I'm no longer involved in the debate community. If you're reading this, you're probably in the wrong place.

I used to have a very long, detailed paradigm about how I would allow anything under xyz circumstances. However, after watching a few rounds at a recent tournament, I've changed my paradigm on debate.

I would now like debate to do what debate is meant to do:

Democratically and critically engage with pressing issues.

I will no longer listen to nontopical affirmatives. (Although you're welcome to run questionably topical affirmatives and try to convince me). I will start docking speaker points for incomprehensible speeds and yelling at me or your opponent. I will begin evaluating debates how they are meant to be evaluated, as a question of the resolution.

Experience
I debated 2 years of Public Forum in High School.
I’ve judged mostly high school Lincoln Douglas for the last 6 years.
I debated Policy for the University of Nebraska Lincoln for 3 years.

I'm a fairly traditional LD judge. I debated LD at Lincoln Southwest for four years and have been judging for three years now.

If you are going to talk fast, remember to speak clearly and emphasize important points. I can handle speed, but clarity matters a lot more the faster you talk. Debate is ultimately an activity which is meant to encourage communication skills. If you can't communicate your arguments to me within your speech, then it doesn't get written on my flow and it won't have an impact on my ballot. Hint: You can check to see if the judge is paying attention by looking up from your computer.

Have standards, link your impacts to your standards. Otherwise I'm going to have to make an arbitrary decision and it probably won't be the one you want.

I'm okay with weird arguments, so long as you show me why they are true and why they matter.

Theory, on the other hand, should be used exclusively when your opponent's case or their actions have made the debate space so unequal that you cannot debate fairly.

I also appreciate when debaters stand for their speeches and cross ex and look at the judge rather than their opponent. If you need to sit because of an injury or something else, just let me know and it isn't an issue. This is mostly about being respectful towards your opponent, which makes you look better anyway. I do understand that it can be difficult to take notes on a computer while standing, but it does make you look a bit arrogant when your opponent is standing and you are sitting and staring at your computer or at them.

Bio

I have been judging Lincoln-Douglas debate consistently since 2007, and have limited experience judging Student Congress. I earned a Bachelors Degree in Political Science with a minor in English in 2011. Over my adult life, I have worked as a debate coach, Mentor for the Highly Gifted, filing clerk, copywriter, Communications Director/Archivist, and currently serve as a Website and Communications Technician for Lincoln Public Schools. I point all this out to say that I have spent my life in the field of spoken and written communication, using skills that I have developed in debate.

General Notes

I continue to judge debate because I truly believe that the skills and habits that students can develop in debate have an application in the real world and that they can learn and experience new ways of thinking and fairly evaluate all sides of an argument. That being said, I am typically regarded as a fairly traditional judge, and I emphasize clarity, organization, and topic knowledge in the students that I judge. My work in web design and communications has taught me that a simple, clear structure will help your audience understand you and limit misunderstandings, so doing that is always a pretty big plus for me. I tend to be on the harsher end of speaker point distributions, with 26 (out of 30) being average in my eyes.

I strive to be open to all forms of argument, but both I and your opponent need to understand them to in order to have effective debate.

I will not tolerate the use of profanity in round. If you wouldn't use it in the classroom, don't do it in front of me.

I will disclose my thoughts on the round after I submit my ballot. I request that you refrain from talking about the round until I make my decision, and that you at least make a show of pretending to take notes during the oral critique. I do not disclose speaker points.

Please figure out how to share your cases/cards quickly and efficiently over email, flash drive, paper or whatever. I've had far too many rounds recently where this has become a major timesink and nothing makes me grouchier then watching you fumble with technology for five minutes in the middle of a round.

Speed

I have been less accepting of speed the more I have spent time in the workforce and have found that speaking quickly is a habit that practically everyone around me does not appreciate. I will try to follow your arguments the best I can, but I will not yell clear, but will likely stop flowing if I feel that I cannot effectively follow your argument. I do not want the speech doc, unless I need to address an evidence or ethical concern. Your role as a debater is to communicate cleanly and clearly, and you should not rely on me reading a document to understand what you are saying.

Standards

I believe that a strong standards debate is an effective way to center cases around a focal point and build up writing and speaking skills that can be used in the future. That said, I am open to most forms of standards/framework, as long as they are explained and I am told how they interact with whatever your opponent is providing as well. If things are left vague, I will likely make a decision that neither of us will like.

Theory

To be blunt, I have very little experience with theory arguments, and like most arguments, I will strive to be open to them, but they need to be explained.

Kritiks/Performance

Once again, I have little experience with these kinds of cases, but have enjoyed them in the past when they are run well. Like any other argument, however, I expect you to clash with your opponent, and explain to me how you interact with your opponent's arguments in the round. Role of the ballot is a vital part of these cases for me, and it had better be well warranted, explained, and extended or else I am likely to drop your entire case.

Current Position -- I have been the head debate coach at Lincoln Southwest High School for the past 20 years. In that time I have coached and judged PF, LD and congressional debate.

Background -- I have been coaching speech and debate for the last 28 years. I have been coaching pubic forum since its inception 20 years ago. I was a high school and college competitor in speech and competed in LD in high school.

PF Paradigm --

1. I believe that PF is a communication event with special emphasis on the narrative quality of the arguments. The story is important to me. Blippy argumentation or incessant reading of cards with no analysis or link back to the resolution does not hold much weight in my decision. Do the work in round -- do not make me intervene.

2. Weighing mechanisms should be fully explained -- if you want me to vote using your weighing mechanism, it is your duty to actually tell me why it is a good mechanism for the round and how your side/case/argument does a better job achieving the mechanism.

3. Presentation of arguments should be clear. I am not a fan of unbridled speed in this event. You need to speak clearly with a persuasive tone.

4. Reading cards > paraphrasing cards

5. If you must ask for cards or if you are asked for cards, you need to be prepared to ask for and present these cards in an efficient manner.

6. Don’t be rude.

I'm a very traditional style judge. I am open to most standards/frameworks as long as they are well explained and have clear links to impacts. I will judge based on my flow. Always extend your argument. I have very little experience with theory and kritiks. I'm probably not the best judge to evaluate it.

I am OKAY with speed as long as you are clear. If you are going too fast I may miss card names. I will yell clear if I cannot understand you.

I was an LD debater in high school. I currently study computer science and finance at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

Looking for REFUTATION in speeches and at least one of the three pillars of argument (ethos, pathos, and logos) in each claim. Looking for you to convince me that your source is reputable. Not looking for "what if" scenarios. Not looking for a hastily spoken word vomit.

Name

Jacob Moore

Where I'm from

Papillion, Nebraska

What I judge

LD

Paradigm

Your standards debate is the first thing I view as it is my lens within the round. I am a traditional judge. Be able to clearly explain your standards and don't make me connect the dots on what you are trying to say.

I don't care how fast you read, but realize if you spread so fast it hurts your pace, I will take off from your speaking points

25-26 Poor

26-27 Below Average

27-28 Average

29-30 Above Average

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-Impacts are a must in Varsity. Probability and magnitude are major weights for this.

-I allow Flex Prep, but I don't expect the opponent to answer the questions.

-Any argument you run, I roll with it. As long as you can defend your argument.

-As always, Signpost/Roadmap! Too many debaters forget this!

-Don't expect me to be an expert, even on the topic! Your job is to easily explain your philosophy to anyone, especially a judge. I cannot become an expert in Kantian Ethics from one speech after all!

-Don't be afraid to ask questions before or after the round!

My name is Nancy. This is my paradigm.

I want to see your value throughout your case and I want you to emphasize how you will get to your value by explaining and utilizing your criterion. I would like to see your value and criterion be interconnected to your contentions. I would like to see that your contentions are related to your value and criterion and that it is not just floating by itself. If you have a single standard, please make sure you are expanding and defining your single standard and flowing the standard through each of your contentions.

I also like to see people practice good time utilization.

I also think it is very important to treat your opponent with respect at all times regardless of how heated the round may get.

Please road map before you speak and use signposts during your speech to help with the flowing of the round.

Please do not speed read, it makes it hard for me to process what you are saying when you are speed reading and it makes it hard for me to flow the round.

Please also remember that I try to make each round fair by not researching anything about each topic when presented. So please do not assume that I already understand everything about the topic and keep that in mind when expanding on your case.

Speed is a no go for me but I will offer one “clear” to clarify pace. Mainly traditional but I can be open to new well supported thoughts