Judge Training for Debate

JUDGE TRAINING

The best debate judge, regardless of experience level, is an attentive and courteous listener. Students have been assigned their side and topic before the round. Your vote should not reflect your personal stance on an issue, but who you believed to be the more effective debater.

As you judge, you be will awarding speaker points and a win. Speaker points will be assigned based on clarity, persuasion, and strategy. Speaker points do matter in large debate division (MSLD, MSCongress, Novice LD, Novice PF) so please award with care. These points could determine whether a debater makes it to finals. You may also award with a high degree of precision, using tenths of a point to break ties if you feel students were (almost) equally skilled. There are no ties!

A Guide to Speaker Points:

24.0 - 25.0...Rude / Discourteous

25.0 - 26.0...Beginner / Unprepared

26.0 - 27.0...Needs Improvement

27.0 - 27.4...Below Average

27.5...Average Debater

27.6 - 28.0...Above Average

28.0 - 29.0...Very Good Debating

29.0 - 29.9...Phenomenal Debating

30.0...Perfection

Start the round once you know which side each team is on. Take notes on all arguments students make within the round. You are in charge of the round. Hold all questions you may have until the end. Listen to the entire debate without interruption. Identify the team or individual who more effectively challenged their opponent's arguments, or case. Use the ballot to give helpful suggestions to the students if you see flaws in the arguments they leveled. Generally, the winning team will outweigh their opponent on impacts, meaning that their arguments matter more in terms of material consequences.

You will be using Tabroom to submit your ballots. You can continue to edit your ballots throughout the day today and tomorrow. Once you have selected a winner and awarded speaker points, submit your ballot ASAP.

Lincoln Douglas Debate - Video

Resolved: The People’s Republic of China ought to prioritize environmental protection over economic growth.

Lincoln Douglas is a values-based debate form. Each team will present a central value and contentions to defend their side of the resolution.

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

Public Forum (PoFo) - video

Resolved: The United States’ strategy of Great Power Competition produces more benefits than harms.

Public forum is designed to be an accessible debate about current events. In Public Forum, two teams of two will go against each other

Time Limits/speaking times for public forum are: Speaker 1 (Team A, 1st speaker) 4 min., Speaker 2 (Team B, 1st speaker) 4 min., Crossfire (between speakers 1 & 2) 3 min., Speaker 3 (Team A, 2nd speaker ) 4 min., Speaker 4 (Team B, 2nd speaker ) 4 min., Crossfire (between speakers 3 & 4) 3 min., Speaker 1 Summary 3 min., Speaker 2-Summary 3 min., Grand Crossfire (all speakers)-3 min., Speaker 3-Final Focus 2 mins., Speaker 4-Final Focus 2 mins.

Each team may use up to three minutes of prep time.

Congress - Video

This is individual debate in a large group setting. Debaters write and research legislation they feel will better our society. At tournaments, debaters speak in favor or against each bill or resolution using proper parliamentary procedure. Judges evaluate contestants for quality of research and analysis of issues, argumentation, skill in asking and answering questions, use of parliamentary procedure, and clarity of delivery.

Speaking Times: Sponsor Speech 3 min, Questioning of Sponsor 2 min, First Negative Speech 3 min, Questioning of First Negative 2 min, All Subsequent Speeches 3 min, Questioning of all Subsequent Speakers 1 min.

Parliamentary Debate (Parli)

Variety of fact, value, and policy resolutions-mass to be announced in the designated PARLI PREP room. After the mass announcement, students will have 20 minutes to develop their stances and then be expected to be in their designated competition rooms at the start of competition time.

Time limits for parliamentary debate are: Prime Minister Constructive: 7 minutes / Leader of Opposition Constructive: 7 minutes /Member of Government Constructive: 7 minutes, / Member of Opposition Constructive: 7 minutes /Leader of Opposition Rebuttal (must be given by 1st opposition): 5 minutes /Prime Minister Rebuttal (must be given by 1st proposition): 5 minutes.

NO ADDITIONAL PREP IS ALLOWED DURING THE ROUND. Evidence: (Please see the rules in tournament invitation).

What To Do During the Round:

(1) Listen to the arguments of each side carefully, and try not to let your own biases about the topic under discussion influence you. It’s a good idea to take notes, to keep track of what each debater has said.

(2) As the Speaker of the House, it's also your job to introduce each debater before his speech. Before each speech, say something like, "I thank the last debater for his comments, and I welcome the next debater to address the house."

(3) You may also have to rule on certain points raised by the debaters during the course of the round:

(A) Point of Information: A debater may rise during another debater's speech to ask the debater who is speaking a question. The debater who is speaking does NOT have to respond to any point of information, although it is good form to respond to one or two. NO POINTS OF INFORMATION MAY BE RAISED IN THE FIRST OR LAST MINUTE OF A SPEECH. NO POINTS OF INFORMATION MAY BE RAISED DURING REBUTTALS. If a debater's points of information (or responses to them) are particularly good or bad, you may adjust their speaker points as you see fit.

(B) Point of Order: A debater may rise on a point of order if she believes a rule of debate is being broken. For example: "The speaker is 30 seconds over his time limit and shows no signs of stopping." Or, "The speaker is presenting a new argument in rebuttals." THERE IS NO ARGUMENT ON A POINT OF ORDER! The debate stops while YOU decide what to do. If you agree that a rule is being broken, say "Point well taken," and the offending debater should cease the unacceptable behavior. If you do not agree, say "Point not well taken," and the debater who is speaking may continue. If you're not sure, say "Point under consideration." Then the debate continues.

(C) Point of Personal Privilege: A debater wishes to ask a favor. For example, "May I leave to use the restroom?" You may grant or deny the request, at your own discretion. A debater may also rise on a point of order if the debater who is speaking is engaging in direct personal attacks, such as "The Member of the Opposition is clearly a heartless Nazi." Again, the decision is up to you; if you agree with the debater who rose on the point of personal privilege, say "Point well taken," and otherwise say "Point not well taken."