Marist Ivy Street Invitational
2021 — NSDA Campus, GA/US
Non-Varsity Policy Paradigm List
All Paradigms: Show HideI did NDT/CEDA policy debate at UT Dallas and LD debate in high school.
Add me to the email chain: aishabawany98@gmail.com
If I am in your round, I will do my best to listen closely to every speech, argument, cx question/answer etc. made in round. I remember how horrible it felt when my judges didn’t listen or care despite hours of prep and hard work—I aim to not be like them. That means that while your speech and arguments matter, so does your clarity.
I am fine with speed.
Argument Evaluation
I believe debate is about the contextualization of evidence and your speech act of persuasion. I think the quality and explanation of arguments matters more than the amount of arguments. When you are extending/explaining your arguments, make sure to name/warrant the argument, not the author. It is not enough for you to just spread through a card and expect me to vote off of a tiny sentence in your card. You have to explain the warrant and how things function in relation to each other.
I do not like to do work in debates for debaters. II aim to be an empty shell that is filled with both teams' arguments and then to adjudicate without any bias-- a true clean slate. That means I'll vote on pretty much anything as long as it is explained to me well. The truth of different critical theories don't matter to me. If you're winning it, then I'll vote off of it.
Framework/K v K debates/Framework v. K debates/Topicality
I did run a lot of framework/T so I do enjoy watching that debate. Up to you though on what you want to run and how you want to do it. I'll evaluate it with the best of my ability. I'm predisposed to topical aff positions in policy because I have mostly debated with topical policy cases. That is not to say that I won't vote on them, just that I am not the best judge to evaluate K v. K debates. I never think you should run arguments you are unfamiliar with, so don't stop running those arguments, just make it easier for me to understand the method by which I should evaluate/weigh the round. Framework is always a voting issue and a criticism of the affs method to play the game of debate. I default competing interps. You need to win that your definition/interpretation/model in a t/framework debate is better for debate unless you give me reasons for why I should default to reasonability. Personally, don't think lots of fairness claims on framework are super persuasive.
Theory
I’m less likely to be convinced to vote off theory debates since there’s never substantial argumentation on that flow that’s ever created. I mean, read your condo bad, perf con bad, multi actor fiat bad stuff as time sucks or go for it if it’s truly abusive, but I’m not about to sit up and be like “wow! A theory debate! I’m so excited!” I would prefer to vote for you off of something other than theory arguments. (I believe you can do much better).
Kritiks
Ks need to have a link, impact, and alt (though you may convince me you don't need to have an alt). If you’re going to go for the K, explain the link, why they can’t perm (if they try to), why the aff can't solve/is bad (ex. policy failure, vtl) and other aspects of the K. K's in my mind are similar to disads, but just function on a different level with a more critical lens. To weigh the aff against the kritik/vice versa, you also should have some sort of framework method top level.
Please do not assume I understand what your argument is or what literature you are reading in your K is about. I am not a coach, studying philosophy, or on the cutting edge of K debate. I have a job and do other things in my spare time.
CPs/DAs
Counterplans are cool. They are important to test whether the aff is a good idea. For CPs, they should have a cp text and some sort of net benefit. In order for me to vote on any disad, I think you need to win a link (not a risk of a link, I mean a LINK). I don’t care if it’s generic (though I would prefer it not be), it just has to be a link, okay? I hope you have/know the parts of a DA, because if you don't have them all, idt I can vote on it.
In my opinion, off cases are conditional, so there's a low probability of me voting off of condo unless you've been buried with off cases.
LD Frameworks/Value-Criterion stuff
It seems in LD that you need some sort of framework/way for me to evaluate the round. For framing, you need to have a value/criterion/ROB/ROJ that says that I should evaluate arguments by x. Plans are cool too. I ran different philosophical frameworks when I did LD and enjoy listening to unique ones and the way you justify your position through it. I don't care for disclosure debates in LD. I think disclosure is good in policy, but I honestly couldn't care less either way in LD. If you really feel that you were disadvantaged by not knowing what the aff was before round/previous 2NRs, then feel free to go ahead, but I won't be happy judging that kind of debate. I find those sorts of arguments boring.
General:
- Debate is a game.
- Tech over truth
- Presumption flows neg
- Let's all be nice to each other
- Simplify, simplify, simplify
sohan.bellam@emory.edu
I won't adjudicate issues that happened outside of the debate. I do not like planless affirmatives. Do what you like.
Debated at Cathedral Prep High School, class of 18'.
University of Toronto 23'.
Email - daanishbhatti32@gmail.com
** My knowledge on this year's topic is quite limited. Explaining abbreviations and phrases would set up the round well. If i'm not flowing or have a quizzical look on my face, I'm likely lost **
Style
- Clarity over Speed
- There is never one specific "way" to debate. Develop a personality within this activity. If that feels stressful, just do you. Always be respectful.
Kritiks -
- Have a strong link to the aff, just like DAs.
- Take some time to explain everything a little bit more if you have me as a judge. That's a good way to attain some speaker points so I know you actually comprehend what your saying.
- My school was most familiar with Afropessimism, Queer Theory, and Neoliberalism.
- The Role of the Ballot is my way of assessing the debate. It would be good to hash that out.
DA's -
Politics was my go-to 1nr. For any DA, links are important. The more comprehensive and nuanced, the better the debate.
Critical Affs/Framework -
I'd prefer if there was some sort of advocacy text for the negative to have some sort of stable target to defend; not necessarily connected to a plan or policy. I don't buy into the arguments that Framework should dictate the form of argumentation. Please try to make your impact arguments relevant to the round, otherwise, it just gets repetitive. I'll vote either way.
Topicality -
T is a voting issue. I think meeting interpretations is a yes/no option. If the negative isn't persuasive enough to state the aff meets, then there's no reason to reject the aff. I usually prefer explanations over evidence. However strong debates by the negative usually intertwine really good evidence with strong impacts.
Counterplans-
I won't kick the counterplan unless I'm explicitly told by the negative.
Any other questions feel free to ask before the round.
New (14/9/22)
I currently debate at Boston College (class of 2025) and formerly debated at the University School of Nashville (class of 2021). I lean more heavily towards policy arguments than I think your average judge my age does. Most important to me is that you explain your argument and (at the end of the round) why your argument means you win and your opponent loses. For policy kids this means I will vote on cheapshots and theory - if you explain it better than they do then you win regardless of what people in the debate community generally believe about a theory argument. For K folks, ff I can't explain what you're arguing and how its related to the topic at the end of the round after you've spent 36 minute spreading at me, then I am extremely unlikely to vote for you (this goes for weird process CPs and items of that nature as well). I will not automatically disregard arguments with trivial significance to the topic but I'm unlikely to give them much weight so do with that information what you will or won't. Also I like debate to be fun as well as all the other stuff so if your personality in the round is being mean to opponents or your partner I suggest you find a better personality. I also don't know anything about the HS topic so don't assume I know anything.
Old (this is quite detailed so if you're looking for something specific it might be here if it's not above but it's old and my opinions may have slightly changed)
Short:
Yes I will vote on your ASPEC and your bad T if you argue it better than they do
I have no topic knowledge about water beyond what I remember from AP Chem
You should probably at least skim the long (or don't it really is quite long and I sort of hate it. Just know that I'm a policy leaning judge and I'm generally going to vote for the argument that has been argued more skillfully except in edge cases)
Long:
I used to be a debater for University School of Nashville. Then I graduated and now I’m a freshman at Boston College. I've been a 2N since Gerald Ford Impeachment DA was all the rage.
Here are the reasons I like debate:
1) It's fair
2) It's educational
3) It's fun
I like to have fun. Talk to me when debate is not underway.
The opinions below are mine but they aren't written in stone - if you're good at something and you win it I'll probably vote for you.
With that in mind here are my thoughts on various debate arguments so that my paradigm looks more professional and has a small sliver of utility.
DA: These are my main game and they're great. Know your scenario, you need to be able to explain it because I probably won't vote on it if I don't know what it is I'm voting on. That said if they drop it then obviously you don't need to walk me through it.
CP: Also safely in my realm of enjoyment. I like ADV CPs best but I understand that some people prefer process or conditions. Aff, if you plan to go for theory here you need to do a very good job of it - that means slowing down and actually line by lining their responses from the block and 2NR. I'm pretty sympathetic to the neg on most theory questions as a 2N myself so don't try to go for Process CP as a reason to reject the team.
K: Be careful here. The only K I have successfully deployed in a round is the Ahmed 12 Security K (BTW he is not a 9/11 truther). I also have become less partial to framework debates as I continue to debate. With that said if your strat is one off Bataille Death K, don't expect me to just ignore your speeches, but I like to understand what I'm voting for and sometimes K teams expect me to fill in the gaps - I have neither the knowledge nor motivation to explain the K for myself to vote for you.
T: I love T but I don't love most T debates. I'm not going to throw out any interpretation on face just because I think it might be overlimiting. Try to spend your time comparing your vision of the topic with their vision of the topic not just reading your generic T blocks. A caution to Aff teams, I find reasonability to be pretty unpersuasive in debates, I would far prefer you just win by proving your interpretation is better.
"Kritical Affirmatives": You might guess I'm not a massive fan of these. In most rounds I'm more likely to side with my fellow nerds saying you broke the rules rather than voting on the epistemic cartographic lense of violence DA. Does this mean you're screwed if you read a K aff and they read Ericson 03? Not necessarily but you are going to need ace explanation of your DAs to framework and why I should prefer your method and vision of a topic without the USFG. View framework as a larger version of the T flow and compare your vision of the topic with theirs. Aff; what could the neg team conceivably read in your version of the topic? Neg; how could they access the harms they address within your interpretation of the resolution?
ASPEC, OSPEC, USPEC, etc: Don't. If this is your 2NR don't expect to win. The only way these could possibly be good in a round is if they supplement another argument you're reading like a Politics DA or Agent CP. Unless you are killer at explaining these and the Aff refuses to touch the flow the whole debate, you are not going to win.
Swearing: It's fine, I understand it's how some people express themselves. I'm not your mom so it's fine to swear. Let's avoid slurs though, it's just not cool in an academic (or really any) environment. However, I find especially in debate that some swear because they can't think of a more descriptive or interesting verb or adjective. "The US economy is f-ed" seems a load less persuasive than "The US economy is moribund." On that note if you can correctly use a word I don't know in round I'll throw you 0.1 extra speaks.
Topic Knowledge: I would hope to have a pretty substantial grasp of it. If a small operational difference is the key to your argument you should probably make sure that I know what it is. However, I know the F-35C has the largest range of any of the F-35 series because it has larger wings and fuel tanks to generate sufficient lift to take of from Navy air craft carriers so I’m no slouch with knowing about the Military Industrial Complex.
Speaker Points: These are really fiddly and it's hard to know what to evaluate. I fall into the category of judges the old guard complains about for inflating speaks. I'm pretty sympathetic to debaters so don't expect to get terrible speaks unless you do something truly egregious. Impress me in how well you know your arguments and/or can articulate them and I'll reward you with higher speaks. Have fun and I'll reward your speaks as well, debate should not be a monotone yelling activity. You are a real person, not a robot, you have a personality - don't mask it away beneath blocks and a laptop screen.
Clipping: Everyone says don't. I agree with everyone here. If I catch it you lose mad respect and speaks, if they catch it and have evidence you lose.
Reason for Decision: At the end of the round I'll write and tell y'all who won and why. I will try to reconstruct the debate from what the 2NR and 2AR highlight as key points. I'm a big fan of judge instruction. I'll go off my flow and I'm unlikely to read evidence unless you ask me to in your speech. I'm going to try and give speech by speech comments for every round I judge - we'll see if I keep doing that as I judge more rounds. Ask me any questions you have about my decision or how you could have made something better or more persuasive.
Glenbrook North '21
He/him/his
Please add derrikcdebate@gmail.com to the email chain, and please give the email chain a relevant name (e.g. "Round 1 Viking Rumble: GBN XX [AFF] v. GBN YY [NEG])
Top Level:
Qualifications: Debated at Glenbrook North for four years as a 2A and mostly read extinction impacts. Champion and 4th speaker at the Cross River Classic Invitational, qualified to the TOC, etc.
Novices -- don't adapt to me. I'll adapt to you. Please be respectful, especially during cross-ex. There is no need to be overly rude, defensive, demeaning, etc. Everyone's learning.
My ideal debate to judge is one where teams go substantially slower, engage with and collapse to truthful arguments, and make bold strategic decisions. I would much rather judge a debate where the NEG reads four developed offcase positions than one where the NEG reads eight or more scattered offcase with no clear strategic vision. However, I do understand the strategic necessity of reading large amounts of offcase, so feel free to do whatever you please.
I largely agree with this section of Anthony Miklovis's paradigm: You do you. I'll do my best to not be ideological. Below are my predispositions that I'll usually err towards when debated equally. None of these are absolute truths and can be easily reversed through technical debating. BUT, my familiarity with certain arguments might affect my ability to adjudicate claims in round, so do be mindful of that when I say "you do you."
I'd like it if debaters gave me easy outs rather than forcing me to dive deeply into contested issues
Sending analytics is good for clash
Please speak slower and clearer, and watch my facial reactions to your arguments, as I tend to be rather expressive
Please respect your opponents
Rounds judged on the water topic: 46
'21-'22 lowest speaks: 27.5
'21-'22 highest speaks: 29.6
'21-'22 average speaks: 28.7
Ks:
I encourage you to read kritiks that function as disadvantages (e.g. Neolib/Cap K)
I find that the aff should get to weigh in the plan in almost all circumstances
It will be very difficult to convince me to vote for high theory or post-modernism
I do not find most ontology claims persuasive
Perf con makes sense versus epistemology claims
Planless Affs:
Generally not the judge for you
The aff should be related to and in the direction of the topic
Fairness is an impact, but I find clash and education-based arguments to be more persuasive
Counterinterps are usually self serving, so I would rather you impact turn T
NEG teams should impact turn (cap good, heg good, etc.)
Please do not go for a K vs a planless aff unless you can explain it extremely well
Topicality:
I would rather you not go for topicality in front of me, but I understand if it's the only option you have versus an abusive affirmative
Precision > everything. I think most interpretation evidence is atrocious and aff teams should exploit that more
I have never seen an affirmative team reasonably explain reasonability, but that does not mean that it is a bad argument
Counterplans:
I'll judge kick if the 2NR makes the argument. Sufficiency framing seems to be a waste of breath because I will always evaluate if the counterplan solves enough of the case.
Process counterplans are probably illegit (oftentimes dependent on literature), but I would rather affirmatives go for a solvency deficit and net benefit takeout than a tricky permutation or theoretical objection
Intuitive analytical advantage counterplans are strategic. Advantage counterplans + impact turns seem to be underutilized strategies that are killer.
Counterplans that are probably bad: international fiat, object fiat, delay fiat, 'going through legal deficits' fiat
If you want to go for theory, make more specific theory arguments to filter NEG offense
Disads:
The preferred 2NR. When I debated, I read politics, rider, case-specific, etc. Neg ground is atrocious, so I understand and would absolutely enjoy if you decide to go for politics. I think that turns case is usually the deciding factor in disad debates. Please do multiple levels of turns case (e.g. link turns internal link, link turns impact, AND impact turns internal link, etc.)
I think no risk is possible but difficult if the NEG executes correctly
Most disad internal links make little sense, so smart analytics can always lower disad risk
The 1AR seems to get away with a lot of murder here
Theory:
I don't think neg teams explain why conditionality is good well.
I have yet to see a team go for ASPEC, but I think it's a competent strategy given all the agent abuse affs seem to do these days. Same with vagueness, I guess.
Misc.
"Troll" arguments are interesting thought experiments, but I'm unlikely to vote on them
Debaters should time themselves during the round. I'll try to keep track of time, but I'm not perfect.
I want to judge impact turn debates (dedev, please)
Scale:
Policy---x----------------------------------------K
Read a plan-x-----------------------------------Do whatever
Tech----------------x------------------------------Truth
Read no cards----------------x-------------------Read all the cards
Conditionality good-------------------x----------Conditionality bad
PIC's good---x-----------------------------------PIC's bad
States CP good-----x-----------------------------States CP bad
Go for T-----------------------------------x------Don't go for T
Politics DA is a thing-x-------------------------------Politics DA not a thing
Always VTL-x--------------------------------------Sometimes NVTL
UQ matters most--------------------x-------------Link matters most
Not our Baudrillard------------------------------x- Yes your Baudrillard
Clarity-x--------------------------------------------Srsly who doesn't like clarity
Presumption------x--------------------------------Never votes on presumption
Resting grumpy face--x---------------------------Grumpy face is your fault
Longer ev--------------------x--------------------More ev
"Insert this rehighlighting"----------------------x-I only read what you read
Fiat solves circumvention-----x---------------------LOL trump messes w/ ur aff
2017 speaker points-------x------------------------2007 speaker points
CX about impacts---------------------x-----------CX about links and solvency
Fiat double bind------------------------------------------x-literally any other arg
My name is Ben Coval.
I am currently a freshman at Boston University. I debated policy debate at Johns Creek High School where I was the captain and am now the assistant coach. Critics and topicality are fine if they are used appropriately. Use your prep time appropriately and don't waste it.
Extra speaks if you are dressed appropriately. Plz flow. Please have a very clear final speech and 'write my ballot for me'.
Have fun debating and please learn something from it.
My email is benjamincoval@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Please include me in the email-chain: 22cdeschapelles@carrollton.org
2022 Senior at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart. Been debating for 6 years now (since 7th grade).
TL;DR/Important: I haven't been debating on this topic, so do your best to explain things to me. I have done some topic research but in pretty niche areas. Additionally, the hardest thing I find about judging novices is not knowing how to weigh certain things. So the biggest thing for me (no matter the argument type) is to impact out your arguments in the last two rebuttals and compare them to your opponents'. It's definitely one of the harder things to do in debate, but just try to work on this skill in front of me and I'll likely reward you.
*Note - these are my biases and preconditions. I'll likely try to reward the team that did the better debating, but the following are good things to keep in mind as debate is about learning to convince people no matter their biases and since no judge is a blank robot.
Longer rantier version for specific arguments:
DA's: Love 'em. Especially politics. Give me a good politics disad over a kritik any day (emphasis on good). I think one of the best and easiest ways to win on the neg is doing some good turns case arg's and having the 1ar drop them. If you're aff, don't drop them and make some case turns DA arguments. I love seeing DA's and case interact.
CP's: Yes! I love case-specific ones but generic ones are great too, especially on this topic (I feel your pain 2n's). I am NOT a good judge for process CP's. I'll likely side with the aff on theory here. Condo is good for 1-2 options, any more than that and it gets iffy.
Kritiks: In the words of DHeidt, "A kritik is just a bad DA with a CP that doesn't solve the case." If that doesn't tell you my attitude towards kritiks as a whole, I don't know what will. Don't be scared to read them in front of me though - I think flex teams are the best. If you read a K please please please contextualize the links to the affirmative (recut 1ac evidence, use cross ex) and don't just label everything and anything a "link".
T: I think on this topic, this is a way more common winning 2nr. I deeply sympathize with 2n's on how massive this topic is and I don't want you to be scared going for T with me. And for aff's, I've lead a non-topical policy aff in the past and loved it so don't be scared defending a larger interpretation. For both sides, just make sure you paint a picture of what the topic looks like under your AND your opponents' interpretations. Make me terrified of the other interpretation.
K-aff's and TUSFG: I side with the negative here. I think affirmatives should instrumentally defend the resolution and that it creates better debates overall. Procedural fairness is definitely an impact and I think education from this topic would be a lot better under the neg's interpretation. That's not to say I don't appreciate critical literature or education, I just think it can be done on the neg just as well.
Name: Santiago (Diego) Duarte. Refer to me however you want, I really don't care.
Pronouns: He/him. Remember to ask your opponents.
Cancer sun, Scorpio Moon, Cancer rising
School: Glenbrook North (formerly), University of Oregon (not active debater)
Email: 224029@glenbrook225.org Please put me on the email chain without asking
If you read this paradigm, integrate the word "lasagna" into any speech once and I will give you +0.3 speaks
Experience: Debated for GBN on the Immigration topic and the Arms Sales topic. Judged debates on the Criminal Justice topic and the Water topic.
Former speaker position: 2N
Don't over-adapt to my paradigm. I'm willing to adjust to your styles. Debate how you want to debate and I'll try to keep up.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The long version of this paradigm is, as advertised, LONG. It is also quite boring to anyone who is not me, and was written more as a self-indulgent essay than a helpful guide. You won't miss much if you only read the short version, and if you need more detailed information on my views on specific topics, make use of the command+F function.
Paradigm (Short version) :
As a judge of novices, my goal is to educate and provide an enjoyable debate experience. Your first year is meant to be a learning experience, not a stress-filled environment. I am willing to make reasonable accommodations within debates to fit this - please ask before the round if there's anything that would make the debate more comfortable for you.
Don't be rude to your competitors, don't read racist arguments, if you have tech issues let me know and I probably won't take off speaker points.
Read any kind of argument that's allowed by the tournament rules, check with me and your competitors if it's potentially a triggering argument. K affs suck for novice debate but if the tournament lets you do it then I'll judge them fairly.
Be nice in cross-ex, don't speak over each other, don't dominate your partner's cx time.
I consider myself centrist on the Tech vs. Truth question, but I'm probably leaning more towards truth being important than the average judge.
I'm fine with any speed personally, but be careful over zoom. If i tell you to slow down, I expect you to actually slow down.
0% risk exists and is actually fairly common
Ask me if you have any questions, at any time.
Paradigm (long version):
As a judge of novices, my goal is to educate and provide an enjoyable debate experience. Your first year is meant to be a learning experience, not a stress-filled environment. I am willing to make reasonable accommodations within debates to fit this - please ask before the round if there's anything that would make the debate more comfortable for you.
With regards to digital debate: I will not take speaker points off for technical issues, with the exception of problems which you could reasonably be expected to prepare for, or egregious and unverifiable ones. I will be lenient with prep time when it comes to tech issues - as novices, you can't be expected to be able to instantly format and send files and such.
Cross examination: I am okay with open cross examination - HOWEVER - if one partner is clearly dominating another and abusing the concept of open cross-ex, I will stop that immediately and deduct speaker points. You will not earn brownie points with me by being an "aggressive cross examiner." I would prefer polite and low-volume cross-ex. Things said in cross examination are binding, however of course you and your partner can ask me to strike something you just said from my record of the debate, as long as it's within the same CX or speech.
Tech vs. Truth: I think that the inherent believability of arguments does matter in debate. While it is a game, you should be bringing arguments that make at least a modicum of sense, and not rely on overwhelming speed or speaking ability to swamp your opponent. That being said - ultimately, I am judging a competition and the better debaters should almost always win.
Speaker points: I will likely award slightly higher than average speaker points. I believe that there's no real reason to hurt new debaters by assigning a low numerical value to their speaking skill, barring extreme circumstances.
Situations in which I will stop a debate: Any accusation of cheating of any kind is the end of the debate, with the winner depending on the truth of the accusation. Any accusation of harassment or bullying will also cause me to end the debate - in any of these scenarios I will notify tournament staff and we'll go from there. Extreme rudeness to your competitors will cause me to at least pause the debate, and maybe award you a loss depending on the situation.
ARGUMENT SECTION
I am generally okay with any kind of argument, as long as it fits within basic standards of human decency. Arguments which are truly inherently racist and read with bad intent will at the very least not be counted, and may result in me automatically submitting my ballot against the offending team. I think that arguments which have a significant chance of triggering debaters should be mentioned before you read them - things like Death Good for example, I will allow if it isn't a significant trigger for the other team. (this is a general point - novices really shouldn't be reading these arguments)
Topicality:
I don't understand topicality. You, novices, definitely don't understand topicality. The people who wrote your T blocks probably do, but that doesn't make hearing them any more interesting. I will not be happy if I have to judge a novice debate that comes down to the nuances of topicality. This is even more true at the start of the year.
If this does end up being important - I find negative ground to be an unpersuasive standard, although I'll vote on it if it's argued well. Legal and contextual precision is my personal preference for evaluating T in policy rounds.
Kritikal arguments: Go ahead and read K's, I'm relatively friendly to them. If it's a convoluted and unintuitive Kritik, I do expect you to slow down for the benefit of both me and your opponents. My personal political biases lean towards a lot of kritikal arguments. I will do my best not to let this affect my judging of these arguments, but I'll probably be happy to hear them.
Performative contradictions are real and I will vote on them. The threshold is high, but if it's blatant then don't be afraid to call it out. If you're reading Cap and an Econ DA, that's pretty weird and will make a lot of philosophical arguments much less compelling.
Counterplans: Go ahead, any kind. Counterplans are probably my favorite kind of argument, don't be afraid to go all in on the CP in the 2nr.
Theory:
I like theory. I think it's the most unique part of debate, that the rules are only norms unless you prove that they should be rules in the round. I am willing to vote on theoretical questions, and open to all kinds of arguments in this area.
My counterplan theory stance is pretty neutral. I am happy to vote on good aff theory against cheating counterplans - I view theory as a totally legitimate and skill-based form of debate. If the neg abuses conditionality, go for condo and if you're better at arguing it I'll vote for you. Conditionality can be a voting issue for me, if you make it one.
Disads: Most basic kind of neg argument. Read as many as you want. Can't think of any unusual takes I have for this section. Please don't read DAs that have racist premises, I won't like you.
Go ahead and read all the politics disads you can think of - they're a lot of the neg ground on this topic. Don't bother running one in front of me unless you understand the uniqueness inside and out though - these disads are won or lost in the uniqueness section most of the time.
Kritikal affirmatives: These are almost certainly bad for novice debate. If the tournament allows them and you genuinely out-debate your competitors with one, I'll vote for you, but it's a high bar to clear in front of me. Even though I'm personally sympathetic to the ideas behind them, they're not cool for novices.
Case: Case debates are my favorite kinds of debates. Offcase are fun, but the core of debate is meant to be around the plan. Negative teams: don't be afraid to spend huge amounts of time attacking the case. If their affirmative doesn't make sense, go all in on that. I'm perfectly happy to vote on presumption if their case doesn't exist by the final rebuttals. If their affirmative is really strong and does make sense, then trying to frame the debate towards focusing on offcase is a good idea. Affirmative teams: don't let them do that last part. Keep the debate focused on whether your aff is good or bad. Convince me that that's all that matters. You get a huge advantage in picking the focus of the debate, use it wisely.
HOT TAKES: I mentioned earlier that I'm happy to vote on presumption - this is a sort of complicated issue for me. On a debate mechanics level, I think the presumption argument is cool and not used enough by negative teams. On a personal/political level, I've never agreed with the fundamental idea that "if the aff doesn't prove that they're good, then assume change is bad because it's risky." I think this is a reactionary and conservative way to view argumentation and debate. I am open to affirmatives making this argument if they feel that presumption is a likely strategy. Despite all that, if the affirmative doesn't make this argument in the 1AR, I will go with the debate community standard and say presumption goes neg.
Again, don't over-adapt to what is written above. I am happy to do what you tell me to do on this issue unless the other team contests it.
My second hot take is with regards to permutations: I absolutely hate the way permutations are usually done. If you stand up for the 2AC against 3 or less conditional alternatives and say "perm do the cp perm do both" a few times, I will flow them, but these are not real arguments and if the negative says so I will agree with them. Explain your permutations. What do they mean, what does doing both look like? Do not force whichever neg debater is taking the counterplan to respond to all the possible variations of a 3 word permutation because you couldn't be bothered to make a real argument. I will however be more sympathetic to rapid-fire permutations against 4+ conditional worlds - the 2AC is already a time-intensive speech and I will extend some understanding because of that.
My third and final hot take is that the 1AR will get a ton of leeway in front of me when it comes to making new arguments. I think that the block usually overdevelops one-offs from the 1NC to the point of making effectively new arguments, and when that happens I'm totally cool with letting the 1AR shoot a half dozen new offensive arguments in their faces in return.
Jargon: I am not an active debater on this topic. I have a passable knowledge of the main arguments and ideas underlying them, but some jargon might be outside of my understanding. Please don't abbreviate words that you think there's a good chance I wouldn't know the shortened version of. Use your best judgment.
If there's anything you want to know that's not on this paradigm, just ask before the round. Have fun!
Add me to the chain: ryan.estrin22@montgomerybell.edu
Debate @ MBA as a 2a/1n
Note for online: everyone who feels comfortable having their cameras on the entire debate should unless there are connection issues. Virtual backgrounds are great. You should at least be unmuted when you send out the doc.
I don't believe, as a senior in high school, I have the right to be very ideological in my judging. Also I'm a senior in high school, please just call me Ryan - I don't like being called judge
DAs - have good turns case, pref better ev over a lot of it
CPs - kinda neg on theory, condo is probably good, love a good CP that truly solves an aff
T -need to really focus on impact and what debate looks at under both models
Ks: I like links most if they are specific and tied to the plan. The alternative needs to do something. I'm not super deep into k lits so you need to explain things
Please include me on the email chain: 23ifernandez@carrollton.org
Pronouns: she/her/hers
2A/1N
2023 Junior at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart. I've been debating for 3 years now.
Important: I haven't debated on this topic very much so please try your best to explain things.
If you're reading this you are already on the right track! Novice debate is difficult at first, but I know you'll get it! All it takes is practice!
Don't be rude during cross ex or clip cards. Making racist/sexist/etc comments during cross ex is NOT something I will tolerate. Debate is supposed to be fun for everyone involved :)
BE CONFIDENT! Read what you know and answer arguments the best you can. It's also important to keep in mind that it's not the end of the world if you don't answer a cross ex question or don't know how to answer an argument. As long as you learn, I would consider it a successful round. Remember that a dropped argument is a true argument, so try to answer every argument.
Make sure your arguments are flowable. I make my decision based on the 2NR/2AR flow.
You may be worried about not getting through your speech, but remember that clarity > speed. You may be able to speed your way through a speech, but if I can't flow/understand you it defeats the purpose.
If you have any questions after the debate, feel free to email me!
gbn '22 - msu '26 - 1n/2a for all 5 years - she/her
last updated: 4.21.2024
please put me on the chain:
most importantly (in order):
1. be nice to each other, flow, have fun
2. don't be rude, sexist, racist, homophobic, etc.. i have no problem contacting tabroom or your coaches when if i feel my role as a judge needs to become subordinate to my role as an educator
3. i will not evaluate things that occurred outside of the debate. if something was truly problematic, the debate should be stopped and tab should be contacted. in a similar vein, i strongly believe you should reach out to an opponent if you find an ethics issue with their evidence. substituting a caseneg with an ethics violation that you found pre-round probably makes debate worse than the ethics issue itself.
4. tech > truth (but truth makes it easier to win tech)
5. these are my predispositions -- they can all be changed with good debating (see the line right above this)
6. arguments need a claim, warrant, and impact -- if you do not have all 3, i don't care if it's dropped. if it takes you less time to read your aspec 1nc shell than it takes me to type out "aspec = vi," it isn't an argument and i don't really care if the 2ac doesn't have an answer.
7. impact calc and framing really matter -- top of your 2nr/2ar should tell me what i'm voting on and why. my life is easier and happier if you write my ballot for me
8. tag team cx is fine but don't speak over your partner
9. you don't need a card to make an argument (see #6), but card probably beats no card
10. prep time ends whenyou say it does. if you prep after the timer ends, prep time ends when I say it has.
---things that can happen after prep ends: sending a speech, standing up, giving an order, setting a timer.
---things that cannot happen after prep ends: editing a doc (includes copy-pasting things), saving a doc, talking to your partner
11. marked doc is not removing the cards you skipped (this is flowing), its only adding "mark" for cards that you did not finish. if a team asks for a new card doc with the cards the other team skipped, you should take prep for them to put that together.
*topicality*
-i read questionably topical affs all 4 years of high school and 1 in college - do your worst but do it well
-precision > predictability > limits > ground
---specifically: grammatical precision > legal precision > contextual precision > overlimiting > neg ground > under-limiting > aff ground > topic education
-loooooove plan text in a vacuum, but affs tend to not debate it thoroughly enough
*framework / t-usfg*
-i love a good fairness debate but am not a die-hard fairness hack. probably think clash / testing and fairness are more convincing than something like movement lawyering, but it's debatable
-i think tvas and switch-side debate are pretty good ways to cut down the aff's offense
-i mostly tend to think affs should have a counter-interp because i need models of debate to compare. if your strategy is to impact-turn framework, i will assume that means your c/i is 'affs get to do what they want, how they want'
*disads*
-specific links are important, but not as important as a good story
-a thumper isn't a thumper until you tie it back to the link. for example, saying 'there are other bills on the agenda' is not a thumper until you win that those other bills will cost pc
-0 risk is a thing (maybe not aaaactually a thing, but probability can get so low that i should treat it as zero risk)
*counterplans & theory*
-anything is fair game as long as you can defend it BUT if the counterplan is cheating, the aff should be able to beat it on theory or a perm more easily
-i wont judge kick unless you tell me to (saying "the status quo is always an option" does count as telling me to)
-just saying "sufficiency framing" <<<<<<<<< explain why the counterplan solves / how i should evaluate it
-condo is probably bad (i know, hot take) but that won't matter if both sides just spread blocks at each other. you should NOT read this as 'she wants to only hear condo speeches'
-condo is probably the only theory violation worthy of rejecting the team unless there is an argument otherwise starting in the 2ac (but its a pretty high threshold)
-theory is (almost) always a question of models and (almost) never a question of in-round abuse
*kritiks*
-i've been around the block with the literature but that doesn't mean i want to hear baudrillard blocks spread directly into your computer at 400 wpm (nobody does)
-i tend to think ks need an alternative that solves the links and impacts, but high-quality framework debating can arguably substitute for this (i really do prefer k's that are more than 'you link, you lose')
-it's pretty hard to convince me that we should never do anything to meliorate a problem a team has isolated
-in a perfect world, links are causal, specific, and unique. this world is far from perfect
-i'm better for the k than you think (filter this through the fact that it came from me...obviously there's some bias there)
---
if you have any specific questions about my preferences, feel free to ask before and after the round :) im happy to help
good luck, have fun !!
"ion like to fight until i'm fightin" ~ Chris Breaux
speech doc email go here: <jhanley@oprfhs.org>
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
TL;DR - aside from the generic 'dO wHaT u Do BeSt AnD i WiLl ChEcK mY bIaS' [revealing tangent: are blank slates kind of a scam? methinks yea] let me just say I am gonna need to see ****DEPTH OVER BREATH**** in your second rebuttals!!!!!
This applies in terms of both argumentative (a) category & (b) number:
-- (a) specific scenario > general condition
-- (b) a singular warranted + impacted claim > stuttered collage of blips
this is for the 2XR, regardless of if we are talking T, policy or Ks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Some other significant biases that I most certainly will bring into the room:
* tech + truth = means + ends . . . offense/defense is my default means | ethical agonism is my one & only end
* grounding speeches in the resolution is V important to me but im super game for advocacies that dont fiat shit
* also here for nutty theory debates . . . do Topical cps meet the burden of rejoinder? i won't make assumptions
* off case positions are for cowards !!! >:( but if you must -- probably enjoy T or K most but love a good DA/CP
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Personal Philosophy and/or Proprietary Paradigm:
* SPEECH ACT >>> SPEECH DOC | I am of the pre-paperless age . . . One big change in this regard is that, today, there is a complete and total transparency/accessibility of cards & blocks. Not saying it is good or bad -- just that, when I debated, the judge was unable to read along (they could, if need be, call for cards after the round). And I do think there's something to be said for "just listening" !
* I VOTE FROM THE FLOW ALONE | [see above re: speech docs]. If you want a "line" on that flow to affect my decision, it MUST SATISFY all four of the following:
1. appear in >1/4 of your speeches . . . more air time = more weight generally
2. summarize your opponent's response and provide some counter-argument
3. fit into the larger story of what my ballot is doing in this round . . . another way to say this is that EVERYTHING needs to have an "impact" whether it be to establish the uniqueness of a situation, articulate the internal link between phenomena, or explicitly compare ethical priorities
4. have concrete warrant(s) drawing upon a form of history , science , or logic
~ [5.] & get extra speaker points for spinning a yarn and/or cracking a joke !!! ~
* DOCENDO DISCIMUS | Debate is this crazy place where the students profess while teachers pay attention -- a dramatic reversal of the situation that defines our educational system. In other words, this is an activity where the instructor takes instruction. You should make the most of this dynamic and, rather than worry about "if I will listen" to your case, simply move me to sign the ballot in your favor. Make me laugh, make me cry, make me think!
__________[[Experience & Education]]____________
** Debated four years on the midwest / nat'l circuits (2x TOC)
** been out the game since 2011 but I still got some love for it
** ask me about: Silicon Valley; Micronesia; South Side Chicago
2A/1N - Alpharetta HS '23, UGA '27
***I have no topic knowledge***
Email: techieanishk@gmail.com
---email title should provide useful information. Ex. Tournament---Round #---Team A v. Team B.
TLDR
---I am not ready when my camera is off.
---debating and judge instruction matter way more than personal preferences.
Online Debate
---I would prefer if everyone had their webcams on (though I understand if you cannot).
---debates already move slow, let's pick up the pace with technology.
Top Level
---tech > truth
---I will flow and vote on things said in the debate. Ideological considerations are irrelevant and I will value judge instruction more than anything
---asking for what cards were read is CX
---stop hiding ASPEC or other dumb stuff. You'll lose speaker points.
---condo is good
K
---don't say buzzwords and I am not as comfortable with these arguments---does not mean I will not hear these arguments but will need more explanation
---have links to the plan > links about reps
---do case debating
---good framework debating and links don't usually need an alternative
T
---competing interpretations > reasonability.
---better interpretations and more cards are always good
---impact comparison will heavily shape my decision
CP
---DA/CP---love them, most comfortable with these debates
---solvency deficits need impacts tied to the ADVs
---sufficiency framing seems intuitive based on cost-benefit analysis.
---intrinsic perms are fine, but they need a justification like texual legitamacy
---pretty NEG on most theory---competition probably decides if it's legit
DA
---im down for politics DAs in most variations---please explain what is going on for UQ
---impact turns are fun BUT plz make them coherent
---good impact calc will be rewarded and is always good
Others
---not voting for death good
---stealing prep, clipping cards = auto L + speaks nuked
---anything very unethical = auto L + speaks nuked
Emory '25
I debated in high school at McQueen for 4 years, and I qualified to the TOC several times. I debated a little bit at Emory, but am more interested in teaching debate than competing. Don't be rude in cx.
Put me on the email chain: miarleutzinger@gmail.com
I do not have a lot of knowledge about the college personhood topic. That said, I have done a lot of debate, so feel free to do whatever you want.
In terms of argument preference, don't make me vote on theory, I am probably better for K v K or K v policy. I don't love complicated process counterplans.
T/FW - I enjoy framework and T debates. I do think fairness is an impact. I have a lower tolerance for K affs that just summarize or describe a theory without any sort of normative approach. K affs are better when they can explain/solve something larger than just “framework bad.”
All that matters is that we have fun right??? :D
Call me Ryan, "judge" is weird. Don't be weird. (you can do it if you want lol i'm just saying)
I'm down for K's, but just make it stupid simple. I'm not really down for convoluted, borderline obnoxious K's (do with that how you will).
K aff's are kinda dumb to me.
I doubt I'll err a team over aspec, 50 state fiat, whatnot
Tech > Truth
Go for a T debate if you nice with it (fairness is goated)
Condo is good to me, but condo debates and theory in general is also fun if you nice with it
I'm against racist, sexist, or generally hurtful statements or arguments, however, I'm probably going to be one of the most lenient judges you will ever get in terms of that. Just don't do it, though, for the sake of everyone debating.
Don't be scared of looking or sounding dumb. You're here to learn. Do your best and pop off.
Email me if you want ig lol: 234238@glenbrook225.org
Contact info/email for docs: isabellagracelocicero@gmail.com
If there are any accessibility needs that you want before the round, let me or tab know so that I can ensure that your accommodations are followed.
I'm currently a CX debater for Baylor University, but used to compete for Tyler Junior College in Parliamentary, Extemporaneous, Impromptu, and IPDA debate. I placed nationally in all of them for TJC in 2023. I debated for North Lamar in high school, where I competed in CX, extemp, congress, and occasionally interp.
For CX:
I'm very much tech over truth - this means that it is important to me that you maximize the amount of offense that you're putting on the flow.
I will evaluate any argument as long as it's not racist, sexist, trans/homophobic, etc.
Putting your analytics on the flow for me would be nice, but it is not required by any means. If you're not going to do that, slow down or at least "pop" your analytics.
I debated K and policy in high school.
For LD:
No tricks, please. If it isn't an actual argument, I can't evaluate it.
I'm fine with speed, K, theory, or the traditional criterion debate. Do what you do best and I will adapt.
I would prefer to have the evidence in front of me, so use speechdrop or email if you can.
For PF:
If you're going to run theory, please let there be an actual violation. If you want to critique the norms of the debate, that is a kritikal argument, not a theory argument.
Please use speechdrop or email to show me the evidence.
I will evaluate any argument that you put on the flow, but please generate clash. I've had so many debates where I'm scratching my head because there just isn't anywhere that you're actively debating on the flow.
For Extemp/Speaking Events:
Content is just as important to me as presentation, so make sure you have your sources and evidence.
Atlanta Urban Debate League (UDL). Decatur, Ga. Currently I teach AP Lang and direct a small AUDL program without a ton of institutional support but in a previous life I coached mostly policy on the national circuit. In fact, I've been around long enough to see the activity go from notecards in ox boxes to xeroxed briefs to some computerized debates to having everything online. I prefer to flow on paper because that's how I learned back in the dark ages.
You can put me on the E mail chain: mcmahon.beth@gmail.com.
For UDL tournaments:
I am an old school policy coach and do not love the K (even though my teams do run it) because teams just read their blocks and don't evaluate the round. That said, if you run the K, awesome -- be ready to debate the line by line and go for something other than framework. See my note below about having an advocacy of some sort.
For the Barkley Forum: If you are in speech events, know that my background is in policy. If you are a policy debater, know that I haven't judged a lot of varsity debates this year so watch the topic specific acronyms. From what I've seen it will be fine but just wanted you to be aware.
Old stuff:
Current Urban Debate League coach (Atlanta/AUDL) but a long time ago (when we carried tubs, no one had a cell phone, and the K was still kinda new) I used to coach and judge on the national circuit. I took a sabbatical from coaching (had kids, came back, things have changed, no more tubs). I still flow on paper and probably always will. FYI -- I have not judged national circuit varsity debates consistently since 2008 when I worked at a now-defunct national circuit program that had some money for travel. I've been told I'm more tech over truth and although I enjoy listening to K debates I don't have a K background (my national circuit experience has all been old school policy so like DA plus case plus CP). If you are a K team I expect some sort of ADVOCACY not just a bunch of block reading and a framework dump. If you don't have a plan you still need to advocate FOR something. Theory dumps are very frustrating to me because I don't know how to evaluate the round.
Crystalizing the round in rebuttals is an important skill - especially in front of a judge like me that did not spend 8 weeks at camp nor has read all of the lit. Or maybe any of the lit. You absolutely will be more familiar with your evidence than I will so please don't expect that kind of deep dive into the post round discussion. There was a point in my life when I could have those discussions, but I'm not there anymore. I am however more likely to buy your case attacks or a topicality argument so there's that.
Notes for IE/LD -- I judge more policy debate than LD/IE/PF/Congress but at some point this year have judged all of the above. I tend to be more tech over truth with LD and am looking for some sort of impact analysis of the values presented. My policy team does not run the K and debates more traditionally -- one of the most underutilized strategies in LD is to debate the other team's case.
I was involved in both policy and LD debate in high school, although I have been out of the activity for many years. Since I have not been involved in researching this resolution, I would encourage you to take that into account when explaining the nuances of your arguments. I'd describe myself as a "truth over tech" kind of judge. I tend to find the resolution of major issues and "big picture thinking" more persuasive than shallow and unsubstantiated arguments.
Especially for online debate, slow down a little, particularly from the 2NC on.
Please include Ryanpmorgan1@gmail.com and interlakescouting@googlegroups.com for the email chain. Please use subject lines that make clear what round it is.
I wrote a veritable novel below. I think its mostly useless. I'm largely fine with whatever you want to do.
Top level:
- I am older (36) and this definitely influences how I judge debates.
- Yes, I did policy debate in high school and college. I was mediocre at it.
- Normal nat circuit norms apply to me. Speed is fine, offense/defense calc reigns, some condo is probably good but infinite condo is probably bad, etc.
- I have a harder time keeping up with very dense/confusing debates than a lot of judges. Simplifying things with me is always your best bet.
Areas where I diverge from some nat circuit judges:
- I am more likely to call "nonsense" on your bewildering process CP or Franken K. If the arg doesn't make any sense, you should just tell me that.
- Aff vagueness (and in effect, conditionality) is out of control in modern debate. I will vote on procedural arguments to rectify this trend.
- Bad process CPs are bad and shouldn't be a substitute for cutting cards or developing a real strategy. Obviously, I'll vote on them, but the 2AR that marries perm + theory into a comprehensive model for debate is usually a winner.
- I'm less likely to "rep" out teams or schools. I don't keep track of bid leaders and what not. Related: I forget about most rounds 20 minutes after I turn in my ballot.
Stats:
- Overall Aff win rate: 48.7%
- Elim aff win rate: 42.3%
- I have sat 6 times in 53 elims
Core controversies - I'm pretty open so take these with a grain of salt.
- Unlimited condo | -----X-------- | 2-worlds, maybe
- Affs should be T | ---X----------- | T isn't a voter
- Judge kick | ----X--------- | No judge kick
- "Meme" arguments | --------X- | You better be amazing at "meme" debate
- Research = better speaks | --X--------- | Tech = better speaks
- Speed | -------X---- | Slow down a little
- Inherency is case D | -X--------- | Inherency is a DA thumper
My Knowledge:
- I went for politics DA a lot. Its the only debate thing I'm a genuine expert in, at least in debate terms.
- I do not "get" the topic (inequality) yet. I did not go to camp. Debate like this is Mich finals at your own peril.
- I have some familiarity with the following K lit - cap, Foucault/Agamben, Lacan/psychoanalysis, security, nuclear rhetoric, nihilism, non-violence, and gendered language.
- I'm basically clueless RE: set col / Afropess / Baudrillard / Bataille. I have voted on all of them, though, in the past..
K affs
I prefer topical affs, and I like plan-focused debates. I'm neg-leaning on T-framework in the sense that I think reality leans neg if you actually play out the rationale behind most K affs that are being run in modern debate. But I vote aff about 50% of the time in those debates, so if that's your thing, go for it.
T/cap K/ ballot PIK and the like are boring to me, though. I think that unless the K aff is pure intellectual cowardice, and refuses to take a stand on anything debatable, there are usually better approaches for the neg to take.
I'm a great judge for impact turning K affs - e.g., cap good, state reform good.
Word PIKs are a good way to turn the aff's rejection of T/theory against them.
Or, you could simply, you know, engage the aff's lit base and cut some solvency turns / make a strong presumption argument that engages with the aff's method.
Some other advice:
- "Bad things are bad" is not a very interesting argument. You should have a solvency mechanism.
- Affs should have a "debate key" warrant. That warrant can involve changing the nature of debate, but you should have some reason you are presenting your argument in the context of a debate round.
- I think fairness matters, but its obviously possible to win that other things matter more depending on the circumstances.
- Traditional approaches to T-FW is best with me - very complicated 5th-level args on T are less persuasive to me than a simple and unabashed defense of topicality + switch-side debate = fairness + education. "We can't debate you, and that makes this activity pointless" is usually a win condition for the neg, in my book. St. Marks teams always do a really good job on this in front of me, so idk, emulate them I guess, or steal their blocks.
Topicality against policy affs
I have not read enough into this topic's literature to have a strong opinion on the core controversies.
I think I tend to lean into bigger topics than most modern judges do. That a topic might have dozens of viable affs is not a sign of a bad topic, so long as it incents good scholarship and the neg has ways to win debates if they put in the work.
Speaker points
When deciding speaks, I tend to reward research over technical prowess.
If you are clobbering the other team, slow down and make the debate accessible to them. Running up the score will run down your speaks.
I frequently check my speaker points post-tournament to make sure I'm not an outlier. I am not, as near as I can tell. I probably have a smaller range than average. It takes a LOT to get a 29.3 or above from me, but it also takes a lot for me to go below 28.2 or so.
Ethical violations
I am pretty hands off and usually not paying close enough attention to catch clipping unless it is blatant.
Prep stealing largely comes out of your speaks, unless the other team makes an appeal.
I debated at Marist. I did two years of policy and two years of public forum.
General Stuff
Weigh and warrant arguments.
Tech > Truth
Add me to the email chain: aeovadje@gmail.com
Evidence
If you don't cut cards, strike me. I won't drop you if you paraphrase, but you must have cards available if called for and it will hurt your speaker points. If your evidence is terribly misconstrued, I won't evaluate it and will tank your speaks.
2nd Half
2nd rebuttal must frontline defense and turns
Summary and FF must extend all parts of an argument if you want me to vote off of it
Speed
I can't really handle speed anymore (I'm rusty sorry lol), but you can speak a bit fast.
Theory/Kritiks
I'll only vote for paraphrasing bad, disclosure good, or if your opponent does something atrocious.
I don't like judging K's tbh.
Other
Have fun! Debate is really competitive and intense at times, but you will make rounds better for you, your opponents, and judges if you actually seem to be enjoying yourself.
If you have any questions you can ask me in round or just email me.
Julia Pearson
Northview '24
juliaweipearson@gmail.com ; northviewcxspeechdocs@gmail.com
TL;DR:
If you have any questions, ask me before the round.
These are just my thoughts on debate. These won't interfere with the ballot.
If you tell me to read a piece of evidence, I'll read it - chances are I will read it anyway.
Policy/Case:
I would like to see some impact turn debates.
I think that impact calculus and framing the debate for the judge is amazing.
All debate is just impact calculus. Do it, do it well, and most likely you will win.
Topicality
i've started liking topicality debates more and more. i'm very familiar with t-usfg and t-oasdi.
CPs
Especially for novices, I think that you should read a cp with a solvency advocate. I'm open to voting on theory if you win that there's abuse. I think condo is overall good to test the AFF but i can be convinced otherwise in round. I think PICs are great unless you just read it as a time skew.
DAs
I'm not a fan of DA's either - again, don't change what you read for that. As far as politics goes, I think that you need good evidence and I definitely think that fiat solves the link is a true argument (doesn't mean i'll vote on it every time). DA's should have a uniqueness, link + IL, and impact card.
K- affs
interact with the resolution
Novices, if you debate a K-aff well, you will be rewarded.
Flipside, please don't debate a K-aff bad, its really annoying
Tell me what the aff does, have an advocacy. Or something to defend.
I'll vote on straight impact turns or a counterinterp
Also cool with K v. K debates
FW
procedural fairness is an impact not just an internal link
it can also be impact turned
impact comparison in the last speeches can go a long way.
read a TVA
K
Read whatever you want, and i'll go with the flow.
I'll vote on fiat bad, i'll also vote on links specific to the plan, debate it out well.
i’ve spent most of my time in debate with k’s
I don't lean either way on FW, if you win that your model of debate is better or if you win the ROJ/ROB, i'll evaluate that to the extent that you tell me to.
i default to you link you lose good unless you tell me otherwise. i don’t think a reps K needs an alt to win but i do think K's should win that the affirmative makes the status quo worst not describe the status quo and say the affirmative is part of it.
if you’re going to perm shot gun, be clear.
Familiarity:
1) Set Col, Generics (Security, Abolition), Psychoanalysis, Academy, White Reconstruction (or any Rodriguez)
2) Capitalism, Queer, eh some Baudrillard
3) Bataille, Afropess, Deleuze, Agamben, more POMO people
Theory/Procedurals
I like theory debates, I dislike generic theory debates that have no clash, but rather only use backfiles and blocks. I can be convinced that anything is a reason to reject the team if the other team just straight-up drops it or you've proven a large extent of in-round abuse. As far as procedurals go, I think A-SPEC is dumb and absent a large technical succession it will be hard to convince me to vote on it.
Ayush Potdar
Northview PC
ayush.potdar@gmail.com
Top
1—Tech over truth to its logical extent. Debate is not about solely the truth level of your arguments but your ability to substantially defeat the other team’s claims with your technical ability.
2—I valued agnostic judging when I was a debater so I will do my best to replicate that when I judge you.
3—When debating ask the question of Why? Technical debating is not just realizing WHAT was dropped but WHY what was dropped matters and how important it is in the context of the rest of the debate. “If you start thinking in these terms and can explain each level of this analysis to me, then you will get closer to winning the round. In general, the more often this happens and the earlier this happens it will be easier for me to understand where you are going with certain arguments. This type of analysis definitely warrants higher speaker points from me and it helps you as a debater eliminate my predispositions from the debate."- Matt Cekanor
4—Biggest influences: Matt Cekanor and Pranay Ippagunta
Deciding Rounds
"I will follow something resembling the following structure to make my decision:
A) List the arguments extended into the 2NR and the 2AR
B) Ask myself what, as per the 2NR and 2AR, winning these arguments will get for either the affirmative or the negative. The answer to this question will sometimes be “absolutely nothing” at which point I will strike these arguments off my flow.
C) Trace whether these points of disagreement were present previously in the debate. This will only include substantive argumentation but will not include framing devices introduced in the 2NR and the 2AR."
D) Compare the negative and affirmative’s central issues by asking myself if losing a certain argument for a certain team will still allow for that team to win the debate.” – Vikas Burugu
Framework
1. No preference on what impact you go for. Some impacts require more case debating than others. For example, if going for fairness, you need to spend more time winning the ballot portion of your offense and defense against the other team’s theory of how debate operates. If going for clash, you need to spend more time winning how your model over a year’s worth of debates can solve their offense and spend more time with defense to the affirmative.
2. I have spent a large part of my high school career thinking about arguments for the negative and the affirmative in these debates. To put it into perspective, almost 90% of my debates over a given season are framework debates, on the neg and the aff. For a large amount of framework debates, the better-practiced team always wins.
3. Use defense to your advantage. Nebulous claims of inserting the affirmative can be read on the negative with no specific internal link or impact debating will largely not factor in my decision. However, there are fantastic ways to use defense like switch side debate and the TVA. "Most 2NRs assert TVA and SSD with no connection to the rest of the arguments. The 2NC and 2NR should spend time applying their impact filters to specific parts of aff offense. This can be made most effective by explaining your switch side argument on the impact turn you believe it resolves the best."- Arnav Kashyap
4. Very specific TVA’s can work against very specific types of framework arguments. If the affirmative has forwarded a critique of debating the topic then TVA’s can mitigate the affirmative’s DAs. However, if the affirmative team has forwarded an impact turn to the imposition of framework in the round, they are less useful.
5.
A)Finding a middle ground
While this approach will be significantly harder to assemble / formulate, it gives affirmative teams the ability to impact turn both the content of debate’s that would occur under the negative’s interpretation AND the reading of framework with significantly less drawbacks than the impact turn approach. It will, however, require affirmative’s to wade through the traditional components of a topicality debate and will be subject to good negative teams closely scrutinizing affirmative counterinterpretations. An important question that not enough negative teams ask is how the aff’s counter-interpretation solves their impact turns. “Aff odds of winning are substantially higher if you persuade me that the negative can debate the aff over the course of a season with a relatively even win-percentage. Advance impact-turns boldly, but do not forget defense” – Rafael Pierry.
B) Impact turning topicality
"This argument is only particularly persuasive if you win an argument aside from competing interpretations for how a debate should be evaluated. Unless your argument is debate bad, I will struggle to find a way to vote for no topic at all against a competent negative team. However, if you do win an argument that reduces the question of my ballot to an individual debate, the impact-turn only approach becomes much more viable. Aff offense here should focus on why the 1NC’s reading of framework is violent."- Arnav Kashyap.
6. Often times when starting out, 2AR's go for too much in the 2AR. If you are impact turning T, go for one DA's and do sufficient impact comparison. Your 2AR should answer the questions of how T is particularly violent or links to your theory of power and most importantly HOW MY BALLOT CAN RESOLVE THOSE THINGS. Your impact only matters as much as its scope of solvency. You must also do risk comparison. Most neg framework teams are better at this. The way the aff loses these debates is when there's a DA with substantive impact turn and there's a negative impact that is explained less but is paired with substantively more internal link work and solvency comparison.
If going for a CI, focus on one impact turn and focus on how the CI solves it and how the DA links to their interp. Think of it like CP, your CI should include some aspects of their interpretation but avoids the risk of your DAs.
K v Policy AFF
Ks do not disprove the desirability of plan action, those are DAs
I am finding this trend of the middle ground framework interpretation increasingly difficult to comprehend. If the aff gets the plan, it is an auto aff win, if the neg wins framework, it’s usually a negative win. Ks that go for links to the plan even with case turns are unstrategic because usually there’s an uncontested affirmative. After reading this if you are like okay, we’ll read impact defense to, then why are you even going for the K at that point, read a DA.
As you can tell, I will start my decision in these rounds on framework.
2ARs that don’t pick between clash and fairness and go for both usually fail.
K v K Debates
1. Technical Debating is often lost in these debates but this necessarily happens due to the nature of K v K debates as theory of power debating is often the most important part. That being said, vague link debating will mitigate you winning your theory of power. 2. You need to pick something and defend it. The neg team will ask about the affirmative in 1AC CX, that explanation should stay consistent throughout the round. Lack of a consistent explanation will lower my threshold for buying a risk of a link and higher the burden for you to win the permutation.
3. Use links to implicate solvency. Often times its hard to make a K aff stick to in round or out of round solvency. Use links in the 2NC and 2NR to mitigate parts of both so even if the 2AR consolidates to one, you still have defensive arguments.
4. "This might sound terrible for the neg, but if the neg does not refute aff shifts with specific link explanation, I’m likely quite a good judge for the aff. Kritikal affirmatives have easy angles to exploit vs substantive negative strategies. Neg teams are often awful at contesting the aff, so applying your theory and solvency explanation to different pages effectively should be an easy route to victory."- Arnav. K affs have built in theory of power and solvency that's inherently offensive. I'll be grumpy if you jettison the aff but will not if you provide extrapolated offensive explanations in the 2AR using your affirmative and pieces of offense that they dropped. 2AR's that do this will be rewarded with higher speaks.
Topicality (Policy v Policy)
1. Fine judge for these debates. T can lower your burden of prepping out some affirmatives that are inherently untopical and it's a good strat to have in your back pocket. However, for this topic the caselists and violations are pretty overlimiting.
2. Caselists are always useful for understanding these arguments.
3. Impact debating doesn't matter much in these debates but internal link debating does. Make sure to indict and compare interps and both sides. Predictability is the IL to all impacts.
4. The best 2AR's in these debates are ones that pick through negative evidence and identify no intent to define, arbitrariness, and combine that with reasonability
Counterplans
1. Probably err negative on theory concerns but if there's a technical crush I will certainly vote affirmative.
2. My predisposition toward counterplans is that they must be both textually and functionally competitive but always up to interpretation by the theory debate in round.
3. The best counterplans are PICs and other counterplans that are cut to beat specific affs.
4. Presumption flips aff when you read a CP.
5. Affirmatives always freak out when they hit a CP they don't have blocks to but your advantages are there for a reason, its not hard to write specific deficits during the 1NC.
Theory
DA
1. Risk matters most when evaluating a DA. The affirmative arguments are made to give me skepticism in the internal links and the negatives job is to mitigate that by link work and turns case debating implicating affirmative solvency.
2. DA is not a full DA until a uniqueness, link, internal link, and impact arguments are presented. If not present in the block, the 1AR will get new answers.
3. When the DA is the best utilized is the 1NR. Very hard for the 1AR when 1NR gets 5 minutes to read a slew of cards answering all 2AC claims.
Case
1. Yes you can win on a straight-up presumption ballot. This type of ballot is not popular anymore but it should be. Too many teams get away with reading an affirmative with no specific evidence or internal links. Teams will highlight evidence terribly and act like the solve it even though it makes no sense, especially against the K. K teams should take advantage of this. Ex. aff that talks about financing technologies- solvency advocates will mention one type of technology but the advantage area will be about a different kind. Neg teams call this out and go for presumption.
2. Affirmative teams must answer all case arguments not merely by extending their impact again but by answering the warrants in the card. Most policy teams just say "doesn't assume our x" without refuting the warrants in the card.
Add me to the email chain sreemi.sanku@gmail.com
For the subject just put the name of the tournament and the round number. If there is anything else you want to add go ahead. I don't care so much as long as you have those 2.
He/him
I'm in my Junior year at Northview High school
Make sure when you come to each have the mindset of just learning something new with each debate and having fun at the end of the day.
Be nice to everyone. We all give up free time on our weekends to come to tournaments and compete/judge. Please don't ruin that experience for yourself or others.
I'm a 2A so I like to see a lot of arguments made from the 2A. There should be plenty of responses made from the 1NC. If you make analytical arguments make sure they fully respond to the neg answers
As neg Im cool with whatever you read with your CP's, Disads, but I do like some K arguments.
I also think Cross-X are really important. You don't need to flow Cross-X, but I think its a time you can use to clarify things up and find the weak links in your opponents arguments. So make sure you use your Cross-X time wisely. Many teams concede many arguments in the Cross- X.
Alpharetta 23'
UGA 27'
email: saurabhpratham@gmail.com
T/L:
I lack knowledge on the topic; adapt arguments accordingly. Open to diverse debate styles, but avoid offensive language.
Tech > truth, but clarity aids understanding. Concessions' impact is subjective.
Tag teaming is chill
Topicality:
PTV. Precision matters with context. Rejecting the team is tough outside conditionality. 2NRs have leeway on brief 2AC theory. Creative counter-interpretations work. Fairness is crucial, predictability matters.
Planless Affs:
I've only judged T-USFG, fairness is an impact. Planless affs often lack predictability. Counter-interpretation + model explanation > impact turning.
Ks:
Extinction outweighs, impact turning links is effective. K tricks are good. Links to plan > links to 1AC. Ontological arguments need a specific link.
CPs:
Uncomfortable with intricate competition debates. Likely not the best judge for detailed CP debates.
Debated 4 years Marquette University HS (2001-2004)
Assistant Coach – Marquette University HS (2005-2010)
Head Coach – Marquette University HS (2011-2012)
Assistant Coach – Johns Creek HS (2012-2014)
Head Coach – Johns Creek HS (2014-Current)
Yes, put me on the chain: bencharlesschultz@gmail.com
No, I don’t want a card doc.
Its been a long time since I updated this – this weekend I was talking to a friend of mine and he mentioned that I have "made it clear I wasn’t interested in voting for the K”. Since I actually love voting for the K, I figured that I had been doing a pretty bad job of getting my truth out there. I’m not sure anyone reads these religiously, or that any paradigm could ever combat word of mouth (good or bad), but when I read through what I had it was clear I needed an update (more so than for the criticism misconception than for the fact that my old paradigm said I thought conditionality was bad – yeesh, not sure what I was thinking when I wrote THAT….)
Four top top shelf things that can effect the entire debate for you, with the most important at the top:
11) Before I’m a debate judge, I’m a teacher and a mandatory reporter. I say this because for years I’ve been more preferred as a critical judge, and I’ve gotten a lot of clash rounds, many of which include personal narratives, some of which contain personal narratives of abuse. If such a narrative is read, I’ll stop the round and bring in the tournament director and they will figure out the way forward.
22) I won’t decide the debate on anything that has happened outside of the round, no matter the quality of evidence entered into the debate space about those events. The round starts when the 1AC begins.
33) If you are going to the bathroom before your speech in the earlier speeches (constructives through 1nr, generally) just make sure the doc is sent before you go. Later speeches where there's no doc if you have prep time I can run that, or I'll take off .4 speaks and allow you to go (probably a weird thing, I know, but I just think its stealing prep even though you don't get to take flows or anything, just that ability to settle yourself and think on the positions is huge)
44) No you definitely cannot use extra cross-ex time as prep, that’s not a thing.
5
55) Finally, some fun. I’m a firm believer in flowing and I don’t see enough people doing it. Since I do think it makes you a better debater, I want to incentivize it. So if you do flow the round, feel free to show me your flows at the end of the debate, and I’ll award up to an extra .3 points for good flows. I reserve the right not to give any points (and if I get shown too many garbage flows maybe I’ll start taking away points for bad ones just so people don’t show me horrible flows, though I’m assuming that won’t happen much), but if you’ve got the round flowed and want to earn extra points, please do! By the way you can’t just show one good flow on, lets say, the argument you were going to take in the 2nc/2nr – I need to see the round mostly taken down to give extra points
Top Shelf:
This is stuff that I think you probably want to know if you’re seeing me in the back
· I am liable probably more than most judges to yell “clear” during speeches – I won’t do it SUPER early in speeches because I think it takes a little while for debaters to settle into their natural speed, and a lot of times I think adrenaline makes people try and go faster and be a little less clear at the start of their speeches than they are later. So I wait a bit, but I will yell it. If it doesn’t get better I’ll yell one more time, then whatever happens is on you in terms of arguments I don’t get and speaker points you don’t get. I’m not going to stop flowing (or at least, I never have before), but I also am not yelling clear frivolously – if I can’t understand you I can’t flow you.
· I don’t flow with the doc open. Generally, I don’t open the doc until later in the round – 2nc prep is pretty generally when I start reading, and I try to only read cards that either are already at the center of the debate, or cards that I can tell based on what happens through the 2ac and the block will become the choke points of the round. The truth of the debate for me is on the flow, and what is said by the debaters, not what is said in their evidence and then not emphasized in the speeches, and I don’t want to let one team reading significantly better evidence than the other on questions that don’t arise in the debate influence the way I see the round in any way, and opening the doc open is more likely than not to predispose me towards one team than another, in addition to, if I’m reading as you go, I’m less likely to dock you points for being comically unclear than if the only way I can get down what I get down is to hear you say it.
Argumentative Stuff
Listen at the end of the day, I will vote for anything. But these are arguments that I have a built in preference against. Please do not change up your entire strategy for me. But if the crux of your strategy is either of these things know that 1 – I probably shouldn’t be at the top of your pref card, and 2 – you can absolutely win, but a tie is more likely to go to the other side. I try and keep an open mind as much as possible (heck I’ve voted for death good multiple times! Though that is an arg that may have more relevance as you approach 15 full years as a public school DoD….) but these args don’t do it for me. I’ll try and give a short explanation of why.
1. I’m not a good judge for theory, most specifically cheap shots, but also stuff seen as more “serious” like conditionality. Its been a long long time since anyone has gone for theory in front of me – the nature of the rounds that I get means there’s not usually a ton of negative positions – which is good because I’m not very sympathetic to it. I generally think that the negative offense, both from the standpoint of fairness and education, is pretty weak in all but the most egregious rounds when it comes to basic stuff like conditionality. Other counterplan theory like no solvency advocate, no international fiat, etc I’m pretty sympathetic to reject the argument not the team. In general, if you’re looking at something like conditionality where the link is linear and each instance increases the possibility of fairness/education impacts, for me you’ve got to be probably very near to, or even within, double digits for me to think the possible harm is insurmountable in round. This has come up before so I want to be really clear here – if its dropped, GO FOR IT, whether alone or (preferably) as an extension in a final rebuttal followed by substance. I for sure will vote for it in a varsity round (in novice rounds, depending on the rest of the round, I may or may not vote on it). Again – this is a bias against an argument that will probably effect the decision in very close rounds.
2. Psychoanalysis based critical literature – I like the criticism, as I mentioned above, just because I think the cards are more fun to read and more likely to make me think about things in a new way than a piece of counterplan solvency or a politics internal link card or whatever. But I have an aversion to psychoanalysis based stuff. The tech vs truth paragraph sums up my feelings on arguments that seem really stupid. Generally when I see critical literature I think there’s at least some truth to it, especially link evidence. But
3. Cheap Shots – same as above – just in general not true, and at variance with what its fun to see in a debate round. There’s nothing better than good smart back and forth with good evidence on both sides. Cheap shots (I’m thinking of truly random stuff like Ontology Spec, Timecube – stuff like that) obviously are none of those things.
4. Finally this one isn’t a hard and fast thing I’m necessarily bad for, but something I’ve noticed over the years that I think teams should know that will effect their argumentative choices in round – I tend to find I’m less good than a lot of judges for fairness as a standalone impact to T-USFG. I feel like even though its never changed that critical teams will contend that they impact turn fairness, or will at least discuss why the specific type of education they provide (or their critique of the type of education debate in the past has provided), it has become more in vogue for judges to kind of set aside that and put sort of a silo around the fairness impact of the topicality debate and look at that in a vacuum. I’ve just never been good at doing that, or understanding why that happens – I’m a pretty good judge still for framework, I think, but youre less likely to win if you go for a fairness impact only on topicality and expect that to carry the day
Specific Round Types:
K Affs vs Framework
Clash rounds are the rounds I’ve gotten by far the most in the last 5-8 years or so, and generally I like them a lot and they consistently keep me interested. For a long time during the first generation of critical affirmatives that critique debate/the resolution I was a pretty reliable vote for the affirmative. Since the negative side of the no plan debate has caught up, I’ve been much more evenly split, and in general I like hearing a good framework press on a critical aff and adjudicating those rounds. I think I like clash rounds because they have what I would consider the perfect balance between amount of evidence (and specificity of evidence) and amount of analysis of said evidence. I think a good clash round is preferable than almost any round because there’s usually good clash on the evidentiary issues and there’s still a decent amount of ev read, but from the block on its usually pure debate with minimal card dumpage. Aside from the preference discussed above for topicality based framework presses to engage the fairness claims of the affirmative more, I do think that I’m more apt than others to vote negative on presumption, or barring that, to conclude that the affirmative just gets no risk of its advantages (shoutout Juliette Salah!). One other warning for affirmatives – one of the advantages that the K affords is that the evidence is usually sufficiently general that cards which are explained one way (or meant to be used one way) earlier in the round can become exactly what the negative doesn’t need/cant have them be in the 2ar. I think in general judges, especially younger judges, are a little biased against holding the line against arguments that are clearly new or cards that are explained in a clearly different way than they were originally explained. Now that I’m old, I have no such hang ups, and so more than a lot of other judges I’ve seen I’m willing to say “this argument that is in the 2ar attached to (X) evidence is not what was in the 1ar, and so it is disallowed”. (As an aside, I think the WORST thing that has happened to, and can happen to, no plan teams is an overreliance on 1ar blocks. I would encourage any teams that have long 1ar blocks to toss them in the trash – if you need to keep some explanations of card warrants close, please do, but ditch the prewritten blocks, commit yourself to the flow, and listen to the flow of the round, and the actual words of the block. The teams that have the most issue with shifting argumentation between the 1ar and the 2ar are the teams that are so obsessed with winning the prep time battle in the final 2 rebuttals that they become over dependent on blocks and aren’t remotely responsive to the nuance of a 13 minute block that is these days more and more frequently 13 minutes of framework in some way shape or form)
K vs K
Seems like its more likely these days to see clash rounds for me, and next up would be policy rounds. I’d actually like to see more K v K rounds (though considering that every K team needs to face framework enough that they know exactly how to debate it, and its probably more likely/easier to win a clash round than a K v K round on the negative, it may be more strategic to just go for framework on the neg if you don’t defend the USFG on the aff), and I’d especially love to see more well-argued race v high theory rounds. Obviously contextualization of very general evidence that likely isn’t going to be totally on point is the name of the game in these rounds, as well as starting storytelling early for both sides – I’d venture to say the team that can start telling the simple, coherent story (using evidence that can generally be a tad prolix so the degree of difficulty for this is high) early will be the team that generally will get the ballot. The same advice about heavy block use, especially being blocked out into the 1ar, given above counts here as well.
Policy v policy Rounds
I love them. A good specific policy round is a thing of beauty. Even a non-specific counterplan/DA round with a good strong block is always great. As the season goes on its comparatively less likely, just based on the rounds I usually get, that I’ll know about specific terminology, especially deeply nuanced counterplan terminology. I honestly believe good debaters, no matter their argumentative preference or what side of the (mostly spurious) right/left divide in debate you’re on, are good CASE debaters. If you are negative and you really want to back up the speaker point Brinks truck, a 5+ minute case press is probably the easiest way to make that happen.
Individual argument preferences
I’ll give two numbers here – THE LEFT ONE about how good I think I am for an argument based on how often I actually have to adjudicate it, and THE RIGHT ONE will be how much I personally enjoy an argument. Again – I’ll vote for anything you say. But more information about a judge is good, and you may as well know exactly what I enjoy hearing before you decide where to rank me. 1 being the highest, 10 being the lowest.
T (classic) --------------------------------------- 5/4
T (USFG/Framework) ------------------------ 1/1
DA ------------------------------------------------ 3/2
CP ------------------------------------------------- 4/2
Criticism ----------------------------------------- 1/2
Policy Aff --------------------------------------- 2/2
K Aff ---------------------------------------------- 1/3
Theory ------------------------------------------- 8/9
Cheap Shots ------------------------------------ 10/10
Post Round:
I feel like I’ve gotten more requests lately to listen to redos people send me. I’m happy to do that and give commentary if folks want – considering I saw the original speech and know the context behind it, it only makes sense that I would know best whether the redo fixes the deficiencies of the original. Shoot me an email and I’m happy to help out!
Any other questions – just ask!
gbn '23
she/her
please include me in the email chain - catherine.debate@gmail.com (bonus speaks if you do so without me asking!)
i don't believe in long paradigms, so here are just a few reminders/suggestions:
- you can call me judge or by my name - i'm fine with both
- tech > truth
- i'm familiar with the more common k's (cap k, set col, security, abolition, etc) but you'll have to over-explain high theory for me
- tag teaming during cx is fine with me as long as you're not talking over each other
- speed is fine as long as you're clear
- i love cp's and da's
- t not so much but i'll vote on it if you explain it well
for novices:
- please don't run k's just because a varsity team member gave you their files
- practice flowing! using paper! please!
- remember: it's not the end of the world if you lose
bottom line: don't be rude and have fun! :)
for online debate:
feel free to keep your cameras on/off!
Put me on the chain- jon.tarquinio22@montgomerybell.edu
I like all sorts of arguments - I go to MBA and am the most well versed in policy, however Ks are pretty cool too- I don't have too much background knowledge on anything other than Cap, Agamben, Set-Col, Anti-blackness etc. I heavily prefer specific links to the aff.
Condo is cool, it's a debate to be had, but i will likely vote on the better extended interp
he/they
debated for glenbrook north for 4 years in high school
2a/1n
put me on the chain: paulicydeb8@gmail.com
please time yourselves and keep track of your own prep! if you don't how much prep time is allowed or what the speech times are, you can always ask me.
I haven't debated since high school, so please do not assume that I know the topic super well
don't be queerphobic, sexist, racist, ableist, etc. - i will dock speaks and vote you down
flow and do line-by-line - skill development is more important than reading perfect arguments from a script
don't call me judge, calling me by my first name is cool
prioritize clarity over speed
tech over truth
tell me the main reason why I should vote aff/neg at the top of 2ar/2nr
tag team cx is cool but only if you're not interrupting your partner
i will not count args made after the timer goes off - but cx is binding
Add me to the Email Chain: Bryan.Zhang22@montgomerybell.edu
Debate @ MBA as a 1A/2n
DAs - have good turns case. I prefer better evidence over a lot of it
CPs - I lean neg on theory, condo is probably good, love a good CP that truly solves an aff
T -need to really focus on impact and what debate looks like under both models
Ks: I like links most if they are specific and tied to the plan. The alternative needs to do something. I'm not very deep in the K literature so you would probably need to explain a bit more.
Contact Info:
jzuckerman@glenbrook225.org
gbsdebatelovesdocs@gmail.com
Questions/comments:
If you contact me for feedback, please CC your coach in the email or I will not respond.
Current School:
Glenbrook South
Prior Schools:
Glenbrook North, 18-23
Blue Valley Southwest, 10-18
Blue Valley North, 04-10
Greenhill Disclaimer:
–I did not work a camp this summer and thus have little familiarity with topic specific terminology, mechanisms, or the basic t arguments. Please take that into account.
-I spent the past 2-3 years working with students in congressional debate and novice policy.
-Don't assume I know as much as you do about how the economy works.
General Disclaimer:
–Slow down, care about clarity, and have speech docs in a usable format that both teams can use. Manage your own prep and start the debate on time.
–I don’t know anything about non-policy arguments. I err neg on the importance of being topical.
–I am not qualified to judge a debate based on things taking place outside of the round.
–On a scale of evidence versus in round performance, I slightly learn towards the performance.