Last changed on
Sun November 7, 2021 at 8:43 AM EDT
Hi my name is George Zhang and I debated in LD at the Harvard-Westlake School in California.
My email is georgezhang369@gmail.com. Please add me to the email chain!
General: Speed is fine. Have fun - I generally don't care what you read except morally repugnant arguments. I read big-stick policy arguments my senior year and have read a little bit of Ks in the past.
Topicality: Good T debates are fun to judge. If it's messy, weighing and argument resolution factor a lot into my decision. The more frivolous the shell, the lower the standard for answering it. I default drop the debater, reasonability, and no RVI's unless you convince me otherwise.
Kritiks: Make sure you at least have a basic understanding of the literature when reading a K. Specific links to the AFF rather than generic state bad Ks are better. Be clear on how the link applies to the aff and explain your alternative.
Counterplans: Great. Cheaty generic counterplans are ok, but I prefer unique and interesting ones. Perms are a test of competition, not an advocacy. Make sure it competes and has a net benefit. Tell me if you want to judge kick.
DAs: Great. Weigh weigh weigh. I don't think terminal defense exists.
Theory: Condo, PICs, etc. are good, but I can be convinced otherwise if the NEG abuses it. I have a high threshold for frivolous theory. I default reasonability, drop the argument, and no RVIs unless otherwise stated. I won't vote on an RVI unless there was literally 0 mention of it.
K Affs: Explain the method and why you should win. I have difficulty voting for these AFFs because they don't explain what giving the ballot to you does. Education > Fairness and TVAs are nice for Framework. It's all about big picture and explaining what your model of debates look like.
Phil: Fine. Normally these debates devolve into tricks or theory so I'm generally not a big fan. I lean more towards util since indicts like induction fails have low thresholds for answers and other frameworks aren't super persuasive. That being said, people generally mishandle framework so if you do it well, great!
Tricks: I'm not a big fan especially since they always seem to make the debate extremely messy. I give more leeway for new responses to the opponent when blippy 1-liners are everywhere. You can read them, but expect lower speaks and a possible loss if you went for a bunch of aprioris and I have to wade through it. Saying "This is dumb" is sufficient for dumb argument that aren't warranted.
General Rules
Be nice/Don’t be rude
Don’t cheat
Make logical arguments
Don’t do things that make debate a hostile environment
Be nice to novices
Feel free to ask me any questions about the round and any improvements!
