Paradigm = CLARITY!

- Clear Quality of arguments over quantity of arguments. Clear Quality of evidence over quantity of evidence.

- Organization: Speak slowly and deliberately in your outlines so I can FOLLOW your arguments and evidence. Shouldn't miss any of the main contentions especially in the beginning

- Sign Posting is an essential tool for me to follow your case. Speak slowly and stress what your contentions & voting issues are.

- Must Weigh! Tell me how to prioritize and weigh your contentions so I know exactly what you want me to evaluate your case on.

I judge primarily on the flow. If you're talking too fast that I can't write your arguments down, or if you are not properly sign posting to where I should write that argument, I might not be able to vote on it. Please be explicitly clear. Don't be pompous and disrespectful or you will lose points and will make a very bad impression. The collegial spirit of academic debate is paramount. Off-time roadmaps always appreciated.

Good luck!

Speed needs to be a reasonable. Too fast is not acceptable. I will NOT weigh anything I can't hear, understand nor if your going too fast so I can't keep up. A good indication is if I put my pen down I'm not flowing.

Sources as well as statistics need to be explained well and how it ways into your case. Clash to your opponents case with evidence of how I should weigh it to your side with how it fits into your framework/impacts.

Blippy arguments make the debate nearly impossible to judge:

Cards should have warrants and you should be able to access the warrant and reasoning behind the card a quote without context is not an argument. You should be using warrants not just reading a quote. If you are extending evidence you should be reading the warrant, not just a blip.

THE DEBATER WHO HAS BETTER ARGUMENTATION WILL WIN OVER THE DEBATER WHO JUST READS A CARD THAT SAYS WELL ACTUALLY WSJ SAYS XYZ.

there should in general, be more engagement on the framing aspect of the debate. Tell me:

How you link into framing
Why that is good
Why your opponent doesn't
why that is bad

pick one main argument that you are winning and link to framing.

pick what offense the other team has and outweigh it

he/him

I have been a coach at Evanston for 5 years, and have been judging for them for 7+

please be clear if spreading, very important that you pause and sign post during argumentation. I will defer to what I hear in speeches and use the speech doc sparingly. It is importance to change cadence when spreading in order to emphasize warrants and impacts in order to differentiate. I don’t want to have to read the cards to figure out what you are saying in your speeches, you should be clear enough so I can flow

Tricks are pretty annoying and don't really help people learn how to debate, It is on a case to case basis on how I will weigh tricks (long story short, id recommend NOT reading them in front of me)

The most important thing in the round is that your arguments are accessible, and inclusive to everyone. That being said, be inclusive to your opponent inside the round. If your opponent doesn't understand speed, slow down. If an argument is not clear and is hard to understand, explain it. If you don't do these things, I will have a hard time voting for these arguments. That being said, I am pretty much open to any argument (regardless of event) as long as it is warranted, and impacted (as long as it is not exclusionary or violent). This includes critical arguments in public forum. Don't lie about evidence. This is a very good way to automatically lose the round with me, and more often than not almost any other judge, or judge panel.

Decision-Making:

Framing:

If you tell me to look at a certain framework and it is fair and reasonable, then I will do so. If I don't think it is fair I probably wont evaluate under it, but I will tell you why I think it's unfair, and how to make it fair. For LD, it is more about warranted framing. I don’t like/understand phil framing when it’s spread, and I literally have no idea how to evaluate it when it’s read at 200+ wpm

K's are cool.

Decorum: You should do what makes you comfortable in round, if you want to sit down for cx cool, stand up, cool. Sit down for speech, yeee, stand on your head. Let people know if there is anything you need to make the round more accessible or more comfortable for you.

Speaker points: Being kind in round is the best way to get 30's with me. Also, if I learn something new or interesting, you will probably get good speaks

winners get probably 28-30, then the losing team .5 less

30: you were cool in round

I don't always remember to time, so please be honest and hold yourselves accountable.

Georgia or Angie (she/they)  

I debated for four years at Stagg as a rebuttal speaker in PF and also debated LD. I have been nationally qualified twice and earned the title of semifinalist with my partner at IHSA my senior year. My philosophy is that if I give clear and meaningful critiques to the competitors, they can learn and improve. I am not one to “sugar coat” my comments, but I think it’s in your best interest. I am here to decide the winner, but also to share my experience and help you be a better debater.  

First, I am a flow judge, pretty standard for PF. I will take into consideration the established PF “norms” of the flow of the round. (evidence not brought up in every speech isnt flowed, arguments brought up after summary arent flowed, etc)

Second, weigh impacts, don’t just extend them. Yes, extension is really important, especially because I judge on the flow, but if you don’t explain the extensions and properly weigh the impact, they hold little weight. (I love weighing mechanisms)

Third, explain your cards. It may be elementary to ask that your warrants and impacts are backed up by evidence, but here I am. You can call for cards, but if you do it to get extra prep thats gonna mess with your speaker points. I weigh based on the explanation and effectiveness of the card in the overall argument, as opposed to the literal evidence itself.

Lastly, intimidation and excessive assertiveness will not win you the round. I see this is a common problem in some teams, but, as I stated, I am flow judge and I will judge based on the argumentational level alone. A round cannot simply be won by being louder.  

speaker points:

I will almost never give out a 30. Nonetheless, my criteria for a 30 speaker include (but are not limited to) the following:

-respect for the round, me and your opponents

-efficient and intentional use of speech time, good speech structure

-general good public speaking skills, lack of filler words, incomplete explanations, rambling, good speed, volume etc

-clear understanding of argumentational mechanics of PF and the purpose of each speech

Please do not hesitate to ask any questions regarding my paradigm in round, as it is in your best interest to understand the way I judge.   

As your performance, preparedness, and effort on your debate is valued and admired, I do prefer quality vs quantity. This helps me consider all important points in order to make the best decision. Speed is not favorable for me.

If your side is con, facts or showing cards demonstrating why I should decide for con is important to convince.

For Palatine: I feel like these rounds are getting messy and confusing. Please take time in your speeches to explain the WHY behind your cards.

Email: jgiesecke10@gmail.com (put me on the email chain)

My fundamental principles:.

• It’s not an argument without a warrant.

• 'Clarity of Impact' weighing isn't real.

• ‘Probability weighing also isn’t real

• Calling for un-indicted cards is judge intervention.

• Judge intervention is usually bad.

view of a PF round:

• Front lining in the second rebuttal makes the round easier for everyone — including me.

• Offense is conceded if it’s dropped in the proceeding speech — a blippy extension or the absence of weighing is a waste of the concession.

• Overviews should engage/interact with the case it’s being applied to.

• Warrant/evidence comparison is the crux of an effective rebuttal.

• Offense must be in summary and Final Focus.

• If they don’t frontline your defense, you can extend it from first rebuttal to first Final Focus.

• You MUST answer turns in the second rebuttal or first summary.

• Telling me you outweigh on scope isn’t really weighing, you need to tell my WHY you outweigh on scope or whatever.
• Comparative weighing is the crux of a good summary and final focus and good comparative weighing is the easiest way win.

Judging style:

• I don’t evaluate new weighing in second Final Focus.

• weighing needs to be consistent in summary and final focus

• It may look like I'm not paying attention to crossfire; it's because I'm not.

• Turns that aren't extended in the first summary that ends up in the first final focus become defense

• Miscellaneous Stuff

• Flip the coin as soon as both teams are there

• Have preflows ready

• open cross is fine

• Flex prep is fine

• K’s fine but can only be read in the second case or first rebuttal.

• I will NOT evaluate disclosure theory

• I don't care where you speak from

• I don't care what you wear

Competed in high school debate and forensics for four years. Competed in policy, LD, and congress as well as IX and DI. I will listen to any arguments as long as they are justified and can listen to fast debates. Be nice in round, if the round is in a small room be aware of your volume and dont yell. If you have questions feel free to ask.

1. I judge by the flow.

2. I look heavily at impact weighing in the round.

3. Rudeness in the round will not result in a loss of the round but a heavy loss of speaker points.

4. If evidence is heavily contested without clarity I will take a look at it myself to resolve inconsistencies, if it is critical to      the round. 

5. I do not flow crossfire points unless brought up in the following speech. 

Email- JKaminskii34@gmail.com

TLDR (updated 11/4/22)

1. Speed is fine, you won't go too fast
2. Win the flow=win the round
3. Presumption =neg
4. Theory is cool, run it well (Interp, violation, standards and voters. RVI's have higher burden)
5. K debate is even better
6. Defense needs to be extended
7. I default to magnitude/strength of link weighing
8. You can run any and all args you want, but they cannot be problematic/discriminatory/ attack your opponents. This will be an auto 20 speaks and L.

My debate experience:

Current assistant PF coach at Trinity Prep

3 Years of NFA-LD Debate

4 Years of Public Forum debate

Paradigm-

It should be pretty easy to win my ballot. In my opinion, debate is a game, and you should play to win. Here are the specific things most debaters would want to know.

PF

- I am cool with speed, so long as you don't use it to push your opponents out of a round. I will call clear if you become hard to understand, so keep that in mind.

- I will evaluate all types of arguments equally unless told otherwise.

- I am willing to listen to things like K's and theory arguments, so long as they are impacted out in the round.

- I really enjoy framework debates as well. I think these can be particularly beneficial for limiting the ground your opponents have in the round.

- I am tech over truth, which means so long as it is on my flow, I will evaluate the argument regardless of my own feelings on it. I will also not flow arguments through ink on the flow, so be sure to engage with your opponents answers in order to win the link level of your argument.

- Summary and FF should be somewhat consistent in terms of the direction they are going. Inconsistencies between these speeches will be harmful, especially when it comes to evaluating the strengths of your links and impacts

- On that same note, I want to see some sort of collapse in the second half of the debate- going for everything is typically a bad strategy, and I want to reward smart strategic choices that you make.

- I default to a net benefits impact calc, unless given a competing way to view the round. I am cool viewing the round through any lens that you give me, so long as you explain why its the best way for me to evaluate the round. If absent, I have to intervene with my own, which is something I hate to do.

- If you want me to call for cards, you need to ask me to do so. In that same regard, I wont intervene unless you leave me no other option.

- I dont flow CX, so if you want me to hold something that was said as binding, you need to bring it up in all of the subsequent speeches.

-Speaker points, in my opinion, are less about your speaking performance and more about your ability to present and explain compelling arguments, interact with the opposition, and provide meaningful analysis as to why you are necessarily more important. Content above style

-On a more personal note, I want the rounds that I judge to be educational and allow debaters to articulate arguments about real world issues, all of which deserve respect regardless of your own personal opinions. I have seen my partners and teammates experience sexism, racism, and other types of discrimination, and I have absolutely zero tolerance for it when I am judging.

-If you have any other questions about my paradigm, please feel free to ask me. I also will give feedback after rounds, you just have to find me and ask.

LD

- All of the above applies here as well. There are a few extra points that may be helpful.

- I will always evaluate framing first, so long as there are competing positions. If values are the same, just collapse and move on. These can be either traditional or more progressive/kritical frameworks.

- For the NR/2AR, don't go for everything- there simply is not enough time and debates are not lost by making strategic decisions to go for one or two arguments instead of extending the entire case.

- I dont need voter issues- just go top down the AC and NC and win your offense/extend defense.

- Impact calc is necessary- PLEASE weigh your impacts. I default to a net benefits impact calc, unless given a competing way to view the round.

About me:

I have been coaching and judging PF for eleven years. I judge on local circuit tournaments and have also judged many national circuit tournaments, including the TOC. I am familiar with the topic, but that does not mean that you should not explain your arguments. As a coach I am very aware of all the nuances of Public Forum debate.

Put me on the email chain: nkroepel@district100.com and belviderenorthpf@gmail.com

Round specifics:

Tech>truth (I always try to be tabula rasa and not interject my knowledge into your round). I will vote on just about anything besides abusive, offensive arguments. I will take arguments as true, unless otherwise argued by your opponent for the scope of the round.

I can flow speed, but I prefer not to. I do not want you to use it as a way to exclude your opponents. In the end, Debate is about intelligible conversation, if you are going too fast, and don't do it well, it can get in the way of clarity of expression, which upsets me.

I do not flow cross-fire, but I do pay attention to it. However, if you make an excellent point in cross-fire, you will have to bring that information up in a subsequent speech. Also, DO NOT be rude, I will reduce your speaker points for it. It is inappropriate for teams to make their opponent's feel inferior or humiliate them in the round.

If you are speaking second, please address your opponent's responses to your case, especially turns. It does not have to be an even split, but make sure it is something that you do. Defense is not sticky, you need to extend it.

I expect that summary and final focus are cohesive to each other. First summary needs extend defense. Second summary needs to address responses on your case, especially in areas you are going to collapse on, and it should also respond to turns. I do expect that you collapse and not go for everything on the flow in summary. I WILL NOT vote on an issue if it is not brought up in summary. Please weigh in your final two speeches and clash your arguments to those provided by your opponent.

As I expect the summary and final focus to be consistent, that also means that the story/narrative coming from your partnership also be consistent. I may not give you a loss because of it, but it is harder to establish ethos. Defend a consistent worldview using your warrants and impacts.

Make it easy for me to fill out my ballot. Tell me where I should be voting and why. Be sure to be clear and sign-post throughout.

Extensions need to be clean and not just done through ink. In order for you to cleanly extend, you need to respond to responses, and develop your warrant(s). You cannot win an impact without warranting. In rebuttal, please make sure you are explaining implications of responses, not just card dumping. Explain how those responses interact with your opponents' case and what their place in the round means. DO NOT just extend card names in subsequent speeches.

The flow rules in my round for the most part, unless the weighing is non-existent. I will not call for evidence unless it is a huge deal, because I view it as interventionist.

DO NOT make blippy arguments-warranting matters!

DO NOT make the round a card battle, PLEASE. Explain the cards, explain why they outweigh. A card battle with no explanation or weighing gets you nowhere except to show me why I shouldn't vote on it.

And finally progressive debate-I'd strongly prefer you do not read atopical arguments. I think most kritikal positions are exceptionally unpersuasive on a truth level, but this should not explicitly influence how I evaluate them, except to say that I'm probably more willing than most to evaluate intelligent analytical defense to Ks even if your opponents have "cards" to make their claims. I am still learning when it comes to judging/evaluating theory. I need a slower debate with clear warranting-neither K or T are a big part of my judging experience either. You CAN run it in front of me but combining it with speed makes me even more confused. I can't promise that I will always make the right decision.

Name: Steve Kroepel

School Affiliation: Belvidere North High School

Number of Years Judging Public Forum: 8

What is your current occupation? Data Analyst

Please share your opinions or beliefs about how the following play into a debate round:

Speed of Delivery - brisk conversational - no faster

Format of Summary Speeches (line by line? big picture?) Big picture

Extension of Arguments into later speeches - If you want me to vote on it, yes

Flowing/note-taking - I am a flow judge as long as the round takes place at a reasonable pace and I am able to keep up, if you go faster than I can flow, and something does not end up on my flow, I will not vote on it

Do you value argument over style? Style over argument? Argument and style equally? As far as the W or L is concerned, 100% argumentation. If you can't articulate your warrant, don't expect to win on it.

If a team plans to win the debate on an argument, in your opinion does that argument have to be extended in the rebuttal or summary speeches? Yes

If a team is second speaking, do you require that the team cover the opponents’ case as well as answers to its opponents’ rebuttal in the rebuttal speech? Yes, if the round is happening at a reasonable pace, if one team sounds like an auctioneer so the other team is not able to get to all of their arguments, debating at a reasonable pace, I will not be as firm on this.

Do you vote for arguments that are first raised in the grand crossfire or final focus? No.

Be a kind competitor.

I don't believe low point wins or speaker points are enough to deter truly rude and disrespectful behavior. As such, I reserve the right to only flow and evaluate arguments that are made and extended while maintaining the tone of a friendly academic discussion. Passion is encouraged, but ad hominem attacks, eye rolls, derision, and various "isms" are all very much discouraged. If I'm not happy with the tone of the debate, it will likely be pretty clear that I've stopped flowing you. At the end of the round I will then evaluate all arguments made and extended respectfully and I will consider all other arguments dropped. This is a policy that has impacted my judging in rounds before.

Other than that, I think I'm a fairly standard judge. Anything you want me to understand in your round, state explicitly. Do not imply links or impacts and expect me to infer them. Please fully explain your warrants and all hows and whys if you expect me to buy an argument. Please do not leave me to my own devices with weighing impacts. Tell me why you believe you won the debate.

In LD: Your framework is meant to be the standard by which we evaluate the resolution. As such, I believe it's vitally important. Please don't leave framework off in it's own world at the top of the flow. It should be clearly linked to each of your contentions and you should be impacting through your framework. Please make those links and impacts explicit. Don't leave me to infer them. You can win the debate without winning framework, provided that you successfully prove you better uphold your opponents' framework. I enjoy hearing the philosophy so I love when students take interesting case positions that fully incorporate neat frameworks. I'm okay with a quick-ish speed assuming you are articulating things in a clear way, but I'm not a fan of spreading for spreading's sake. It's worth saying the best debaters I've seen have never been the fastest. Fast often leads to inefficient and imprecise use of language and causes me to think more to process what you've said. In general, the more processing I have to do on my own, the worse for you.

In PF: Please clash. PF can be hard to judge because often the clash is underdeveloped. Please meaningfully engage with your opponents' arguments and then weigh your impacts against theirs. If your opponent provides a framework, I expect you to address it or else I consider it dropped and acceded to, just like any other part of debate; if you drop it, you concede it. It's worth repeating, please weigh your impacts against your opponents'. I strongly dislike spreading in PF and would prefer you don't use jargon. They are not appropriate for the format.

Congress: I expect congressional debate to be reactive to what has already happened in the chamber. Except for 1st pro, I expect that all speeches contain at least one refutation at an absolute minimum. A real refutation needs to interact with what was actually said. MadLibs style refutations where you name drop another debater in a way that was clearly just a fill in the blank without engaging with or responding to them is not going to get you a good score. Extensions are encouraged, but making the same point as if it's the first time it's come up in the chamber will not get you a good score.

Please also explain all the mechanics of how and why in your speech. Clearly articulated hows, whys, and impacts, along with responsive debate, are the keys to a high score. Also make sure links to the bill are made clear. I care a lot about how clean the internals of your contentions are in their organization. Tell me a story and inspire me. Please move the debate forward and cover new ground. No one enjoys listening to rehash. Clean presentation that inspires, quality questioning, and being a kind competitor are all valued.

Your intro is a way to add value to your speech and enhance my understanding of the topic. I have a strong preference for intros that feel specific and unique to the particular bill at hand and your speech. If it feels generic or recycled, then I don't think it's a good use of your limited time.

In a virtual setting, I really depend on having a preview or roadmap as part of your speech. Without that, I find the structure of your speech very difficult to follow.

Authorship and sponsorship speeches are very different from 2nd or 3rd pro speeches. Since you aren't being asked to refute, the expectation is that you frame the debate: set up the problem and how this bill addresses it. Your contentions should be the most important reasons for the bill, not necessarily unique arguments that no one else thought of. 1st con should similarly help frame the debate for the neg side.

All forms: Don't be afraid to be passionate or to be yourself. You've worked hard to prepare for the tournament and you deserve to be here. If you've put in the work, you've earned the right to be confident. Be proud of yourself and have some fun :)

slow and clear

Specifics to March LD 2024 (Criminal Justice):

• Please make your arguments concrete. Criminal justice reform is happening in the SQUO in America and beyond. Give me examples of programs. YOU be the one to set the definitions of rehabilitation. Instead of being so theoretical, show me what this actually looks like, please!
• I am OK with counterplans on neg especially for this topic.
• Remember that by round 6, your judges will have heard many of the same arguments. Maybe try to spice it up a bit with something unique!
• Have the best time this weekend :)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

General:

Hello! I am an English teacher and a debate coach of 5 years, and I judge both PF and LD. First and foremost, I want everyone to have a good experience during your round!

In both LD and PF,my #1 priority is this: argue respectfully! If you are rude to your opponents or exceedingly arrogant in your speeches, it will result in a loss of speaker points.

2nd Priority: make my life as a judge easy. Tell me what to do! They dropped your 2nd subpoint? Tell me! Want me to flow something through? Tell me! You're the experts here, and I'm just trying to keep up. Don't assume that I'll catch everything that you catch in a round :)

CLARITY AND SPEED: I value clarity over speed. Obviously sometimes speed is necessary to ensure your speeches will fit in the time limit, but if I miss a tagline or a name of a card, it's only to your detriment!

CONCRETE ARGUMENTS: 2nd point on clarity-- remember that while you have spent a lot of time and effort researching your topics, your judges have not. Before you make your more intricate or unique arguments, spend some time in your FW or contentions explaining the basics or the fundamentals of your case! Give concrete examples when you can!

PRIORITIZE THE ARGUMENT, NOT THE TERMINOLOGY: Sorry, clunky, but I don't know how else to say it. Debate should be an accessible space for all, and when it's convoluted with hyper-specific debate terminology and lingo, it make it so hard for this really great activity to be somewhere that people don't feel totally intimidated to join. Also, I'm NOT a former debater. Everything I know I've picked up from coaching in the past 5 years. I vote on arguments, not on technicalities.

ORGANIZATION: I appreciate a nice, well-organized, line-by-line rebuttal!!! Attacking your opponent's cases in order is a huge help to me for flowing.

CROSS: In general, I listen attentively and may write a few notes of good points brought up during CX, but I would prefer anything from CX to be flowed to your later speeches.

IMPACTS: Impacts! You can have all the cards you want in the world, but you need to be able to explain them and explain the impacts of your cards on your case. Again, I'm an English teacher, and I consider your impacts/explanation of cards to be just like your analysis of quotes in an essay. Without it, the essay falls apart!

SPEAKING: While it doesn't weigh much on my decision of who WON the round, I do also appreciate when a speaker uses inflection and proper emphasis in your speeches. Be convinced of your case and convince me to believe in it! I love a good stylistic speech. Keep me engaged! This will definitely impact your speaker points.

WEIGHING: I do prefer clearly listed voter's issues and weighing mechanisms, but not including weighing mechanisms won't necessarily cost you the round.

If you have any questions, just ask! Thank you and good luck!!!

Voting

I vote on extensions between summary and final focus. I like to see voting issues in both Summary and Final Focus but if you really want to do a line by line in Summary, that's fine too. Just make sure you sign post for me.

Please refrain from extending through ink or making arguments that jump from rebuttal to final focus.

It's easiest to win my ballot if you have a strong narrative/advocacy throughout your case and speeches. I like framework, observations, and overviews because they're really good for streamlining the debate.

I like if an argument collapses well, so in the later speeches like summary and final focus, I would like to see more than just impacts extended.

Speeches:

If you're the second speaking team, I like it if you go back to your case during rebuttal, but it's not a huge deal if you don't.

Argumentation

I'll listen to whatever arguments you want me to, but mostly I'll listen to how you weigh it.

Cross X:

I generally listen and don't flow, so if an important concession comes up, make sure to mention it in a speech.

Evidence Ethics

Sometimes at the end of a round I may need to call for cards. This might be because a team asks me to do it or because it seems like the actual wording of the card might not align with how it was explained. If I notice a degree of exaggeration that significantly influences the quality of the card, I'll probably just drop the card from the round. If I read the card and evidence has clearly been falsified or significantly misconstrued, I will either drop the team that used the objectionable evidence, file a report with tab, or both. Overall, just be honest and we'll be a-okay.

I judge on clarity. It is your responsibility to make sure I am aware of your framework, contentions, and impact. Signposting is essential.

Weigh your contentions so I know what you want me to evaluate and prioritize and why it matters.

I have been involved in competitive speech and debate since 2005 as a competitor and a coach. While more of my time has been spent on the speech side of things, my primary events were Extemp and Impromptu. I have served as a debate coach for University High School in Normal, IL since the fall of 2015. I teach high school Oral Communication, Argumentation and Debate, Contemporary Rhetoric, and AP Language and Composition.

In terms of Public Forum Debate, I am looking for a combination of appeals to the average person as well as to a more nuanced audience. Progressive Debate strategies are OK, but the link to the resolution better be solid. I also am OK with some speed, but not full on spreading. If I can't hear/understand something, it doesn't make it on my flow. DO NOT BE AFRAID OF COMPLICATED ARGUMENTS, but you have to be able to explain them to a diverse audience. At the end of the day, links are everything! I need to see how your evidence actually links together and to your argument as a whole. I also want impact analysis. Explain to your judge(s) how and why your side will impact more lives, I won't do the work for you. If you are the second team to speak in a debate, I expect your Rebuttal to respond to the first team's Rebuttal as well as their case. Second summary is too late to bring in something new as your opponents will not have adequate time to respond. Please consider everyone impacted by a debate resolution. I do care if we are saving lives in the US or in another country. I am only a flow judge in the sense that if you do not mention something in your summary speech, I will not weigh it in my final decision, even if it is brought up in final focus. At the end of the day, I also want a professional debate. It is OK to get heated in the moment, but please refrain from crossing the line into completely unprofessional! Finally, in PF, please be ready to exchange evidence in a timely manner. (Oh, and I don't flow cross, so if something good is happening there, make sure you mention it in the next speech if you want me to weigh it).

In Speech, I am looking for the best combination of speaker and content. In Extemp, I am going to vote up students that answer the question and provide compelling evidence as to why that answer is true. I will vote those students up over the cleanest speakers every time if the cleanest speakers do not answer the question. In Oratory and Info, I am looking for an easy to follow structure and compelling delivery. I am OK with older sources as long as they are justified by the topic. In interp, I want to feel something. I typically vote up students that have a clear connection to their piece that connect with the audience in the room.

Experience: I have 3 years of debate experience as a coach/judge in Public Forum (1 year as an assistant and 1 year as a head coach). I have experience coaching/judging Congressional, Public Forum, and Lincoln Douglas Debate.

Organization: I expect clear organization throughout the debate. You present a clear argument using contentions, subpoints, and off-time road maps. Voters issues should be included in the Final Focus. Please be as clear and concise as possible so that I do not have to guess what your points/arguments are.

Evidence: I value the use of evidence within your arguments. You should include clear and thorough citations, which include an author, source, and year. Current sources (within the last 1-2 years) provide stronger citations, unless you are making a historical argument that would benefit from primary documents. Make sure to explain your evidence thoroughly through your impacts.

Crossfire: Do not talk over your opponents during Crossfire. Be courteous to your opponent. Being rude to another team will result in a deduction of points. Crossfire is a time to ask clarifying questions. Make sure to ask questions to your opponents, and do not just make statements back-and-forth. Argumentation and rebuttal should be saved for the debate rounds, NOT during the Crossfire round.

Speaker Points: Speaker points will be based on your overall delivery. This includes the pace of your speech, volume, eye contact, and tone. Make sure to use all of the time given to you for the round. You should also be courteous to your fellow debaters, and not demonstrate any demeaning behavior (i.e. rolling your eyes, talking to your partner during rounds, laughing, being disruptive when someone is speaking, having a rude tone). Generally, just be as polished and professional as possible.

School Affiliation: PALATINE

Number of years judging the event you are registered in: 7 years

Speed of delivery- As long as I can flow it I am fine with spreading.

Format of Summary Speeches (line by line? big picture?)- I like a big picture format for Summaries and a crystallization of the debate. Clean up attacks, let me know what you want to focus on, and introduce voter's issues

Extension of arguments into later speeches- All arguments should be extended if you want me to flow them through.

Flowing/note-taking- I flow the entire round except for crossfires and final focus.

Do you value argument over style? Style over argument? Argument and style equally? To win the debate I value argument. To get high speaker points I value style.

If a team plans to win the debate on an argument, in your opinion does that argument have to be extended in the rebuttal or summary speeches? Yes, that argument should at least be mentioned in those two speeches.

If a team is second speaking, do you require that the team cover the opponents’ case as well as answers to its opponents’ rebuttal in the rebuttal speech? No, I don't require front lining - I think debaters should be allowed to deal with attacks against their own case in the summary. Unless we add more time to the second speaker's rebuttal this doesn't seem fair.

Do you vote for arguments that are first raised in the grand crossfire or final focus? No.

Hey debaters!

I am a current student at University of Michigan for the College of Engineering who has done debate for all four years of my high school career. When I am judging, I am looking for these things during these speeches:

Crossfire: Make sure to be nice and respectful during crossfire . If any points are brought up during crossfire, make sure to bring them through your next speech and directly mention them.

Constructive: Read clearly and loudly. Also, make sure that you do no spread so I am able to flow everything.

Rebuttal: Make sure to attack opponent's points line by line and signpost to let me know where to look on the flow. Make sure to use extension evidence to strengthen your points, and if you are speaking second make sure to re-defend your own case.

Summary: Make sure to bring up voting issues, clash your contentions with their contentions, and provide an impact analysis that weighs your contentions in comparison to the opponents.

GCFX: Make sure to be respectful, kind, and make sure to let your partner talk.

Final Focus: Flow through your voting issues and discuss the most important points of the round and why you won.

In conclusion, make sure to have fun.

I debated for Glenbrook North in Policy and LD, did parli in college and coached parli at the college level for a year.

My email is juliescott1234@gmail.com

Providing it's not offensive, I will vote for whatever is on the flow. I don't prefer any type of argument to another, that being said I prefer to see comparative argumentation and impact analysis. A dropped argument is true for the round.

Also, everyone is choosing to give up their weekends to participate in an activity that is competitive, but should also be fun. Be nice to one another.

I have been a debate judge for approximately a decade, but only in Illinois.

Speed is okay as long as the debater has a clear intelligible voice. I have difficulty following what I call whispery voices especially at speed because I tend to not hear everything being said properly. I have been recently been diagnosed with hearing "not at normal levels".

I value style as well as substance equally.

I flow through out the debate and I like to see teams address their opponent’s contentions point by point. Additionally, It does not matter to me if a team is stating something in their case that is knowingly false or untrue. If the opposing team does not contest these statement…then power to the other team. I also like to see teams specify impacts along with their contentions.

Also, I am all for robust intelligent debates, but keep it above boards. Being aggressive is not necessarily a no-no if done properly. Please no sniping or snickering at your opponents expense. This behavior will not be tolerated.

Hello my name is Levale, I ask that everyone is nice during round (try not to get too heated). I love a lot of clash! For the first speakers I ask that you please give me voters in the summary speeches so I know what to vote on and who to vote for based upon your voter issues and the way you back then up. For the second speakers , in final focus please tell me why I should vote for you based off the voter issues provided by you partner in summary.

I am a former debater I debated all my years in high school as a second speaker in public forum.