Congress Paradigm:

Having competed in Congress at the national level, I have good knowledge of parliamentary procedure, so please follow procedure in chamber.

Also, maintain decorum in the chamber as it makes the session run smoothly.

In addition to maintaining an efficient chamber with good procedure and decorum, ensure to advance the debate with new arguments and questions.

I am a previous competitor in Public Forum Debate and coached the category for seven years. Additionally, I have coached Student Congress for three years, and Lincoln-Douglas Debate for three.

I have judged PF, LD, and Congress at the local, state, and national levels.

In round, I prefer an aggressive, but controlled, manner of speech. Rate of delivery does not heavily factor into my decision as long as the speaker is clear and enunciates well.

Framework is very important to me, and in order to clearly win a round one must win the framework debate. In rebuttals, I prefer voting issues to be delivered after a line-by-line analysis. I generally lean more towards the traditional end of LD debating.

Arguments should be able to be supported with evidence when asked. I will do my best to take a rigorous flow during the round.

I will decide the winner of the round based on who wins the key arguments.

I like to see content backed by sources, as well as clean debate. Do not personally attack your opponent, and I do not like spreading - nor will I vote for your side if I can't understand a word you're saying. Vocal intonation, vocal modulation, dynamic voice, appropriate pacing and pausing, clear enunciation, eye contact, facial expressions, and gestures are all tools that can support your presentation. Spreading and gish galloping in my opinion are NOT tools. Be honest and respectful in your presentation. Focus on framework and the value. Not one to disclose.

CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE

As a congress judge I like to see each student add something to the debate. If you don't have something new or unique to add to the debate and are simply rehashing what previous speakers have said you will not get a good score from me. Please directly refute what other speakers have said and explain why the previous speaker is right or wrong, don't simply say that you disagree with them, I need an explanation. To receive a good speech score from me I expect to hear unique arguments, with cited sources to back them up and lots of analysis. You will not get ranked in my chamber if you simply give one or two very polished speeches, I expect chamber participation which includes asking great questions and making relevant motions!

LINCOLN DOUGLAS DEBATE

I have been judging LD debate on and off for almost 15 years. I judge mostly at local Ohio tournaments. I have a very open mind when it comes to arguments that can be presented in an LD debate. With my policy competition background I like to hear a good impact analysis, but don't let your framework get lost in the round. Every argument you make should link back to and support your framework. At the end of the round make sure you are telling me why you win the round! Not why your opponent is losing but why YOU WIN the round.