National Speech and Debate Tournament

2025 — Des Moines, IA/US

Dorothy Kellner Paradigm

Policy
Policy Debate Judge Philosophy

Your experience with Policy Debate (check all that apply)

Coach of a team

How many Policy rounds have you judged this year?

0-10

Which best describes your approach to judging Policy Debate?

Speaking skills
 

RATE OF DELIVERY

1/91 = slow and deliberate
9 = very rapid
 

QUANTITY OF ARGUMENTS

1/91 = a few well-developed arguments
9 = the more arguments the better
 

COMMUNICATION AND ISSUES

1/91 = communication skills most important
9 = resolving substantive issues most important
 

TOPICALITY: I am willing to vote on topicality:

5/91 = often
9 = rarely
 

COUNTERPLANS

2/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
 

GENERIC DISADVANTAGES

5/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
 

CONDITIONAL NEGATIVE POSITIONS

5/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
 

DEBATE THEORY ARGUMENTS

6/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
 

CRITIQUE (KRITIK) ARGUMENTS

4/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
Additional remarks: I am an interp coach/judge. I have judged a fair amount of PF and some LD. I am a novice policy judge with very little experience with this year's topic. Debate is a game of competing stories, and I would appreciate modern speed, organization of points, and interesting cross-examination.

Note: if you wish for your pronouns to appear the debaters you judge on text/email blasts, log into Tabroom, click Profile at top, and add them in the Pronouns field.