NSDA Taiwan Members Invitational
2021 — Taipei, TW
Debate Judges Paradigm List
All Paradigms: Show Hidei'm sticking to a 10 second synopsis of my thoughts because my paradigm keeps getting deleted so i don't want to spend 208320840 minutes typing a whole paragraph:
policy:
email: mirab2508@gmail.com
pf:
- everything in the final focus needs to be in the summary
- don't just read 2 arguments against your opponents arguments and proceed to read a bunch of new contentions in your rebuttals. the rebuttal is responding to what the other team said, it's not a time to read new contentions unless you finished answering their stuff.
- be nice pls
Newbie Coach for ADL
I flow.
I give pretty high speaks if you're nice.
Email Chain: Brandonchen.135@gmail.com
Ask in round if you want to know more about me
Please be organized.
No speed.
I like weighing & impact calc.
I don't flow crossfire. if it's something important bring it up in your speech
I have debated in high school for 4 years and judged students for 3 years now. I do mainly parliamentary and public forum.
-TES'24
-I debate at ADL
-He/Him
-email: 1234jaychu@gmail.com
I will do my best to follow the debate - be clear and do organized line by line
Clarity>Speed (But im ok with spreading)
Clear impact calc for me to evaluate
Slow down on tags and non-evidence args
I have debated in elementary, middle and high school for a total of 5 years. I have done Public Forum, Policy, and Lincoln Douglas. I have judged secondary students for almost 3 years now. I am a flow judge based on argumentation and impact calculus.
Hello my name is Prince Dennis Jr. I am currently 14 years old in the ninth grade of Taipei American School. I started debate when I was in fifth grade, back then I was someone who argued a lot but never had a specific main point. From debate I learned the ability to make well reasoned and well thought arguments with a specific main point. I believe I am a flow judge. I know that there are a lot of shy people that are good debating but bad at presenting themselves well so I am not harsh on body gestures, eye contact and all those things. As long as I can understand your argument and I can hear you most of the times that is good enough for me. I like speed, I like it when one can finished their arguments fast. But I don't like it when someone speaks so fast that no one else in the room can understand what they are talking about.
Hi, I'm Claudine Engen and I'm looking forward to hearing your story! I love the way a story comes to life with enthusiasm and connection with the audience. Make sure to speak with confidence and clarity. Good luck!
for pf
- frontline (respond to their responses) if you're second rebuttal
- extend with warrants (reason why your argument is true) or it's not extended
- if you want it in final focus, talk about it in summary
- i wont vote on disclosure
- dont be a jerk
Any seamless reference to Avatar the Last Airbender will receive an additional +.25 to +.5 speaker points based on how much your reference is the quenchiest.
email: mckenzie.engen@gmail.com
Coach @ Asian Debate League
Debated 4 years at Kapaun** Mount Carmel in Wichita, Kansas, 2017
Debated 4 years NDT/CEDA/D3 at University of Kansas, 2021
Email chain: gaboesquivel@gmail.com
I treat judging debate with the same love and care that I treat my job. I love what we do.
My biases:
I lean aff for condo. Some might say too much. I might expect a lot from you if you do go for it.
I didn't go for K's much but I really like debating them vs my policy aff. More than policy v policy debates. Links are the most important thing for me. Impacts are a close second. I value consistency between the scale of the links and impacts i.e. in round impacts should have in round links.
I strongly bias toward "The K gets links and impacts vs the aff's fiated impacts" unless someone delivers a very persuasive speech. I can be persuaded that making a personal ethical choice is more important than preventing a nuclear war.
I lean toward affs with plans. Fairness concerns me less than usual nowadays. I like research/clash impacts.
I will read evidence and vote for evidence in debates where things are not settled by the debater's words. This happens frequently in T debates and impact turn debates.
Status quo is always an option=judge kick
How I judge:
I work hard to listen and read your evidence. I am honest about what I don't understand. I am patient with novices.
Be clear or go slower (7 or 8/10) for online debate otherwise I'll miss the nuance in your arguments. I clear twice before I stop flowing.
I flow and use everything I hear in my decision, and overemphasize what is said in the rebuttals. I'll reference the 1AR speech to protect the 2NR on a 2AR that "sounds new" and I'll reference the block on a 2NR that claims the 1AR dropped something. I'll reference a 2AC on a 1AR that claims the block dropped something, etc.
For a dropped argument to be a true argument it must have been a complete claim and warrant from the beginning. I am not a fan of being "sneaky" or "tricky". Unless you are going for condo ;)
I am persuaded by ethos and pathos more than logos. I find myself wanting to vote for a debater who tries to connect with me more than a debater who reads a wall of blocks even if they are technically behind. When both teams are great speakers I rely more on tech and evidence.
I try to craft my decision based on language used by the debaters. I reference evidence when I cannot resolve an argument by flow alone. PhD's, peer reviewed journals, and adequate highlighting will help you here. If I can't resolve it that way I'll look for potential cross applications or CX arguments and might end up doing work for you. If I do work for one team I will try to do the same amount for the other team. It might get messy if its close, that's what the panel is for, but please challenge my decision if you strongly disagree and I'll tell you where my biases kicked in.
**Pronounced (Kay-pen)
For policy, I'm a member of a jury. I've had an introduction and instruction, but I enter the case with an open mind. The prosecution must prove to me why to condemn the man (the SQ) with evidence, logic, and the overall benefit to society. The Neg must show me, using the same, that the SQ is better or that a proposed alternative, such as a CP tops the AFF plan. If it's nearly equally, I'll go with the Neg on the assumption of Inherency. The SQ represents the thinking of a vast number of people; just as, if it's close, we're not going to condemn a man to death.
For LD, we're standing by the side of a railroad track. The two candidates are trying to convince me to vote based on their platform, which includes a policy, which I assess based on its practicality and morality. As the common person, I'd listen to their logic and, of course, they'd need evidence, but in the end, I'm deciding on right and wrong as much as practical issues.
For PPF: I'm watching a television show, Two sides are debating a policy issue, and they're trying to convince me, the viewer, of their position. Obviously, to prevent me from turning the dial, they'd have to be more entertaining than policy debaters. Still, however, as a learned watcher of a political talk show, I'd want to hear evidence and sound logic to convince me which side is more right.
I have taught public forum debate for a few years.
I prefer quality arguments over quantity. Not a big fan of spreading, so spread at your own risk.
I like cases that have a consistent thread/narrative throughout. I also think pathos and rhetorical skills deserve a bigger place in PF. These sorts of things impress me.
Happy debating~
they/them
please add me to chain - jamdebate@gmail.com
important stuff not directly related to my opinions about debate:
ceda update:
this is my first year judging college debate and kentucky is the only tournament i've judged at. i have not done any topic research for nukes. i've been out of college debate for a few years, but have been consistently coaching and judging high school debate. i am pretty experienced coaching/judging most different types of arguments, but for the past three years have mostly coached teams going for critical arguments. i used to primarily judge policy debates, but now primarily judge clash and kvk debates
please be honest with yourself about how fast you are going. i need pen time! i don't need you to go dramatically slower than you normally would, but please do not drone monotonously through your blocks as if they are card text or i will likely miss some arguments.
if debating online: go slower than usual, especially on theory
how i decide stuff:
i try my best to decide debates strictly based on what is on my flow. i generally try to intervene as little as possible, but i am not a judge that thinks that any argument is true until disproven in the debate. as much as some consider themselves "flow purists," i think every judge agrees with this to a degree. for example, "genocide good" or "transphobia good" etc. are obviously reprehensible arguments that are harmful to include in debate and i won't entertain. that being the case, i have kind of a hard time distinguishing those "obvious" examples from more commonly accepted ones that are, to me, just as harmful, like first strike counterplans, interventions good, etc. i’m disappointed i have to add this to my paradigm, but i will not vote on “the police are good” or "israel is good"
despite how the above paragraph might be interpreted, i frequently vote for arguments i don't like, including arguments i think are harmful for debate. at the end of the day, unless something i think drastically requires my intervention, i will try to judge the debate as objectively as i can based on my flow
by default i will vote for the team with the most resolved offense. a complete argument is required to generate offense, so i won't vote for an incomplete argument (e.g. "they dropped x" still needs a proper extension of x with a warrant for why it's true). judge instruction is very important for me. if there is an issue in the debate with little guidance from the debaters on how to resolve it, don't be surprised if there is some degree of intervention so i can resolve it. i will also not vote for an argument that i cannot explain
opinions on specific things:
i am willing to vote on arguments about something that happened outside of the debate, but need those arguments to be backed up with evidence/receipts. this is not because i don't/won't believe you otherwise, but because i don't want to be in the position of having to resolve a debate over something impossible for me to substantiate. i know it’s somewhat arbitrary, but it seems like the least arbitrary way for me to approach these debates without writing them off entirely, which is an approach i strongly disagree with. however, if someone i trust tells me that you are a predator or that you knowingly associate with one, i will not vote for you under any circumstances.
plan texts: if yours is written poorly or intentionally vaguely, i will likely be sympathetic to neg arguments about how to interpret what it means/does. neg teams should press this issue more often
planless affs: i enjoy judging debates where the aff does not read a plan. idc if the aff does not "fiat" something as long as it is made clear to me how to resolve the aff's offense. i am very willing to vote on presumption in these debates and i yearn for more case debating
t-usfg/fw: not my favorite debates. voting record in these debates is starting to lean more and more aff, often because the neg does a poor job of convincing me that my ballot cannot resolve the aff's offense and aff teams are getting better at generating uniqueness. i am less interested in descriptive arguments about what debateis (for example, "debate is a game") and more interested in arguments about what debate ought to be. the answer to that can still be "a game" but can just as likely be something else.
k thoughts: not very good for euro pomo stuff (deleuze, bataille, etc) but good for anything else. big fan of the cap k when it's done well (extremely rare), even bigger hater of the cap k when it's done poorly (almost every cap k ever). if reading args about queerness or transness, avoid racism. i don't mind link ev being somewhat generic if it's applied well. obviously the more specific the better, but don't be that worried if you don't have something crazy specific. i think "links of omission" can be persuasive sources of offense. for the aff, saying the text of a perm without explaining how it ameliorates links does not an argument make
theory: please make sure you're giving me pen time here. i am probably more likely than most to vote on theory arguments, but they are almost always a reason to reject the arg and not the team (obvi does not apply to condo). that being said, you need a warrant for "reject the arg not the team" rather than just saying that statement. not weirdly ideological about condo (i will vote on it)
counterplans/competition: a perm text without an explanation of how it disproves the competitiveness of the counterplan is not a complete argument. by default, i will judge kick the cp if the neg loses it and evaluate the squo as well. aff, if you don't want me to do that, tell me not to
lastly, i try to watch for clipping. if you clip, it's an auto-loss. the other team does not have to call you out on it, but i am much more comfortable voting against a team for clipping if the issue is raised by the other team with evidence provided. if i clear you multiple times and the card text you're reading is still incomprehensible, that's clipping. ethics challenges should be avoided at all costs, but if genuine academic misconduct occurs in a debate i will approach the issue seriously and carefully
avoid saying slurs you shouldn't be saying or you'll automatically lose
Debated in middle school and high school; experience with policy and public forum.
Flow judge, focus on argumentation and clash over reading pieces of evidence.
I'm okay with anything; speed is fine if you are clear.
I do not have any preference or bias towards specific type of argument.
Be clear, confident, and respectful!
I have been debating policy for 3 to 4 years now, but I have been in and out of the US-style debate. I did my first tournament in NSDA and won 4th in Policy. Then on my second, I joined LD for the first time, didn't win but won first in WSD that year. I then moved to Asain for 1 to 2 years. I have judged at our school multiple times never judged in a big tournament.
The main ideas I judge on are Value(optional), analysis, evidence/ examples, organization, refutation, emotional appeal, and cross X
Speed reading isn't something I would want to hear during a debate, even if it's very clear. The key reason I wouldn't like to hear speed reads is that is very little or no intonation, making it uneasy for me to know what are your key parts in speech. Secondly, it should be very well organized, in policy, there is a lot of evidence and arguments flying around so I would like to hear you label all your argument before you start and when you state them. I would like to see more attacking during cross X, I personally like it if you are able to make the opponent contradict themself during cross. Evidence should also be used to back up all your facts or ideas. In terms of gov and opp. The gov needs to set the debate on their first speech, opp needs lots of refutations. Additional points if you can do a counter plan or Kritik well if don't risk it.
hello.pairie@gmail.com
I will not vote on ad-homs attacks or arguments about your opponent's personal character outside of debate (calls outs are actually a reverse voting issue), I honestly couldn't care any less what you do outside the debate round.
That being said, I am militantly tech over truth. I have many thoughts about debate, there are three that factor into my decision. 1. Ad Homs, call outs are a RVI. If ballots cause change, then I guess I’m voting against you to prevent more nonsense. 2. Cards must be read 3. Disclosure is good (if you have an aff that I am for some reason not allowed to forward, please strike me).
My name is Pairie not judge. I do not share people's disdain for things like hidden ASPEC, process counterplans, LD/K tricks, taking analytics out of the doc, 9 off, etc... If it is on my flow I will be voting for it.
I am inclined to believe that debate is a game you play on the weekends, where you come to accumulate as many ballots as possible, NOT an educational or performative space.
K teams who truly believe that they are becoming an intellectual or are focused on creating a safe space, need to join a book club or conference instead, surely you will learn more there than spreading about fiat. Debate is a unique forum because it requires adversarial disagreement where one team wins and the other loses. This informs my evaluation insofar affs with personal and unfalsifiable narratives about your experiences in debate annoy me (it’s a voluntary activity lol).
Policy teams who genuinely think they are better than 'cheating k debaters' and are here to learn about the topic are equally as silly. I highly advise you to participate in a research project (they teach you “portable skills”).
You will not convince me otherwise on either of those statements but I will be more than happy to vote on 'you dropped that debate is [insert adjective]' or 'topicality is saving our activity' even if it is blatantly false.
The goal of debate is to beat your opponent not to demonstrate your bravery. In my ideal model of debate, everyone is cutting ~100 cards per case neg and the affirmative is reading a plan or has the latest impact turn cards. Yet that is not the state of our activity, if your argument is not completely new or your cards are not extremely good (it should be //shree quality). I am a big fan of you reading strategies described as 'clash avoidance' because if you are not going to try your best at research why engage the topic at all? Honestly, I'd rather you not bother, I would rather adjudicate the game where you 'out-tech people' like I would actually rather you read indexicals or robo-spec then have to see you read a prior to 2020 card on your topic disadvantage... (at least that teaches you some skills...)
ADL
UMich 25
email chain - debatekkjk@gmail.com
Tell me 5 reasons why we should debate - bonus points
haven't read too much into the topic - be sure to explain your warrants and argument
CX
Don’t copy paste evidence in the email body, send it in a separate doc
Disadvantages:
Hardly went for any DAs throughout my high school but I do like debating/learning/ judging them, so you do you. Tell me why your impact outweigh, if not why it turns their case. Do have links (multiple links are awesome)
Counterplan:
Explain the mechanism of your counterplan and why that is better than the 1AC. Tell me how you solve case, throwing out the terms CP solve case doesn’t mean anything. Have a net benefit so that your CP solves more and I’ll probably vote for the CP. I’m not the biggest fan of theory arguments. I would be willing to vote for them but you will have to do an insanely good job at explaining why it is bad and the impact of violation. Line by line still applies to theory arguments, so do that.
Kritik:
I'm probably an average judge for kritiks. I went for cap with a destituency alt most of my neg rounds in high school. If you are going for a kritiks please do explain them. So explain exactly what is the aff doing that you are criticizing. I prioritize analytics over reading a bunch of cards for kritiks. Yes, literature is important, so still have evidence to pry our advocacy but it shouldn’t be all just cards. Framework on K: tell me what the role of judge should be and how I should utilize my ballot.
Topicaility:
The neg team should have an impact and tell me exactly why the aff team not being topical does influence the debate. Tell me the violation, how and why they violate your definition.
----for ADL tournaments----
IF you go for an impact turn and win I will give you 30 speaks
IF you buy me food I will give you 30 speaks
IF you are a good debater I will give you 30 speaks
IF you roast Ray Wang or Micah Wang in your speech you will get 30 speaks.
bad jokes = -0.5 speaks - do it at your own risk
POLICY
----About me----
Taipei American School '23, Northwestern '27
I have been debating since the immigration topic.
I have been 1A/2N, 2A/1N, and double 2s.
I have qualified for the TOC twice.
I have zero knowledge of the 2023-2024 topic.
----Generic----
1. I will not flow crossfire/CX unless something is conceded.
2. I will time prep if you ask but it is still your responsibility.
3. Please add me to email chain: 23adaml.debate@gmail.com
4. Please set up an email chain or prepare whatever you need prior to the round.
5. respect your opponents and judge, please
----TL;DR----
tech over truth (most of the time)
strike me if you're gonna read high theory - I never have/never will read them, I don't vibe with them
warranting + explanation > spreading thru cards
condo is probably good
depth over breadth - especially in the block
overviews are nice unless it trades off with clash
YES:
aff-specific DAs
impact calc/comparison
card indicts/rehighlightings
agency CPs
some process CPs are fine
judge kick
blue highlighting
NO:
death good
lopez
rider DA
kicking planks
any kind of hate
yellow highlighting
----T----
Well-debated T debates = highest speaks
I probably won't vote on Ts about punctuation/"of"/"The"/"Resolved"
FXT, Extra T are hard to vote on solely based on it
reasonability is a bad argument
fairness is a terminal impact only if dropped
----DA----
ptx DAs should have an overview
Thumpers are great
warrant out all your cards - most DAs end up being just a ton of random cards
diversify your warrants don't just spam cards in the 1NR
If the scenario is absurd I'll probably not vote on it considering the risk
If the DA is creative/I haven't seen, +0.2 speaks
Aff-specific DAs, if executed well/is true, +0.2 speaks
I often find teams not doing the internal link debate, which is usually super weak - I do vote on this
impact calc is essential to a W
turns case scenarios are nice - but tell me why you turn them not they turn you
----CP----
Judge Kick is the default unless the Aff says something and that's dropped
Kicking planks is okay unless the Aff gives a reason why not
Multi-plank counterplans can be strategic, but I often find them abusive.
Would vote on cheaty process CPs
Consult CPs are disgusting
I will vote on sufficiency framing unless the aff specifies a solvency deficit that outweighs the net benefit (modelling etc.)
I will "reject the argument not the team" especially when the CP is super abusive (specifics on theory)
----K----
I've been a policy team my whole life so you need to explain if the lit base isn't cap, set col, bioptx, security, etc.
Not the biggest fan of K affs unless it is well explained. That being said, I'm all for K affs that are somewhat related to the resolution, especially teams that explain to me why the alt is key for solving a specific thing. Being vague is bad.
Framework v. K Affs - I'm easily persuaded by fairness as an impact. That also means I'm susceptible to impact turns, which means that winning competitive models of debate is key to winning the ballot - i.e. why your model is more debatable.
Aff framework v. Ks - almost never the voter, aff should get to weigh the aff, neg should get the K, link debating is the most important
Generic K links are bad - please read specific cards and explain it well. Long overviews are nice but make sure it doesn't trade off with clash. If generic, you must somehow spin it/contextualize in a way that makes coherent sense, otherwise it's hard for me to give the neg a link
no baudrillard
Aff impact turns against cap and security are nice, often find myself erring aff on them
If you're not black, don't run afropess
99% of the time, defense won't be enough for an Aff ballot
----Theory----
I probably won't vote on theory unless there's clear abuse (ex: lopez CP, 4+ CPs in 1NC, etc.) that means even if not dropped, spending enough time explaining that abuse can win you the ballot
Dropping theory isn't an instant voter - you still need to explain to me the abuse that has happened within the round
T outweighs theory - don't BS me
any DA theory is BS
severance is a reason to reject the argument 99% of the time
going for theory = lower speaks (only a bit) cuz I do think substance should be the core of debate
2AC theory should be in the doc - I find that teams just spread through a one-liner and hope they drop it
----Misc----
Speed - The only thing I care about is clarity (separate tags from the card itself, signposting is good). Don't read speed Ks. If the opponents are too fast, chances are I can't flow them either. I will intervene when it's too unclear.
Organize speech doc and speech in general and please highlight the cards. Don't say 'stop prep' and take 2+ minutes to send the doc - if there's a problem, tell me. Do send cards in the body of the email.
Don't be too pressing and be nice during cx - it can be a determinant of speaks if done well. I also think cx is binding. Avoiding questions will lower your speaks
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Public Forum
I probably don't know the topic that well, so a clear explanation/overview is very important.
1. In round behavior matters - Be nice and kind
2. Speed doesn't matter, as long as both the other team and I can understand, be CLEAR
3. No preference for specific arguments
4. Crossfire should be done in a civilized way - don't speak loudly at the same time as opponents.
5. Don't extend cards without explaining the warrants and linking it to the args.
6. It's good to compare different parts of different arguments on both sides to show how you outweigh.
7. Please do Line-by-line if possible, at least show what argument you are moving on to. Organize your speeches and flow.
8. You MUST show me WHY and HOW you win the debate in order for me to vote for your team. PERSUASION IS KEY!!!
9. I will vote on RESOLVED arguments, if there are random arguments that are left unanswered or not clear, I will not vote on that. Also if an argument is dropped, you must mention it or I will disregard it completely.
----Speaker Points Rubric [for both]----
30-29 hands down you're a great speaker. A few minor flaws could affect your speaks but it already exceeds my standards.
29-28 You are doing well, but there are probably some key things that you missed. Great speaking overall!
28-27 You're gonna have to work on your speaking a little more.
27-26 This is the speaks I will give to someone who I can't really understand/sounds like clipping/interrupting others.
<26 Forfeiting a speech, offensive language, or inappropriate behavior in general - please don't!!!
As far as my judging philosophy goes, I do not have particular preferences. I believe that debate is a place for discussion and discovery. Respect and politeness is a very important part of a good debate. Below is a briefing of how I look at each speech/area of the game, for both Public Forum and Policy (shorter for Policy as you should know what you need to do).
Public Forum
Cross-fire – Be polite, be persuasive, and don't beat around the bush. This is not the time for quarrel or to read off new arguments, but it's for answering your opponents' answer directly. I will not flow cross-fire, so if your opponents conceded to an argument or you think you made a great analytic, you need to mention it specifically in your speech so that I can take note of it. Ask good questions! Closed ended ones are always better than open-ended or clarification questions.
First speeches – There is no need to have a Framework, but it will definitely work for you if you utilize it throughout the debate. Often, people read framework just for the sake of reading it, and fail to develop it beyond their first speech. In short, it is a very powerful tool that debaters should definitely consider using and if you're not using it, don't bother reading it in the first place. As far as case goes, any type of arguments work for me – unless it's illogical or very offensive. But I expect that close to half of the arguments you read in the first speech would be extended into the debate, or else reading that one card is just a waste of time if you don't take advantage of it later in the debate.
Second speeches – The most important roles of the second speaker is to attack the opponents' case, defend their own side, and potentially build upon their case by reading add-ons or additional arguments. The order you put these burdens in really depends on how you are taught, but generally it is most effective to put your rebuttals first and case last, with more time spent on your case. Anyhow, I'm not picky about the order, it just have to be strategic in the debate. And again, if you have a framework you should definitely extend it right in the beginning of your speech.
Summary speeches – This is the time when debaters must funnel down the arguments of the debate for the judge. If you do not list out the most important arguments, it becomes time consuming for me to look through the notes and I might miss an argument that you believe you have won on. Don't feel obligated to extend every answer or argument, just explain to me which are the most important arguments and/or clash in the debate. What's even more strategic and effective is to start your impact calculus here, so that there's less work for the Final Focus. A final note is that I shouldn't see any new arguments in terms of contentions (new answers to the opponents are okay). Also, if you shadow extend any cards (meaning you only read it in the first speech not the second speech), I may or may not vote on that card. But if the opponents never addressed that inconsistency, then I will just let it through.
Final Focus – Here is where you want to limit down the debate to that one or two arguments you think you have won on. There are many ways to do this, but no matter what, it should be clear, concise, straightforward, and easy for me to follow. In the end, the more work you do for the judge means the more likely the judge will vote for you. Impact calculus is also very effective here. In short, no new evidence, elaborate your arguments (including your framework if you extended it throughout the debate), persuasion, and a story to sum things up if possible.
Speed – spreading is okay but hopefully you're not doing it in PF. Clarity > speed, always.
Policy Debate
Framework – like Public Forum, framework should be included in your speech unless you have a good reason not to do so. Develop it, use it to your advantage, and extend it across your speeches so that I will take this into consideration when deciding the ballot.
Topicality – if you do not extend it across the your speeches, I will disregard it as an argument, and be sure to include all of the necessary components. Again, this is a tool that can win you a debate.
Theory – must be explained clearly, efficiently, and logically if you're going to mention it.
Kritiks – only run them if you know how to explain them from the inside out. Have a strong link and don't rely on prewritten blocks. You can always tell when a debater doesn't understand a kritik they're running.
DAs – be strategic when running them, especially when paired with a CP
CPs – always have a net benefit to the CP, answer each permutations separately, and be strategic.
Prep – email/flashing is not considered prep, but if it takes an unreasonable amount of time, then down goes your speaker point.
Include me in your email chain: benson_lin@brown.edu
(work in progress)
Above are more like the logistics of the debate. As far as skill, persuasion, and speaker points go, just do your best and learn from your mistakes because it's not something that can improve in a day, but as you have more and more experience.
Good luck and have fun!
SD/PF
---warrant comparison
---impact calc
RFD
---map out the debate for me
1. What is your debate background?
I debated all throughout middle school. I started in sixth grade all the way up to my sophomore year, so 4 years. I am not in college but I did debate against college people. I am not a coach and am not certified to coach anything.
2. How do you judge?
I will look if your claims are supported by evidence. If you don't then the second best thing to do is to explain it to me with logic and examples. Or else I will not buy your baseless claim. I will analyze the sophistication of your arguments and see how well developed they are throughout your case. I will judge your eye contact with me or the audience. So your presentation and how you deliver your points will also be taken into account. Your plan and clarifications and harms are always taken into consideration in policy debate. Your philosopher and everything tying back to him are always taken into consideration in LD debate.
3. Please explain other specifics about your judging styles
Speed reading I absolutely hate and it is just a dirty way for debaters to buy time and not let the judge understand what you are saying.
Countreplans are very situational. If you can properly use them in the correct manner then I will applaud you. But if you misuse them and think of them as a cheat on the negative side then I will not have an easy time judging that debate.
Kritik is something that I would usually never employ but if you can actually use it well under the right circumstances then good job. So whenever you are running a counterplan or Kritik make sure that you are doing it correctly.
Taipei American School 25’
-Don't be rude
-Weigh y’all’s impacts and show me why y’all are more important.
- The 2nr’s and 2ar’s should basically be the RFD’s
-I'm lazy so I wont do anything thinking for you, make the impacts obvious and explain clearly
-have fun bc debating is fun :)
Speech competitor throughout high school. Experience in oratory, interpretation & debate (world schools); three time qualifier for NSDA annual tournament in DI/OO. I judge on overall strengths of speakers from delivery, persuasiveness to logical argumentation.
6 years PF coaching experience. Science major in University.
•Technicality: take care to explain to me why I should vote for you-- provide coherent links & impacts
•Crossfires: I enjoy a good show.
•Speed: no spreading please :) I want to understand every word.
•Do judges even follow their own paradigms?
Email chain: lily.coaches.debate@gmail.com
About:
- Currently based in Taiwan and coaching debate for the ADL. That means I am staying up all night when I judge at US tournaments. Please pref accordingly
- Debated in college at the University of Kansas, 2017-2022 (Healthcare, Executive Authority, Space, Alliances, Antitrust). I majored in math and minored in Russian if that matters.
- Debated in high school at Shawnee Mission Northwest, 2013-2017 (Latin America, Oceans, Surveillance, China).
Top:
- If I can tell that you are not even trying to flow (eg you never take out a piece of paper the entire debate, you stand up to give your 2NC with just your laptop and no paper) your speaks are capped at 27.
- Please don't call me "judge." It's tacky. My name is Lily. Note that this does not apply to saying "the role of the judge."
- In the words of Allie Chase, "Cross-x isn't 'closed,' nobody ever 'closed' it... BUT each debater should be a primary participant in 2 cross-xes if your goal is to avoid speaker point penalties."
- I would prefer to not judge death/suffering/extinction good arguments or arguments about something that happened outside the debate.
- I might give you a 30 if I think you're the best debater at the tournament.
- High schoolers are too young to swear in debates.
- Don't just say words for no reason - not in cross-x and certainly not in speeches.
- If you are asking questions like "was x card read?" a timer should be running. Flowing is part of getting good speaker points.
- The word "nuclear" is not pronounced "nuke-yoo-ler." If you say this it makes you sound like George Bush.
- Shady disclosure practices are a scourge on the activity.
Framework:
- I judge a lot of clash debates. I'm more likely to vote aff on impact turns than most policy judges, but I do see a lot of value in the preservation of competition. Procedural fairness can be an impact but it takes a lot of work to explain it as such. Sometimes a clash impact is a cleaner kill.
- TVAs don't have to solve the whole aff. I like TVAs with solvency advocates. I think it's beneficial when the 2NC lays out some examples of neg strategies that could be read against the TVA, and why those strategies produce educational debates.
Topicality vs policy affs:
- Speaker point boost if your 2NC has a grammar argument (conditional on the argument making sense of course).
- If you're aff and going for reasonability, "race to the bottom" < debatability.
- Case lists are good.
- The presence of other negative positions is not defense to a ground argument. The aff being disclosed is not defense to a limits argument. This also goes for T-USFG.
Counterplans
- When people refer to counterplans by saying the letters "CP" out loud it makes me wish I were dead.
- As a human I think counterplans that advocate immediate, indefinite, non-plan action by the USFG are legit, but as a judge I'm chaotic neutral on all theory questions.
- Conditionality: I'll give you a speaker point boost if you can tell me how many 2NRs are possible given the number of counterplan planks in the 1NC.
Disads
- Read them
- Politics DAs are fun. Make arguments about polling methodology.
Ks
- I feel like I have a higher threshold for Ks on the neg than some. I'm not a hack and I will vote for your K if you do the better debating, but I also think arguments that rely on the ballot having some inherent meaning are
cornyunpersuasive. - I dislike lazy link debating immensely, primarily because it makes my life harder. Affs hoping to capitalize on this REALLY ought to include a perm/link defense in the 2AR.
- Explain how the alt solves the links and why the perm doesn't.
- Affs should explain why mooting the 1AC means that the neg's framework is anti-educational. Negs should explain why the links justify mooting the aff.
- Case outweighs 2ARs can be very persuasive. The neg can beat this with discrete impacts to specific links+impact framing+framework.
- Speaker point penalty if the 1AR drops fiat is illusory - at the very least your framework extension needs an education impact.
Lincoln-Douglas:
- If there is no net benefit to a counterplan, presumption flips aff automatically.
- I do not think permutations are cheating.
- An argument is a claim and a warrant. If you say something that does not contain a warrant, I will not necessarily vote on it even if it's dropped. In the interest of preventing judge intervention, please say things that have warrants.
- Most neg theory arguments I've watched would go away instantly if affs said "counter interpretation: we have to be topical."
- RVIs are not persuasive to me. Being topical is never an independent reason to vote affirmative. The fact that a counterplan is conditional is never offense for the negative.
jpark.debate@gmail.com, taipeiamericanpolicy@gmail.com
University of Kansas '23, Washburn Rural '19
he/him/his
Coaching for the Asian Debate League and Taipei American School
Based in Taiwan, so the time difference will affect my judging. This means you need to have more enunciation and clarity than usual.
TLDR:
---very low econ knowledge
---very bad for K AFFs, fiat Ks, process counterplans, and technical T arguments
---decent for other policy arguments and Ks that are DAs
________________________________________________________________________________________
TLDR:
---Not the greatest flow, likes creativity, more likely to care about macro-issues than minor technical drops, avoid jargon/acronyms, will vote on args that promote sedition
---Fully-developed strategies that clash tend to perform better in front of me.
---I think have a higher bar for what constitutes a 'complete argument' than the average college-aged judge and some may say I care more about the "truth" side of "tech over truth." This is not necessarily about content, but about argument development/evidence/persuasion.
---My debate beliefs are malleable. This paradigm might make me seem like an old person (true, though), but good debating can remedy my predispositions. Good ev helps too.
---Largely persuaded that:
(1) incomplete args in the 1NC justify new responses
(2) net benefits should be verbally stated in the 1NC
The justification for both of these will be below.
________________________________________________________________________________________
General:
Positives
1---Respecting your opponents (CX, pronouns, don't mercilessly bludgeon less-experienced debaters), be ethical, etc.
2---Efficiency. In your speech, during prep, emailing, down-time. etc. If you don't need 10 minutes of prep for the 2NR/2AR, don't take it.
3---Taking debate seriously. Pay attention, flow, try. But also, have fun! We are all invested, so let's make our debates worthwhile. Ad-homs are bad and not arguments.
4---Research (evidence matters, but so could spin). Vertifical proliferation is better than horizontal proliferation of arguments. Also, likely won't vote for death good.
5---Ethos and Clarity. I am a bad judge for teams that just spit into their computer at 300 WPM at 65% clarity. Lowkey think that debaters that are slow (while being smart, technical, etc.) are *****chefs kiss***** I should hear every single word you say. Please enunciate and recognize that debate is also a communication activity instead of a block-perfecting competition in the 2NR and 2AR. If you are a team that has rebuttals prescripted without any plans of contextualization (such as asserting things happened when they didn't), then please email me your 2NR/2AR blocks, and I will assign your speaker points during the 1AC and vote against you.
6. Organization---speech docs, cards, wikis
Negatives
1---Lack of analysis. You should have framing arguments, judge instruction, contextualization, and argument development.
2---Debates that make me litigate things outside of the debate.
3---Vagueness. It should be clear what your AFF does, what the plan means, what the counterplan does, what your highlighting of evidence means, and what the tags of your cards are intended to communicate. I am likely more amenable to vagueness arguments than most judges.
Misc
I kicked the AFF in a decent chunk of debates I was in. I do not think this influences my judging but my AFF (and NEG) debates would sometimes look really different than a lot of people.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Policy:
Topicality vs. Policy AFFs
T versus policy AFFs was one of my least favorite arguments. It isn't ideological, but I spent most of my debate career debating with 2Ns who were obsessed with it, so I just never really thought about it. I find most T debates dry but I understand the strategic necessity of them. My aversion stems from 1NCs that lack a violation and then debate becoming late-breaking.
To improve my VTL when going for T, internal link explanation is important. 2Ns have seemed to forget that there ought to be a reasonable explanation about how we get from the violation to zero NEG ground ever. Both teams should have more debating about what the interp/counter-interp debates would look like. Assertions of topic biases or quality of generics should be explained with warrants. I am not the ideal judge for a technical T argument.
For some reason, I find ground arguments more compelling than limits/precision. Not sure if this will affect my judging, but I've always thought that limits arguments were hyperbolic. Big topics feel good if the NEG has robust strategies to counter them. When evenly debated, plan-text-in-a-vacuum is a tough sell for me.
Disadvantages
The optimal 2NR is a DA and the case. Counterplans are for cowards. I'm not as big on the modern Politics DA as most Kansas debaters but it's okay. I would prefer not to judge debates about intrinsicness tests.
AFFs teams should have offense on the DA. NEG teams should try to have real "turns case" arguments outside of "nuke war is bad."
Counterplans
I'm mostly AFF-leaning on theory arguments. I'm not wedded to these beliefs, but I have some predispositions. I am not a huge believer in conditionality. This is not a free invitation to go for condo in the 2AR, merely an observation that in-depth debates are better.
My least favorite genre of argument as a debater was the process counterplan. Again, I understand its strategic utility and will judge the debate neutrally. I'd prefer a 2NR that is about why the AFF's bad. Competition debates are dry. Comparative evidence between the AFF and the counterplan's process demonstrating functional competition could make me hate your counterplan a little less. I am also a less qualified judge for complex competition debates.
Case
I am a good judge for presumption and giving a low weight to the AFF advantages. The 2AC and 1AR get away with murder on the case, so the NEG teams should use that to their advantage. This is an area where good debating will be rewarded with nice speaker points.
Soft Left
I enjoy soft left AFFs but framing contentions need to contain offense. ________________________________________________________________________________________
Critiques:
Ks vs. Policy AFFs
I'm better for Ks on the NEG. I will award specificity, especially backed with evidence. I will have a hard time voting on critiques that lack interactions with the scholarship and thesis of the 1AC. If the NEG reads a K impact turn to the AFF's advantage, that is likely the best strategy in front of me. Or, have a robust framework justification with turns case arguments. I seem to care a little bit more about performative contradictions/linking to your own K than some (not for theory reasons). The closer your K is to a soft-left impact turn, the better. I am willing to vote on non-extinction impact-turns (example: heg is racist/causes violent interventions---bipolarity is preferable).
K AFF vs. T: USFG
I have voted both ways but am a bad judge for you/find most AFF offense not intrinsic to T. Explain what debates over the AFF interp would look like. I always thought framework debates were thought-provoking and helped me think about debate. Explain what debates over the NEG interp/TVA would look like. I am open to voting for either fairness or education. I am a believer in research about the topic, so the closer your AFF is to being about the topic, defending a theory of power, being a substantial shift from the status quo, and defending material action, the better. Any lit bases outside of bio power, colonialism, settler colonialism, capitalism, and IR need more explanation.
________________________________________________________________________________________
(1) Incomplete Arguments
I am mostly compelled that the 1AR should get whatever it wants in response to incomplete 1NCs. Debates are increasingly rewarding blippy 1NCs, causing debates that are worse to judge and I believe judges ought hold the line on what the debate community constitutes a complete argument. If a 1NC DA shell lacks uniqueness, then why should the 2AC be burdened to make link turn args as to how they reverse the deficiencies of the status quo. The logical conclusion of "you have to answer everything" would mean the AFF would have to read impact d to random floating impacts, which is absurd.
(2) Net Benefits
Whatever the net benefit of every advocacy is should be specified in the 1NC. This is low-cost for the NEG and would improve debates/AFF strategy. CX doesn't remedy this because NEG teams take forever to answer, which is unfair for the AFF because the 1A could be asking good, substantive questions. Instead, I have to listen to the 1N say "everything is a net benefit... wait... <>...then the 2N takes 15 seconds to decide and then lists net benefits to analytical con con, states, the one card Security K, a card-less 15 plank advantage counterplan, and a process counterplan. This take might seem extreme, but I believe it is the least arbitrary and most efficient way to resolve net benefit shenanigans (a time limit feels weird). For most counterplans, they are only complete arguments if they have arguments about solvency AND competition in the 1NC. Counterplans that rely on DAs to beat the perm and complete, so it seems logical that the NEG should be responsible for this. Lastly, I want to award bold strategies. The clearer the net benefits are, the better AFFs will be at straight-turning and NEGs will read better DA + CP combinations.
Email: tynews2001@gmail.com
I participated in four years of policy debate in high school and I debated four years at Western Kentucky University.
I am open to anything and I try to be as tab as possible. Just use warrants in your argumentation, even if it is theory. If an argument has absolutely no warrant and is just a claim, there is a chance I still won't vote on it even if it is 100% conceded. That is to say, if you just say conditionality is bad because of fairness and education, that is a series of claims without warrants, and thus is unpersuasive even if the other team doesn't address it. However, if a poorly warranted claim goes conceded, then I will not necessarily adjudicate the strength of the warrant as it is the other team's obligation to defeat this warrant, and as such I will take the warrant as true unless it is unintelligible or utterly absurd. I will default as a policymaker if you don't put me in a competing paradigm.
When adjudicating competing claims, it is my hope that debaters will engage in evidence comparison. However, if two contradictory claims are made, and no one weighs the strength of the internal warrants of the evidence, then I will likely call for the evidence to adjudicate which claim is more strongly warranted (assuming the argument may be part of my reason for decision). Same goes with topicality. I am 50/50 in voting for topicality, and I default competing interpretations.
If you are running critical/performance arguments, please be familiar with the argument and able to intellectually defend it. My personal preference when I debate is usually policy-oriented discussions and my personal bias is that switch-side policy debate is good, but I don't let this inform my decision in the round. At the same time, I think that non-traditional forms of debate are an important component of the community and have an important message to broadcast, and as such, I have voted for performance affs in the past.
The following is a preference and not a requirement. It is common for me to judge teams running non-traditional forms of arguments and personally be unfamiliar with the literature base. Thus, it is probably in your interest to ask if I'm familiar with a non-traditional argument prior to the round unless you plan to explain it extensively in the round. An argument is inherently less persuasive when the messenger also does not fully understand it, and the debate is probably less educational for everyone involved as a result. In general, I think you should be familiar with any argument you read before you deploy it in-round, but I've found this is more frequently an issue when high school debaters deploy the critical literature base. If I don't think you are familiar with your argument, I won't hold it against you in my RFD (although it will inform my speaker points), but it will probably influence whether you are able to effectively deploy the argument on the flow, where I will vote.
Finally, you should tell me explicitly how the RFD should be written if you win so I can understand your vision of the round. If you do not have ballot directing language, I will use my own judgment to write the RFD, so it is in your interest to write the RFD for me.
My debate background includes having debated in elementary, middle school, and currently high school. I have helped teach US styles of debate as well. I have done LD, Public Forum, Policy, Asian Parliamentary, and British Parliamentary.
I judge based on argumentation and how exactly the speaker backs up their main point with either explanation, reasoning, examples, or evidence. I also look at whether the speaker has provided a clear mechanism or run-down of how their point makes sense or is relevant in the debate.
I don't exactly tolerate speed-reading through a case and I think it is more clear to the judge and opponent when one reads and explains at a normal pace. I do not really think counterplans are always necessary when one can do so much with defending the status quo already. I will only credit if they run it properly while still sticking to the main role of the side one is on.
Email: jet.semrick@gmail.com and taipeiamericanpolicy@gmail.com
Coach @ ADL and Taipei American School | Debated @ University of Kansas 2019-2023 and Shawnee Mission East 2015-2019
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Summary:
--My goal is to render a decision without intervention. I will work hard to evaluate and provide helpful feedback for any arguments presented regardless of my opinions. I enjoy judging debates where debaters work hard. Currently, my full time job is to teach and research the high school topic.
--I believe AFFs should be topical and solve a unique problem. The NEG should argue the AFF is undesirable. I am a good judge for any strategy that demonstrates the plan is a bad idea.
--Quality of an argument matters. I am more likely to be persuaded by complete, sound, and logical arguments. However, technical debating can change this predisposition. A dropped claim is irrelevant unless accompanied by a warrant and explanation of how my decision should be impacted.
--Preference for fewer, but more developed positions over many underdeveloped ones. My ideal debate to judge is the topic disadvantage against the largest affirmative on the topic.
--Take the debate seriously. Be reasonable with down time, sending out emails, and please don't send out or ask for a marked doc if it's not needed.
--Ethos, clarity, and strategic decisions will be rewarded with speaker points.
______________________________________________
Policy:
Topicality vs. Plans
Plan text in a vacuum is not a persuasive defense of a non topical AFF.
Topicality debates where I vote NEG are generally not close because of truthful arguments that are difficult to overcome via technical debating. High quality interpretation evidence is important.
Prioritize the internal link over impact explanation. Give examples and context. Ground is the most compelling standard because a 'limits explosion' can be mitigated by the existence of predictable and high quality NEG ground.
Counterplans
Specificity is best. Evidence that compares the CP to the plan is the gold standard. 1AC re-highlightings are persuasive.
Competition debates are boring and I usually vote AFF because the NEG is reading and not debating. I sympathize with the need for process on bad topics, but economic inequality... give me a break.
I will judge kick counterplans unless told otherwise. I think conditionality is bad, but necessary. I am convinced that fiating out of solvency deficits and straight turns in the 2NC is not a good practice. In general, more counterplans equal worse debating and lower speaker points. In truth, I think dispositionality is a better model because it would require more strategic decisions and research on the part of both the AFF and the NEG. However, that does not mean I am more likely to vote AFF in a condo debate. I generally end up voting NEG because conditionality does not make debate impossible and NEG flex is important.
AFF on consult, delay, process, international, word PICs, and fifty state fiat. These are reasons to reject the argument. Debates with a partially intrinsic permutation versus a non-germane process counterplan favor the AFF.
Ideally, the NEG specifies net benefits and establishes competition in the 1NC.
Disadvantages
DA and case 2NRs are the best debates to judge. I enjoy debates about the economy and politics. Mechanically sound DA debating is a lost skill. Turns case is most persuasive when supported by evidence.
The AFF should read offense when answering DAs. If the NEG wins an uncontested link argument, AFF uniqueness arguments are less persuasive because there is always a risk the status quo is stable given the certain instability of the plan. The resolve this problem, disprove the internal link which is typically the weakest part of the DA.
Case
A block and 2NR that prioritizes the case is potent given the AFF trend to be efficient at any cost. Solvency deficits and alt causes are more compelling than impact defense.
If you decide to read a "soft left" AFF make sure the framing page is meaningful. Generic framing arguments are boring and generally still devolve to magnitude x probability. I am more willing than most to vote AFF for a small magnitude high probability advantage vs. a low risk high magnitude DA.
______________________________________________
Critique:
Topicality vs. K AFFs
I want to vote NEG in these debates. I have never been compelled by arguments for why the AFF should not be topical. If the NEG reasonably executes the argument they will receive my ballot.
Fairness is the best impact for T. I am also persuaded by impacts about iteration, research, and clash. Without a predictable AFF constraint, I don't think debate could exist. I think topicality is like a baseball strike zone, its boundaries are not perfectly defined or perfect for either team, but without it the game could not be played in a competitive manner.
In order for the AFF to win, they need to defend a model of debate that provides a valuable role for the NEG, solves AFF offense, and is mutually exclusive with the NEG model. If you are impact turning NEG standards, you must provide a compelling reason why voting for your advocacy resolves your offense.
Critiques vs. Policy AFFs
I will likely weigh the plan. To win, the NEG needs to win link turns case arguments, solvency deficits, or impact turns.
Both teams should have a reason for making a framework argument. The 2NR and 2AR need to give judge instruction for what I should do if you win or lose your framework interpretation. I default to weighing the impacts the plan can solves against the impacts of links that the alternative can resolve. I think the AFF is only responsible for impacts that they make worse.
I think the alternative should materially solve a problem, and am not persuaded by rejection style criticisms. I think linear DAs can be good and can be persuaded by an impact framing argument if you win a non-unique link to the plan.
I am persuaded that the NEG does not get to sever reps if other arguments are explicit contradictions. Examples of this are reading the cap K and growth DA. The AFF should exploit tensions between pages and generate smart DAs to alternatives or link turns.
______________________________________________
Ethics Violations:
I would prefer for debates to be completed and am not interested in judging the moral character of debaters or events that took place outside of the round. I value my role as an educator and will intervene or answer questions mid debate if that leads to an agreeable resolution that allows the debate to continue.
I would prefer to strike evidence rather than end the debate. Questions about qualifications, context, and argument representation should be argued in speeches to undermine the credibility of a position.
If there is a formal ethics challenge by a team, the debate ends. If the challenge is successful, the team who made the challenge wins and receives average speaks. If not, they lose and receive low speaks. I will defer to tab, my experience, and advice of others.
If the issue could have been resolved before the debate and is unintentional, I will likely reject the challenge. If I catch clipping, I will give a warning during the speech under the assumption that debaters are competing in good faith. If there is an egregious pattern or the warning is ignored, I will vote for the other team at the end of the debate.
Pronouns = they/them.
Framework is not always policing, but it can be weaponized. Focus on framing central ideas and offense. I am not a super technical judge.
High School
Speed is fine, but go only as fast as you can handle. Conditionality is generally okay. Everyone in the debate should be timing.
Explain Ks through history and current events. Examples are the easiest way to make a complex concept simple enough to evaluate in the short span of time we have.
Background:
| Education |
-National Taiwan University — 2015 August -2020 January
Department of Foreign Language and Literatures
-Chinese- English Translation and Interpretation Program in National Taiwan University— 2017-2020, certificated
| Debate |
-Coaching team National Taiwan University Debate Contest for College English Majors from Taipei and Shanghai in 2018
-Awarded The First Prize in 2017 English Talent Cup Public Speaking and Debate Contest for College English Majors from Taipei and Shanghai
-Awarded as the Best Debater in 2014 National High School English Debate Tournament
-Announced as Winning Team in 2014 National High School English Debate Tournament
-Awarded as the Best Debater in 2013 Cicero English Debate Tournament
-Announced as Winning Team in 2013 Cicero English Debate Tournament
| Public Speaking & Speech |
-Awarded Best Performance in individual Public Speaking contest in 2017 English Talent Cup Public Speaking and Debate Contest for College English Majors from Taipei and Shanghai
-TEDx Speaker in 2016 TED x NTUE
Judging Style:
-Argument and logic (the most important)
-Consistency in style and flow
-Overall delivery
-Impromtu skill
-The ability to engage both sides of arguments
-Rebuttal coherence
Send case to email chain before your speech & I might ask for extra cards if I’m curious: joytaw@gmail.com
My wifi sucks, it'll make it a lot easier for everyone to have at least speech docs prepared for your speeches - lowkey required for rebuttal, others optional but preferred.
I debated in HS but it's been a while (class of 2020) -- I can understand tech but prefer to be treated like a flay. Semi-ok with speed in the first half of the debate if there are speech docs (still pref not going super fast) + No spreading in second half of the round pls. If you do, I guess I'll still evaluate it but it will only be what I can catch + your speaks will be dropped.
Lay ----- Flay --X--Tech
Public Forum:
General update/preference on framework: I don't like oppression olympics. I don't like talking about why we should prefer one group over another group so if both teams have framing impacting out to marginalized communities, I prefer the debate to just be on the link level unless you are undeniably winning on the warrant level. Also I don't like the "link-ins bad" arg as much either, I just don't like the round being over before it starts.
Theory - pls no theory unless it's about the other team not reading a content warning. I mean if u do read theory i guess i'll judge it but i prefer substance so my threshold for responding to theory is prob a lot lower than u would like. I also don't care for disclosure theory.
Evidence - I care about evidence ethics so don't egregiously miscut cards but if you are going to run ev ethics on someone, implicate why it's more important than substance debate or why it should control my ballot. Also, I think paraphrasing is fine in PF so don't run that on me lmao.
- keep track of your own times pls
- pls stop asking if it's okay to take prep just announce to the room so we're not waiting around and time yourselves
- Be clear. I never get enough sleep so if I don't catch it, it won't be on my flow.
- Frontline if you're second rebuttal
- I don't flow crossfire. If it's interesting I'll listen, but if it's important - bring it up in speech.
- Don't be rude to the other team or I’ll drop your speaks. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzpndHtdl9A)
- YOU CAN’T EXTEND ARGUMENTS WITHOUT EXTENDING WARRANTS!!!! (e.g. Don't just tell me ending arms sales causes war - give me reasons WHY that's true and extend the impact of WHY it's important) Every time you extend an argument you should extend the link chain + impact. No blippy extensions.
- Terminal defense is not sticky (translation: Rebuttals will not be directly flowed across so bring it up in summary if you want it in final focus)
- Collapse
- Pls don’t make me intervene (write my ballot for me with weighing)
warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants warrants (warrants =/= evidence)
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in summary and final focus
pls thank u
Policy update:
I'm familiar with policy debate, as in I've judged it before, but I never competed in it. I competed in public forum so keep that in mind when you're debating. Aka:
- don't go too fast, if you are gonna spread - send me a doc
- If you're running theories or Kritiks that are not intuitive -- please EXPLAIN THEM FULLY or it will not go your way. Also if it involves smth sensitive - please include a content warning.
- Time yourselves - I might do it on the side too but I want you guys to keep track of it yourselves. Especially prep or opponent's prep.
Hi! I'll keep this short but here's some stuff you might want to keep in mind while debating:
Background:
- I have debated for around 3 years and participated in a tournaments in the US and China
- I have done SD, PF, and a little bit of policy/world schools debate
How I Vote:
- Extend anything you want to bring up in your final focus or later speeches (I will not include it in my flow if you don't)
- Try to include warrants/cross-apply your evidence whenever possible
- Make sure to weigh!!! (explain to me why instead of just saying ___ is more important than ___ and moving on)
- If anything important comes up (that you want me to pay extra attention to or if you think it's important) make sure to mention it during your speech and explain why.
Things to Keep in Mind:
- Please don't be rude! (Don't talk/laugh during your opponents speech, etc.)
- Usually I won't pay much attention to the way you present unless it becomes too much of a issue (i.e if you're too quiet for me to hear, I can't understand what you're saying etc.)
- Please don't game during the round
- Listen to feedback, it might help you in the future!!!
- "Silence Means Consent" if you do not say anything about an argument, i'll assume you dropped it
Speed/Crossfire/Presentation:
- I don't flow cross!!!! so be sure to mention anything from cross you want to extend in future speeches!!!!
- Speak at whatever pace you want but only if it's understandable and clear!!!!
- Be polite to your opponents during crossfire.
- Try not to have a completely silent crossfire :')
Here's my email if you need anything/have any questions to ask after the round: ariel12ting@gmail.com
hi everyone im ashley
heres my gmail if you have any questions---> ashleyting1227@gmail.com
debate background --->
I have been doing debate for three years now.
I'm pretty familiar with a lot of the subjects or structures of pf and sd.
PF+SD how I vote --->
quick notes
- I will time your prep and speeches for you but it's still better if you time yourself
- NEVER BE RUDE TO EITHER YOUR OPPONENTS OR TEAMMATE
- I am a flow judge but I will not flow cross if you want to extend something from cross make sure you explain it
- note that recently I've been doing cx more so i might not know the topics as well as you so explain your arguments clearly, assume that I don't know anything, and you'll do great.
judging style/ most important key points
1. especially in sd and npf pls use up all of your time in ALL your speeches
2. warrants please not just cards
- explain to me why your card is important to this round
- don't just extend the tag!!!!!
3. collapse collapse collapse collapse collapse
- by the time you reach your final focus DO NOT extend everything
- start deciding which arguments are most important to this debate in your summary
4. go for something that you have extended throughout the whole debate
- i won't evaluate anything that was not extended throughout the debate!!!!
5. tech>truth
6. WEIGH PLS WEIGH PLS WEIGH PLS
- pleas have impact calc at least in your final focus
- if you have a team also do a little bit in your summary
- as a fyi you don't have to and say you win on all three prob, mag, and timeframe again collapse!
speaker points--->
- again never be rude to anyone
- don't interrupt your opponents (especially in cross)
- remember not to get mad at your partner they are trying their best
- flowing is v important to me pls flow for your speaks
- make sure you also let your partner get stuff in during cross as well
- understand what you are saying so you don't stumble a lot
- be efficient during cross!
rubric
* your points are based on the key points above *
29 and up: you are a good speaker there is not much you need to improve on
28 area: you are an above-average speaker, there is little you need to work on regarding your speaking
27.5 area: you are an average speaker there is definitely room for improvement but you are not a bad speaker
27 or below: I rarely give 27 or below speaks but if I do give you 27 or below. two reasons. first i either think you aren't taking this debate seriously. or second you were either being very rude or mean to someone in the round.
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lastly, remember to work hard and have fun you'll do great good luck everyone
What is your debate background?
-Coached middle/high school students for four years.
How do you judge?
-I judge debaters based on the strength of their overall argument, with emphasis on their ability to logically disarm the other team's arguments
-Use of, citing of, and adherence to reliable sources is a strong factor in my deliberation
-Avoidance of logical fallacies is a strong factor in my deliberation
Please explain other specifics about your judging style:
-While I understand and respect the use of speed as a tool in debate, I emphasize to the debaters that slow/strong arguments is preferred over a saying as many points as one can, as quickly as they can say it.
Dartmouth, Interlake. He/him.
Email Chain
Add me: ant981228 at gmail dot com
College people, add: debatedocs at googlegroups dot com
Please include the tournament, round, and teams debating in the subject line of the email.
Key Things to Know
I will flow and vote based on the things you said. Negs can say whatever but the more it says the plan is bad the better. Conditionality and judge kick are good. Affs should be T and are likely to lose if they aren't. If you say death good you lose. If you ask for a 30 you will get a 25.
I do a lot of work during tournaments and will be tired on their last few days. I have found that this makes it harder for me to focus. To counteract this, I have gone back to flowing on paper, which I have found helps me process the debate as it is happening. You will benefit if you make my paper flowing life easier (give me time to flip the page, warn me if you're going to make an abnormally large number of arguments about part of the flow, tell me to make an overview or framework page if I need one, etc.).
Online
I STRONGLY prefer that all cameras be on whenever anyone in the debate is speaking, but I understand if internet or other considerations prevent this.
If my camera is off, assume I am away from my computer and don't start talking. If you start your speech while I am away from my computer you do not get to restart. That is on you.
Here is how to successfully adjust to the online setting:
1. Inflect more when you are talking.
2. Put your face in frame. Ideally, make it so you can see the judge.
3. Get a microphone, put it close to your face, talk into it, make sure there is an unobstructed line between it and your mouth.
4. Talk one at a time.
T/L
Tech determines truth unless it's death good. If you tell me to embrace death because life is bad I will vote against you even if you do not go for the argument. More broadly, all else being equal, I strongly prefer to solve problems without resorting to violence or force if possible.
Otherwise, unless my role as a judge is changed, I will attempt to make the least interventionary decision. This means:
1. I will identify the most important issues in the debate, decide them first based on the debating, then work outward.
2. What is conceded is absolutely true, but will only have the implications that you say it has. Unless something is explicitly said, conceded, and extended, or is an obvious and necessary corollary of something that is said, conceded, and extended, I will attempt to resolve it, rather than assuming it.
3. I will intervene if there is no non-interventionary decision.
4. I will attempt to minimize the scope of my intervention by simplifying the decision-making process. I would prefer to decide fewer issues. If an issue seems hard to resolve without intervening, I will prioritize evaluating ballots that don't require resolving that issue.
This procedure typically means (for example):
1. I will prioritize resolution of impact claims.
2. I will deprioritize resolution of claims that do not affect the relative magnitude of two sides' offense. For example, in a DA/case debate where turns case is conceded, uniqueness is often irrelevant since aff solvency is reduced to the same extent neg offense is inevitable.
I am aware that this procedure can influence my assessment of substance. Given infinite decision time, I would decide every question in the debate. However, shrinking decision times make this impractical. Minutes spent resolving complex or under-debated issues that are not outcome-determinative trade off with the quality of my assessment of issues that are. I believe this process net reduces error costs.
As of end-of-season 2024, I have voted aff 47% of the time, and sat on 11% of panels.
I often vote quickly. This does not necessarily mean the debate was lopsided or bad; more likely, it is a sign that the teams clearly communicated the relationships between their arguments, allowing me to perform evaluations as the debate is happening. If I take a long time that means I was unable to do this, either because there was significant complexity in the debate or because communication was poor.
The following are my inclinations - if you don't like them you can change them through debating.
DAs
The agenda DA will usually not survive a rich, accurate description of the current legislative agenda based on thoughtfully reading the news.
CPs
If no one says anything I will assume I can judge kick. It is very hard to use theory to stop me from thinking about the status quo. Nothing but conditionality is a voting issue. Pretty neg on most theory, except fiating out of your own straight turned offense.
Competition is usually more impactful than theory. Theory arguments that logically presume you have won a competition argument ("CPs that steal the aff are a voting issue" assumes you have demonstrated that the CP has stolen the aff, which is a competition argument. "CPs that are not functionally and textually competitive are a voting issue"... come on, what are we doing here) are a waste of time. Just win the competition argument.
Functional competition + explaining what your plan does + definitions + reasons to prefer your definitions >>>>> anything involving the concept of textual competition. Textual competition is mind poison that corrupts any competition model it touches. "Should =/= immediate" plus a cr
If I can't explain what a CP does and how it accomplishes whatever the neg says it does, I am unlikely to vote for it. You can avoid this by writing a meaningful CP text AND explaining it in the speech.
T
I like judging good T debates. I really don't like judging bad ones. What sets these apart is specific application of broad offense to interpretations and impact debating that is specific to internal links, grounded in a vivid vision for debates under your topic.
I do not think the intrinsic value of being "factually correct" about your T argument is very high.
Many parts of a T argument can be enhanced with cards - e.g. link to limits, claims of aff/neg bias in the literature, predictability via prodicts/indicts.
Argue by analogy and comparison to other affs, especially in CX.
Ks / Planless Affs
Good for specific Ks on the neg, bad for random backfile slop, bad for K affs, death good = L.
If your K is secretly a DA, refer to the DA section. If your K is not a DA then yes, you need framework and you need an alternative. Whatever issue your framework says should determine the round should be what your link, impact, and alt are about.
I do not judge many debates involving nontraditional affs. The biggest hurdles to voting aff for me are usually: 1) why can't the aff be read on the neg, 2) why is the aff's offense inherent to resolutional debate or to voting neg on framework instead of some avoidable examples, and 3) how do I reconcile the aff's vision of debate or the topic with debate's inherently (even if not exclusively) competitive nature.
I am very willing to entertain arguments that attempt to denaturalize debate as competition but struggle when these critiques lack an alternative or a theory of why debate as a way of putting two teams and a judge in conversation with one another is nevertheless useful.
I think affs that creatively reinterpret the resolution in a way that does not create excessively demanding curricular demands would be more up my alley, but no one has tested this, so proceed with caution.
I am open to different understandings of what it means for things to compete if there is no plan. However, "no plan, no perms" is nonsense.
The only effect of my ballot is to decide the winner.
Speaker Points
Strong strategy, being fun/engaging to watch, being smart, being classy, being clear = higher speaks.
Making wrong strategic choices, being underprepared or ignorant about substance, making CXs annoying/pointless, making bad arguments, being needlessly mean, being a mumbler... = lower speaks.
I do not view speaker points as divorced from substance.
My points are slightly below average.
Asking for a 30 will yield a 25.
Ethics and Conduct
If the tabroom tells me to do something, it is not up for debate. I will do that thing. The rest is what I will do if left to my own devices.
Evidence ethics (out of context? straw-person? lied about quals? cut in middle of paragraph?) should be debated out like any other theory argument. Alternative remedies short of an automatic loss could be more responsive or proportional to the harm: scratching the argument AND evidence, scratching only the evidence and treating the argument as if it is made analytically, assuming an author is absolutely unqualified, requiring the team to produce the full text of articles in question, requiring the violating team to establish a paper trail authenticating other important evidence and presuming unauthenticated evidence to be fabricated, requiring a team to produce the full text of every article in the debate and presuming unauthenticated evidence to be fabricated, reducing speaker points, informing the team's coaches after the fact. They MAY be a reason to reject the team, but I will not treat them as such by default.
Clipping - claiming you read words from evidence that you did not read - is different, and a voting issue. It is a form of dishonesty that irreparably distorts teams' speech times, which affects every other issue in the debate, and which opponents are uniquely poorly positioned to police. If you are inexperienced or appear to have clipped by mistake, I will be lenient. Otherwise, it is non-negotiable.
Thoughts on stopping the debate early:
1. This is an exceptional measure to be avoided if possible.
2. Once the debate stops because of an ethics challenge, my first step is to consult the tabroom and do whatever they say.
3. Unless expressly instructed otherwise by the tabroom, the debate will not resume once stopped. The winner and loser will be determined solely by the ethics challenge.
4. An accusing team can stop the debate at any time except during a speech or a cross-ex. They win if they are correct, present compelling evidence that they are correct, and I agree that the conduct justifies a penalty loss. The winner will receive 28.5 and 28.6. Losers who have personally committed an ethics violation receive the lowest points allowed. Losers who have not personally committed an ethics violation - either due to an unsuccessful accusation, or because the partner committed the violation - receive a 27 and 27.1.
5. During the dispute, both teams must engage in good faith. The accusing team must submit evidence of their accusation as soon as possible. I will not consider evidence submitted within 20 minutes of decision time. Any filibustering or other unreasonable behavior by the accusing team will result in a win for the accused.
6. An accused team can stop the debate, even if the accusing team does not wish to do so, if the accusation concerns the fundamental academic integrity of the accused. This is a very high bar.
7. An accusing team may ask me if I believe certain conduct justifies a penalty loss without stopping the debate. I will take judge prep to answer. This answer is not an invitation to negotiate and obviously doesn't bind the tabroom.
8. I will proactively end the debate for clipping. I will not do this for other evidence ethics or academic integrity issues.
9. Basically none of this applies to novice or JV, where I will resolve the dispute as quickly and narrowly as possible with the aim of maximizing the number of speeches that can happen.
Being racist, sexist, violent, etc. in a way that is immediately and obviously hazardous to someone in the debate = L and 0. My role as educator outweighs my role as any form of disciplinarian, so I will err on the side of letting stuff play out - i.e. if someone used gendered language and that gets brought up I will probably let the round happen and correct any ignorance after the fact. This ends when it begins to threaten the safety of round participants. You should give this line a wide berth.
TLDR: Time yourself and do what you do best, and I will make my best effort to make a decision that makes sense. Extremely low tolerance for disrespect. Do not say death is good. Minimize dead time and read aesthetic cards for higher speaks. Be nice, stay hydrated, and have fun!
Email: Add poodog300@gmail.com. Set up the chain before the round starts and include the Tournament Name, Round, and Teams in the subject. Will start prep if you are taking too long. Please take the two seconds it takes to name your file something relevant to the round.
AFF Things: Know what you are defending and stick to it. I will vote on any theory push if debated well enough, but most things are reasons to reject the argument. Very bad for non-resolutional K AFFs.
CP/DA Things: #Stop1NAbuse. CPs should have solvency advocate(s). I think competition debates are fun. Not a fan of UQ CPs. Politics is always theoretically legitimate. Can vote on zero-risk.
T Things:Not the best so don't blaze through analytics. Explain what your model of debate would look like. Outweighs condo and is never an RVI. Plan text in a vacuum is silly but I will vote on it.
K Things: Agree with JMH: policy debaters lie and K debaters cheat. No good in K v. K. I will be very unhappy if you read a K in a Novice/JV division or against novices. Debate is a game and procedural fairness is an impact.
PF/LD Things: Paraphrasing is fine if you have evidence that can be provided when requested. Will not vote on frivolous theory or philosophy tricks. Ks are fine if links are to the topic.
Nice People: Debnil. Both Morbecks. Michael B. Cerny. Steve Yao. Delta Kappa Pi.
Mean People: Eloise So. Gatalie Nao. Chase Williams. Kelly Phil. Joy Taw.
he/him
I am currently a policy debater at Taipei American School and at ADL (1A/2N)
I prefer tech over truth
I’m fine with any arguments as long as the warrants are clear
Impact calculus and evidence weighing is helpful
Your goal in the final speeches should be to write the ballot for me
I don’t factor presentation into my decision
Go as fast as you want- but make sure you’re clear enough for me to flow it
I have debated in high school for 2 years and I also have coached elementary and middle school debaters. I mainly debate in PF and world schools formats. I judge debates based on the overall presentation but arguments are valued more compared to delivery or strategy of arguments. I feel fine with any speed and i feel fine about kritik and counter plans with no particular preference. It all depends on the quality and the analysis of arguments.
1. My background
- Debated (policy debate) for two years in high school in New York, USA.
- In college, I didn't continue competitively in debate but did "persuasive speech."
- 10+ years of coaching/instructing/judging debate in secondary education to students and fellow teachers. (Mostly in policy debate, but also some public forum and Lincoln Douglas)
2. How I judge.
- It is true that I deliberate on the overall presentation of debaters to an extent. (see below)
- I primarily focus on arguments and logical reasoning/connections.
- The delivery primarily only is an impact if it makes the arguments unclear to the listeners (myself or the opponents).
3. My judging style and preferences.
- Any pace/speed should be okay as long as the speaker is clear and loud enough (I'm not a fan of debaters racing through a preprepared speech thoughtlessly while being barely comprehensible).
- I'm not a big fan of a Kritik approach but will accept it if there is enough of a clear, logical connection created by the speaker. (If you use one, you had better be really good with having it connected and possible/believable.)
- I attempt to approximate the estimate of the “AVERAGE INFORMED CITIZEN.” (A simple "blank slate" is not an average citizen, so I do somewhat weight points according to the arguments being reasonable. However, you are also not debating against my knowledge of a topic.)
- I enjoy hearing counter plans and original ideas but don't like it if a counter plan is remarkably similar to the affirmative plan (has only minor differences/changes).
- I DON'T LIKE SPREADING! I would rather have a team choose their best arguments instead of trying to win by just having a large number of minor points that end up being dropped. (If you have a lot of points, that is not a problem that is, if... lots of points are dropped by your opponents, but you can defend the parts challenged are defended instead of quickly dropping them (when challenged) that would convince me that you are ready to defend the other points that were dropped. However, if you spread and then repeatedly drop your own arguments (when challenged), that would lead me to believe that you are only trying to win via numbers alone.)
Additional notes...
- I am dyslexic... if there is a lot being said, I might not be writing/typing because it can be distracting from what is being said, but I am keeping mental notes. (Being dyslexic means that it is a bit harder for me to write and listen simultaneously.)
- My notes are sometimes messy because they are only intended for me.
- I prefer to give immediate feedback instead of long detailed written reports but will write up the more major things in a feedback report.
Email: Nathan.in.Taiwan@gmail.com (ONLY use my listed email if you need it to share evidence or in debate email chains)
Email me if you have questions and please put me on the chain: dylan.willett8 at gmail dot com as well as taiwanheg@gmail.com. I coach for the Asian Debate League. I debated for UMKC. In college, I mostly went for framework, topic DAs, and an assortment of topic critiques. As a coach I mostly have spent the last year working on random policy stuff, but have spent a lot of time working with critical approaches to the topic as well.
Be bold, read something new, it will be rewarded if you do it well. Analysis of evidence is important. I have found that over the past few years I have grown my appreciation for more of the policy side of research not in an ideological lean, but rather I am not starting from negative with process counterplans, I appreciate clever disadvantages, etc. If you have good cards, I am more willing to reward that research and if you do something new, I will definitely be happy.
I begin my decisions by attempting to identify what the most important arguments are, who won them, and how they implicate the rest of the debate. The more judge instruction, including dictating where I should begin my decision by showing me what is most important will help determine the lens of how I read the rest of the arguments
I find that I am really annoyed by how frequently teams are asking major flow clarifications like sending a new file that removes the evidence that was skipped. Please just flow, if there is an actual issue that warrants a question its obviously ok, but in most situations it comes across as not paying attention to the speeches which is a bit frustrating.
I like good, strategic cross-ex. If you pay attention and prepare for your cx, it pays dividens in points and ballots. Have a plan. Separate yourself and your arguments here!
I am a big fan of case debates that consist of a lot of offense – impact turns or link turns are always better than just pulling from an impact d file.
I think that I mostly lean negative on theory arguments – I would be really sad if I had to parse through a huge theory debate like condo, but am willing. I think I start from a predisposition that condo, PICs, etc are okay, and change based off the theory debate as it develops. I think theory is an important part of an affirmative strategy versus good, and especially cheaty, counterplans. I don't think education is a super persuasive argument in theory debates I have found. Way easier to go for some type of fairness argument and compare internal links versus going for some abstract notion about how conditionality benefits or hurts "advocacy skills".
In framework debates, the best teams spend a lot of their speeches on these flows answering the nuanced developments of their opponents. AFF or NEG teams that just say a different wording of their original offense in each speech are setting themselves up to lose. I am interested in hearing what debates would look like under each model. I like education arguments that are contextual to the topic and clever TVAs and impact turns are good ways to get my ballot while making the debate less stale. I find the framework teams that lose my ballot most are those that refuse to turn (on the link level or impact level, in appropriate manner) AFF offense. I find the K AFF teams that lose my ballot most are those that don't double down on their offense and explain how the NEGs impacts fit in your depiction of how debate operates.
Ks, DAs, CPs, T, FW, etc are all fine to read and impact turn – as long as I am judging a round where there is some attention to strategy and arguments are being developed, I will be happy. Definitely willing to vote on zero risk of a link.
If you are starting an email link of your cards with your opponents, please be sure to include me. My email is iyang@hawaii.edu
As a judge, here is what I am looking for:
- I do not prefer spreading, but if you do, please make a point to slow down and provide a good paraphrase of your cards - the evidence alone does not mean you win the argument.
- Be sure to ready to point out your opponent's shortcomings during the round. If they have made a mistake, point it out to me and make an "even if" argument.
- Prepare to give quality evidence and explain them well - once you have stated it, follow through with it.
- Support your claims with warrants - when you throw a claim out without a warrant I will disregard it.
- I appreciate the creative approach and use of theory or other strategies but be sure you have enough time to follow through with it. Often time I see many great unconventional approaches, but the majority of them failed to deliver the full effect.
- I hear the same cases rounds after rounds. It is by adding detailed and a personalized approach to your case that will impress me. This demonstrates not only you understand the argument but how you creatively interpret it will give you the upper hand. I love a good personalized constructive - a team that can condense down the arguments and provides a well-organized and quality analysis.
I have been a speech and debate tutor for five years, and have a certificate in Public Speaking from the University of Washington. I debated for two years during High School and participated in Public Forum during the first year and Policy during the last. I also have experience in Duo Interpretation and have won the state championship. I weigh the round on validity, reliability, strength, as well as impact and how each team collaborates and works together effectively.
Another attribute that I always find a great debater is to know your topic thoroughly! Many will throw up casual correlations or causations without really understanding what goes into consideration for any of that to happen (ex: loss of funding --> war) - be careful with this.
Hi I'm Jordan Y. As of right now I am in 6th grade.
I have been doing policy and PF for 1 year.
PF tournaments: 4
Policy tournaments: 7
I am open to anything and I try to be as tab as possible. Just use warrants in your argumentation, even if it is theory. If an argument has absolutely no warrant and is just a claim, there is a chance I still won't vote on it even if it is 100% conceded. That is to say, if you just say conditionality is bad because of fairness and education, that is a series of claims without warrants, and thus is unpersuasive even if the other team doesn't address it. However, if a poorly warranted claim goes conceded, then I will not necessarily adjudicate the strength of the warrant as it is the other team's obligation to defeat this warrant, and as such I will take the warrant as true unless it is unintelligible or utterly absurd. I will default as a policymaker if you don't put me in a competing paradigm.
When adjudicating competing claims, it is my hope that debaters will engage in evidence comparison. However, if two contradictory claims are made, and no one weighs the strength of the internal warrants of the evidence, then I will likely call for the evidence to adjudicate which claim is more strongly warranted (assuming the argument may be part of my reason for decision). Same goes with topicality. I am 50/50 in voting for topicality, and I default competing interpretations.
If you are running critical/performance arguments, please be familiar with the argument and able to intellectually defend it. My personal preference when I debate is usually policy-oriented discussions and my personal bias is that switch-side policy debate is good, but I don't let this inform my decision in the round. At the same time, I think that non-traditional forms of debate are an important component of the community and have an important message to broadcast, and as such, I have voted for performance affs in the past.
The following is a preference and not a requirement. It is common for me to judge teams running non-traditional forms of arguments and personally be unfamiliar with the literature base. Thus, it is probably in your interest to ask if I'm familiar with a non-traditional argument prior to the round unless you plan to explain it extensively in the round. An argument is inherently less persuasive when the messenger also does not fully understand it, and the debate is probably less educational for everyone involved as a result. In general, I think you should be familiar with any argument you read before you deploy it in-round, but I've found this is more frequently an issue when high school debaters deploy the critical literature base. If I don't think you are familiar with your argument, I won't hold it against you in my RFD (although it will inform my speaker points), but it will probably influence whether you are able to effectively deploy the argument on the flow, where I will vote.
Finally, you should tell me explicitly how the RFD should be written if you win so I can understand your vision of the round. If you do not have ballot directing language, I will use my own judgment to write the RFD, so it is in your interest to write the RFD for me.
(Credit to Tyler Prochazka for the awesome paradigm)
"Made by Jordan Y 5/11/2020"
legal background
Participated in debate in middle school.
Judge on overall presentation
uses cross-fire / cross examination to determine mastery of topic/subject
clarity of argument at final speeches is paramount
(i am a lay judge, less spreading)