Hi debaters,

I have three years of judging experience and have been very active in the speech and debate circuit this year. If I am judging you in public forum, please don't speak very quickly- I won't get everything you say if you spread. I am a flow judge and use it when making decisions in PF. Please don't speak over your opponents in crossfire in a rude or unreasonable way. When asking a question, please give your opponent an opportunity to answer.

During the debate, you should make your main arguments clear, and make it clear what you want me to vote off of. Weigh in summary and final focus, and if you want something to be a voting issue, put it in both summary and final focus. I am a fan of clear and smart frameworks.

Thank you and good luck! Enjoy the tournament.

Two year Parent Judge

Please identify your arguments clearly and speak slowly.

Starting with a bit of background on me, I competed for 4 years in speech and debate with South Plantation High School (public forum the first two years, and extemporaneous speaking the second two) with decent success and served as a mentor for my team in multiple events throughout my time in HS. I've judged public forum at some novice level tournaments during my junior and senior years, so this isn't my first trip to the rodeo.

-In general, I view the place of the judge to be judge the round based off of what was said in the round, so don't assume I will take something that isn't mentioned into consideration. If you want me to use some bit of info in making my decision, mention it!

-Don't spread! You can talk *fast* but do so clearly

-I'm more than willing to listen to any argument you are willing to make, as long as it's done fairly. I love to see creativity in argument and believe that such types of thinking are fundamental to society, so if you want to run something a bit out there, I will hear you out. However, if it's clear that you are primarily using these types of arguments to confuse your opponent, I will automatically drop speaker points.

-I won't flow crossfire, and won't use it as a large part of my decision UNLESS a concession is made or the round is incredibly close (I would really prefer not to make a decision off of crossfire though). I will be paying attention to what is said, but if there's something you think was said that is important to your team winning the round, I would mention it in a subsequent speech.

-If your opponents don't attack a point of yours, make sure you extend that in either summary or final focus (if not both) if you want me to consider it.

- Weigh!!! As a former debater, I know how hard this can be to do well. Always remember that what makes sense to you and what you see as obvious may not be how others (including your judge) see things! Use your summary and especially your final focus to really paint me a clear picture of why you won the round.

-Card dumping happens way too much in this event. I would rather see a team use a few cards that elaborate on really well than use over a dozen that they throw into the round haphazardly.

-Be polite to each other and have fun! I appreciate humor in round and if done well it will help your speaker points.

If you all have any specific questions this didn't cover or want any other additional information about my judging I encourage you to ask me before the round! Also, I *will* disclose, tournament rules permitting, and if you all request I can/will email you pictures of my flow after the tournament has ended. Good luck and enjoy the round :)

Three years as a PF judge, I look at the attire the debaters/team are wearing. Looking like a professional is part of first impressions. Aggressive speakers is critical of argument delivery. Clear and concise speakers are easy to understand and represent being prepared for the debate.

Having evidence to substantiate an argument is great but not always an end of a win. One annoying issue is reading your arguments line by line, word for word off a piece of paper or laptop. Referring to your notes is one thing but reading as if telling a story is not acceptable and demonstrates the lack of readiness/preparation.

Bottom line; presentation of the argument a must...!

Judge Philosophy

Name: Kate Hamm

School Affiliation: Ransom Everglades

Number of Years Judging Public Forum: 10+

Number of Years Competing in Public Forum: X

Number of Years Judging Other Forensic Activities: 34

Number of Years Competing in Other Forensic Activities: X

If you are a coach, what events do you coach? All events

What is your current occupation? I am a high school teacher and head coach.

Please share your opinions or beliefs about how the following play into a debate round:

Speed of Delivery: Debate may be crisply delivered, but I am not a fan of the ‘spread’ in PF. If you need to spread – switch events. Can I flow the spread? Sure, I just don’t want to in PF. If the round comes down to two well matched teams, the team that has better, more persuasive arguments will beat the spread every time.

Format of Summary Speeches (line by line? big picture?) Summary speech should begin the narrowing process of the debate. The debate should be narrowed into the key arguments. I don’t want to hear a line by line of 16 minutes of argumentation spewed into a 2 minute speech!!!

Role of the Final Focus: The role of the final focus it to weigh the impacts of the arguments that were narrowed in the debate and persuade me as to why one side won and the other side did not.

Extension of Arguments into later speeches: If the refutation (rebuttal speech) does not attack an argument presented in their opponent’s case, their summary may not try to do so. If the summary speaker leaves an argument out of the debate, their partner may not bring it up in the final focus. If arguments from the Constructive case are not extended by the summary, nor mentioned in the debate after the constructive case, please DO NOT try to impact them in the Final Focus.

Topicality: Really? This is an issue in PF only if a team tries an abusive definition. I do not want to hear a theory debate.

Plans : Some resolutions are policies…

Kritiks: Oh Hell No. Not in PF.

Flowing/note-taking: I flow… a lot.

Do you value argument over style? Style over argument? Argument and style equally?

I generally judge on the arguments and score points on style… therefore, I do give low point wins.

If a team plans to win the debate on an argument, in your opinion does that argument have to be extended in the rebuttal or summary speeches? The rebuttal speech in PF should refute the opponent’s arguments; they may rebut their own, if time. But that is not mandatory for me. It is mandatory, however, that the summary speaker narrow the debate to the arguments that stay in the debate. The final focus may not extend a case argument if their own summary speaker dropped it.

If a team is second speaking, do you require that the team cover the opponents’ case as well as answers to its opponents’ rebuttal in the rebuttal speech? See above.

Do you vote for arguments that are first raised in the grand crossfire or final focus? Absolutely NOT!

If you have anything else you'd like to add to better inform students of your expectations and/or experience, please do so here.

I love debate… I reward (with speaker points) students who elevate debate into a fine art. I do not reward (with points) those who make it into a short form policy event or a two person LD circuit circus. If two teams are giving me a spew fest of spread crap, the team who wins the flow will win the debate, but neither team will win high speaker points!

First and foremost this activity is one of communication. If you aren’t communicating… find a different activity.

General: 

-No spreading 

-I don't appreciate aggression 

-Always signpost, but no cliches 

-I don't recognize arguments composed of lengthy and convoluted link chains 

-I only call for evidence if I have reason to believe it is being misconstrued 

-Do not ask me what it takes to get a 30. A 30 means you were perfect. I have only given a 30 three times throughout my years of judging.

-I really appreciate a clear framework 

At the end of the round, the winner of the debate is the team that sustains their arguments, meaning that, I expect anything you want me to vote on to be in summary and final focus. I think that frontlines should be made as early as rebuttal (if speaking second), but will be accepted in summary. Lastly, weighing is very important to me. Please begin to weigh in summary, but seal the deal in final focus. Even if you are only winning on one argument, but you extend it into summary and final focus and explain why the impacts of that argument are the most important in that round; you will receive my ballot.  

I am the Director for an Engineering firm since 2012 and regularly prepare marketing and project presentations on civil engineering projects and infrastructure. I have judge in speech and debate for more than six years and enjoy the opportunity to judge.

I have judged sevral categories of speech and debate, but prefer judging Public Forum, and like to see well researched smart arguments.

Presumption

I do not presume to any side. I listen to student arguments. The stronger your argument during cross-examination the better.

Speed

Be clear. Be very clear. If you are spreading politics or something that is easy to understand, then just be clear. I can understand very clear debaters at high speeds when what they are saying is easy to understand. Start off slower so I get used to your voice and I will be fine.

Slow down for analytics. If you are comparing or making analytical arguments that I need to understand, slow down for it.

Time

I am a stickler to your debate time, please be careful. Watch your time during questioning/crossfire(s).

Theory

Make it make sense and interesting.

Evidence

I want to hear the sources/cards in the evidence. Be clear when reading evidence. I penalize for quoting non-existing cards for evidence.

Do not take it out of context. I do ask for cites. Cites should be readily available. Do not cut evidence in an unclear or sloppy manner. Cut evidence ethically. Do not take evidence out of context by cutting qualifiers like "might" or "maybe".

I am an experienced lay judge. I’ll do my best to evaluate arguments, but persuasion matters as well. I’ll be much more convinced by logically-sound, well-researched arguments, so I’d encourage you all avoid reading anything untrue or overly theoretical. Most importantly, have fun. Debate should be a positive learning experience for all.

I’ve been judging PF for a number of years and I do practice flowing, HOWEVER, Flow is not at the top of my list for winning the arguments. Rather I consider your ability to persuade me as a typical everyday citizen. Your ability to do that is unique. I am expected to come into the Debate room without any previous opinion and with a clean slate, in order to keep my own personal opinion from influencing how I choose the outcome. In exchange I expect the debaters to assume that I do not know anything more about the topic than an ordinary person. It is therefore each debaters responsibility to define acronyms and define anything that an ordinary person would not commonly know.

I’ve been judging PF for a number of years and I do practice flowing however my decisions are determined more on persuasion than flow. I believe that it is extremely important therefore to know your judge and ask the appropriate questions to make sure that what you are saying and how you’re saying is catered to the listener because even if you know what you’re saying but the judge is not able to understand it or appreciate the logic behind it then you are at a loss. In short, KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE. Feel free to ask me as many questions as needed before the round begins to clarify further. Best of luck and remember to have fun!