National Speech and Debate Tournament
2023 — Phoenix/Mesa, AZ/US
Spencer Anderson McElligott Paradigm
Policy
Policy Debate Judge Philosophy
Your experience with Policy Debate (check all that apply)
Coach of a teamNDT/CEDA debater in college
Policy debater in high school
Occasionally judge Policy Debate
How many Policy rounds have you judged this year?
21-30Which best describes your approach to judging Policy Debate?
Tabula rasaRATE OF DELIVERY
9/91 = slow and deliberate9 = very rapid
QUANTITY OF ARGUMENTS
7/91 = a few well-developed arguments9 = the more arguments the better
COMMUNICATION AND ISSUES
9/91 = communication skills most important9 = resolving substantive issues most important
TOPICALITY: I am willing to vote on topicality:
1/91 = often9 = rarely
COUNTERPLANS
1/91 = acceptable9 = unacceptable
GENERIC DISADVANTAGES
1/91 = acceptable9 = unacceptable
CONDITIONAL NEGATIVE POSITIONS
1/91 = acceptable9 = unacceptable
DEBATE THEORY ARGUMENTS
1/91 = acceptable9 = unacceptable
CRITIQUE (KRITIK) ARGUMENTS
1/91 = acceptable9 = unacceptable
I'll judge whatever you put in front of me :)
Please send speech docs over email before your speech starts.
Microaggressions are bad and harmful - don't do them. If there is in-round violence, I will use my best judgement to address the situation. This might include: tanking speaks, pausing the round to check in, ending the round, talking with debaters after, talking with coaches.
In the interest of total transparency, I'm a college debater who's been running Ks (mostly queer/trans scholars) on the aff and neg since I was in high school - I have the most familiarity with these types of arguments. I have all the technical skills necessary to judge all types of arguments.
That said, more judge instruction is always better, especially in techy debates (think, topicality against policy affs).
Strategic decisions that don't try to straddle a line will be rewarded with high speaks, and are often a good way to win. Don't spread your 2NR/2AR too thin.
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.