I have been judging LD debates for over four years, with occasional experience in Parli and PF formats. I prioritize clarity, substance, and respect in rounds. If any technical terms are used, please provide clear definitions. I value substantive contentions and points over intimidation or mockery. I flow during the round to track the arguments.

While I remain open-minded and impartial, I expect debaters to uphold the principles of sportsmanship and respect throughout the round. Mockery and intimidation have no place in constructive debate.

Impact calculus is highly appreciated as it helps in evaluating the significance of arguments.

Please include me (karthikakrishnna@gmail.com) in any email chains for reference. Best of luck to all debaters!"

If you need any further adjustments or clarifications, feel free to let me know!

I prefer a logical argument with voice that is understandable. Your ability to present convincingly your structure, arguments and cross will earn you speaker points. 

I did debating in high school and loved it. IMO, debating is not a speed reading competition. I am all for an argument presented in a systemic fashion. It should explain why it should win, it should be supported by data, facts, analysis and sources. Stay with the topic and show your creativity without being overdramatic.

I love to hear a debate where the flow goes point by point of the argument presented by their opponent and counter-argues with claims and warrants without missing anything, and THEN presents something new. That to me indicated good listening skills and good knowledge and is very impactful.

Not only do I like to listen to what you have to say, I also like to see how you say. I am talking about, your body language. Your gestures, face expressions, eye contact, voice modulation and demeanor speaks volumes.

I have no patience for content that are sexist, vulgar, homophobic racist, transphobic, anti-Semitic or that berates a religion or a nation.

Hi! I am a parent judge for LD, but I have been judging tournaments for a while. I heavily prefer traditional cases (no theory, K's, etc.); counterplans are fine. No spreading, do not be condescending, racist, homophobic, sexist, or anything that attacks a debater's personal beliefs or identification, else I will drop you. I flow crossx, as it is binding. I do not appreciate post rounding, unless you are truly confused and want to understand the outcome better.

Tech>Truth

Good luck and have fun!

Please make sure to slow down on tags as well as when you are switching flows

I'm familiar with almost all forms of argumentation so read whatever you want in front of me

Good Luck

I am a judge with experience judging multiple debate tournaments throughout the entirety of 2021. I've mainly done LD and PF, but I also have judged some Parliamentary, Congress, and individual events as well.

I believe it is important for things such a debate to be accessible to anyone, so clarity in communicating ideas and speaking at a clear, easy to understand speed will be important to me, as well as clearly articulating tag-lines of arguments, and I would prefer refraining from jargon when possible.

I will mainly try to judge Tabula Rasa, as I believe it is fair and important for the debaters to have control over what the rules of the debate are, and if those rules are mutually agreed upon, then it sets everyone up for the highest level of success. I won't be bringing preconceived notions into the debate, as I would prefer to judge to debaters on the merits of what they bring to each round.

In the last speeches of the round, I want you to tell me which argument you think I should vote on and WHY, and how it compares to the other team's argument.

I have judged a couple of tournaments and have no debate experience myself. When judging, I look for powerful delivery, insightful analysis and ease of handling questions.

I am a volunteer judge for Wilcox HS (Santa Clara, CA) and this is my third year of judging. I have judged multiple formats (LD, PF, Parli) at both the novice and varsity levels.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

- Speak slowly and clearly. Spreading won't help if I cannot understand what you are saying.

- Keep your own time.

- Off time road maps are preferred. Deliver organized speeches, based on your off time roadmap. It's easier for me to keep track that way.

- I do take notes throughout the round so make sure you emphasize your important contentions/points. Clearly state voting issues in your final speech to tell me what to base my decision on.

- Overall, remember to remain respectful during the round (to your opponents, and to the judge). It is important to be assertive in your arguments but no yelling, interrupting, etc. I will take away speaker points if I have to.

- Please try to stay away from overly technical, high-leveled debate jargon. If you are going to use a technical term, it is imperative that you explain it to me (as the judge) as well as in the debate space.

- Lastly, remember that the goal of debate is education and productive discourse. I prioritize inclusiveness over overtechnical strategies. This means that if your opponent is a relatively new varsity debater, and cannot engage with theory, K, etc, do NOT run them. If you do run those strategies, simply to gain an easy win rather that engaging and arguing the topic with your opponent, I will NOT vote for you because you are making the debate space exclusive. I would much rather see a strict case debate (value, framework, counter plan) rather than judge high level arguments (theory, K), because at the end of the day, we want to become more educated and better informed in our society.

Otherwise, good luck and have fun!

I'm a lay judge.

• Please speak clearly and not too fast.
• Please explain any technical jargons before using them.
• Please time yourselves and please be courteous to your opponent.
• I’ll be taking notes.
• It’ll be helpful if you wind up by offering weighing or voting issues, at the end of summary and final focus.

Online Debate: In the event, you get cut out, I will ask that you resume your speech from whatever your opponent or I last flowed.

Etiquette:

- Do not attack your opponents, attack their arguments.

- If you are rude, offensive, disrespectful, racist, sexist, etc I will tank your speaks and possibly drop you if it's a big enough issue. Debate is competitive, but that doesn't mean you can be mean.

If there is a problem or you think something is wrong (like shady evidence), tell me ASAP so we can pause the debate if needed and solve the issue. If there is a disagreement about the content of a card, I will call for the card at the end of the debate.


Debate:

- LD!! Framework: I want to see strong justifications (please have a card, don't just run framework without having a card, it seems like you haven't researched the topic or don't care about the debate at all) during the framework portion and strong links to the framework throughout the debate.

- When you extend, don't just extend tags, extend cards + impacts or just impact in case time is low.

- When you are making refutations use blocks and evidence! If you don't have blocks, please make some blocks. I like evidence, but I will settle for analytical arguments if both sides don't have warrants.

- Signpost during your speeches and cite the year & author (the last name is fine if you want to give credentials to weigh the evidence that's great!) of your cards. It's ridiculous how many people don't, I'm literally just hearing the resolution and I have no clue what the common arguments so if you start refuting things without specifying what it is, I'm not gonna try to play connect the dots to figure out what you're doing. It's not hard, I'm sure most of you can do it.

- Once you drop something, you cannot come back to it. *If your impacts are better, I might disregard. If you're good on the flow, you have good impact calc, but you drop one non-crucial argument, I might disregard.

- If you bring up an argument in cx but don't later in the round, then it's useless.

Policy!!

- Tech > Truth

- Slow down on analytics and tags!

DA

- specify on link stories

- Do the impact comparison so I don't have to do all the work thx

CP

- tell me what the NB is and how it solves!

- do the line by line well

Speaks/Drop:

- debate skills > talking pretty, you can be a polished speaker AND a flow debater

- If you bring up new evidence or new arguments in a later speech where the opponent does not have a chance to respond, I will tank your speaks (you won't walk out with anything higher than 24) same thing for new evidence, don't bring new evidence when the other team will not get to respond. That's bad faith and I will drop your speaks and potentially even your side if it becomes a key argument.

- I really really hate when you tell me how I should be voting, I am pretty sure I can vote for myself, so use that time to build your arguments, your links, etc.

- I am fine with speed, be like Eminem if that's what ya want, but I do not want to watch spit fly and just hear heaving. If you are going too fast for me to understand, I'll just say clear. If you don't slow down, I won't be able to flow so when you extend or cross-apply, your side will be missing pieces

- If you make me laugh, it will boost your speaks :))

I am a lay judge, I do not flow, but I do take notes

no spreading, please talk slow

I am not familiar with theory and kritiks. I will do my best judging the round, but I may not be able to follow if you run theory or kritiks.

I competed in college circuit parliamentary debate and LD debate for 3 years, and also coached Parli at South Torrance High School.

TLDR// It's your round, do what you want with it.

I don't have many opinions about debate that would be considered hot takes, and I'm willing to be convinced that my opinions are wrong. As far as arguments in-round, there is rarely one I will not vote on. I will try my best to keep any outside knowledge away from the debate (although I am not sure that anyone is actually capable of this, so don't make things up, etc.). Also don't be indignant to the other team. I love sass and sarcasm but there is a line that you should do your best not to cross. Now the specifics:

Speed

I think I have a decent threshold for speed, but if you're too fast for me I will clear you.

Theory

I will vote on any theory position if the abuse is potential or articulated, but the argument needs to have an impact. That being said, I will be annoyed if you kick a cool CP for NIBS. I also default to competing interpretations unless told otherwise.

Impacts

Unless told how to evaluate the round, I will default to net-benefits, so make sure you read impacts. That being said, if you do read a framework, you need to extend it throughout the debate or at the very least tell me how it functions. You can convince me to vote on terminal defense, although I assume that's standard. When left to my own devices, I find myself leaning towards probability, but you can always convince me that my bias is wrong. You should also try your best to NOT leave me to my own devices!

The Kritik

I do not believe that links of omission are compelling, there are just too many reasons that they are not persuasive so don't do that. If you reject the topic, you need to be able to justify your rejection. Framework debates, specifically good framework debates, can also be very compelling and I think that sometimes a one-off framework theory shell from the neg is a great strategy. In my time as a debater, I focused on biopower, orientalism, antiblackness, and security K's though I've debated several others and am familiar with some lit. You should still explain your arguments, though.

If you have any questions that I haven't already answered, always feel free to reach out and ask before the round!

I am a parent judge. No circuit or spreading. I like logical arguments substantiated with evidence. I also appreciate good crystallization that helps me with the voting decision.

I am a parent judge.

Please speak clearly and a fast conversational pace is fine.

Signposting is preferred.

I will be taking notes during your speeches.

Please be courteous to your opponent.

I'm a first-time judge. I will focus both on content and speaking skills.

Crystalize and sum up your arguments well in your final speech as to why you won the round. Don't speak too fast.

And please be respectful to your opponent.

Good Luck!

LD

I am a novice judge so go easy on me!

I am a rational fact driven judge, so it's not about my personal values or beliefs.

I will strive to judge fairly to determine who has better debating skills.

I am definitely into the quality of the argument rather than the quantity of words or the volume - your arguments must be backed up by evidence, and be clearly audible - do not spread!

I want all debaters to be courteous at all times during the debate, and please note I won't disclose who won, but if asked I will provide constructive feedback.

Former policy debater, familiar with Policy & LD. Minimal experience with PF. For rounds I judge, you should be aware that:

1) I'm openminded when it comes to considering just about any argument-- but you'll need to convince me.

2) I'm more interested in hearing you explain the logic underlying an argument than hearing you read cards at me repeatedly

3) If you have evidence that you want me to give significant weight to, tell me why-- "Smith in '98" doesn't cover it

4) I respect debate and ask everyone that I judge to respect their opponent, maintain decorum, etc.

I am a non-Native English speaker and a first-time judge.

Please speak clearly and deliver in a pace that a lay judge can comprehend. I prefer you provide me with a roadmap before the speech so I can follow each of your arguments and their supporting evidence. Good luck and have fun!