Jordan Berry - Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School

Hello!

I have been a coach and judge since 2015. Most debaters over the years categorize me as a traditional L/D judge. My chief weighing mechanism is usually framework (my undergraduate degree is in philosophy), but I can be persuaded to the contrary. I have no value hierarchy. I strive to keep personal views and ballot intervention away from my RFD. I will evaluate only those arguments brought up by the debaters.

Speed is an issue for me. This is primarily an education and communication activity. I highly doubt either Lincoln or Douglas themselves were spreading, and I've never seen spreading in any real-life situation aside from episodes of "Storage Wars." I do flow the round (though not cross), but "winning the flow" isn't the same as winning the round in some cases; this event is supposed to be persuasive and accessible, not a checklist of responses and replies. Thus, I always roll my eyes when one of my debaters complains about "lay" judges: in crafting a case/round, they should receive as much consideration as that ex-policy debater.

Other issues for me: do be respectful. Do engage meaningfully with the resolution. Do be honest. Do have fun.

Break a leg!

jordan.berry@mps.k12.al.us

P.S. All this extinction stuff is just debaters trolling, right?

I am a parent and have recently started judging(only since this year).

I want contestants to be courteous and respectable. Its ok to be aggressive but not rude.

I want both sides to present with clear arguments with valid supporting evidence. Keep it simple. If I don't understand the argument, it will become hard to me to vote for it. Explain everything thoroughly and focus more on content and evidence.

i dont usually disclose the results immediately
Have fun at your rounds!

Hi!

I'm a senior at Vestavia Hills in my fourth year of LD!

My email is bradyrm18@gmail.com. I don't expect you to send your case to me at novice tourneys, but feel free to email me if you have any questions or concerns!

For novice

Tech > Truth - I'm willing to vote on arguments that may not necessarily be true if they are warranted well.

Framing - Framework is extremely important, and I would like to see a lot of clash here. Try to bring it up and weigh your framework against your opponent's in every speech - especially the last one!

Evidence - Please give me the warrant behind the argument, not just the card. Make sure you have the cards ready to produce in case your opponent asks for them. If your opponent points out mis-cutting or flaws in evidence, I'll call for them at the end of round, so make sure they can be emailed to me.

Offense - I love Impact calc. Weigh your impacts! Prove why they should be acted upon and why it should be under your framework. Even if you have amazing defense but very little offense it will be hard for you to win the round.

General - Signpost! Please tell me where you are in the flow. For example, when making a new argument, tell me what contention it applies too, don't just read a bunch of cards and expect me to know where they go. Bring up arguments from cross in your next speech for them to be flowed. Point out concessions or anything that was not responded to and tell me to extend them across the flow. Please crystalize and give voters in your last speech!

Speaks - Debate how you debate best - I'm not super picky. Good speaks meant you spoke clearly, used time wisely, articulated well, always remained polite and respectful, and never said anything offensive or unethical (penalized by down vote and minimal speaks for this). Jokes and puns are welcome! Remember an L isn't the end of the world and remain confident!

Good luck and have have fun!

Kiarra (Key-Era) Pronouns They/Them.

You can add me to the email chain {Kdbroadnax@gmail.com} To help me keep track of email chains. Put your team code and Round number in the subject section please and thank you.

Debated at Samford University (Policy) Currently a Coach with SpeakFirst (PF and LD)

Things to do. (Policy)

1. Signpost, do line-by-line, and use analytics.

2. Speed. Go as fast as you want. If you're unclear, I will look at you very confused because I will not know what to flow.

3. Kicking {Arguments, not other debaters} You should be kicking out of things. I will give .3 on speaks if it's creative. I LOVE a good mic drop moment.

Things to do. (PF)

1. Use analytics. they are super useful and make the debate more interesting

2. Speed. Go as fast as you want. I did do policy but If you're unclear, it will reflect in your speaker points.

3. Collapse down. You are not winning everything and we both know that.

Things to do. (LD)

1. Signpost, do line-by-line, and use analytics.

2. Speed is fine. Just be clear.

3. Put me on the email chain if you make one. If I call for cards at the end of the round and then have to wait for you to set up a chain I will doc speaker points. Please just set it up before the round starts.

4. The affirmative should defend the resolution. Yes, every time.

5. Make me think. Challenge the status quo. Run wacky K's. I won't always vote on it but I will enjoy it.

6. About number 5. If you are going to run a K or something similar. Please put a trigger warning if there is mention of sensitive topics and mention them before the round starts. It's uncommon in this climate but it would greatly be appreciated.

Please, do not do these (Policy):

1. Yelling, Being passionate about your case is super cool, but yelling at me will make me not want to vote for you.

2. Introducing Harmful Partnerships into the Debate space. I get that debate is a stress-inducing activity but your partner is there with you for a reason. You should use them. I am fine with partners interacting during a speech. Ex: Your partner handing you a card or their technology to use to read a card off of, or handing you their flow. But if your partner is spoon-feeding you, your speech.

3. Demanding a Judge Kick. Nope. No. No, thank you. if you want to kick out of something then do so.

Please, do not do these (PF):

1. Excessively call for cards. I get it. Sometimes you need to see cards but calling for 5 cards per speech is a bit much.

2. Being rude during CX. I get sassy sometimes but screaming, not letting debaters answer or name-calling is unnecessary.

3. If you send a link (only a link) when an opponent calls for evidence. I'll doc speaks. If you send ME a link. ill vote you down. There are rules to this activity. You need to have CUT cards.

Please, do not do this ( LD):

1. Don't be a jerk. Not every debater is going to get your K. Chill.

DO NOT at any point compare ANYTHING to slavery, the holocaust, genocide, rape, etc.

I will vote you down.

Yay debate!

Jefferson State Community College: Speech and Debate Team - 2 years

LD Judge: 4 years

Speed: I am good with any speed as long as you are not spreading. If I cannot follow I will say "Clear" at which point I expect that you slow down, so I can flow the round properly.

SOOOOOOO TRAD.

I debated PF and LD for one year in high school.

LD Paradigms:

I can handle a 7 on the scale of 1-10 in flowing. However, if you see me during a round and I'm not flowing you, it means you are going too fast for me. Don't be afraid to slow down and hit your best points the hardest.

That being said, I am familiar with maybe half of the terms in LD. If there is a term you use that you know many people don't know, explain it to me because I probably don't either. Be sure to link your value and value-criterion, and how they outweigh that of your opponents. And go over the biggest impacts your side may have in a round. I love to weigh impacts in a round.

Do not bully your opponent. I have seen this happen the most in LD and I don't know why, but you lose a lot of credibility if you attack your opponent rather than their points. Be concise, well-worded, and have intelligent arguments and make it a good round.

Hey Prattville guys, excited for y’all and wish you the best of luck! I haven’t updated this paradigm in quite a long time, and tbh I’ve had a lot of tests this week sooooo…If you want to know the elevator pitch of my judging paradigm, it’s listed below. If you want the detailed version of my paradigm, check out Michael Fain’s paradigm. We agree on 99.9% of things when it comes to judging, except I don’t mind extempted theory (as long as it’s good and formatted:-). I’m also a little more open to reasonability warrants and truth>tech than he is, and I really like phil. Other than that, relax, have fun, take a deep breath, and remember: no one would regret anything in the nature of an interference by the Archdeacon more than I. I trust it will not come to that. But, for the last time, where are your goloshes? The thing is too bad, especially after what uncle said.

————————————————————————————————
I’ll keep it simple

da’s=yum

speedy=needs speech doc (jee0020@auburn.edu)

T=plz

dad jokes=37.58473829 speaker points

cp’s=cool

plans=might as well

k’s=eww, but sure [please don't run a k-aff tho]

framework=i. love. it.

theory=better be legit, I love my reasonability, so make the interps good

condo=more than one or two and i get reeeeeeeeeaaally sympathetic for the aff

anything I’m forgetting?=ask me!

Summary=my decision matrix rests on who won framing. once i determine what fw to use, i evaluate offense. once i evaluate offense, i make my decision.

I don't like to be confused - give me clear voting issues. If I am confused, I'll probably default to impacts / policy-maker or a simple morality question of what the right thing is to do. Speed is okay, and I'll try to follow, but speed with ridiculous breathing is obnoxious. Speed without any change in delivery for tag lines is hard to follow and hard to flow. And again, speed with an argument I'm not expecting and trying to learn is counterproductive. You can say "it's on the wiki" to your opponent all you want, but I don't feel any obligation as a judge to go read your case. Do the communicative work and teach me.

If you're going to run something unexpected (i.e. something a little squirrely or a blatantly non-topical or niche argument) or a kritik that I might not have heard before (well, any kritik, really), put in the work to explain it to me. I like learning stuff, otherwise I wouldn't spend my weekends doing this. What I don't like is being yelled and spread "at" about a philosophical premise I've never heard of before. Dumb it down for me a bit, take it a little slower, and I'll gladly come along for the lesson.

Some pet peeves (certainly not voting issues, but a paradigm is here for me to air all my complaints, right?)

- pointless off-time road maps, particularly in PF and LD. The only reason you'd need to give me this is if you're going in an unexpected order

- statements like "my opponent made a key mistake" - don't critique your opponent's performance for me. Convince me on the actual issues we're debating.My RFD may be dependent on a mistake made by a debater, but the voters you give me should be impacts in the context of the topic at hand.

- standing/sitting around while opponents "look for" evidence, saying that you'll start your prep time once they give you the evidence - always have your own evidence ready to go, and if your opponent doesn'thave it ready to go, ask them to give it to you ASAP, while you go ahead with prep time or your speech - if they are unable to produce the evidence, go after them in your next speech for that - DON'T hold up a round "waiting for evidence"

If you're reading this for Policy specifically: I didn't compete in Policy, but I've been coaching it off and on for a little over a decade, and I've judged frequently at NSDA and NCFL. That said, the circuit I coach in is fairly limited in terms of competition (like fewer than 10 teams at most tournaments), so my approach to policy tends to be pretty traditional, and I understand the event and the stock issues, but I'm not super familiar with kritiks or whatever passes for "progressive" arguments on "the circuit." (And if you can't tell by the quotation marks, as a coach in a small state focusing on just getting kids to competition, I'm a little disdainful of the elitism of "the circuit.") That said, I'm willing to listen to anything and willing to vote on anything, but you need to do the work to explain and teach me. It may be harder to get my vote with a kritik or anything else outside the realm of typical stock issues if you don't clearly explain the impacts of your argument and give me a nice Aff/Neg world comparison.

If you're reading this for LD: I didn't compete in it. I've coached it off and on, though not as much as PF and Policy. I'm going to lean pretty traditional for LD, just given my limited background and the circuit my students compete in. That doesn't mean I won't vote on plans or kritiks, but you're going to have to convince me. My default mode approaching LD is that I should be focusing on a value and criterion debate supported by some straightforward contentions, and I'm going to need a little help doing the mental jump into plans or kritiks. I'd certainly rather hear a framework debate about the values presented in the round than a framework debate about whether or not LD should allow plans, but I'll reluctantly follow along with whatever (cross apply my notes above for Policy, I guess.)

If you're reading this for Public Forum: I've coached it quite a bit, including teams that have broken at NSDA and won moderately large regional tournaments. I've also judged at nationals and major regional tournaments. I strongly object to the idea of paradigms in Public Forum debate. Access for students is a broadly discussed issue in Speech & Debate, but we need to remember that access for judges, especially volunteers, is just as important. Demanding paradigms in a debate event meant by design to be accessible to the public is, in my humble opinion, the wrong way to approach this event. I'm not exactly a "lay judge," but you should approach me in a public forum round, for the most part, as if I were a lay judge. Be organized and clear. Don't spread. Don't play games, especially when it comes to evidence and prep time. Give clear voters and an easy-to-understand Pro world vs. Con world layout.

Hello I am an ex debater who was ld for auburn highschool

i am ok with speed

make sure to provide an offtime roadmap

not great with progressive debate.

Be as respectful as possible I’m crossfire I will not take off from the actual debate but will lower speaker points

try and use all ur time and try use all ur prep time

framework is very important to me so make sure ur framework is carried throughout ur case

Prefer debaters to speak not too fast. Standard news reader speed <= 150 wpm preferred.

I have been judging for 3 years now. I judged 2 years for PF and 1 year LD.

This is Shailender Karmuchi working as the Principal Software Manager at Samsung. Though my background is the software I have been doing Judges for the Debate tournaments for the past three years as my daughter is very fascinated about the debate tournaments.

Hi! I did LD for four years when I was in high school, which was not too~ long ago (currently a college sophomore). I mostly competed locally (Alabama), but I've been to circuit tournaments and should know my progressive stuff.

Email: eileen6a@gmail.com

Please include me in the email chain. Also, feel free to email me if you have questions before/after the round.

General

- Clash is very good. Please, please engage with your opponent's arguments

- Tell me why I should vote for you

Framework

- Be sure to explain what your framework is and how I should evaluate it

- Framework comes before contentions, so if you have different frameworks, please debate about it. Be sure to tell me why your opponent's framework is bad

Disads

- I find a lot of disads really improbable. If you want to convince me that something leads to extinction, you’d better have a solid link chain.

Ks

- I’m not familiar with a lot of K lit, but I think they're cool. If you run one, just explain it

Theory

- I really like Theory, and I will totally vote on it

- I also think Theory comes before Ks unless convinced otherwise. (It's not too hard to convince me)

Other

- I will pay attention during cross-ex, but if something important is said, make sure to say it in one of your speeches too.

- Please be nice to everyone

I debated LD in high school, and competed in one memey PF tournament. I’m pretty lay.

You can speak fast but make sure to speak clearly the whole time. Please enunciate.

Signpost; tell me where you are in your speech and weigh contentions.

Good luck!

Ashley (she/her)

nguyeng@umd.edu

Hello! I'm a PhD student in 20th Century US history. I used to do PF in high school. Feel free to email if you have questions about your round.

General:

I will always do my best to minimize intervention within the round — this is your time to be creative with your arguments and to have fun with developing your own style of debate.

I am generally open to any arguments, but especially love to see how far left you can go with each argument.

If you treat novices/obviously less-experienced debaters with anything but the same respect you'd want in a round, you will not pick up my ballot. Debate is an educational activity. I really value debaters who try their best to interpret the debate in the most humane and just way possible. I will not tolerate homophobic, sexist, racist, etc. arguments in debate.

LD:

Please refer to Charles Karcher's paradigm!

Speaking:

I don't encourage you to speak quickly if it's a virtual tournament - hardly anyone speaks clearly enough for it to translate well over a Zoom/Jitsi call. However, speaking quickly is different than spreading. If you spread (which if fine with me), send over the doc first or else I won't be able to flow.

Framework:

If you don't contextualize the argument, I will do it myself and you don't want that. also please engage with the framework debate as soon as it's brought up in round.

PF:

YOU CANNOT AND WILL NOT WIN EVERY ARGUMENT. Collapse, collapse, collapse.

The earlier you start weighing, the better the round will be for you. I won't weigh anything in FF if it's not in summary (please condense and weigh impacts in these two speeches rather than going line-by-line.)

Please answer defense.

If you bring theory/spreading into a PF round, I will automatically drop you and your speaks will be a 25.

I am a parent judge with little experience in judging.

Would be focusing on the argument data-points and how each of this are presented, argued and counter-argued. Also, would focus on presentation and interaction styles. I will not vote for anything I do not understand.

Looking forward to meet you all.

cheers!!

Hey! I'm Snekha. I am currently a Freshman at UAB. I served as Captain of the VHHS LD Debate Team my senior year!

Pronouns are she/her.

Email --- snekharaj.nkl@gmail.com

Please include me in the email chain. Also, feel free to email me if you have questions before the round!

General

Tech > Truth - I'm willing to vote on arguments that may not necessarily be true if they are warranted well.

Speak clearly and engage with your opponent's arguments. Tell me why I should vote for you.

Framework

Be sure to explain what your framework is, and how I should evaluate it. Framework comes before contentions, so if you have different frameworks, please debate about it.

Disads

I find a lot of disads really improbable. If you want to convince me that something leads to extinction, you’d better have a solid link chain.

Other

I will pay attention during cross-ex, but if something important is said, make sure to say it in one of your speeches too.

Please be nice to everyone, and have fun!!

Hello debaters! Thanks for reading my paradigm! I'm a retired debater; I competed in PF for two years and went on to compete in college in an extemp-style of debate called IPDA. My experience in LD is very limited and within the confines of a traditional circuit. As such, I'm willing to listen to progressive argumentation like plans or kritiks, but you're really going to have to explain them to me. I know absolutely nothing about policy.

I frown upon spreading. I believe that debate is meant to be an educational exercise that equips you to succeed in the "real-world." Spreading is, in my view, almost always antithetical to that goal. I will try my very best to keep up, but I'm not above setting my pen down and not flowing until you become coherent.

*I will not vote for arguments I don't understand.* It's your job to give me thorough explanations. Remember that I've not been researching your respective topic for the last month and will need logical explanations and warranting. I need you to walk through why your argument or evidence wins my ballot.

I'm a flow judge; I will only consider things actually said by debaters in the round and am looking for complete arguments including claims, warrants, and impacts.

I don't flow cross, so if something important happens, it won't be on my flow unless you bring it up in a speech.

Things that will automatically cost you the round and/or speaks:

Unnecessary rudeness

Falsifying evidence

Not having fun! :)

Jay Rye - Head Coach - Montgomery Academy

Experience- I have been involved with L/D debate since 1985 as a former L/D debater, judge, and coach. I have been involved with Policy debate since 1998. I have coached Public Forum debate since it began in 2002. While at many tournaments I serve in the role as tournament administrator running tournaments from coast to coast, every year I intentionally put myself into the judge pool to remain up to date on the topics as well as with the direction and evolving styles of debate. I have worked at summer camps since 2003 - I understand debate.

Philosophy

I would identify myself as what is commonly called a traditional L/D judge. Both sides have the burden to present and weigh the values and/or the central arguments as they emerge during the course of the round. I try to never allow my personal views on the topic to enter into my decision, and, because I won't intervene, the arguments that I evaluate are the ones brought into the round - I won't make assumptions as to what I "think" you mean. I am actually open to a lot of arguments - traditional and progressive - a good debater is a good debater and an average debater is just that - average.

While for the most part I am a "tabula rasa" judge, I do have a few things that I dislike and will bias me against you during the course of the round either as it relates to speaker points or an actual decision. Here they are:

1) I believe that proper decorum during the round is a must. Do not be rude or insulting to your opponent or to me and the other judges in the room. Not sure what you are trying to accomplish with that approach to debate.

2) Both sides must tell me why to vote "for" them as opposed to simply why I should vote "against" their opponent. In your final speech, tell me why I should vote for you - some call this "crystallization" while others call it "voting issues" and still others just say, "here is why I win" - whatever you call it, I call it letting your judge know why you did the better job in the round.

3) I am not a big fan of speed. You are more than welcome to go as fast as you want, but if it is not on my flow, then it was not stated, so speed at your own risk. Let me say that to the back of the room - SPEED AT YOUR OWN RISK! If you have a need for speed, at the very least slow down on the tag lines as well as when you first begin your speech so that my ears can adjust to your vocal quality and tone.

4) I am not a big fan of "debate speak: Don't just say, cross-apply, drop, non-unique, or other phrases without telling me why it is important. This activity is supposed to teach you how to make convincing arguments in the real world and the phrase "cross-apply my card to my opponents dropped argument which is non-unique" - this means nothing. In other words, avoid being busy saying nothing.

5) Realizing that many debaters have decided to rely on the Wiki, an email chain, and other platforms to exchange the written word, in a debate round you use your verbal and non-verbal skills to convince me as your judge why you win the round. I rarely call for evidence and I do not ask to be on any email chain.

I debated for three years with Auburn High School. I have debated PF, LD, and Congress. My specialty is in LD and I have been to both local and national circuit tournaments, so I am accustomed to all types of arguments, and/or speed no matter how traditional or progressive as long as you are clear about your arguments. The points below apply to all forms of debate. If you have any questions about my paradigm or have a question about something I do not cover below, feel free to ask before the round.

--DO NOT bring up new arguments in your last speech. They will not be weighted. Go for a few strong arguments that you have made throughout the round rather than running out of, and wasting time trying to go for every argument on the flow. If you think your opponent has made a new argument, tell me if it happens to be on my flow nothing will be counted against you.

--In the round, I typically vote off of FW, impacts and dropped arguments (in that order unless it's PF and then impacts weigh highest) unless there is a reason either on my flow, or weighed by the debaters in the round, as to why something else ought to be voted on.

**Disclaimer for weighing: I will not do your impact cal for you. Spell it out for me. If you think something is important and you don't tell me I won't guess. Also if you think something is important, bring it through to the end of the round in ALL of your speeches.

--On a scale of 1-10 for speed, I can handle somewhere around 8 but would prefer around 6-7. However, I will not downvote you, or drop your speaks if you spread at an 8 unless I cannot understand you. If you speak quickly, but unclearly it is very frustrating for me trying to flow, and in some cases, I would say it can border on the violation of education of the round. I would prefer you to slow down or pause for taglines.

**Disclaimer for speed: If I am unable to understand you, or need you to slow down I will say clear. I will say clear two to three times before I stop trying to flow.

--I do not flow cross so unless you bring it up in your next speech it will not hold weight in the round.

--I am fine if you time yourselves

--In the instance of direct evidence clash tell me why to prioritize your evidence over theirs or your line of thinking over theirs. Otherwise, I will consider the whole thing a wash and will find something else to vote on.

-- If your opponent calls into question your evidence and you cannot provide what is being asked of you within one minute I will assume that either you do not have the evidence or the card is not as valid as I was led to believe, and may lead me to question the validity of the rest of your evidence.

--Please signpost/roadmap (tell me where you are on the flow/the chain of your arguments)- I hate when it is unclear where you are and I get bounced around the flow.

--Please do not be rude to your opponent during CX (especially during grand in pf.) There is a difference between being aggressive/assertive, and rude. If you are rude I will drop your speaks.

--Humor is a great way to boost speaks :)

I have been judging for a few tournaments, and I am somewhat experienced.

I look for well crafted and well articulated arguments. And speak with good clarity.

If I don't understand or buy an argument, I might not vote for it.

I have no idea what theories, topicality and other related types of arguments are... so try to debate a little traditionally. I am ok with counter plans.

Speak at an understandable pace.

I will vote for the debater who best presents his/her arguments.

My name is Isaac Sherman (he/him) and I formerly competed for the Prattville High School Speech and Debate team. I am now a member of the Alabama Forensics Council at the University of Alabama. I have won multiple state championships in Alabama (PF and Congressional). In college, I am a NNFA National champion in IPDA debate.

Concerning the round, I focus primarily on analysis and clash. I prefer clear line-by-line breakdowns of cases, but other methods, with good execution, can win my ballot. I do not have a value hierarchy, as it is the debaters obligation to convince me why I should buy their proposition.

While I expect, and encourage, clash, the easiest way to lose my ballot is by being disrespectful when it is unwarranted. It goes without saying that I should not witness attacks on character, religion, class, speaking style (as in accents), etc. etc. Likewise, do not make an accusation that the opponent has done such things without reasonable grounds. I want a healthy debate designed to cultivate a greater sense of understanding beyond typical secondary curriculum, and the only way to accomplish that is through mutual respect.

I have done debate, and read and think at a speed much like yours most likely. You can spread, but if I don't understand you, or if your opponent is clearly disadvantaged by a lack of understanding of your case specifically because of what appears to be speaking speed, that will impact my decision.

I do not flow cross, so be sure to extend those arguments in your speeches.

Other than that, the debate is fair game. I don't care what you run as long as you prove to me why I should prefer you on a ballot!

On a side note, thank you all for competing. The amount of time and effort that goes into producing the levels of research that you do goes far beyond the expectations place on high schoolers. It is also increasingly complex because of the covid-induced style we have to compete within.

Good luck, and happy debating!