National Speech and Debate Tournament

2023 — Phoenix/Mesa, AZ/US

Peter Dong Paradigm

Lincoln Douglas
Lincoln Douglas Debate Judge Philosophy

Your experience with LD Debate (check all that apply)

Current LD coach
Former LD competitor
Experienced LD judge
Current Public Forum coach or judge
Speech coach

How many years have you judged LD debate?

13

How many LD rounds have you judged this year?

11-20

What is your preferred rate of delivery?

5/91 = Slow conversational style
9 = Rapid conversation speed
 

Does the rate of delivery weigh heavily in your decision?

N
 

Will you vote against a student solely for exceeding your preferred speed?

N

How important is the criterion in making your decision?

It may be a factor depending on its use in the round
 

Do you feel that a value and criterion are required elements of a case?

N

Rebuttals and Crystallization

 

Voting issues should be given:

Either is acceptable
 

The use of jargon or technical language ("extend", "cross-apply", "turn", etc.) during rebuttals:

Is acceptable
 

Final rebuttals should include:

Voting issues
 

Voting issues are:

Not necessary

How do you decide the winner of the round?

I decide who is the person who persuaded me more of their position

How necessary do you feel the use of evidence (both analytical and empirical) is in the round?

4/91 = Not necessary
9 = Always necessary

Please describe your personal note-taking during the round

I keep a rigorous flow
Additional remarks: Please do not spend large chunks of your rebuttal time repeating things you said in your constructive, since I will just sit there not writing anything and not listening a whole lot either. Clash is crucial to winning a debate. I like cases and arguments to clearly connect to the framework and I think important terms always need to be defined. I dislike vague values like morality (which has never added anything helpful to a debate round) and prefer that, if you are arguing a consequentialist framework, you say so explicitly. I flow in terms of arguments, not cards, so do not demand that your opponent respond to every card but to every argument advanced.

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.