LD Judging Instructions

Judging Instructions for Lincoln-Douglas Debate

Logistics:

Two competitors will arrive at the start of the round and two more will arrive shortly after the completion of the first flight. Start the round when your set of first scheduled debaters is there. Please make sure to double check the names and sides before beginning the round. Remember, the label on the ballot is correct.

Topic:

Resolved: The member nations of the World Trade Organization ought to reduce intellectual property protections for medicines.

Timing:

Time limits for LD are 6-3-7-3-4-6-3, with 4 minutes of preparation time per debater. 

Affirmative Constructive: 6 minutes

Cross Examination by Negative: 3 minutes

Negative Constructive: 7 minutes

Cross Examination by Affirmative: 3 minutes

Affirmative Rebuttal: 4 minutes

Negative Rebuttal: 6 minutes

Affirmative Rebuttal: 3 minutes

Please try to keep accurate times, both for fairness and educational value. If there is no timer and you do not feel that you can simultaneously keep time and take notes during the debate, ask the teams to keep time for each other. Many debaters feel comfortable keeping track of time during the debate.

Flowing/Taking Notes: 

To help you decide which team to vote for at the end of the round, take as many notes as possible during the debate. “Flowing” is a note-taking method that both debaters and judges have found helps them to understand and follow the debate. This process allows you to see how a debater responds to the arguments of the previous speaker. 

Making a Decision:

Speakers should: Respond to opponent’s positions/assertions/arguments, use quality examples, some evidence, common knowledge, historical examples, and philosophical works to prove their arguments, provide source citations for any evidence used in the round, and be courteous. 

The affirmative should: present arguments and evidence upholding the resolution, provide a method of evaluating the round – can be a value and criteria. 

The negative should: Negate the affirmative’s position with their own arguments and evidence and offer a value and criterion counter to the affirmative. 

Filling out the Ballot:

You should vote for the debater that best upholds his/her side of the resolution through effective analysis, evidence, delivery, reasoning and refutation. Please make sure to provide a reason for decision on your ballot.

Please take a few moments to make sure that you have completely filled in the ballot. We need you to select one clearly designated winner, speaker points (remember, you might be judging some "beginners"), a clear reason for decision, and constructive comments to help the debaters in this educational venture. Indicate the winning debater by side (Aff/Neg) and by school in the space provided. Assign speaker points according to the scale on your ballot. You may assign 10th of points but no ties are permitted.

Speaker point below 25.0 should be reserved for debaters demonstrating especially obnoxious and rude behavior and 30.0s should be reserved for the best speaker you will see in your lifetime. A judge may break ties by awarding speaker points in decimals by awarding for example 27.3 and 27.4.