In Public Forum I'm not typically impressed by how rapidly a competitor can breathlessly read from a prepared script or lengthy recitations of evidence cards. If it's difficult for me to keep up with the points of a position or argument, a team will fail to convince me of the merit of their position or argument. I prefer a well-organized, personalized, rational, reasonable, and calm/measured presentation of ideas for why the pro or con version of the resolution makes more sense. A successful team will more easily win me over to their side of an argument with good soft skills: speaking clearly and confidently with inflection, good eye contact and comfortable/natural gesturing - and, of course, sensible ideas to which I can relate.

I envision Public Forum as an event where the two teams engage in an organized conversation in the courthouse, town square, or mall on a topic of general interest, where they attempt to win over the majority of the crowd of passers by (who consist of the full spectrum of diverse backgrounds and viewpoints in our society) to their side of the argument. Lure that audience into the debate by first capturing their attention and impressing upon them why the subject is important to them. Be convincing and personable. Be a good salesperson of your ideas. Be polished and relatable. Imagine yourself as Professor Harold Hill, the Robert Preston character in the old movie The Music Man. Your audience wants to be won over, you've just got to give them the razzle-dazzle performance they're looking for. It's not just cold, hard, objective facts, it's about making an impression on someone that will stay with them, an emotional connection.

I have been judging for two years in local and national circuit tournaments. I usually judge PF and LD, I am a parent judge, but understand the, majority of the fundamentals of debate. I am an accountant, real estate agent, and business woman; I can understand most economic and financial arguments. I consider myself a "policy maker" type judge. I enjoy a well made and feasible plan. I do NOT understand kritiks and do not recommend you run them. One of the most important things I look for is business etiquette and respectful argumentation. DO NOT attack individual debaters in this round, I will vote you down. I will vote on topicality if there is a well formed argument.in the round, and I do not mind if it is run strategically by the negative. I do not mind speed through the warrants of your cards only if you are concise and enunciating, however slow down on your tag lines because I do flow your debate and judge off of my flows. My philosophy is that constructive speeches and cross examinations are for the teams to share evidence. Rebuttal speeches are for you to make sure I understood what arguments have come through and win your side the round. Make sure you impact calc out the round for me in your final rebuttal speeches and give me voters. Most of the time I followed the round, however make sure I did not miss something you find an important voting point.

SPECIFICS based on debate style

For PF- Make sure you have a strong framework and carry it through the entire round or else I will not be able to evaluate the cases unbiased. When giving constructive speeches, make sure that everyone is ready before beginning and I like road maps. Both line by line and crystallization are good, but make sure you are very clear on what argument you are responding too. If I can't understand what you are saying then I cannot flow it. I flow cross x and be respectful.

I am a first-year judge who will be looking for moderate speed and clear argumentation (avoid debate jargon please).  Throughout the round, the debator should explain to me why their arguments are sound, why their arguments are superior to their opponent's arguments, and how each argument achieves the value criterion.  At the end of the round, I will vote for the debator who more persuasively explains the above

10 years judging and coaching PF—9 times at TOC (gold and silver divisions--two online years), 7 times at Nationals

Add me to your evidence email. brandonc@svsd410.org

I coach only Public Forum.

I am a high school English teacher full time.

Speed is fine with me.

I prefer big picture summaries

Role of the Final Focus: Crystallize the round (cliché, I know), but if it does not follow through on the flow I won’t weigh it.

Extension of Arguments into later speeches: I want to see everything on the flow. I look specifically at the summary and the final focus to see what you want me to really focus on in my decision.

Topicality/Plans/Kritiks: Make me engaged and interested in how you approach the round. I am not a stickler for or against anything at all. I want to see solid debates with clear argumentation and exceptional evidence.

Flowing/note-taking: I flow on the computer in an excel spreadsheet. I have my own shorthand and do not flow during crossfire because I would rather see the ammunition come up in speeches.

I value arguments. Style is irrelevant to me as long as I can understand your speaking—be snarky, be rude, whatever. Just get your point across.

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? I think that the argument should be clearly flowed across. However, that does not mean I would not consider a major missing element from the constructive if it was crucial to the round.

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? No, I do not require this. It can be effective at times, but not required.

Do you vote for arguments that are first raised in the grand crossfire or final focus? Sure. If it is clear and well grounded.

Weighing: I want you to weigh for me if the resolution and your case are really asking for it (usually you would know if you need to.) If you don't weigh and tell me what you ultimately want me to vote for and why by the final focus.... then I will just choose based on the flow.

Crossfire: I'm listening to what you are saying, but I don't write anything down for the most part, unless I am checking my flow against what you are saying and editing. If you want me to flow it, it better come up again in the speeches.

Framework: Sure. Do it. But if you both have one, you better make sure you decide which one to use and why and convince me of that.

Off time roadmaps: Don't care.

My only expectation is good clear debate. I do not like the argument that Public Forum is only for “lay” people off the street. I think it has much more potential to be an intellectual and engaging technical challenge. I am not a big fan of weighing lives because it really seems to be about the pathos/narrative and not the actual argumentation. Not that I don’t care about lives or whatever, it just is generally not an effective argument and most times there are more interesting ways to approach a topic than that.

Hello! I'm Peri (she/her) and I debated for Mount Vernon HS in Washington doing LD for 3 years in high school. I am also a part-time, de-facto assistant coach for the Mount Vernon team, and I'm starting my own at the school I currently teach at-- I've never really left the debate community, so I know a bit of the norms and I know what's going on. I have my Bachelor's in International Studies focused on Peace and Conflict Resolution in the Middle East and North Africa, and my Master's in International Relations (meaning I know more about the Middle East than the average person) Here is my email if you need it... periannakb@gmail.com

Congress:

A huge pet peeve of mine is 3...2..1 and my time starts on my first word. I wont start your timer until you start speaking. I promise.

Substance > Style

Don't rehash, bring up new points prevalent to the debate. I love to see refutation particularly after the first two speeches. Please, lets move on if we are just going to say the same thing over and over.

Every time you speak in a session, it gives me more reasons to rank you at the end of the round. Fight to give those speeches and use questions! Don't let any of that direct questioning time go to waste!!!

LD:

A huge pet peeve of mine is 3...2..1 and my time starts on my first word. I wont start your timer until you start speaking. I promise.

I did traditional LD in high school. I am a traditional LD judge. You can run some arguments but disguise them as more traditional and focus on that style to keep me a happy judge. Take that into account. Don't spread I won't understand. Explain your arguments clearly and you'll be fine. No Meta-Ethics or trix.

Side note: Please make sure you are educated on the 2024 Jan/Feb LD topic... I don't want to hear arguments that are factually untrue, and I'm excited for well-informed debates that get into the depths of this subject! I've written articles on this topic that you could use as a card-- I know it well.

PF:

A huge pet peeve of mine is 3...2..1 and my time starts on my first word. I wont start your timer until you start speaking. I promise.

I'm judging more and more pufo these days. I like clear, well organized constructives. Don't just read everything one note. I appreciate that public forum is supposed to be different than LD and Policy. Keep it that way.

Random framework arguments about the intent of the topic aren't going to work for me. If things change in the status quo, you need to be prepared to discuss them.

So I'm pretty easy going when it comes to my judging preferences. I would generally call my self a tab judge, but that isnt always possible. Historically I would say I lean towards more critical arguements. I think I just lean towards more high probability lower magnitude impacts, not that I wont vote on high magnitude lower probability impacts just need to do more work on it. I will vote on any form of aff(policy, k, etc) but I will also vote on framework on those affs. I have a semi higher threshold on t but i will still vote on it. If your aff or k has any in depth literature to it, dont assume I know it make sure to take a little bit more time to make sure its understood

I know I dont have a ton to my paradigm but if you have any questions feel free to email me at: tlabriola36@gmail.com

I am a scientific individual, I am listening for credible facts, quotes, sources and empirical evidence.

Be knowledgeable on the topic, if a question is asked I expect some type of answer, not "I don't know".

Presentation of your argument(s) is a factor as well, your job is to persuade me to vote with you. Congress specifically, don't just read your speech, make eye contact and let us hear your passion and research that you've completed.

Elaborate on the impacts using the 5 Ws (who, what, when, where and why).

Email: bpowersbeggs@gmail.com

Background: I debated in LD, PF, and occasionally congress for Lewis and Clark HS (Spokane, WA) from 2014-2018, as well as competing in a range of speech events. Currently, I am a Materials Science and Engineering student at Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, OH) graduating in 2022. This is my second year judging for Hawken, but I also have done some judging and coaching for Lewis and Clark HS since graduating.

Paradigm: Progressive or lay are both fine, but please don't go full policy on me. I am fine with speed (especially now that online school has me watching all my lectures on double speed), but I prefer if debaters leave spreading to policy because there is a risk that I won't understand you if you go too fast.

I'm generally down for any argument or interpretation of the resolution as long as it is well-supported.

Theory is OK, but I prefer it be used appropriately as a tool to improve the debate or the debate community as a whole, not just as an easy way to win by playing the a priori card.

My favorite part of debate is cross-ex, but make sure to bring up the relevant points gathered from it in your speech.

K's are fine but please explain them

I have a soft spot for counterplans as long as they don't steal all of the ground of the debate to the extent that it is unfair to the other debater.

I love impact calc and strategic debate. Don't be afraid to go all in on one or two points towards the end of the debate if they will win you the round (but you also don't have to collapse to one contention). Make sure to tie the arguments back to the weighing mechanism/framework/Values/VC's, or whatever you are calling it that round.

Please roadmap!

Cite sources with at least author and date

Treat your opponent with respect

TLDR: I'm a flow judge who is down for any argument but I want you to tell me why to vote for you at the end (KVI's!!!)