often a PF/LD judge. I want you to use lots of examples to illustrate claims you're making. This format of debate is 50% longer than the 40-ish minute attention span that PF and LD have cultivated in me as a judge, so I want you to speak engagingly. Command the room.

CX: I'm a traditional judge all the way. I do not care at all for jargon. This is a speaking activity; go slow and be clear and I'll flow it. Explain it to me like I'm 5.

Looking through other judge's paradigms. I do not understand 1/2 of what I have read from some of the more technical descriptions. So, with that in mind, I would advise you keep things simple for me. I do not appreciate the speed talking debating style where debaters try to squeeze in as many points as possible. I listened to a story on this phenomenon on a podcast called Radiolab, and I thought it sounded ridiculous. That style of debate will be lost on me.

I am a lay judge. I never participated in debate as a student. I am a parent of a debate student. I am a United Methodist preacher. What I value in a debate is what I strive for in my own profession: clarity, creativity, respect, rationality, and compelling argumentation.

As it looks like I'll be judging Public Forum, this is my understanding of a good debate:

Display solid logic, lucid reasoning, and depth of analysis. Utilize evidence without being driven by it. Present a clash of ideas by countering/refuting arguments of the opposing team (rebuttal). Communicate ideas with clarity, organization, eloquence, and professional decorum.

CX-

Stock Issues

Make sure taglines are clear

Do not spread too fast - evidence matters and I need to hear it to understand your case

Do not like topicality arguments-fine to mention if you feel argument is non-topical, however do not waste excessive time and allow judge to determine if the argument is or is not topical.

Do your best to present on case arguments. If Neg ignores the AFF and presents only generic attacks, you will lose points, please debate the AFFs case.

If you run a K or counter plan, make sure you do you fully vet and present your arguments. These options require more convincing.

Prefer you not to go nuclear unless it is necessary.