Primary Policy Making: Legislative Model – Weigh advantages versus disadvantages

Secondary Hypothesis Testing: Social Science Model – Each negative position (some of which may be contradictory) tests the truth of the affirmative; it must stand good against all tests to be true.

JUDGES MUST CARRY COMPLETED SHEET WITH THEM THROUGHOUT THE TOURNAMENT.

Any debater may look at this sheet prior to beginning each debate round.

JUDGES INFORMATION SHEET

Name Mark Bergmann

City Fort Scott State KS

School Letter Judge

Community Judge

School Number Judge

1) Did you debate in high school? Yes No

Number of years 0

2) Did you debate in college? Yes No

Number of years 0

3) How many elimination rounds have you judged on this topic? 0

4) How many preliminary rounds have you judged on this topic? 2

5) List tournaments where you have judged this year: National Qualifiers

6) Please choose the following that applies to your judging criteria:

C I. Which best describes your priorities in judging debates?

a. Communicative skills are more important than resolution of substantive issues.

b. Resolution of substantive issues is more important than communication skills.

c. Communication skills and resolution of substantive issues are of roughly equal importance.

B II. Which best prescribes your paradigm or approach to judging debate?

a. Skills emphasis (Who does the “better job of debating”)

b. Stock issues emphasis

c. Policy maker emphasis

d. Hypothesis testing emphasis

e. Tabula rasa (judge adopts perspective according to standards in the round)

f. Other

C III. What speed or rate of presentation do you prefer?

a. Slow and deliberate – conversational pace, speed discouraged.

b. Moderate contest rate (e.g. – extemp) faster speed discouraged.

c. Fairly rapid delivery acceptable so long as presentation is clearly enunciated-very rapid speed discouraged.

d. Very rapid delivery preferred.

e. No preference regarding speed.

B IV. Counterplans are:

a. Never acceptable

b. Rarely acceptable, and only if specifically justified by substantive plan mandates.

c. Acceptable if justified, and if consistent with other elements of the negative approach.

d. Acceptable even if inconsistent with other elements of the negative.

B V. Topicality is:

a. Very important in my decision; I consider it a paramount issue.

b. Fairly important; roughly on par with other major issues in the round.

c. Rarely important; violation of topicality must be fairly blatant to win my ballot.

d. Almost never or never important to my decision-making process.

A VI. I find generic disadvantages:

a. Reprehensible; I prefer specific real world arguments.

b. Acceptable if specific links are clearly analyzed.

c. Generally acceptable.

B VII. I find kritiks:

a. Reprehensible; I prefer specific real world arguments.

b. Acceptable if specific links are clearly analyzed.

c. Generally acceptable.

Flow judge: Prefer stock issues, but only use Topicality if the Aff is truly untopical.  Generic disads had better have really great specific links.

acedwards00@ksu.edu

I default Policy Maker, but I’ll vote on whatever you tell me.

I'm also not the biggest fan of existential/nuke war/extinction impacts, largely because I don't believe they reflect reality. Focusing on more realistic impacts (war and economic decline for example) is how to win me over.

Also, if I can't tell exactly what your plan is mandating/doing by looking at your plan text and ONLY your plan text and the other team runs vagueness, the odds are not in your favor. That said, I don't really care about financial specification

Topicality: Only if the plan is obviously untopical under your definition and if it doesn't involve the word "substantial"

Generic DAs: Acceptable

Generic CPs: Acceptable, but if the CP is just "do the plan but add another different entity" it is wholly unacceptable

Speed Preference: No preference, but please speak clearly no matter what

Kritiks: Not Preferred, but acceptable with clear links

I did debate for one year in college, and competitive speech on the whole for 9 straight years. I did debate all throughout High School, state qualifying every year and nationally qualifying three times. In college, I was the district champion in impromptu speaking for District 3, and qualified for nationals every year I have done that as well. My final year of college forensics, I was a national semifinalist at AFA nationals in extemporaneous speech.

Respect for your opponents and the activity is most important.

I think it's critical to stay organized during the round and make it clear when you end/begin talking about a new or the next argument. Tell me where whatever you're talking about goes on the flow.

As long as you are clear and can explain your arguments thoroughly, I don't have any preferences as to what you run.

Not a big fan of spreading.

How Should Debaters approach Constructive Speeches?

A few well-developed arguments prove more persuasive than a larger quantity of arguments. Arguments should each be addressed individually. If it is brought up as an argument, it should be discussed.

How Should Debaters approach Rebuttal Speeches?

No comment.

How Should Debaters approach Evidence?

Stay within the allotted time be sure to cite evidence.

How would Oral Prompting affect your decision?

It won't.

How should debaters use values, criteria and arguments to support a value position?

No comment.

What arguments (such as philosophical, theoretical or empirical) do you prefer to support a value position?

As long as you prove it and support it with evidence, I don't care.

How should debaters run on case arguments?

Make sure all claims are supported with specific, defined examples, no paraphrasing.

How should debaters run off case arguments?

Topicality is to only be run when actually applicable.

How should Debaters run theory arguments?

The focus should be winning the debate, argue a strong case, not just nit picking the other teams case.

What other preferences do you have, as a judge?

Be professional. Run your case, argue respectfully. Be good sports

It's also very important that the debaters speak clearly, do not rush, and can pronounce the difficult words well.

Make sure that when your opponent is speaking and you are discussing with your partner, you speak in a low tone. It's distracting and disruptive.

I'm between a flow and a lay judge. I can follow arguments very well, and typically try to flow rounds. I will struggle somewhat with high-speed talking, but as long as I'm provided evidence I can manage. Composure and logic will help convince me in rounds, however, it is not the deciding factor for me. I am mainly a stock issues judge, but I am able to understand things as complicated as a K (Theory). The burden will be on the AFF to prove that they will solve completely, and if that is disproved then NEG will win. Although, the NEG will have to do a substantial job of demonstrating how the AFF doesn't solve.

Overall, I sway toward a Policy Making Paradigm. With a heavy emphasis on speaking ability and how well the argument is made. Additionally, I disdain off-time road maps, (if it is important enough to include, please use your time for it).

As of 04/27/2024, I have yet to judge any rounds on this particular topic. That having been said, I generally operate under the assumption that you, as debaters, will propose the political and philosophical foundations for the round during your first constructive speeches. I am open to most ideas, taking into account both context and decency. In other words, do not read something inherently abrasive, discriminatory, or flagrant in order to take a stance off the beaten path, or worse, in an attempt to simply win the round. I expect cordial cross-examinations and a general level of kindness throughout the debate. If any of the debaters in the round wish to claim some form of abuse committed by the other team, please structure your abuse arguments so that I can evaluate them accordingly within the context of the debate. I coached policy debate for almost three years, and I was a policy-debater for four. I am comfortable with most speeds, and I greatly appreciate a copy of speeches in-round. With respect to my ideas on debate, as I mentioned, I am fairly open-minded. I am sympathetic to creative arguments designed to fulfill the topic's spirit in the most charitable way possible, but I will vote on flow for major issues, such as but not limited to: Topicality, Solvency, Ks, and CP/DAs. Please, if you have any specific questions about my paradigm, ask me before the round begins, and I would be happy to answer.

I have 3 years of experience in high school speech and debate, including policy debate, LD, and World Schools. I have judged on and off over the last 5 years, including KDC, DCI, and Kansas state tournaments, but the majority of my experience comes from traditional circuit judging. I am currently a Political Science major and an assistant coach for Hayden High School Speech and Debate.

I would classify myself to be a stock issues flow judge. There is some leniency to this, but for the most part I am looking for a team to win on paper. This means that you can only win on arguments that are explicitly introduced during speech time and carried throughout the round. That being said, I have no issues with anything that you choose to run, no matter how complex or absurd. The more creative and thoughtful, the better.

I am very comfortable with Ts, CPs, and Disads and highly recommend that you read them if they have any merit. T is obviously a voting issue and should be prioritized in all applicable speeches. I have absolutely no bias against Ks, but I will admit that I have limited experience with them. That being said, absolutely go for them as long as you have good alt solvency.

If your going to weigh value judgment heavily in a round I would prefer if you had a theoretical shell to back it up. I am also a stickler for framing and want your impact calc to be concrete and warranted.

I don't have a problem with spreading, as long as you are intelligible and not purposefully obstructing productive debate.

Most importantly, I will not tolerate any disrespect towards the other team.

Thanks and good luck!

Policy Maker - former high school debater 4 years. Current assistant coach.

I've judged a lot of rounds at various levels of competition. These stem from local tournaments to KDC to Nationals.

Your speed is your speed. If you go so fast no one can understand you then you should consider slowing down. I'll let you know if that's the case.

I'll listen to your generic D/A's but I won't give you the if you can't defend it. Get your impact calc out early, and use it throughout the debate.

T is not your best argument. However, it matters especially if the abuse is clearly defined.

K's are acceptable. Give me a realistic alternative that isn't "think different."

I'll default to the best policy every time. This means that either the SQUO, the CP, or the aff is where the vote will end up. Make that clear.

Please, PLEASE, don't make me place arguments for you.

I will flow, but I am a policymaker judge. Make sure your plan has real-world potential. Assume I am a lay judge.

Topicality is an acceptable argument

I do not like speed - keep a conversational pace

CP's are acceptable and K's are alright in very rare circumstances.

Good Luck

Policy Debate: I'm a Stock Issues oriented judge, though I lean towards Policy Maker when there are few adequate Stock Issues in the round.

LD: Stock Issues

Forensics: I have no real preferences outside of sticking to event rules.

4 years of debate in HS, 1 year in college

Topicality is A Priori

Speed is whatever

No generic arguments

CP/Ks are fine if they fit the neg strategy