Judge Guidelines

Thank you for judging at NPDL Fall!

1. Purpose & Mindset

• Judges are educators first — focus on helping students learn and improve.

• Inspire continued participation by being kind, constructive, and grateful.

• Do not interject / interrupt, including between speeches – silent but focused observer.
  
  

2. Basics of Parliamentary Debate

• Combines logic and evidence, but emphasizes extemporaneous, intuitive reasoning over detailed research, due to limited preparation time.

• Students, not judges, should define the world of the debate.
  
  

3. Using Tabroom

• Ballots post ~15 minutes before round start time.

• Click “Accept Ballot” immediately when assigned.

• Report any conflicts of interest to npdlboard@gmail.com.

• Enable notifications, but always refresh “Current Ballots and Panels.”
  
  

4 Judging Procedure

• Prelims: NSDA Campus (blue camera icon on Tabroom.com dashboard)

• Elims: Zoom (link in quick links and in pairing)

• Acknowledge ballot, enter room, supervise topic strikes.

• Take roll; ensure all participants and judges are present.

• Forfeit time: 10 minutes.
  
  

5. Flowing (Note-Taking)

• Note: team names, side (Gov/Opp), speaking order.

• Use one sheet/color per team.

• Track arguments, responses, and defenses by speech.

• Evaluate which arguments are dropped or refuted.
  
  

6. Decision-Making

• Judge based only on what’s said in the round.

• Do not insert your own arguments or outside knowledge.

• Reward good weighing and clear impact comparison.

• Avoid “interventionist” judging.
  
  

7. Key Procedural Rules

• POI (Point of Information): 15 sec, during 1st 4 speeches (after 1st min, before last min). Optional for speaker to accept.

• POC (Point of Clarification): For understanding, not argument. Must be accepted; time stops.

• POO (Point of Order): Rule violations (e.g., new arguments). Must be accepted; time stops.
  
  

8. Submitting Ballots

• Step 1 – Decision: Select winner’s code/team name + side. Submit result immediately — oral feedback and/or written comments can follow.

• Step 2 – Speaker Points (25–30 scale): 27 = average; start there and adjust. 28.5 = strong; 29.5 = exceptional; 30 = best you’ve ever seen. Absent debater = 24. Focus on rhetorical skill more than round outcome. “Low-point wins” are possible.

• Step 3 – Oral Feedback: Give short oral comments after submitting your ballot (no conferring with other judges). Then submit complete written feedback promptly.
  
  

9. Writing Feedback

• General RFD (Comments to All): Explain which arguments mattered most and why that team won.

• Team-Specific Feedback: Use tabs for each team: strengths, improvements.

• Tips: Be kind and substantive. Reference your flow. Save often when typing in Tabroom. Evaluate on: Claim, Reasoning, Evidence, Analysis/Warrant, Clash, Impact Weighing, Delivery.
  
  

10. Equity & Professionalism

• Students don’t pick their side or topic.

• Judge only what’s said in-round.

• Never comment on identity-related traits.

• Report equity concerns privately (not in ballot).