National Speech and Debate Tournament

2023 — Phoenix/Mesa, AZ/US

Jake Hoskins Paradigm

Policy
Policy Debate Judge Philosophy

Your experience with Policy Debate (check all that apply)

Coach of a team
NDT/CEDA debater in college
Policy debater in high school
Frequently judge Policy Debate

How many Policy rounds have you judged this year?

41+

Which best describes your approach to judging Policy Debate?

Policymaker
 

RATE OF DELIVERY

2/91 = slow and deliberate
9 = very rapid
 

QUANTITY OF ARGUMENTS

3/91 = a few well-developed arguments
9 = the more arguments the better
 

COMMUNICATION AND ISSUES

3/91 = communication skills most important
9 = resolving substantive issues most important
 

TOPICALITY: I am willing to vote on topicality:

1/91 = often
9 = rarely
 

COUNTERPLANS

3/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
 

GENERIC DISADVANTAGES

5/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
 

CONDITIONAL NEGATIVE POSITIONS

6/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
 

DEBATE THEORY ARGUMENTS

3/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
 

CRITIQUE (KRITIK) ARGUMENTS

4/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
Additional remarks: First of all, civility and respect are vital aspects of debate. I do not appreciate any kind of bullying or abusive rhetoric. I try to maintain tabula rasa attitudes towards debate and won't forbid any arguments or styles. That said, debate is a communication event. I tend to vote for teams that are able to effectively and clearly articulate why their specific and well reasoned arguments should be preferred to the multiple generic or underdeveloped positions. Analysis of evidence and showing how multiple arguments work together to create a cohesive position is more convincing to me than than ten sub-claims with little to no elaboration or impacting. Win the argument and tell me why that should win the round.

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.