I am finally updating my paradigm after about six years of using this site!

Here's me in a nutshell:

1. Experience

* three years as a college Parli competitor in the NPDA; Parli team captain
* wrote master's thesis on "Characteristics and Impact of Superior Forensics Tournament Ballots"
* twelve years coaching experience at four private high schools in three different countries (U.S., China, Kuwait)
* coaches all formats except Policy
* team has earned state and national titles

2. General Preferences

* flow judge
* Some speed is okay.
* Off-time road maps are fine, but unnecessary. Honestly, I don't listen closely to them, and they never buy you enough extra time to actually make the difference in the outcome of a round.
* Don't electronically share your flow or case with me--this is an oral communication event. If you want me to hear something and know it, you need to say it.
* Things I highly value in all debates include: Clash, Impacts, Voting Issues. As a general rule of thumb, remember that whatever you say to me, you should make clear WHY you are saying it. How does this argument connect to the round as a whole? Why does it constitute a reason I should vote for you? How does it relate to what your opponents are saying? Etc. Please don't let your rounds turn into "two ships passing in the night." Grapple directly with the arguments made by your opponents, and make my decision easy at the end of the round.

3. Specific Preferences - Parli

* Ask each other lots of questions! There is a reason you are allowed to do this.
* GOV should provide sufficient resolutional analysis in the first few minutes of the PMC for all of us to know what type of round we are dealing with (policy, fact, value) and how the round will be decided at the end. Don't skimp on this part. If any terms in the resolution are ambiguous, define them.
* For resolutions of policy, talk about stock issues -- Harms, Plan, Solvency, DAs, etc. I will act as a policy maker.
* For resolutions of value, talk about value and criterion, then help me weigh these in the final two speeches.
* I am fond of creative/unique interpretations of resolutions. However, I will also vote on Topicality if OPP makes the argument well.
* Counterplans are fun but are often misused.
* Kritiks very seldom win my ballot. Proceed with caution.
* I dislike generic off-case arguments. The arguments you make should be ones that you and your partner have come up with during your prep time in response to the specific resolution you were provided. Please don't just read shells your coaches/captains have written for you, especially not if you don't really understand them.

MS Spar:

- have impacts

- have structure

- have fun

Flow, use the word "contention", and be interesting.

I am the mother of a sophomore debater at South Eugene High School. I have no personal experience as a debater. Please, no spreading, and be sure to speak clearly and enunciate!

I have a liberal arts background, am familiar with current events, and am careful to listen to all sides before making a decision.

To maximize your odds of succeeding, transition arguments in a way that is distinct and very clear, clash as much as possible with your opponent, behave civilly, and weigh the debate in later speeches. Use all your time, but don't repeat yourself. Avoid jargon that is unique to the debate world. Provide an off-time roadmap if possible.

If you have questions about my preferences, feel free to ask before the round starts.

For the MS SPAR:

Do whatever you want, be interesting.

I'm more likely to vote for you if you:

1. Use good organization and structure

2. Have impacts

3. Good rebuttals

4. Weigh

It's okay if the debate gets a little heated, but be nice.

Try to keep your arguments somewhat organized so I can flow them.

Be nice.

Have fun!

Do your best to fill all your time, stay on track, and be nice! This is just to help you get better. I'm awarding bonus speaker points to anyone who can tie King Julian from Island of Madagascar into their speech :)

I am religiously tech > truth.

In high school, I primarily did NPDL style parli.

How to get my ballot:

Set up a strong framework and debate into it. I will judge under the framework set by the first speaker unless given comparative explanation for a different framework. Framework debates suck. Please don't be abusive in setting one as the first speaker.

Strong link chains please!! Don't just tell me something happens, tell me why it happens. I am a flow judge and will regard anything not responded to as true, but don't abuse that and just list as much as you can.

Collapse and weigh! By the final speech, you know what arguments you're winning.

Clash in rebuttals! Don't make a counter-statement with no comparison. Tell me why I take your analysis first, why your evidence is better (if an evidence event), or weigh. I will vote for protecting a strawberry over avoiding a nuclear war if the strawberry's side does comparison and tells me why it's more important.

Have fun, and run what you want. If you want to run theory or ks, run them well. I won't vote on a theory shell or kritik just because you run it, though I do enjoy them.

Don't waste time on superfluous explanation and filler words and phrases. I can handle speed, and I believe that you can use every second in your speech to further your argument. I will stop writing if you are just repeating yourself.

Final Notes:

I will always disclose unless told not to by the tournament. As a debater, I never liked not having disclosure because it doesn't allow for growth at the tournament itself.

DON'T ARGUE IN CROSS or POIs!!! Cross is for asking questions and answering them. Respond in your speech. I will tank your speaker points if you respond back to an answer or talk over someone during cross (or after asking a POI).

Be respectful in your language and treatment of your opponents. You are not attacking them, you are attacking their arguments.

Please include me on the email chain- piratesball25@gmail.com

Tech>truth

I'm good with speed but flash case if you're going to spread.

I will always disclose after round and give feedback.

Speaks-

Argue in CX and I will tank your speaks. Cross is for asking questions and getting a response you do not get to follow up a response with your own argumentation. If you don't do that and aren't racist/homophobic/sexist and you are nice you'll get good speaks. I will give out automatic 20 if you don't cite your sources properly. Not just author and date FULL CITATION.

Theory/K-

I hate it if its a time suck besides that I will vote on a theory or a k if it is executed and won. I will vote on anything in the round if it is won properly. This being said I HATE disclosure theory. I will try my best to vote against it so if you are running disclosure theory expect to lose unless you 100% win it.

Weighing-

If no standard is given I default to cost-ben

Don't shadow extend

Must fully respond to terminal defense in order to win an argument.

Above all be respectful and have fun, this is an activity this isn't life or death so don't treat it that way.

I am a parent judge, but was never a debater myself. I am still fairly new.

I have mostly judged parli, with a pofo round and LD round as well. I appreciate outlines/roadmaps. I really appreciate you speaking clearly and not going too fast. I may ask you to slow down if needed. Your arguments hold more weight if I can understand them and you aren't trying to cram a ton of information into your time. Please avoid jargon. Remember, your job is to argue the resolution before a non-specialist judge.

I will drop speaker points to 25 if there's any sexist, racist, homophobic, or ableist rhetoric.

Be polite. Have fun.

Again, know your audience. I am not a hired judge with years of debating experience. Your approach with me should be different than with a very experienced judge. I try to be the best judge that I can be, and come to the debate with the expectation that I do not draw conclusions, or make connections, unless you make them for me. I judge based on the quality of the arguments made.

my email- kendraschmidt6644@gmail.com

pls put me on the email chain!

top level stuff- don’t make any racist/sexist/problematic args

be kind & have fun 

Have fun, enjoy the topic.