BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT

Be sure you have the CHROME browser installed on your laptop or desktop computer.

Be sure you have an account on Tabroom.com.  You can't participate in this tournament without one.  Directions are here.  Please include a cell phone number when you sign up.

Test your ability to connect to NSDA Campus (the video platform for the tournament).  Click here.  Then click on the TEST COMPETITION ROOM button.

See this 3-minute video: here 

Check out Jim Menick's NSDA Campus "cheat sheet" - here.  

There is more information on NSDA CAMPUS (the video platform), ELECTRONIC BALLOTS, and JUDGING further down this page.

 MORNING OF THE TOURNAMENT

Check in with your team to make sure everyone is ready to go.

Go to the judge briefing (starts at 9:15 AM) - LINK TO BE POSTED.  We will send you an email with the passcode.  

Where to hang out before the judge briefing and between rounds - When you log into Tabroom, look at the navigation on the right side of the web page.  Under the JUDGING heading, there will be a yellow button for "Current ballots & panels".  Click on that button.  At the top of the screen you will see some utility rooms.

Your team's squad room.  You, the other judges from your school, and your school's competitors can talk to each other in this video conference room.

The judge lounge.  All judges for this tournament can gather in this room.   

You can also see your round assignment.  If you see your Round 1 assignment, click on the camera icon.

ALSO watch for an email that will have your pairing and a link to your competition room.

The first  should come out just before 10 AM.

If you do not get assigned a round, go to the "judge lounge" - a virtual room that you can access by clicking on the camera icon at the top of your Tabroom web page.  That way, we can quickly communicate with you if we need you to judge a round you were not initially assigned to.  Once we know we have all the judges we need for a particular round, we will let you know approximately when the next round will be posted and we'll let you go for the time being.

WHEN YOU GET TO YOUR ROUND

Click on the camera icon to go to your competition virtual room.

Click on the START button when your debaters are all present.  You should not wait until the round actually starts.  (It would be better if the button were labeled "ready to start".)

Please have all round participants - you and the debaters - test their microphones and cameras as soon as you can.

Debaters should start an email chain before the round starts so that they can exchange evidence.  You (the judge) can join that chain - or not - as you wish.  Some judges like to read all the evidence as the debaters exchange it.  Others don't.

Reaching tab during the tournament -

Say who you are, your school, and what division you are judging.

Email julian.fefer@gmail.com

Text 617-775-3735

NSDA Campus - prerequisites.  You must: 

Have a Tabroom account that you have logged into.  See here for setting up an account.

Be using the Chrome browser

Be on a laptop or desktop computer.  You cannot view rounds using a tablet.

MORE INFORMATION ON NSDA CAMPUS:

This 16-minute video (here) shows you how to use Tabroom to find your online debate room and enter your ballot.  The NY CFL prepared the video, so there are a few things that are different from our tournament. Notably, we *do* allow low-point wins, whereas the NY CFL does not.

This 3-minute video (here) provides a quick overview for NSDA Campus

MORE INFORMATION ON JUDGING AND ELECTRONIC BALLOTS 

How to use TABROOM to enter electronic ballots - here

How to judge PF - A quick overview, plus some resources - here

Jim Menick's how-to-judge document - here.  Note - This document describes "brick and mortar" tournaments, but the key points carry over to the virtual world.

Jim Menick's overview for Public Forum Debate - here.  Note - This document also describes "brick and mortar" tournaments.

A nice video on how to navigate Tabroom.com - how to find information about the tournament you are judging, etc. - here.

JUDGE BRIEFING for Public Forum Debate -  at 9:15 AM on Saturday

LINK - TO BE POSTED

Passcode: All judges will receive an email with the passcode.