I competed in policy debate in high school, parliamentary debate in college, and I have been coaching since 2001. I would consider myself a tabula rasa judge, as much as that is possible. I feel comfortable with any line of argumentation, but expect clear articulation of said argumentation. I want you to provide me with compelling reasons why you should win the debate. Generic argumentation, weak links, and time sucks are not appreciated. I don't judge a ton (in my local circuit I am in tab a lot), but I did judge at NSDA Nationals in 2020 including some late Elim rounds. I keep a detailed flow so staying organized is key to winning my ballot. Pronouns: she/her/hers. If you have questions, feel free to ask before the round starts. Email for the chain: amdahl-masona@nclack.k12.or.us.

Lincoln High School 83'

BA Philosophy Reed College 89'

I am an experienced lay parent judge. I have judged for four years on the Oregon circuit and have judged nationals BQD. I want to see complete arguments, I will not vote on your blips. I value coherence and consistency of argument. I flow and vote off the flow, but I do not see debate as a game. Truth > Tech. I would say that I am tabula rasa, but to have a debate we must start from some very basic assumptions and ideas, therefore I will find arguments that rely on challenging foundational ideas to be unconvincing.

Here is a quote from the paradigm of the great Gonzo from Cleveland High School that I agree with:

"In fact, one reason we brought Parli into the state in 1997 was that we were looking for something less protocol driven and less linguistically incestuous. Policy and LD seemed to be exclusive to those who could master lingo. With Parli, we had a common knowledge street fight. ... But, I still have to understand what you are saying and why. . .and so does your opponent. (Hey, now this guy seems like a communication judge. Eye roll.) I will not judge on debate tactic alone; I am not a Game Player . . . though I did play PacMan [more than] once in 1981."

I have a background in philosophy. I will understand most of the phil you read, but that means I expect you to accurately represent the arguments properly.

I am not experienced in arguments such as T and K, it will not be strategic to run these arguments.

I am fully comfortable with plans and counterplans. Under some circumstances a plan can be very important to bring clarity and cohesion and sometimes a CP might be a key neg strat.

I like POIs. I see good usage of them as key to a good debate on both sides and they can be very strategic.

I see tag teaming as a basic rules violation, so I do not want to see it.

I cannot handle speed. Please talk at a reasonable pace.

Volume does not equal emphasis. I did not come to be yelled at.

Politeness is necessary. Any hateful language will be grounds for a 20 speaks loss (or whatever the minimum speaks of the current tournament are).

ASU 2021 update

This is my first online circuit tournament. I do not have topic knowledge.

Pronouns: They/them

Please do not pref me if you read tricks. I will probably evaluate the round poorly and then we will both be sad.

I did policy debate (not very well) in high school. I did not debate in college. I have mostly judged LD. I judge more locals than circuit.

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Things before the debate

Blatant discriminatory behavior (racism, sexism, homophobia, oppression good, etc.) will get you voted down and reported to tab.

Give content warnings.

Add me to the email chain: alexkavery@gmail.com

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Pet peeves

Any variation of "I'd like to thank my opponents and the judge for being here today and making this debate possible. Now moving on to my contentions..." – The phrase "off-time roadmap" – Knocking on things during the round – Quantum mysticism – The phrases "firm affirmation/negation" – Saying "Time starts in 3, 2, 1, now"

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Judge things

eDebate - put the order in the chat please. I think it makes it easier for everyone. I would prefer it if your video is on, but you do you.

I try my best to be tech > truth.

Speed: on circuit I'm like a 4/10, Oregon like a 7/10 to a 8/10. Please slow down on tags and analytics. Please be slower when debating online.

Unwarranted arguments are not arguments.

I'll probably flow cx.

The onus is on you not to misrepresent your evidence, not on your opponent(s) to catch you cheating.

I am slow at typing my rfd. It's not you, it's me.

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Thoughts on Specific Arguments

Case: For the aff: the debate starts in the 1AC, not the 1NC. You wrote the aff for a reason: articulate it, extend it, weigh it against (for example) t-framework. Use it in later speeches! For the neg: be sure not to just put defense on the aff. Solvency deficits are probably only meaningful when paired with offense on the same layer. Good case debate rewarding for both me and you.

Disadvantages/Counterplans: Yes. These are what I'm most comfortable judging. Debates on disads is usually the weakest on the link level. Please read complete counterplans with a solvency advocate at the very least. I am starting to wonder about how much leeway I should give "perm do both, perm do the aff, perm do the cp" one-liners.

Kritiks: I am worse for them than I would like to be. I probably don't know your literature base. Please over-explain how the links outweigh the perm.

Phil: Nothing against it. I probably don't know your literature base. I need you to articulate what offense looks like in these framings.

Topicality: T is good. For extra and effects T all you really have to say is "drop the non-t offense" and then do the line by line. Otherwise, please explain how your interp is necessary for good debates. Please put standards in the 1nc and not just in the block.

Theory: My default is to drop the argument unless articulated otherwise. I think frivolous theory arguments are probably bad. Please slow down on your underviews/spikes.

Framework: Is how you frame your work. Love to see it.

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If you have any questions about anything feel free to ask/email me. I look forward to your debates!

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.

I look for speeches that are clearly articulated at a normal pace, and arguments/statements that are well-explained that also expands on its impact.

Affiliation: Clackamas High School

Competitive experience: 2 years of NPDA (college parli), 1 year of CEDA (college policy)

Coaching/Judging experience: 6 years of NPDA coaching with 45-60 rounds judged per year, 10 years coaching high school policy

Pronouns: He/him

Post the order in the zoom chat ((especially when someone is afk) credit to Wichita BM and Gerrit Hansen for this one)

I’m into philosophy. It was my major for my decade-long undergrad, so that won’t change anytime soon.

I'm also a former law student focused on immigration, employment, and labor.

Although I have run topical affirmatives with a plan in the past, I have generally moved towards the critical as I have continued (From a Heg and Econ National Security Courts aff to Lovecraft performance and high theory).

In CEDA, I have gone for the Cap K with a Historical Materialism alt in every one of my 2NRs. This does not mean that I will automatically pick you up if you run it, but I will be familiar with most of the arguments and authors involved in that debate.

I have come to grips with the fact that I am not very good at evaluating Framework. This does NOT mean you shouldn't run it in front of me or go for it. I think Framework is a valuable debate to be had in most rounds and I encourage people to look at varying forms of this argument in debate. You should be aware, however, that I am not going to be able to fully appreciate the nuances of Framework arguments. It's really not you, it's me.

I hold a high regard for creativity in debate, both in strategy and style. In my mind, creativity is the reason debate is such a fantastic activity. I particularly like arguments that are novel, strange, or Weird.

I am also pretty expressive in round. If you notice me nodding my head or or making a face that suggests "Hey, that sounds reasonable" then that probably means I'm thinking that. If I look up in disgust or confusion, then that means I am probably experiencing one of those things.

All that being said, I am open to most any position or style so long as you can articulate why your arguments are preferable.

Also, feel free to find me outside of rounds and ask me about a round (please bring your flow or be specific about what went on in the round, I can only remember so much on demand) or about general arguments and strategies or whatever.

Clarity: I flow all speeches in the debate and I stick to that flow when making my decision. I will call clear if I can’t understand you. If you are still not understandable to me after I call clear twice, I will stop flowing what I cannot understand.

Clipping: If there is a challenge relating to clipping cards, it must be brought with video evidence. If a team has been shown to be clipping cards in my round; that team will receive a loss and the clipper will receive 0 speaker points for that round.

Email: forensicsresearchinstitute@gmail.com

My name is Vijay, and I have judged 8 tournaments before this. Prior to this year, all judging was in person. This year it has been on Zoom. I have judged Parlimentary and Open Spar formats.

I'm a parent who has judged debate over the past four years.

As far as presentation goes, I find speed and spreading difficult to follow -- clear communication is crucial for me. I appreciate good road maps, signposting, and when debaters provide voters at the end.

As far as the line-by-line argumentation, I look for whether a team flowed its argument through and also when teams drop arguments. Be sure to identify drops on the flow and be organized in your line-by-line responses.

I like clear, articulated impacts. I also need easy-to-understand explanations of why your opponent's stated impacts actually work in the opposite direction of what they're claiming. Make sure to explain your reasoning. Analyze the scope and be sure to weigh the impacts of your arguments against the those of your opponent. This is especially important in final speeches.

As I am a "lay judge" I am not well-versed in theory and am unlikely to vote on it. Same with kritiks.

Hello! My name is Matthew Friar, and I am an undergraduate college student studying Physics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. I competed in High School Speech & Debate for 3 years, doing Extemporaneous, Impromptu, and Storytelling speaking, as well as Public Forum, Parliamentary, and Congressional debates. Being a part of the speech team was one of my best high school memories, and because of everything the speech community has given me, I want to give back. This is why I have the honor of being your judge today!

There is a difference between "My opponents are stupid" and "My opponents' case is stupid." Please do not directly insult your opponents. You don't have to be their friends, you just have to be amicable.

The best argument you can make is the one where you directly refute what your opponents say. I am here to judge a debate, not two separate persuasive speeches. Point out direct clash and tell me how you win the clash.

I do not "flow" the correct way. Yes, this may anger you. Yes, this may make me worse than a true flow judge. Regardless of how good you think my notes are, I will be writing down every piece of information I find relevant and as long as you signpost and speak clearly I would like to think that I am a decent enough scribe.

Speak quickly and/or spread at your own risk: this is a communication activity, not just an excuse to flex on everyone with how fast you talk. Additionally, please limit jargon use, or explain the jargon, because I may not know what you're talking about and other people in the round may not either. I also do not want to have a debate where we debate debating, so please limit the use of a Kritik unless absolutely necessary, I find them to be a waste of time when used in excess.

For PoFo: I have experience with the event, but I never became an expert on it. Nothing specific to add.

For LD: Please make your value that you will be upholding clear, because I don't want to be frantically sorting through all my notes to figure out who said what. Make your value the star of the show; it's what LD is all about.

For Parli Debate: I reserve the right to question any and all of your "evidence" that you bring up during the round when I am deciding the round. A good debate is built on evidence, so you can use anything as "evidence," but my suspension of disbelief will only go so far.

For Policy: This section is here for anyone who knows me and knows I know nothing about policy. Don't worry, I will never judge it.

For Congressional Debate: This was my main event in High School, and I have a solid grasp of how it should be handled. I qualified to the National Tournament in 2019 and 2020, and have placed first in multiple invitationals. I am fully aware that anyone could stand up on any bill and give a speech you just came up with on the spot, and frankly I don't care. What I do care about is direct clash, pointing out where the opposition side is wrong and giving evidence to prove your position. Too often I have sat in congress rounds where evidence was not used, or underused, and the chamber went for strictly moral/theoretical arguments. That's great and all, but I will rank you better in the round if you use hard evidence and can effectively build commentary off of that. As with Parli, I reserve the right to question any and all of your "evidence" that you bring up during round.

TL;DR: Use evidence, be nice, I don't do Policy. Pronouns are He/Him/His.

I just barely debated in high school, mostly did speech. I have done a ton of public speaking as a teacher, advocate and lobbyist (and I have a law degree). I'll follow your arguments, but you'll have to walk me through your flow and debate lingo, or I might miss it.

MOST IMPORTANT: Speak clearly and slowly enough so I can write down your winning points - otherwise, you didn't make them.

I am a lay judge, albeit one with experience judging debate at this point. I am familiar with basic debate terminology and structure, but I have never debated myself, so progressive debating is mostly beyond me.

DO NOT SPREAD. I have already told you I am a lay judge, so make sure you are not speaking too fast for me to understand the words that come out of your mouth. This is debate, not auctioneering.

Be civil to one another. I expect you to show respect to your opponent(s) and avoid any disparaging behavior or remarks.

I appreciate off-time (or on-time) road maps when you can provide them, as well as signposting along the way.

English Teacher (middle school) 30+ years. Philosophy Major. I value creativity, unique perspectives, honesty, and kindness. This is an opportunity to really learn to think and be exposed to many different perspectives! In the late 70's/80's I debated in Arizona--high school and at ASU. Policy debate was the only option and it was the beginning of spreading, when the speed of speaking became important for success. I follow Robert's Rules of Order and/or the event rules specified by tournament hosts to insure fairness and consistency: adhering to time limits, speaking routines, and questioning rules in debate. Have fun, learn, make friends, and do your best.

Parli/POFO: Just ask me in round, I don't have much to say about either of these even though I did them the most. Basic things are: I like signposting, impact calc, plans/cps, coherent policy solutions, and mutual respect. Things I don't like: K's (never ever ever ever run a K in parli with me, if you do, it's a guaranteed loss.) Seriously, I will mark the ballot for the other team the second I hear one. theory, and PICs.

LD: Here are some basic things that I want to see/ don't want to see. But first, my philosphy as a judge. I am a policy making judge plain and simple. Take that as you will. If you think that your out of the box policy solution will work, then by all means run it. If you can convince me, past my better judgement, that nuking China will provide solvency, then you kind of deserve to win. I have been convinced by things like that, and I've run them myself. NO K's. Not now, not ever. You don't need to run a K if your opponent is being racist, I can probably tell. Just make sure to make it known how you feel, and I will weigh that. It doesn't need to be a completely formal arg. Theory is ok if you know how to do it. It's unlikely that it'll be weighed heavily on my ballot. Not a flow judge. I flow, but it isn't a huge part of my ballot. Just make sure to sign post and do some impact calc. If you do no impact calc, I'll go with whatever the most likely impact is, not the greatest magntitude. Please do some clear values and criterion, they're important.

TLDR;

I don’t like progressive debate (I won’t drop someone on this alone, but you run a severe risk with me if you choose to go off the rails.)

I do like traditional debate (take that as you will) and policy making. I’m a policy making judge and nothing would make me happier than if you accommodate. I do have a stomach for outlandish policy if you can prove to me it’s the most advantageous vote in your specific round. Want to nuke the moon? Fine, just prove to me that it is the best option in THIS round.

I DON’T LIKE K’s AND I WON’T WEIGH THEM

I do like proper decorum. Adjust to your round though if it’s an outlandish topic, I will be more inclined to accept outlandish behavior in those situations. In fact, I’d prefer it. Keep it respectful and NEVER get personal or even give the impression of a personal issue being formed. All debate happens in hypothetical spaces, keep that in mind if you start to feel strongly during a round.

If you have any questions after a round or if you want to threaten me after I drop you, email me. kanenmcreynolds@gmail.com

Public Forum debate is not designed to be a talk as fast as you can debate. It is designed to be spoken at a clear and reasonable rate and pace. As a newer judge I want to be able to keep up with the debate.

I have been coaching and judging High School debate since 2003, though I have spent the better part of the last decade in tabrooms, so don't get to judge as much as I used to. :-)

If I had to classify myself, I would say that I am a pretty traditional judge. I am not a huge fan of Ks, because for the most part, I feel like people run Ks as bad DAs, and not a true Ks.

I cannot count the number of times I have had a student ask me "do you vote on [fill in the blank]"? It honestly depends. I have voted on a K, I have voted on T, I have voted on solvency, PICs, etc., but that doesn't mean I always will. There is no way for me to predict the arguments that are going into the round I am about to see. I can say that, in general, I will vote on almost anything if you make a good case for it! I want YOU to tell me what is the most important and tell me WHY. If you leave it up to me, that is a dangerous place to be.

Important things to keep in mind in every round.
1) If your taglines are not clear and slow enough for me to flow, I won't be able to flow them. If I can't flow it, I can't vote on it. I am fine if you want to speed through your cards, but I need to be able to follow your case.

2) I like to see clash within a debate. If there is no clash, then I have to decide what is most important. You need to tell me, and don't forget the WHY!

That leads me to...

3) I LOVE voting issues. They should clarify your view of the debate, and why you believe that you have won the round.

Hello,

I have been judging and coaching since 2016, before that I was a competitor in high school. My day job is a compliance director and pre-kindergarten teacher . My paradigms are pretty simple. In debate I vote by flow, show me the link chain, connections, and how your evidence or case is stronger than your opponent. If you provide a frame work, carry it through the round. I do not like spreading and super fast speaking, slow down and annunciation your words. Debate is still a speaking event, show off your public speaking skills . My pet peeve is interrupting opponents and rude manners, such as mumbling rude comments, if you ask a question, wait for a reply before moving on. Keep your comments to the case not other students. In IE events, I am looking for annunciation, smooth pace of speaking, use of gestures and showing a varied range of emotions. Best of luck in your rounds, feel free to ask any questions.

As a long-time judge, coach, and competitor in Congress, one of the things I love seeing most is Congress run as a debate, since that is its true form... Please include clash in each of your arguments (with the exception of the first authorship, obviously), and clearly and concisely bring up the points of previous senators, either adding to or contesting them. In the event that you give an authorship, make sure to include the reason you are introducing the bill (clearly state the problem), and the context behind the bill/resolution so that the other judges understand it. Each one of your arguments should be supported with evidence from credible sources--not news channels like Fox News or CNN. Sources such as government reports, think tanks, and university studies are most preferable. Your arguments should flow logically from your first claim, to your supporting evidence, and finally to your impact with logical links. The impacts of each argument should be clearly stated and compelling, so as to convince me to weigh your argument more throughout the round. Ask as many relevant questions as you can, and remain professional. Looking forward to a great debate! :)

In general I judge a debate based on the flow. Therefore clash is essential. I am basically a tabula rasa judge with one basic exception that applies across all debate forms. That exception is that I will not accept arguments that are blatantly unethical or inhumane. A good example of this kind of argument is “Nuclear holocaust will aid in population control.” I am not a fan of spreading, though I can work with it. However, that being said, if I cannot hear it, understand it, or flow it, it will not figure in to my final decision. Specific paradigms for individual debate forms are as follows:

CX Policy: I rarely grant a debate on the basis of Topicality. If you argue topicality make sure that it is indeed topicality and not a sub-point of Solvency or Inherency. Both sides need to show me that they have followed and understand the arguments of their opponents and clash with their points.

LD: Value and Criterion must work hand in hand. All contentions need to be made with the value and criterion in mind. I really appreciate the more philosophical approach, but it needs to also be grounded in the real world.

Public Forum: I am not a fan of K's. If you utilize them, they must be something more than a basic attack on the underlying assumptions, and please no slippery slope arguments. If you attack the underlying assumptions, create a very solid rationale and have in depth factual material to back up your argument.

Parli: I look more for the creativity of the cases, and how the sides develop their position within the narrow time frame. The debate will be judged on the flow, but I want to see creativity, clash, and excellent use of questioning.

I am here to be persuaded, and to that end I want to see you communicating with me. Respect for your opponents and ideas is a must. Good luck and I look forward to seeing you debate.

1 -15 points Don't give anyone points this low.

16 - 20 points The speech was downright offensive.

21 - 22 points The speech was really, really bad.

22 - 23 points The speech was bad.

24 points The speech was decent.

24 - 25 points The speech was good. THIS IS THE AVERAGE SCORE.

26 points The speech was very good.

27 points The speech was truly excellent.

28 points The speech was outstanding, in the top 2 or 3% of the tournament.

29 points The speech changed your life forever.

30 points Don’t give anyone this score.