National Speech and Debate Tournament

2023 — Phoenix/Mesa, AZ/US

Elsa Snowbeck Paradigm

Policy
Policy Debate Judge Philosophy

Your experience with Policy Debate (check all that apply)

Coach of a team
Policy debater in high school
Occasionally judge Policy Debate

How many Policy rounds have you judged this year?

0-10

Which best describes your approach to judging Policy Debate?

Policymaker
 

RATE OF DELIVERY

7/91 = slow and deliberate
9 = very rapid
 

QUANTITY OF ARGUMENTS

7/91 = a few well-developed arguments
9 = the more arguments the better
 

COMMUNICATION AND ISSUES

6/91 = communication skills most important
9 = resolving substantive issues most important
 

TOPICALITY: I am willing to vote on topicality:

3/91 = often
9 = rarely
 

COUNTERPLANS

1/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
 

GENERIC DISADVANTAGES

2/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
 

CONDITIONAL NEGATIVE POSITIONS

1/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
 

DEBATE THEORY ARGUMENTS

1/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
 

CRITIQUE (KRITIK) ARGUMENTS

1/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
Additional remarks: I debated from 6th through 12th grade both within the Minnesota UDL and on the national circuit and have coached middle school teams, judged both middle and high school rounds, and attended summer debate institutes at Dartmouth and Berkeley, so I am very familiar with debate and its structures. HOWEVER, I have not judged at all on this topic, so don't assume I know topic-specific jargon, what is generally accepted as the standard for T on the topic, etc. Put me on the email chain snowbeckdebate [@] gmail.com As a debater I was very policy-heavy so I am more familiar with the ins and outs of those arguments. I'm happy to hear anything, but I probably have a slight bias for policy args over critical ones. Really though, it's up to you. Debate what you feel comfortable with and do it well! Be kind to one another! This is a learning space! Contextualize theory to the round. I will probably reject the argument rather than the team in most situations, but again -- it's how you debate it.

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.