General & Event-Specific Judging Instructions

Thank you for volunteering as a judge!

You will be checking in at the tournament at 8:00 a.m. in Judges Lounge. Our league provides complimentary snacks, beverages (including coffee), and lunch for our judges and coaches.

Please read through the instructions below and let any of the GGSA officials or your coach know if you have a questions.

A Headsup: There will be a judges' Parli training online the Thursday before the tournament from 7:30-8: 30. Pay attention to a Tabroom blast and/or talk to your coach for details if you are interested in attending it. Here is the G-meet link: https://meet.google.com/dwk-fmoi-ugyb. Contact Vy Linh Nguyen at vnguyen@headroyce.org if you have questions beforehand.

FOR ALL JUDGES

Please take a moment to read our Implicit Judge Bias Policy and to take this free, short, online Cultural Competence Course (a helpful accompanying resource: Cultural Competency Training Handout)This course is an excerpt from Adjudicating Speech and Debate, a longer online training course also available for free on the NFHS Learning Center.

FOR CONGRESS JUDGES

Congress Judge Instructions

How to Complete an Online Debate Ballot Using Tabroom

Presiding Instructions

FOR PARLI JUDGES

Parliamentary Debate Judging Instructions with Ballot & Debate Examples

Written Instructions for Accessing E-Ballots &Video Instructions for Completing a Tabroom Debate E-Ballot

How to Add a Judge's Paradigm

*No oral disclosures--just submit your decision and a written RFD.

*Novice rules: Novice teams have 30 minutes of prep time, with 5 minute constructive speeches and 3 minute rebuttals (555533)

*Note these rules:
1) Citations/sources should not be counted in the decision.

2) Students may also use the internet, computers and devices but ONLY during prep time. NO real-time communications or research during the debate is allowed. In the Novice Parli division, debaters may consult with teammates or other debaters at the tournament during prep time.

3) Generative artificial intelligence should not be cited as a source; while something like ChatGPT may be used to guide students to articles, ideas, and sources, the original source of any quoted or paraphrased evidence must be available if requested. Students are prohibited from quoting or paraphrasing text directly from generative AI sources like ChatGPT in events in which speeches must be the original created work of a competitor.