I debated public forum for four years in high school and currently coach public forum. I frequently judge PF and LD and am fine with speed so long as you are not spreading.

The point of Public Forum debate is that you should be able to break down the resolution for a member of the general public and convince them why your side is right. Debate presuming I don't know the deep intricacies of the resolution.

I award my ballot to the team with the best articulation of their arguments throughout the entire round, refutation of all their opponent's points, usage of evidence, and comparative argumentation. Speed and jargon are a big no. Humor goes a long way with me in terms of ethos and speaker points. Being mean or a bully does the opposite. Respect the line between "competitive" and "overtly hostile."

Be sure to time speeches and keep track of prep time. I'll also be keeping time, but there is a speaker point reduction for those who don't do it.

I am a speech and debate coach as well as a high school history teacher. I have no preferences in round, but I do expect each side to be respectful. Speak and debate your hearts out, but leave it in round. Congratulate each other on a great round. I will follow you as you present your argument. Mess up? Don't stop, keep going.

I am okay with any speed.

Speak your contention very clearly at the beginning of your points, I prefer off time roadmaps.

Time yourself and tell me loudly when you are starting.

Keep your own prep time, inform me that you are taking prep and tell me how much time was taken after.

Know all the speech times so we can avoid confusions and get through the round fast.

If a coin flip is required, the debaters will flip and decide and inform me after which side they are on and speaking order.

No preference on desk arrangement or how CX is done.

This will be my 5rd year serving as a judge (12th tournament). I have a child who is involved in debate with a focus on PF. I have judged mostly PF but also a number of LD rounds. I understand that speed is important to presenting all of your ideas on the topic, however, speed without clarity may lead to confusion or my inability to evaluate the argument. I also feel like all competitions should reflect good sportsmanship and be civil in nature. I prefer to have factual information to substantiate your case and support your argument. Please weigh in summary and final focus and make sure to present all of your arguments and analysis prior to the final focus. Finally, while many of these topics are serious discussions, remember to have fun. See you in round!

In Public Forum debate, you should be able to break down the resolution for a member of the general public and convince them why your side is right. Assume I, as the judge, know next to nothing about the resolution.



The team with the best articulation of their arguments throughout the entire round, refutation of all their opponent's points, usage of evidence, and comparative argumentation will ultimately win my vote.



I do not care how fast you can talk; I care more about the content of your argument and the retaliation against your opponent.



Humor goes a long way with me in terms of ethos and speaker points, but being mean or a bully does not. Respect the line between "competitive" and "overtly hostile."



I will be keeping time, but it is also the debater's responsibility to be keeping track of prep time and speech time. If I have to tell you that your time is up, it means that you have gone over and I will deduct points.

I am a pretty relaxed judge. Here are a list of things I prefer:

1) Concise, articulate speeches. You don't have to necessarily machine gun out your arguments. Hopefully you have boiled them down to clear and concise terms so that your objective judge can understand your arguments without having to dive into deep explanations.

2) Remain poised. I prefer that you do not speak with your hands. I understand this may be a natural reaction to emphasizing your speeches.

3) In cross, If time expires as a question is asked, I will allow the team being asked the question to articulate a response.

Experience

Mountain Brook High School Speech and Debate Coach (2018 - Present)

Wheaton North High School Speech (2003-2007)

Wheaton North Public Forum Debater (2006)

As a judge, I want to see debaters that are:

Focused and Organized: The more thoughtful you are about how you present your contentions initially, the easier it for me to judge and for your opponents to interact with your case. Evidence should be succinct and questions during cross should be thoughtful and targeted. A PF round goes incredibly quickly, and it's important that you use each second to your advantage. In particular I appreciate when debaters weigh and discuss impact throughout the round. By the end I want to be sold on why your contentions are stronger and your impacts are more significant. Remember that as I judge I may not have seen all of the evidence that you have, and in Public Forum it is your job to talk to me as if I know nothing about the topic, even if I do.

Prepared: Nothing hurts the quality of a debate more than debaters who do not fully understand the resolution or their opponents’ claims. Good clash can only be built through understanding all facets of the resolution and the evidence available. That being said, citing a piece of evidence is never a substitution for a strong warrant. If you cannot explain your evidence and connect it logically to your argument, then I am less likely to consider it when judging. I do not like calling for evidence. It usually means that you have stopped debating the topic and started debating cards that I have not read.

Professional: Professionalism will not lose you a round with me, but it will absolutely impact the speaker points I award. Being confident and convincing me that you have won your debate is expected. Being rude, disrespectful, or condescending to the judge, your opponents, or your partner is never acceptable. Debate is an enormous undertaking, and every person’s time and commitment should be respected. It is also incredibly difficult to know what your opponents are saying if you do not give them their time to talk, or when you are overly focused on your own case.