Make sure you are speaking clearly and enunciating. Moderate speed is fine as long as your speech is clear. Be respectful of everyone in the round.

Specify the voter issues; main arguments in today's debate, why you won, why they lost, and why your impact outweighs theirs. I use your voters and the flow to choose a winner.

I have a policy background but have been judging PF since the move away from policy in SD.

Extend warrants, offense, framing.

I will listen to anything, Ks included.

Please time your own speeches and prep, your opponents' speeches and prep, and CF. I will do my best, but I am counting on y'all to be doing this as well.

I would prefer to the extent that is possible that cards only be called in the instance of genuine concern over unfairness/cheating. Should you need to call a card otherwise, once your opponent has prepared it for your viewing, your prep starts.

This is my second year judging,

I don't really like topicality--I'll vote on reasonability.

DA's, CP's, K's are good.

I don't really like theory.

Speed: 6/10

Traditional judge. Many years of experience, but not a fan of speed or kritiks. Approaches rounds as a policymaker unless persuaded otherwise. Speaking skills are important and the flow is important. In Lincoln Douglas and Public Forum rounds, Rhetorical skills and audience communication skills will weight heavily with me. I take old-school, in-depth PAPER notes. Argue “man in the street” to me.

LD: I try to lean more to a traditional LD judge style. The framework debate is important and I will always appreciate debaters who connect their contention level arguments back to the Value & Criterion. Though my background is in policy, so I will keep a flow and value that in a round. Maintaining focus on the resolution is important as well. I appreciate debaters who weigh out their arguments and give me clear reasons to vote one way or another.

In general I'm fine with speed and can follow arguments as long as clarity is maintained. That being said, my vote never just goes to who has the most arguments. In LD especially, I prefer well thought out and well weighed arguments versus a flood of arguments that may or may not hold merit.

At the core, I don't see a judge as someone who should intervene in the round. This is the debaters space to utilize their own strategies and argumentation. If you can explain an argument and give me reason to believe it matters in the round I will vote for it.

PF: Rounds most frequently come down to how well arguments are weighed out/impact calc for me. If you have framework or resolutional analysis you should be connecting your arguments back to it.

I have no problem following jargon or more advanced debate discussion, but I don't feel like Public Forum debate should devolve into a policy debate round in half the time.

Evidence is important in public forum debate and I do consider that when making decisions. If you are going to criticize your opponents evidence or call out any abuse, I want to see a reason behind it and why I should consider it in my decision making. Just saying "we post date" or "their sources are faulty" won't carry much weight unless you actually show me why it matters

Policy Debate: I am more of a games player. To clarify, I see debate as an educational game that is being played. There are basic rules that are established (sides are set, time limits are set, a resolution has been established). I do reject moves that seek to create a completely unfair environment for either side (I can talk about what ever I want because resolutions don't matter attitude). I am good with almost any argument that is grounded in sound theory.

Specific Issues:

Kritiks- I like a good kritik that actually explores what the affirmative/negative is doing in a round, but the team running the kritik must understand what the kritik is actually doing. I do expect every K that is run to have a clear link to the K, implications for me to weigh and an alternative that goes beyond vote for us (in 99% of the K's). If it is an extremely complex concept, don't assume I already know what you are talking about. You will probably need to slow it down a step or two to make sure I am following the logic you are discussing.

Performance Debate: I am not a fan of these concepts. The reason is simple. You showed up for a debate round. You should debate the resolution. What performance debates do in my opinion is come to a Monopoly tournament and dance in the hallway and expect to win the Monopoly tournament. You can't not do the event and expect to win the event.

I am not a fan of the politics DA. The leap in logic of plan causes people to vote in a completely different way just has no theory behind it. I will listen to it, but the threshold for beating the argument is very low.

Concepts like topical counterplans and such are fine, if you can present a clear defense connected to theory that explains why they should be okay.

In the end, I look at the offense that is left on the flow. I prefer teams that go after more offensive style arguments then those playing defense on everything.

On speed, my expectations are that you must be clear enough for me to understand you and the evidence that you read (not just tags). If you are not, then I will not flow it and I will not yell "clear." It is your job to communicate.

Lincoln-Douglas: I am more of a traditionalist. I prefer more focus on the framework in the debate and connecting your observations back to the framework and the resolution. I am not a fan of disads/counterplans/and other traditional policy arguments being run in LD since it ignores the unique distinctions between the two events.

Running of K's- A recommend that you read what I said about it in the policy level and know that this can be a bigger problem because of a lack of time in presenting and defending the K.

Speed is fine, but you must be clear. I need to understand what you are saying. I am more forgiving on the line by line in LD than I am in policy, but you do need to address the main issues and just not ignore them.

Public Forum: Good debate that uses strong evidence throughout to prove your positions. I do not weigh the cross-fires heavily, but I do listen to them and will allow for answers to be used in the debate. You don't have to win every point on the flow, but you need to provide me with clear reasoning why you should win and less about why your opponent should not win. Weigh the round. When citing evidence, make sure that you are not relying on paraphrasing.

World School: Coaching it for the second year. Do not try to define people out of the round. Focus on the stated judging requirements of style (delivery) and content (logical reasoning and appropriate backing). The logical reasoning presented is not the same as strategy. The logical reasoning is content.

JUDGING PHILOSOPHY

About Me
I was a LD debater for Yankton High School. I coached Yankton LD for 6 years and qualified 3 LDers to NSDA Nationals during that time. I attended the University of South Dakota as both a philosophy major in undergrad and a law student.  I am currently an associate attorney and have been part-time assistant coaching Roosevelt High School LD in Sioux Falls SD since 2015.

LD Philosophy
First off, I will always evaluate the debate round in front of me. If the round forces me to vote one way, I will vote that way. For instance, if the round comes down to value clash or a key contentional argument, that is where I will vote.  If a person defends a framework or philosophy that I disagree with or believe they are misinterpreting, I need the other side to point that out for me to vote on. 

A majority of these comments are purely preferences for what I enjoy to see in a round.
For the purposes of my paradigm, however, the general system I prefer to use while judging LD is as follows:

1. I first look to any Resolutional Analysis to determine burdens in the round and how the resolution should be interpreted.
2. Then I look to the Value / Criterion framework. I want to see who has established the paramount value to achieve as well as the best criterion for weighing the round and/or measuring/achieving the value.
3. Then I look to see how the arguments on the contention level work under the winning Value/Criterion Framework and if the better argument(s) affirm or negate the resolution.
   • It is possible that a debater can win the Value and Criterion Framework and still lose the round if the other debater successfully debates under the winning framework.
   • However, if a debater’s case has a tight connection between the Value/Criterion and the other arguments in case, the debater who wins the Framework should win the round.

Framework
I feel as if a value and criterion are important components of a LD case.  LD is distinct from other debates by the simple fact that it is a “value debate.” However, I will not vote against a debater who lacks a framework unless the other side makes it an issue in the round.  As has been stated before, and will be said later, arguments that are clearly connected with the (V/C) framework carry significantly more weight than arguments without any framework grounding.

Value Debate
Debating the value is essential to a LD debate, in my mind. Rounds that ignore the value debate are the rounds I enjoy the least. 

From the perspective of proposing a value, some justification for why the value is “valuable” and how it relates to the resolution is needed. This justification cannot be simply “the resolution says moral (or just/justified/justice) therefore we must value morality (or justice) because the resolution says so.”
I used to be ok with the value of Morality, but have been developing the opinion that you cannot value morality, but you value what morality creates. Morality and ethics, in a sense, are judgments about certain actions, and you cannot value mere judgments. Also, I think morality and justice are two different normative categories so I would like a substantial explanation on why they are the same if that is your case strategy. Again, this is my take, but my preference will not affect my decision unless the other side addresses it. 

Delivery styled
I used to be more middle of the road when it came to LD speed, but I can handle pretty fast pace as long as the words you are saying are clear and you slow down on tag.  My fingers aren't as fast as my ears.  Also, the use of jargon is acceptable.

Argumentation
When you pull something across the flow or cross-apply something, provide sufficient analysis why it matters and pull through warrants. Make it more than just a line on my flow of the round. Minimal, yet sufficient, analysis for cross-application or extending will always carry more weight than cross-applications and extensions with an absence of explanation.
Crystallization/voting issues should be given at the end of the debate. This preference is to your advantage because it emphases the recency aspect persuasion. Voters down the flow are ok as long as they are clearly identified as voters. 

Explain how your arguments relate with one another. As my high school debate coach and a law professor always said, “Tell me the story.” For example, tell me how certain cards, analytical, or statistics affect the round, namely the value and criterion.

In general, make the argumentative connections for me. There are too many times where I can see an easy connection that could win the round for the debater, but the debater fails to flesh that argument out causing me to vote against the debater. I do my best to not do the work for the debater on the flow.

Circuit Sytle
I will be honest and let you know I grew up as a traditional LD debater.  However, I want to break into circuit style in terms of judging and coaching.  While I don't like plan/counterplan debate, I will not vote you down because of it. I will listen to the round in front of me. If you are running more circuit style arguments, then explain to me how that functions in the round.  I want to learn and become part of the circuit style type of debate.

Rebekah Tuchscherer (she/her) rebekah.tuchscherer@gmail.com

B.A. in Journalism and Biology, current ophthalmic clinical researcher

• 2023: Debate Judge for Roosevelt High School (Sioux Falls, SD)

• 2018-2020: Lincoln-Douglas Assistant Coach at O'Gorman High School (Sioux Falls, SD)

• Former high school Lincoln-Douglas debater (Milbank, SD)

Public Forum

This event was created with the intention of accessibility, meaning that your speech should be 1) at a delivery rate that is easy to keep on a paper flow, and 2) use high-level debate terminology sparingly. I prefer a speed of about 4-6 on a 1-10 scale, but if I can't understand or keep up with parts of your case, it likely will not make it on my flow or be weighed in the round. Efficiency and effectiveness are key.

The debates I appreciate the most are those when debaters can recognize and articulate when apples are being compared to oranges. I don't like giving points to a team just because they have a bigger number / claim a larger impact, but can easily vote for a team that can dig into the source, organization or methodology used to get said numbers.

Rebuttals:

If you are speaking first, I'm fine with you spending all 4 minutes on the opp case. If you are second speaker, you should defend your case in some capacity and briefly respond to arguments made on your case. At minimum, you must answer turns. This is not to say I think you need to go for everything in second rebuttal. I’m fine with strategic thinking and collapsing when necessary.

Summary/FF:

As a judge of mostly Lincoln-Douglas, I LOVE some clear voting issues. I don't think that a line-by-line argumentation style is typically necessary and prefer a nice crystalization.

Crossfire:

Good, respectful and effective cross examinations are appreciated and a great way to up your speaker points.

Theory/Kritiks/Counterplans/Plans:

Please don't.

Extra Notes

• Anything excessively past time (5+ seconds) on your speech can be dropped from the round. I won't flow it, and I won't expect your opponent to respond to it.
• I don't care how you dress, if you sit, stand, etc. Debate should be comfortable and accessible.
• Collapsing and making strategic decisions in 2nd rebuttal and 1st summary is an expectation of PF. Try to go for everything, and you will have a mountain to climb for a win.
• Rudeness in cross will lose you speaker points. You can make strategic offensive rhetorical decisions to put your opponent on the defensive, but there is a difference. Please be kind. :)

Numbered points are from the NSDA ballot

1. The resolution evaluated is a proposition of value, which concerns itself with what ought to be instead of what is. Values are ideals held by individuals, societies, governments, etc., which serve as the highest goals to be considered or achieved within the context of the resolution in question.

2. Each debater has the burden to prove his or her side of the resolution more valid as a general principle. It is unrealistic to expect a debater to prove complete validity or invalidity of the resolution. The better debater is the one who, on the whole, proves his/her side of the resolution more valid as a general principle.

3. Students are encouraged to research topic-specific literature and applicable works of philosophy. The nature of proof should be in the logic and the ethos of a student's independent analysis and/or authoritative opinion.

4. Communication should emphasize clarity. Accordingly, a judge should only evaluate those arguments that were presented in a manner that was clear and understandable to him/her as a judge. Throughout the debate, the competitors should display civility as well as a professional demeanor and style of delivery.

5. After a case is presented, neither debater should be rewarded for presenting a speech completely unrelated to the arguments of his or her opponent; there must be clash concerning the major arguments in the debate. Cross-examination should clarify, challenge, and/or advance arguments.

6. The judge shall disregard new arguments introduced in rebuttal. This does not include the introduction of new evidence in support of points already advanced or the refutation of arguments introduced by opponents.

7. Because debaters cannot choose which side of the resolution to advocate, judges must be objective evaluators of both sides of the resolution. Evaluate the round based only on the arguments that the debaters made and not on personal opinions or on arguments you would have made.

I prefer to make my final decision of the voting issues the debaters present in the context of the round.  I do believe the debate is ultimately about the resolution. 

Deliver rate: I prefer typical conversational speed

Framework (value/criterion): Debaters need to tell me how the resolution should be evaluated based on its key value term(s) i.e. ought

Evidence:  Using known philosophical positions might be easier to understand, but are not required.  A philosophical argument does not require evidence, nor do thought experiments.  However, factual arguments require evidence.

Flowing: I write down the key arguments throughout the round vs keeping a rigorous flow.

Plans and Counterplans:  Not acceptable

Pet peeves: I dislike debaters arguing the generic faults of extreme positions on utilitarianism and deontology, rather than talking about the principles and consequences that are specifically tied to the resolution. I have become disenchanted with policy debate and don't like excesses of policy debate creeping into LD debate i.e. speed and kritiks. 

Experience:  I have judged LD since it started which was around 1979.  I was a high school policy debater.  I debated CEDA in college when they did propositions of value.  I have coached CEDA at the college level.  I'm currently an LD coach and have previously coached policy and public forum debate.