Korean-American born and raised in Iowa

Current Student at The University of Iowa with a double major in Psychology and English and Creative Writing

Iowa City West High School Alum

cho3104026@gmail.com -- put me on email chain pls

Quick Overview

This is my first year judging at the collegiate level.

I will always try my best to understand your arguments and figure out how everything works.

I'm down to vote for any argument

Unfortunately, I was never the best with the technical side of debate. I was always a big picture person who favored truth over tech. Thus, I probably need more explanation than the average judge when it comes to T and Framework debates.

I like to read evidence whenever I can, but I'll value my flow and what's being said over whatever I read in your evidence.

I have a solid foundational understanding of most critical arguments in debate, but I wont be too familiar with any topic specific evidence about anti-trust laws.

I'm not great when it comes to Theory debates. IE: Condo Bad, Vague Alts Bad, etc. I'm willing to vote for them, but there needs to be substantial proof of in round abuse and an impact.

I was a mediocre policy debater in the early 90s for two years. I like constitutional warrants. I can handle flow, but I prefer argument and persuasiveness over speed.

Don't make me feel like I'm choosing between Garbage A and Garbage B. Use some sophistication to convince me think I'm the dumbest guy in the room. Even though I can understand it, I don't like overly complicated jargon (ie the phrase "Non-Inherent T-Shell") that's exclusive to debate. On the other hand, I used to run a lot of counter-plans in policy, so go big or go home with the squirrel and K. Plus, it warms my heart when a team can link a nuclear war impact to a contention.

I really like a lot of debate clash, specifically about evidence. I don't always ask for evidence, but when I do, I ask to see the entire, original, uncut card. I am not a fan of teams throwing knee-jerk requests for evidence at the opposition. I also think its a good idea to have all evidence printed out. I don't flow cross, so if you get ideas for an argument, bring it up in speeches.

Lastly I've been doing this for a few years. Let me judge the round and determine the pacing of the experience. Please don't tell me what to do outside of the rhetoric within your speeches. And for heaven's sake, be respectful to people, both within and without the round.

During the debate in all 4 phases, but particularly in rebuttal, summary, and final focus, I like to hear the use and reuse of your evidence to solidify your arguments, and tear down your opponents case. The re-mention of your evidence I find very helpful during a debate. I really appreciate if you can do a good job of sign posting and not jump all over the place is also very helpful. Some teams like to give what they call an "off time road map". I actually like this so I have a concept of how you plan on structuring your next arguments. Feel free to do this before your time starts. The summary part of the debate, I really like it if the speaker can lay out for me, why you think you have won! It's this part of the debate where you want to explain any areas that were misconstrued by your opponents. Clarify these for me. Again, restate any relevant evidence to sure up your case. Point out the flaws of your opponents and why your evidence is better. Of course the final focus, tell me what you feel were the voting issues of the debate and why your case outweighed that of your opponents.

Many of you are very skilled debaters. However, keep things simple. Try not to throw around a lot of fancy debate jargon. I am a parent judge so simple is better. Try and debate as if the person judging has no concept of the topic being debated.

Cross fires. Although I don't put a lot of emphasis on this for deciding the final outcome, I do like teams to be brief in their responses. Please don't filibuster during the cross fires. Ask a question - answer a question - and try to be courteous to the other teams. I don't mind a heated cross fire, but I don't like a team that rambles on and doesn't yield to the other team.

Try and use all the allotted time for your speeches.

In terms of appearance, I prefer that the speakers stand during their speeches. You can face me or the opponents. I'm fine with either. I also ask that you keep your own time. When discussing strategies between you and your teammate: whisper. It can be distracting if I can hear you talking. Also - speed. Please don't speak so fast that I can't write down your points and evidence. I'll do my best to keep up... but I have to understand what you are saying so don't go so fast that I can't make out what your are saying. Also speak loudly for me if possible.

Finally - have fun and be good sports! Thanks.

Speechdrop.net is strictly superior to email chains for in-round file sharing, but feel free to contact me via Kalen.pop@gmail.com

I've been involved in policy debate since 2012 and a coach since 2018, currently Head Coach at Iowa City Liberty High School. By day, I'm employed as a sentient Politics DA. (Journalist with a major in political science.)

TLDR: I'll vote on anything you can make me understand. I love DA/CP/Case debates, I'm not a bad judge for the Kritik, but I've been told I'm not a great judge for it either. Speed reading is fine in the abstract, but I do hold debaters to a higher standard of clarity than I think many other judges to. Speed-reading through your analytics will guarantee I miss something.

Detailed Paradigm: everything below this line is background on my opinions, NOT a hard and fast rule about how you should debate in front of me. I do everything in my power to be cool about it, check bias at the door, etc.

Speed Reading: is fine. But don't spread analytics, please. 250 WPM on analytical arguments is really pushing it. I know that some judges can flow that fast, but I am not one of them: my handwriting sucks and is capped at like, normal tagline pace. Otherwise, you're free to go as fast as I can comprehend. I'll yell "CLEAR!" if I can't.

Policy stuff: Yeah of course I'll vote on disads and counterplans and case arguments and topicality. Are there people who don't?

CP theory: Listen, I'll vote on it, but I won't like it. I strongly advise that theory-loving 2As give warranted voters in the speech, and that 1ARs do actual line-by-line rather than pre-written monologues.

Kritiks: are pretty rad, whether they're read as part of a 12-off 1NC or a 1-off, no case strat. I want to be clear, though: I REALLY NEED to understand what you're saying to vote for you with confidence. I find a lot of very talented K debaters just assume that I know what "biopolitical assemblages of ontological Being" or whatever means. I do not.

K affs: are fine. I myself usually stuck to policy stuff when I debated, but I'll hear it out. You should probably have a good reason not to be topical, though. Some people have told me I'm a bad judge for K affs, others have told me I was the most insightful judge at the tournament. (More have told me I was a bad judge for it though, for what it's worth.)

Other debate formats:

PF: PF is traditionally about being persuasive, whereas policy is about being right. If you can do both I'll be impressed and probably give you a 30. Otherwise, I feel like I have a more or less firm grasp on your activity, but I certainly don't have all of its norms memorized.

LD: I have no idea how your activity works and at this point I'm too afraid to ask. Whoever successfully teaches me LD debate will get an automatic 30. Please dumb your Ks down for me, I'm a policy hack.

Congress: Listen, I did one congress round in high school and left it with 0 understanding of how it's supposed to work. If I'm in the back of your room, it means tabroom made a mistake. Because of my background in policy debate, I imagine I'll be biased in favor of better arguments rather than better decorum.

Lillian Poulsen (she/her/hers) - lillie.poulsen@gmail.com

West Des Moines Valley 2018 - VPF for three years, NLD for one

Coached for Iowa City West NPF for two years, WDM Valley NPF for one year

I'm a junior studying journalism and environmental policy at the University of Iowa.

Basics:

Speed is OK — make sure you're clear.

Read what you want, and I will listen.

Don't be sexist, homophobic, racist, classist, ableist, etc. or you will lose.

This is a learning environment — don't be rude or you will lose speaks.

Signpost!!

I will be timing, but make sure you also keep track of your time. I don't keep track of prep, so make sure you're communicating prep time with your opponent(s).

If you have questions, just ask me. Feel free to send me an email or ask before round starts. Don't ask me any questions during your round.

If you make me laugh or you sing, I will give you higher speaks :)

Have fun with this! This is a stressful environment — I get it. I want to make this experience more fun for you, so feel free to be yourselves!

yes please include me on email chain- warrensprouse@gmail.com

Please turn on your cameras when you are speaking if at all possible.

Remember to weigh claims and warrants within your evidence; I am much more likely to vote on well-explained arguments than taglines, even if those arguments do not necessarily have evidence to back them up. If you can do both- awesome.

Do not be rude or disrespectful to your opponents or your partner.

Tell me in the last rebuttals how to weigh your arguments and how to compare your impacts with the other team’s.

If you read cards that are not in the novice packet and were given to you by your varsity debaters, that is cheating and I will yell at you.

Greetings All,

I am a debate coach of over 20 years. I have coached Policy, Public Forum, Congress and Lincoln-Douglas Debate. My favorite is L-D, but only if you DO NOT SPREAD! I have judged at Nationals and have watched some of the best debater's in the country debate the issues, they don't cram a bunch of junk into the round.

If you prepared a good case, defend it, respect your opponent (don't be rude) and can counter your opponent you have a strong chance of winning the round.

I expect a value, the means to measure it and contentions (main arguments).

I DO NOT LIKE CRITIQUES! All your opponent has to do in the round in my book is to call you out for it and your opponent will get the win.

I expect you to be able to explain your points and defend them in CX and flow your arguments into your rebuttal. DO NOT BRING IN NEW EVIDENCE OR ARGUMENTS INTO REBUTTALS. Give me examples or context, so you can apply your case to the resolution. I need you to show me that you comprehend the resolution and how to apply values to it. The more you explain or give me context, the more convinced I am of your comprehension of your case and it will increase the chance of a winning ballot.

I strongly suggest that you pull your value through at every turn you can (within each contention), try to bring it into CX and of course the rebuttal. You can drop your value and value criteria if you accept your opponent, but this is risky and not recommended. At the end of your constructive and rebuttal summarize why you won!

Again, DO NOT SPREAD! If I can hear you breathe you have likely already lost the round!

I have been teaching public speaking for over 25 years. There are few careers that benefit from SPREADING! I make it a point to remind students of this!

-speed will not lose you the round (unless I literally can't understand you) but could lose you speaker points.

-I will try to award the win purely based on the flow.

-give a comparitive impact analysis or some way to weigh your arguments, and a framework for the debate.

-Try not to waste time on semantics. I'd prefer if definions to be sorted out in cross unless there's real conflict. As far as framework goes, I prefer basic cost benefit analysis, but will accept whatever framing is argued the best.

-I won't drop a team for abusive framework or offensive/abusive arguments unless the opposing team gives me reasons to.

-I will call for evidence if it's sketchy, and the evidence and team may be dropped if there's any misrepresentation.

-Just ask the first question if you spoke first.