NSD PF First Week Mini Tourney
2020 — Philadelphia, US
PF Debate Paradigm List
All Paradigms: Show HideJust do whatever ur comfortable with :)
Hi I am Malcolm. I went to college at Swarthmore. I am an assistant debate coach with Nueva. I have previously been affiliated with Newton South, Strath Haven, Hunter College HS, and Edgemont. I have been judging pretty actively since 2017. I very much enjoy debates, and I love a good joke!
I think debates should be fun and I enjoy when debaters engage their opponents arguments in good faith. I can flow things very fast and would like to be on the email chain if you make one! malcolmcdavis@gmail.com
if you aren't ready to send the evidence in your speech to the email chain, you are not done preparing for your speech, please take prep time to prepare docs. (Prep time ends when you click send on the email, not before).
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pref shortcuts:
Phil / High Theory 1
K 1/2
LARP/policy/T 1/2
Tricks/Theory strike
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PF Paradigm (updated for toc 2024):
I will do my best to evaluate the debate based only what is explained in the round during speech time (this is what ends up on my flow). Clear analysis of the way arguments interact is important. I really enjoy creative argumentation, do what makes you happy in debate.
email chains are good, but DO send your evidence BEFORE the speech. I am EXTREMELY easily frustrated by time wasted off-clock calling for evidence you probably don't need to see. This is super-charged in PF where there is scarcely prep time anyways, and I know you are stealing prep. I am a rather jovial fellow, but when things start to drag I become quite a grouch.
I am happy to evaluate the k. In general I think more of these arguments are a good thing. LD paradigm has more thoughts here. The more important an argument purports to be, the more robust its explanation ought to be
Theory debates sometimes set good norms. That said, I am increasingly uninterested in theory. I am no crusader for disclosure. I will vote on any convincingly won position. Please give reasons why these arguments should be round winning. Every argument I have heard called an "IVI" would be better as a theory shell or a link into a critical position.
I think debates are best when debaters focus on fewer arguments in order to delve more deeply into those arguments. It is always more strategic to make fewer arguments with more reasoning. This is super-charged in PF where there is scarcely time to fully develop even a single argument. Make strategic choices, and explain them fully!
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LD: updated for PFI 24.
philosophy debate is good and I really like evaluating well developed framework debates in LD. That said, I don't mind a 'policy' style util debate, they are often good debates; and I do really love judging a k. The more well developed your link and framing arguments, the more I will like your critical position.
I studied philosophy and history in college, and love evaluating arguments that engage things from that angle. Specific passions/familiarities in Hegel's PdG (Kojeve, Pinkard, Hyppolite, and Taylor's readings are most familiar in that order), Bataille, Descartes, Kristeva, Braudel, Lacan, and scholars writing about them. Know, however, that I encountered these thinkers in different contexts than debaters often approach them in.
Good judge for your exciting new frameworks, and I'd definitely enjoy a more plausible util warrant than 'pleasure good because of science'. 'robust neuroscience' certainly does not prove the AC framework, I regret to say.
If your approach to philosophy debate is closer to what we might call 'tricks' , I am less enthusiastic.
Every argument I have heard called an "IVI" would be better if it were a theory shell, or a link into a critical position.
I really don't like judging theory debates, although I do see their value when in round abuse is demonstrable. probably a bad judge for disclosure or other somewhat trivial interps.
Put me on the email chain.
Happy to answer questions !
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Parli Paradigm updated for 2023 NPDL TOC
Hi! I am new-ish to judging high school parli, but have lots and lots of college (apda) judging and competing experience. Open to all kinds of arguments, but unlikely to understand format norms / arguments based thereupon. Err on the side of overexplaining your arguments and the way they interact with things in the debate
Be creative ! Feel free to ask any questions before the round.
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Policy Paradigm
I really enjoy judging policy. I have an originally PF background but started judging and helping out with this event some years ago now. My LD paradigm is somewhat more current and likely covers similar things.
The policy team I have worked most closely with was primarily a policy / politics DA sort of team, but I do enjoy judging K rounds a lot.
Do add me to the email chain: malcolmcdavis@gmail.com
I studied philosophy and history in college, and love evaluating arguments that engage things from that angle.
I aim for tab rasa. I often fall short, and am happy to answer more specific questions.
If you have more specific questions, ask me before the round or shoot me an email.
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Speech is cool, I am new to judging this, I will do my best to follow tournament guidelines. I enjoy humor a lot, and unless the event is called "dramatic ______" or something that seems to explicitly exclude humor, it will only help you in front of me.
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Strake Jesuit '19 | UT Austin '23 | SMU Law '26
He/Him/His
Email Chain/Questions: caden.day@utexas.edu
Please start an email chain as early as you can before the round starts. Also, I can absolutely tell when you are stealing prep while "trying to get the email to send" or while "waiting for the email to send." Please don't do that.
TLDR
Tech>Truth. Read anything that isn't exclusionary. Warrant everything (cards, analytics, extensions, etc.). Extend all parts of your arguments (including turns).
Tech>Truth
You can genuinely read anything in front of me as long as it's explained well. I'm most familiar with/primarily read Theory, Plans/CPs, off-case Disads, soft-left Ks, and framework/philosophical arguments. I am less familiar with non-t arguments and tricks. But again, read them if that's your style! I can keep up.
Tricks without warrants will be treated similarly to any other argument without a warrant—they will be given very little credence. So, if you plan on reading tricks, don't just dump them on the flow. Take time to explain the warranting in them.
There is, of course, the obvious exception to my "read anything" policy, which is that I ask you to foster an inclusive and educational environment.
Speaking Style and Speaker Points
I give speaks based on strategy. I start at a 28.
Go as fast as you want unless you are going to read paraphrased evidence. Send me a doc if you’re going to do that. Also, slow down on tags and author names. If, in later speeches, you aren't relying on a doc, dial back the speed a bit so I don't miss anything.
I will dock your speaker points if you take forever to pull up a piece of evidence. To avoid this, START AN EMAIL CHAIN.
You and your partner will get +.3 speaker points if you disclose your broken cases on the wiki before the round. Tell me if you have disclosed your cases because I won't check for you.
Summary/Final Focus
EVERY part of your argument should be extended (Uniqueness, Link, Internal Link, Impact, and warrant for each). Extensions of taglines or claims alone are insufficient. Please please please extend warranting and analysis.
Similarly, if going for link turns, extend the impact that you're co-opting; if going for impact turns, extend the link that you're co-opting.
Miscellaneous Stuff
Defense that you want to concede should be conceded in the speech immediately following when it was read.
Defensive extensions should be in every speech - it is not sticky.
I require responses to theory/T in the next speech. ex: if theory is read in the AC i require responses in the NC or it's conceded.
Any misrepresented evidence that is called to my attention by your opponents will be struck from the flow. In especially egregious cases, I reserve the right to severely dock your speaks or drop you outright.
If you have more specific questions, don't be afraid to ask them before rounds! Similarly, if you have questions about my decision after the round, ask away! It won't impact your speaks or my decision or anything like that. I want you to leave the round with a better understanding of my RFD if you feel confused.
Hi there! I did PF for 4 years. Below are some general guidelines for how you can win my ballot :)
A few things to take note of:
- My wifi tends to lag so PLEASE speak SLOWER. If you go too fast I might not catch stuff and I refuse to call for a speech doc unless if you cut out even when you're going at an understandable pace. It's your job to communicate your arguments to me, not mine to read your arguments off a doc :)
- Please don't take hours to find your evidence. I understand that sometimes your internet connection might slow down your evidence finding process but if you're taking way too long I'm not going to be happy. Keep your evidence organized!!
- Please preflow before rounds... if you ask to preflow once you get to the room I'm probably going to dock your speaker points. You have ample time to do so before rounds now that you don't have to physically walk to your room.
Ok now on to how you can win my ballot...
Things I like:
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Weighing!!! Please weigh!!! If you don’t weigh, I’ll have to do my own weighing which you probably don’t want.
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Warrants. Explain and flesh out your arguments. Don’t just read a blippy turn without any explanation and expect me to evaluate it at the end of round.
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Collapsing. Going for an argument or two in the second half will help make your life and my life much easier. Quality over quantity.
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Frontlining. Since summaries are 3 minutes now, first summary MUST frontline turns or any offense at the very least (second rebuttal should at least do the same).
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Decorum. Debate is a high school extracurricular activity. Please be nice to your opponents before, during, and after round (although I understand cross can get a bit heated sometimes, just try to be nice). Save any rude comments for the bus or hotel or whatever.
*** If you’re extending a card, please don’t just say the card name. I tend to miss card names so tell me the argument you’re extending!!!!!!!!
Things I don’t like:
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Spreading. I can usually keep up with speed, just not spreading!
- New in the 2. Please don't make new arguments in final focus. You're just wasting your time. I'm not even going to flow it.
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Bigoted arguments. I will drop you immediately and tank your speaks
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Theory: No, just no. Please don't. If you run theory, I’m not even going to flow it and I definitely will NOT be evaluating it.
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K’s: I’ll try my best to evaluate them. I’m not super familiar with them so if you do run a K, please flesh out your explanations and tell me why I should evaluate it over other arguments in the round. If you run one, you should be collapsing on it or else I will drop you for using it as a cheap way to win.
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Postrounding. PLEASE DON'T DO THIS PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE. Once I make a decision, I stand by it. Asking questions is FINE, but trying to change my mind is not.
- Miscut evidence. Most likely I won't call for evidence unless if you tell me to or if you go for it and it sounds really sketchy. And yes, hate to break it to you, but I will drop you for miscut evidence (even if you win the debate) :) sorry not sorry! Strike me if this bothers you!
Email is zkaufmann24@gmail.com if you have any questions or want to be pen pals. Please let me know if there's anything I can do to make a round better for you!
Some general notes:
* Make strategic decisions!
* Please, for the love of all that is holy, put a warrant in everything you say. If your argument lacks a warrant, it's not an argument. I don't feel comfortable voting on things which I would be unable to explain to the opposing team as part of an RFD. Good logic > decontextualized quantitative evidence.
* Please, please weigh. Make fewer arguments and weigh them more. Please explain explicitly how your arguments interact and do weighing that is good, nuanced, and makes sense within the context of the round. Quality > quantity.
* Rebuttal should answer turns on case and include weighing; generally I think that you should respond to offensive arguments in the next speech, case obviously excepted. You need to extend defense in every speech, conditional on your opponents' having answered it.
* If you want me to vote on something, it needs to be cleanly extended in both summary and final focus (i.e. link, warrant, impact, even for dropped arguments). Extend turns in first summary if you’re gonna hinge your whole round strat on it, basically. If I don’t know what I’m voting for, I’ll be sad and your speaks will suffer.
* Debating the way you want to debate and having fun is great, because otherwise there’s no reason for any of us to be here.
* I appreciate non-util framing and making arguments that you actually care about.
* If you feel comfortable, add your pronouns on tab.
Things I am Fine With:
* I am okay-ish with speed. I'll say "clear" if I can't understand you, but if you want me to flow important analysis or author names you should slow down.
* I'm fine with theory which checks back for actual abuse and which is articulated more like a traditional PF argument (i.e. paragraph form, which I find much easier to evaluate. If you start spreading, I will have no idea what is going on). I don’t know a ton about theory/Ks/etc, so if you want to do this explain it clearly and a little slower than usual and you should be fine.
In the words of Harry Bagenstos: "I think it is probably possible to debate nontraditional PF arguments such that even an opponent who has no prior familiarity with the style can understand and make technically valid responses to them, and I think you should try to do that rather than presuming the existence of highly-developed theoretical principles imported from other events." In general, just debate how you want to debate, but make a good-faith effort to include your opponents.
Specific Things Which I Dislike:
* Bad evidence ethics. Good logic beats bad evidence. If you want me to call evidence, tell me.
* Card dumping with no warrants. Also, extensions with no warrants. Basically anything without warranting. If you don't warrant something, "this isn't warranted" is an acceptable response.
* Exclusion generally. Debate fails if it’s not accessible to everyone. If you’re spreading to make sure your opponents can't flow or reading arguments that exclude the other debaters in the round, I will not be happy. This also means that I am open to progressive arguments if they check back for this.
* Debaters not treating other debaters like real human beings. Joking around and being snarky is great, but anything blatantly offensive/ mean/ dismissive will get your speaks tanked and you possibly dropped. I debated as a female second speaker with a male partner and I encourage everyone—especially male debaters and those on all-male teams—to consider how "perceptual dominance" or humor can come across as demeaning.
* Co opting issues for a strategy. Care about the issue and make the debate productive for everyone. Consider content warnings and flexing contentions if someone objects--sensitive topics don't exist in a vacuum and can affect the people around you, so be conscious and you should be fine. IF YOU DO NOT READ A CONTENT WARNING ON A SENSITIVE ARGUMENT AND YOUR OPPONENTS OBJECT IN ANY WAY, I WILL DROP YOU. IF ARE RACIST, SEXIST, CLASSIST, ABLEIST, ETC, I WILL DROP YOU. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO TELL YOU THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE COMPASSION FOR OTHER PEOPLE. If you don't know how to run a content warning, you can ask me before the round starts.
Things I Do Not Care About:
* What you’re wearing, how you're sitting, etc... Debate is stressful and you should be comfy.
Howdy!!
*update for 2021 season~i'm on CST so i'll be 12-13 hours ahead of EST. take this into account if you wanna spread or do something weird idk*
I debated for Lake Highland Prep for 5 years, and was relatively active on the Public Forum circuit in my junior and senior year.
tldr; warrant, weigh, i don't shake hands, make me laugh, NO 3FF's, yes you can flip before i get there
~I evaluate arguments on the flow!
~I am a tabula rasa judge; which is fancy for I will vote on almost any argument that is topical, properly warranted, and impacted. buttt if an argument makes no sense to me, it's usually your fault and not mine. i do not like progressive debate, sorry not sorry, i won't evaluate theory/K's or whatever. if there is a serious abuse just say it in your speech for a couple of sentences,,,warrant it, explain the abuse, and i will evaluate. you don't need to make a whole shell about it or whatever theory is idk.
~Speed is fine but don't spread please!
~If there is no offense in the round, I presume ~first speaker~ by default, not neg. This is because I believe PF puts the first speaking team at a considerable structural disadvantage. If both teams have failed to generate offense by the end of the round, the onus should fall on the team going second for not capitalizing on their advantage. This is my attempt to equalize the disparity between the first and second speaking team.
~I go on twitter during cross lol but if it's that important say it in speech
~I will typically only vote on something if it is in both summary and final focus. If you read an impact card in your case and it is not in summary, I will not extend it for you, even if the other team does not address it. Of course, there are inevitably exceptions, e.g. defense in the first FF.
~No new evidence in second summary (it's fine in first summary). The only exception is if you need to respond to evidence introduced in the first summary. New analytical responses are fine!
~Defense doesn't have to be in first summary, but i encourage it if it's important. First summary must extend turns/any offense! (This obviously does not apply if your defense is frontlined in second rebuttal) Second summary and both final focuses need to extend defense!!
~I think calling for ev after round is pretty interventionist lol,,, but if you really reallyyyy need me to see it i guess i'll look at it
~keep your own prep
~I reserve the right to drop you for offensive/insensitive language. oh and being rude/sexist/racist/homophobic etc.
~If you plan to make arguments about sensitive issues such as suicide, PTSD, or sexual assault, read a trigger warning please!! debate should be a safe space, and while I don’t necessarily believe inclusivity should compromise discussion, the least we can all do is make sure everybody is prepared for the conversation.
~It's so boring and awk when card exchanges take a long time, they should take no longer than 2 minutes. If it takes too long I may dock your speaker points for being disorganized and wasting time.
~Please remember to check the pronouns provided by tab!! This is so everyone is comfortable in the round and to prevent misgendering. (mine are she/her/hers)
~Have a Big Time Rush! after all, debate should be fun! wear what you want, sit or stand, idrc! please lmk if there's anything i can do to make you more comfortable in round. Oh! and if you are funny + nice, I'll give you very generous speaks, unless you're a really bad speaker
if you have questions, message me on facebook & i'll probably respond in time!
Shoutout to Max Wu bc most of this is from his paradigm!!
- dazzle me!
- if you call me "your honor," i'll boost your speaks
- if you flip first, i'll boost your speaks. you confident thang!
- :)
Anything that doesn't violate the rules of PF or the rules of being a decent person is generally fine by me. If you don't have time to read this long paradigm, just ask in round!
Hi there! I am a former PF debater from Edgemont NY and graduated in 2020, and I currently attend Cornell University studying Industrial and Labor Relations. I'm a relatively traditional Northeast flow judge if that means anything to you (I am kinda flay but vote on the flow, big emphasis on warrants). Specifics:
- Don't be blippy because I'm not excellent at flowing and therefore might not catch something; I highly value good warrants. The less intuitive the argument, the more warranting is necessary
- I prefer you to have your camera on, if possible
- I'm tech > truth as long as there are warrants (however I will tell you if I think something is ridiculous, but it won't affect my decision)
- Bad strategic oopsies probably cap you at a 28.5
- I prefer you to speak at a pace where a speech doc shouldn't be necessary, my understanding of the round/ability to flow trades off with how fast you speak. The way you read your case/speech docs matters and contributes to your speaks
- I'm really really receptive to unconventional and creative arguments that are strategic and effectively run, high magnitude/low probability impacts are cool as well-- but use risk of offense weighing
- Also a really big fan of crafty & weird in-round strategy if executed well. I will reward with high speaks
- Terminalize all your impacts and extend all your warrants/the entire argument especially in the last speeches. Full warranting is essential to extensions-- literally pretend I've never heard the argument before.
- It's hard to vote off things I don't understand
- If your opponent's extension is bad, point it out or i will evaluate it
- Concede delinks in the speech right after to kick out of turns
- Second rebuttal doesn't have to frontline anything
- You can't delink yourself to kick out of turns if your opponents didn't read the delinks
- Offensive overview type stuff is fine in rebuttal if implicated in some way against the opponent's case
- I don't flow card names
- I may or may not pay attention in cross
- Defense is sticky through first summary (if unresponded to, terminal defense can be extended from rebuttal to first final focus. I think it's uneducational for debaters to win while extending through ink)
- Ten second grace period after time
- I don't have a very good understanding of progressive argumentation, nor am I very comfortable evaluating it. I'm unlikely to vote for theory unless there's abuse. ex: paraphrasing/not disclosing/the like do NOT qualify as abuse, but lack of content warning qualifies as abuse (please utilize content warnings). If anything, don't read a shell, just explain the abuse in paragraph form. I prefer substance debates, but if the round isn't that I'll do my best to evaluate everything fairly
- New weighing is fine in final focuses, but preferably earlier
- Weighing is only substantive to my ballot if it would actually sway a policy decision: ex: short circuit and magnitude weighing is substantive, "clarity of link," "timeframe," and certain theoretical "prerequisites" are not substantive unless justified to be substantive (this is a confusing point so please ask if you need clarification)
- Won't call for evidence unless asked to and my decision depends on it, and on that note, no evidence > bad evidence
- If there's no visible offense at the end of the round then I default to whoever lost the coin flip. Or, if I cannot find a way to vote on the flow I will vote with an arbitrary lay rfd, or vote for whoever I think debated better. That being said, while I intend to be tabula rasa, I will always try my best to resolve a muddled situation even if it requires some sort of minimal intervention. With that, I encourage risk of offense weighing when a situation is muddled!
- I generally have a pretty similar debate philosophy to my former coach Caspar
- Feel free to ask me questions about my paradigm/decision/message me on facebook!
debate well and good luck! :))
when you say "turn," if you spin around, smash your head on the desk, throw your computer against the wall and run out of the room, i will give you 28 speaks.
I debated PF at Stuyvesant High School for 4 years.
Update for Harvard Tournament: i am old now. please do not speak fast because i truly will not be able to follow it. please disregard everything below. a slow, logical, and captivating speech delivery will surely convince me.
Speech-docs & questions about the decision should be emailed to: jeremylee@college.harvard.edu.
If you are going to read an argument about a sensitive topic, please include a content warning. Give a phone number for participants to anonymously report any concerns, and if there are any, you must have an alternative case ready to read.
TLDR: Treat me like a lay judge. I will evaluate rounds with a technical standard, but I dislike fast, blippy "tech" debate. As tech as I try to be, your persuasive ability will inevitably skew me one way or another, so please don't throw away presentational skills for the sake of spewing jargon. Every argument needs a clearly-explained warrant for me to consider it. I will vote for the team with the least mitigated link to the greatest impact.
Technicalities
- Cross will not impact my evaluation of the round. Use it for your own benefit to clarify arguments.
- First summary doesn't need defense.
- I care little about numbers and number comparisons in weighing. Most of the time, impact quantifications in PF are over exaggerated because impacts that happen on margins are extremely difficult if not impossible to quantify.
- Weigh turns & disads (If you don't, I won't know whether to evaluate your response or your opponents' case first. This means I can still vote for a team with a dropped turn on their flow.)
- Compare your weighing to your opponents. If this is not done, know that I weigh primarily on the link level because I think it is the key factor in determining the marginality of your impact (or if it happens at all). If you don’t want an unexpected decision, do the weighing yourself. Side-note: Link ins don’t count as weighing unless you show that your link is stronger than theirs.
- It is my belief that weighing fundamentally comes down to two things: how large your impact is and how probable your impact is. I take both things into account so if you weigh on probability and your opponent weighs on magnitude (and you both don't interact with each other's weighing), I will intervene to determine which argument is more important.
- I won't vote off of dropped defense if it is not extended
- Paragraph theory is good with me and is probably more accessible. However, this does not mean you do not read blippy theory for the sake of throwing your opponent off. Still give me a clear interpretation, violation, standard, and voter. [Note: I am not very familiar with progressive argumentation and would prefer it not to be run unless there is real abuse in the round. If you do choose to run it, I will evaluate it as logically as I can, but I cannot guarantee that I will evaluate it the same way your typical "tech" judge would.]
- No CPs or Ks.
- Weighing in first FF is okay, but it's better if done earlier (not in second FF though)
- No new arguments in FF. This applies to extensions. If there isn't a clean link and impact extension in summary, I won't evaluate it even if it is in FF.
- Second rebuttal must respond to turns (I count as dropped otherwise)
- No offensive OVs in second rebuttal. I just won't vote on it
- Tech>truth most times, but the crazier an argument gets, the lower my threshold for responses to that argument is.
- Extensions of offense need to be in summary and final focus. You need to always link the argument back to the resolution and draw it out to an impact. If this isn't done, you will 90% of the time lose the round because you have no offense. I have a relatively high threshold for what counts as a clear extension because it is essential for transparent collapsing.
- Please don't use the abusive strategy of kicking out of all of your opponent's responses to your case just to read a new link to your impact. If your opponents do this, call them out for it in speech.
- If no offense is left by the end of the round, I presume the team that lost the coin flip. If the round is side-locked, I presume the first speaking team because I believe it is at a structural disadvantage in the round.
Etiquette (how to get high speaks)
- Don't spread. I flow on my computer, so I can follow speed, but the faster you go, the more likely I am to miss something on the flow. Additionally, I find that 99% of the time, you do not need to go fast to cover the flow; you simply need to improve your word economy. Finally, I believe that spreading is bad for the activity. It excludes so many people from being able to comprehend and learn from the round, making the activity overall less accessible. If you can speak at a moderate speed while still covering the flow efficiently, you will be rewarded with high speaks.
- Signpost. If I am not writing on my flow, there is a good chance that I just don't know where you are on the flow.
- Do not be rude to your opponent. This includes making faces while your opponent is speaking, speaking over your opponent in cross, and making jokes at the expense of your opponents. Excessive rudeness that makes the activity inaccessible to marginalized groups will result in me dropping the debater. My threshold for this is not that high because I despise this behavior in an activity that is meant to be fun and educational for all participants.
- I will give you high speaks if you speak pretty and are smart on the flow.
- Do not read 30 speaks theory.
Evidence
- Please don't call for every piece of evidence your opponents read. I understand if you think the card is super important to win the round, but in 99% of rounds, I do not even consider evidence in my decision. I instead look at logic and argument quality, so call for evidence sparingly.
- I think evidence is overrated and warrants matter much more. This means you need to attach warrants to evidence and also should discourage the misconstruction of evidence. Your insane card won't win you the round. Read your evidence ethically and then explain its role in the round.
(Guide) Warranted analytics + evidence > warranted analytics > unwarranted evidence > assertions.
- At the minimum, last name and year
- I am fairly lenient with paraphrased cards because I understand that when all evidence is taken word for word from the source, word economy suffers and many debaters resort to speaking faster. However, this is on the condition that evidence is NOT misconstrued. If you are to paraphrase evidence, make sure to fully understand the source and maintain the source's intention; do NOT paraphrase evidence for the sake of getting it to say what you want it to say.
- I will only call for evidence if you tell me during a speech or if I find it relevant to my decision at the end of the round.
- To discourage cheating, if you blatantly misrepresent evidence, I will drop the entire arg/contention.
Misc.
- I expect all exchanges of evidence to take no longer than 2 minutes. If you delay the debate significantly while looking for a specific card, I may dock your speaker points for being disorganized and wasting time. If someone requests to see your evidence, you should hand it to them as soon as possible; don't say "I need my computer to prep."
- Please don't try to shake my hand after the round.
- Wear whatever you want, I don't really care.
- Feel free to ask questions about the decision after the round. I won't feel offended if you disagree with my decision, and I am happy to discuss it after the round.
If you have any other questions, ask before the round.
I did PF for four years, now I’m a coach for Walt Whitman and a college debater.
If you’re comfortable, please put your pronouns in your tab account.
I'm a pretty standard tech judge, however I care infinitely more about good logical warranting than cards.
I can deal with any speed, but if you're going fast please signpost clearly.
I don't require all defense to be extended in first summary, however if it's frontlined you should respond if you want to extend it.
If you have any questions about my feedback or decision, feel free to ask. Be respectful tho.
Debated 4 years at Horace Mann HS
Tech>truth.
Don't be afraid to do smth ~wild~
I don't believe that probability, strength of link, or clarity of impact count as weighing lol. Heres why:
1. You can’t just say an argument is low probability without giving reasons why. Reasons an argument is low probability are just delinks, not weighing.
2. If u have a better strength of link it just means u've read/won delinks, which means they are losing the arg anyway
3. If you dont understand their impact by summary it prolly means they haven't extended one - which u can just point out as a pretty good reason not to vote for the argument
Paraphrasing is good :)
Debate tournaments can be rlly sucky for ur mental health. Pls make sure ur hydrating and eating enough!
Don't forget to have fun!
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what's good, debaters!
what has four letters,
occasionally has twelve letter,
always has six letter,
and never has 5 letters?
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I did PF in high school! Here are some things I like to see in a round:
1. Pretty extensions. If you want me to vote on an argument, re-explain it in summary and final focus.
2. Frontlining in second rebuttal. If you want me to vote on one of your contentions, you should defend it in second rebuttal.
3. Collapsing. It's better to pick and clearly explain 1 of your contentions than speed through 3.
4. Weighing. Tell me why your argument is more important than your opponents'.
5. A friendly crossfire. Please don't interrupt or talk over your opponent in cross. I probably won't pay attention to crossfire, but if people are being mean I'll drop speaks.
I'm not super familiar with progressive arguments (k, theory, etc.), so if you do run them please explain them well.
Feel free to ask me any questions before the round!
P.S. if you do a TikTok dance/make a TikTok reference you'll get +.5 speaks
a haiku:
Probability
It is not real weighing
Please do not read it
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Contacts if you have questions:
email: mxing1@swarthmore.edu
messenger: matthew.xing
READ COMPARATIVE WEIGHING AND I WILL GUARANTEE AT LEAST A 29.
Quick stuff:
-I debated PF for 4 years at Hunter (2016-2020) so I have a decent grasp of how to evaluate rounds. Tech>truth, tabula rasa, etc. etc.
-Putting this up here because I should be more clear about it. If you want me to vote on an argument, at the very minimum, you must have BOTH the warrant and impact in summary AND final focus.
-Warrants > cards. Don't just say "the IMF will implement austerity," tell me WHY they want/don't want to implement austerity.
-I'm not a fan of speed as a) I was never a particularly fast debater, b) I haven't debated in many months, and c) many "fast" teams in PF tend to read really blippy warranting. I've decided I probably won't evaluate speech docs barring tech issues/cutting out, if I can't hear you in round, it's not going on my flow.
-2nd rebuttal needs to address turns in 1st rebuttal. Disad spamming (especially if you label them as "turns") in 2nd rebuttal is very annoying and I don't think its particularly fair for the 1st speaking team. 1st summary doesn't need to extend defense, 2nd summary does.
-I don't flow cross but I'll listen to it. Bring any concessions made in cross up in a speech if you want me to evaluate them.
-I don't care if you cut cards or paraphrase evidence. However, if your evidence is grossly misrepresented/straight up fake, I will likely drop you immediately and possibly report you to tab (depending on the scale of the violation)
-Don't do the funny business where you underexplain an argument in an earlier speech hoping to confuse your opponents and then blow it up later in the round. If you didn't read a warrant in case, I sure as hell am not going to let you extend it into summary.
-I am ok with both teams skipping cross and taking prep instead.
-Time each other's speeches/prep.
-I'll always disclose the results of the round/give an RFD
-WEIGH. YOUR. ARGUMENTS. thank you!
Speaker Points:
-No speaker point incentives on virtual tournaments since there's no food. Speaker points are given based on how much I think your speech contributed to the flow, I don't really care how pretty your speech/rhetoric is. I'm a big fan of doing cool strategic stuff like collapsing on a double turn or reading 4 mins of impact turns and conceding links.
-Update for NSD Camp Tournament: Read comparative weighing and you will get 29+. Do not read comparative weighing and you will definitely not get above a 29.
Theory/Ks:
-I know how to evaluate pretty stock theory like disclosure/paraphrasing, etc. You can read this stuff if you want, but I don't particularly appreciate people reading theory in PF (you can pm me if you wanna find out why) so don't expect to win with high speaks if you win off theory.
-Don't like friv theory. Will probably give you the win and 20 speaks if you win with it.
-No clue how to evaluate Ks but I won't intervene against them. If you can explain to me why I should be voting off your K and you win it I'll happily vote for it.
-Do not be mean when you're reading theory/Ks!!! Make sure that the other team knows what your argument means so that they can actually engage with it. I will be very annoyed if you're clearly reading an obscure shell just to cop a free win on a team that's incapable of engaging. Paragraph theory is fine, you don't have to answer shells in shell format.