Hey everyone, I'm Ely.

In high school, I primarily competed in traditional LD and championed NCFL. Now I debate parli for Yale.

Please include me on the email chain: elyaltman@gmail.com

I agree with pretty much everything Anthony Berryhill says.

GENERAL:

Run what you want. I'll do my best to evaluate it. Communication comes first though. If I can't understand your arguments and warrants, that's on you, and I have no problem making that my RFD.

I like it when debaters collapse effectively on arguments. Crystallizing the round goes a long way with me. I also like to see debaters cede the true parts of their opponent's case but give nuanced analysis on why they outweigh.

Humor is always appreciated and will boost speaks.

Short Prefs:

traditional debate - 1

Ks and phil - 2 if explained well but 4 if it's incomprehensible. always better to err on the side of explaining.

LARP- 2

T/theory- 3 this is generally boring to me, but I'll certainly vote on well-warranted/egregious violations. Also fair warning: I'm inexperienced with T. Run it if you need to, but make it easy for me to understand/vote for you.

Tricks - 4/strike.

Traditional LD:

Here's how I will vote: I decide debates through layers. Framework, observations, burdens, etc are all crucial to structuring the debate. I look to what operates at the highest ground, decide who won that point, and move to the next layer. Thus, it would benefit you to try to structure the debate in such a way that you have a win condition.

Here are some things that’ll make voting for you easier for me.

1. ENGAGE WITH FRAMEWORK. Weigh frameworks against each other. Even better if y’all haven’t agreed on a FW yet, tell me how you win under both your FW and your opponents (if you do this, I’ll boost your speaks).

2. Weigh. Weigh. Weigh. If you don’t weigh offense, I have to guess at the end of the round whose impacts are more important. You don’t want that because it makes the round very subjective on my end. Instead, go the extra mile, avoid that, and tell me explicitly why your offense is more important than your opponents.

3. Please do extensions correctly. Do not just say "extend my second contention" or "extend Warren 13" and then move on. Extend the ev or arg, rebut any arguments they made, explain the impact of the extension, and THEN move on. If you don't do them correctly, I won't feel comfortable voting on them. The only exception is that because the 1AR is more time-pressured, I'll be a bit more lenient there.

4. I like numbered responses and overviews. They make the debate easier for me to flow/understand.

5. Round narrative is very important. Don’t lose sight of what this debate is really about because you’re too busy focusing on an irrelevant tangent that won’t factor into my decision. Tell me overall why your world is better than your opponents. Tell me who you help, why they need help, why you’re the person that best helps them, and why that matters. That’s how to win in front of me.

6. Voter issues. Do them. It makes evaluating the debate much easier. A bit of advice. Negative, if you correctly predict what the Aff voters will be in NR and tell me why I shouldn’t vote for it, that’s a great strategic move, and I’ll boost speaks. Affirmative, in the 2ar, interact with the Neg voters, and I’ll boost speaks. They literally just handed you on a silver platter the arguments they’re hoping to win. So attack or (better yet) turn their voters! Outweigh their voters with yours!

Progressive LD:

I can evaluate circuit debate but don't enjoy it.

Things I like: warranted out link chains & probability>magnitude weighing. Also, I will always prefer logical analytics over poorly contextualized evidence. Lastly, please weigh.

Things I dislike: when debaters read literature they don't understand and can't make comprehensible in round, shady disclosure, friv theory, etc.

Speed: I probably wouldn't be able to flow finals TOC, but with that said, I can handle decent levels of speed. We should be good if there's a doc.

PF:

Tech > Truth. Speed is fine. Don't drop links. Run whatever you what--if it's done well you'll win. All my thoughts on traditional LD apply to PF.

About me: I'm Mr. Bravim (pronounced brah-veem). 25 yrs. in speech & debate. Competed, judged, and coached all over (e.g. FL, D.C., Korea, China, Uganda).

Email: bravim@cghsfl.org

* Big Questions

No preference between real-world and philosophical evidence, but a combination is powerful! I like framing. I like big picture analysis. I like extended warrants. Pointed questioning and strong topic knowledge impress me a lot and should help you win a ballot in a close round.

Most of my experience judging BQ was in 2020 when Nationals was online. I approach BQ like a less flow-centric traditional LD round and the person who most clearly frames and resolves the "big question" will win the round, regardless of the flow. Each debater should aim to do that. I like this event and love the current topic. I wish BQ Debate were more mainstream outside of NSDA Nationals. FYI: I have above average knowledge on world religion and the history of science, but I will only use what you tell me in round.

* LD Prefs

I'm best at adjudicating traditional LD rounds. However, I will consider any warranted argument presented in round. Please weigh clearly and effectively and lay out the big issues in the round/voters. Tell me the clearest path to the ballot! I do not want to intervene. I find a quality framework debate/clash VERY interesting. If it's getting debate on fw is circular and/or the differentiation is minimal, go for something else.

Slow down on card tags, warrants, weighing, and voters. If the framework clash is a wash, I'll default to evaluating contention-level offense via the weighing analysis given to me at the end of the round. If I don't understand what you're talking about (speed, lack of clarity, lack of explanation, or warrants), there is NO CHANCE I'll vote off it. Thus, explain the argument/warrants not only in case, but throughout the round if you want me to vote off of it.

Spend time contextualizing your card/s if you're relying on it to win the round. Even if it was already done in your constructive, it's a good habit to cover it thoroughly a 2nd time in case I missed something.

Don't drop warrants in your extensions. I may not have gotten it in case and even if I did, I like to be reminded. Will not evaluate any argument in which the warrant is missing or unclear.

--<< Logos / Ethos / Pathos >>-- (please don't forget that all three are part of good debate)

Above all else, I favor clash and the resolution of clash by debaters with good overviews, weighing, and depth of topic knowledge.

In order of preference:

1.) Trad/lay 2.) Plan/CPs 3.) Ks 4.) Theory

I find most theory debates dull, but will listen to them if that's what you want to do. I've voted off theory maybe 4 times and I've judged a lot of LD rounds. I prefer you try to win anywhere else unless there is a flagrant, obvious, and clear violation of the tournament rules or NSDA rules. Above all, the quality of argument matters more to me than the style of debate. I don't mind some speed used strategically, but please don't spread throughout the round. I'd much rather you win one good argument on the flow and weigh than 10 smaller ones that I struggle to follow because of speed/clarity issues.

* PF Prefs

Overview: I remember the reasons PF was introduced as an event in 2002. I believe the spirit of PF necessitates a less technical, but ultimately more persuasive debate activity than policy or circuit LD. The idea that hyper-technical arguments would be advanced knowing the opponents will have problems even understanding what the argument is about is abhorrent to me. This ultimately lacks both in educational value and fairness. That said, I understand any event will evolve over 22 years and there are going to be different ways to gain in round advantage. I think running Ks, theory, and spreading should not be the norm in Public Forum. I think topical arguments with really good warrants and evidence are the best path for PF debaters. I think the round should be educational and accessible for teams, judges, and any observer who wishes to spectate the round. The notion that the only "good" debate is nat circuit-oriented is not only arrogant, but also wrong. I've witnessed 1,000+ debate rounds and seen poor argumentation all over the place.

I favor a lot of clash, well-developed links analysis, and an aggressive style of debate. Indicting evidence with quality arguments on why it matters in the context of the round impresses me. I enjoy pointed crossfire and will flow concessions and hold teams to them. Warrant everything. DO NOT DROP WARRANTS in your extensions. In PF, remind me of the big picture from summary onward.

Keep a consistent link story on your offense. If you have a particular lens (framework, observation, etc.) in which I should view the resolution, make sure it is well-warranted and extend throughout the round. I like clear framing mechanisms. I prefer a smaller # of voters (1 - 3) to many poorly-explained voters in FF. Weigh or risk judge intervention (I don't want to do it). You can't win on the flow if you don't tell me why the arguments matter by the end of the round.

On Speed: Moderate, occasional, and strategic use of speed in PF is OK if the other team + allthe judges can follow you. Never sacrifice clarity for speed. Don't bully your opponent with speed. That is not why PF was created. The vast majority of your speech should be understood by an ordinary person with no background in debate if you're doing it right. I much rather teams win 1 significant argument over a bunch of smaller, less-developed arguments on the flow. I dislike spreading in any debate event, but most especially in PF.

Evidence comparison is critical and a good way to impress. Please make warranted arguments why I should prefer your card over your opponent's card. There are many ways to accomplish this, I'll consider any of them so long as they make sense. FYI: One relevant, high-quality card is often better than 2 - 3 generic cards that are not contextualized. Extend card tags on every speech. Knowing your evidence really well and explaining it really well in round all but guarantees high speaks.

On theory: I've heard my share of theory arguments and find the majority of those rounds dull and the arguments thin. I much rather you win on something else, but will listen if this is your thing. : (

You can go line-by-line or be more analytical. Anything that is unclear will not get extended or weighed on the flow. Never forget that debate is foremost a PERSUASIVE activity. If you cannot persuade the average person with your case, you aren’t debating effectively. Ways to impress me as a judge: 1. Depth of Analysis, 2. Topic Knowledge, 3. Effective Advocacy, and 4. Clear Narrative. I value meaningful cross much more than most judges.

A pet peeve of mine in PF is summary treated as a 2nd rebuttal speech. That is not the point of summary! Show me the most important issues and why they favor your side, we already had 2 rebuttal speeches and summary is more than a shortened rebuttal.

--<< Logos / Ethos / Pathos >>-- (please don't forget that all 3 are part of effective argumentation)

* Congress Prefs

I despise 1-sided debate. If there's no one left on the other side, call the previous question, table the bill, or deliver an impromptu/extemp speech on the other side. If I hear the same exact points made without specific references to the arguments presented by the other side, points will be low.

I love clash in congress. I like pointed, direct questioning. I'm impressed by tactical use of parliamentary procedure. I value the role of the P.O. more than most. Don't be shy about running for P.O. If you're good at it, do it and I'll rank you fairly!

Critical evidence comparison & strong topic knowledge impress me a lot. Creative and/or funny intros make me happy.

PET PEEVES

1. Taking too long to set up for debate. (Be prepared, be punctual, be professional)

2. Taking too long to pull a called card from case (after 1 min. if the card doesn’t exist, drop the arg.)

3. Reading at top speed, close to top speed, or 200+ wpm for most of the round.

4. Boring me. Some have forgotten that there is a performance aspect to ALL debate events and that if you seem apathetic, I will care less about your argument if you don't appear to care about it. If you want me to vote for your argument, make the attempt to seem like you care about whatever you're running. You chose to run that. It's your baby.

Note: I don't disclose speaker points. Don't ask. I will disclose my decision if the tournament is single-flighted. If rounds are double-flighted, I will not disclose for the sake of time, but will publish my ballot.

FOR FUN

I <3 multivolume narrative nonfiction, dystopian & post-apocalyptic fiction, retro video games (mostly fighters), boxing, soccer, and cats. If you're bored at a tournament and have an interest in any of that stuff, come say hi! : )

Academic Interests:

I teach AP World History, AP European History, and AP Microeconomics on the high school level. I teach various business courses at the university level.

Topics in which I have some specialized knowledge include: world religions, modern history, organizational culture, business management, and law.

Good luck to all!

Pronouns: She/her

I have NO TIME FOR HATE. Any comments that are offensive, racist, bigoted, transphobic, misogynistic, etc will result in an automatic drop. This includes: speaking down to opponents, using improper pronouns/misgendering, using offensive terminology, etc. Speech and debate is about respectfully allowing our arguments to shine through, not attacking one another; therefore, I will not tolerate it.

LD:

I am an old-fashioned LD judge. No spreading. If I cannot hear an argument, I do not judge that argument. It is not my job as the judge to figure out your arguments; it is YOUR job as the debater to tell me what they are.

I want to see framework debate. LD is NOT Policy! 99% of the time I'm not interested in solvency. I also usually drop counterplans, because that's subverting the intention of LD.

Also, personal pet-peeve: poorly cut cards. Cards should not be cut stringing disparate words together to change the intention of the writer of the card. If you can't pull a clean quote out of it, choose a new card.

I am a firm believer in the idea that an LD round ought to be understandable by anyone off the street.

Congress:

I reward active speakers who participate and advance debate. Rehashing in a late-cycle or giving speeches just to give a speech and not to advance debate will NOT be rewarded. I do notice who is just giving speeches and who is giving speeches, proposing motions, asking questions, etc.

This has been updated since FFL VARSITY STATE 2024It's been simplified substantially.

• yes add me to the email chain: chmielewskigr@gmail.com

Short intro:

If the given argument is a wash or it requires me to intervene or do deep analysis on my own that's not on the flow I tend to look elsewhere as I think less intervention is better.

(LD)

I will take off a speaker point every time you say "they don't have a card for that" without justifying why that matters. It makes me think you couldn't find a better response on the flow so you took the easy way out.

1- LARP/Phil

LARP- yeah whatever give me your policy case I'll evaluate it.

Phil- please please please tell me how you clash with the opp don't just read me a bunch of Phil and expect me to magically grant you the magic carpet to the ballot.

Before the same person asks me about phil, yes I'll consider and can comprehend Hobbes/Kant/insert your stock phil person here. Yes, I think most of those ivis about those people are extremely lazy debate. This is put here to clarify when I get asked by people what phil I will/won't be persuaded by. If you have further questions yes I can clarify.

1- Theory/Trix

Theory- I'm cool with whatever. If you run friv theory I'm gonna have a low response threshold. If you spend your entire speech with whiny theory it will annoy me but I'll vote for it if I have to.

Trix- Yes I think they're useful, yes I like them. If you run trix like the aff can't have arguments and your tricks are especially egregious it'll have me looking elsewhere on the flow. If you have questions, ASK ME. I overheard somebody I judged at Blue Key whining about how I evaluate trix. If you don't clearly evaluate them, you risk a coin flip. More analysis on one to two trix> more trix extensions

Trix addendum- if you run a bunch of nibs etc and then don't do the work to properly extend them no I'm not voting for them. Just because I pref something a 1 doesn't mean you can do lazy analytical work or bare minimum extensions and expect me to buy them. No, a 10 second extension doesn't cut it. Don't read this at your own risk.

Trix addendum 1.2-If you read me an indexical, please explain it to me as I'm not overly familiar with them but can vote on it if explained super well

1.5- On T violations- if you give me a TVA and your opp drops it and you collapse on the T shell I'll vote on it in half a second (Update from Glenbrooks experience with a super super well done TVA)

2- K

- Please give me a functional alt. No, reject the [insert side] is NOT an alt. I'll consider just about any K but pleeeease explain the link clearly.

3- Identity stuff- I don't know the lit but will vote on it if explained well enough

4- High theory

Strike- non topical affs

• The resolution exists for a reason.

Strike- performance cases

- nope, find somebody else. I don't know how to evaluate it and you'll probably lose. Sorry.

Presumption-neg

Permissibility- aff

I heavily value contextualized extensions. I've seen far too many people punt a winnable round on crappy extensions.

- Tech> Truth

- If you're in my district and I'm judging you and we keep this virtual debate thing going and you want more clarity on a round and want coach to reach out to me via email or at a CFL/FCDI, they can either email me or find me at a tournament and I'm more than happy to go over the round. Additionally, if you're in need/want resources on specific things that you want to work on I'll see what I have in my backfiles. More education for ALL is a good thing. Debate is about learning.

[Insert default don't be transphobic/etc here]. Just don't. This is an inclusive activity, don't make this a non-inclusive space for people.

PF Prefs:

A) I refuse to vote for paraphrased evidence. Ever. Yes, really. I'll default to paraphrase theory if it's read and extended because I think paraphrasing has zero place in the activity. Your ability to misinterpret authors does not amuse me or give you access to my ballot.

B) Please signpost. If I have to guess where it is on the flow I'm not flowing and that only hurts you

C) If you don't weigh I'm gonna go for the bigger number absent a separate compelling reason to interpret the evidence a different way.

D) If you can't produce the evidence your opponent asks for within about 45 seconds I'm treating it as an analytic, not evidence. Be organized and prepared for debate.

E) Do NOT be that person that asks me to pre-flow before the round. If you ask me, I'm starting your prep time should you chose to ignore me and pre-flow anyways or letting your opponent speak if they're first speaker. It will also hurt your speaks. Be prepared.. you had plenty of time to do this either before round or before the tournament.

F) If you don't mention it in the summary don't mention it in the final focus because I won't evaluate it.

H) Defense sticks once applied unless rebutted BUT I think it's helpful to reinforce in summ/ff where the opp fails to garner offense if you think it's a round decider. If I think it's too messy, I'm ultimately going to punt on it as I don't want to potentially intervene.

I agree with fast pf and theory thoughts in PF of Charles Karcher. No, I don't think paraphrasing and/or spreading a bajillion cards or reading some irrelevant abuse story makes it more likely to get my ballot.

• Congress

• I largely agree with Quentin Scruggs/Grace Wigginton on Congress. If you want to know what that means, use the paradigm button :)
• • Stray bullet

Although I am a former Lincoln Douglas debater, I am not a fan of Kritiks or ROBs. So in that respect I consider myself more of a traditional LD judge than a progressive one. However, I will evaluate plans and counterplans. Please remember to be thorough with impact calc as well. Debaters who can present a strong case with great cards, effective refutation of their opponent's case, and ultimately prove their Value/Value Criterion will win. If both debaters are equal on contentions and rebuttals, I will decide the round on which value holds up.

Email chain: emily.l.cleveland@gmail.com

My email is chasiaj@gmail.com Please include me in any email chains

If your go-to strategy before even seeing who you're paired against is T/Theory please don't pref me. I do understand theory args, but look first to reasonability. If I feel no in round abuse occurred, I will most probably ignore the shell. If abuse did occur, I will consider competing interps if args are made for them. You won't like me as a theory-heavy judge, and I won't enjoy judging your theory-heavy round.

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Hi y’all! My name is Chasia (she/they) and I’m currently a PhD student in Culture and Theory at UC Irvine. I received my BA in Law, History & Culture with a minor in Gender & Social Justice from the University of Southern California in May 2021 and attended Harvard Westlake for High School where I competed in Lincoln Douglas Debate for four years. I also competed in Parli debate in middle school and coached and judged middle school parli during my high school career. My graduate research utilizes Black feminist theory, critical race theory, affect theory, poetic theory, legal theory, disability theory to study the narratives and experiences of Black women, resistance, community, and ideas of irrationality.

It would be a lie to say my life experiences as a low-income, chronically, and mentally ill, Black woman don’t affect my judging. However, I will do my best to evaluate the debate round based solely on the arguments made in the room. That being said, tell me how you want me to evaluate your arguments and why. I generally look to a comparative worlds standard and don't vote on presumption.

Before I get into specifics of arguments, please don’t be a jerk. I don’t care how many bids you have, you can and should still be a kind person. While I won’t necessarily vote against you for being a jerk, I will dock speaker points and won’t feel bad about it. If you are obviously more advanced than your opponent, please don’t make my round the place where you crush someone’s debate dreams. Be kind and hopefully it can be a positive (maybe even fun!) learning experience for everyone. Please respect one another.

That being said after the round if you have questions about your arguments or performance, I would be happy to discuss (given tournament rules allow). However, this kindness rule extends to me. I’m a sensitive human. As soon as I feel disrespected, I will not engage with you anymore. There are respectful and kind ways to disagree.

While I do understand “spreading” and did spread when competing. I am hard of hearing so please, speak up. I will say clear, slow, or louder, but if I miss something, and it isn’t on my flow, I won’t consider it when evaluating the debate. The issue is usually the volume rather than the speed as many debaters mumble or whisper when spreading.

I'm fine with flex prep. I don't care if you sit or stand. I don't care where you sit. You can time on your phone. You can read a poem as your case, etc.. Just debate how you are comfortable debating. Do what you think you can do best.

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I will evaluate nearly any argument granted that it is not completely illogical and doesn’t dehumanize anyone inside or outside of the debate space. Don't be sexist, ableist, racist, transphobic, homophobic, etc. Otherwise, If it makes sense in the round, and you tell me how I should evaluate the argument, I will most probably evaluate and accept the argument. It’s your opponent’s job to convince me not to accept the argument. I will do my best not to intervene/use my own outside knowledge to evaluate the round. The sky is green until your opponent tells me it’s not. Your opponent dropping an argument is not sufficient for you to win the debate. Tell me why that dropped argument is so important that you have won.

Run whatever you want as long as you defend it well under whatever framework/ROB is determined in the round, unless it is morally repulsive (racist, sexist, homophobic, etc.) or you're a jerk in round. However, if your arguments are dehumanizing and offensive to marginalized folks I will not accept them. Don’t waste your time making them. In this case, I will vote for the other debater, make up an "educational" RFD for why you lost, and not think anything of it. You can be passionate and aggressive without being mean. Otherwise, as long as you’re being a decent human being, read whatever you want. Read what you can argue best, not what I like best.

I will vote off of what you tell me to, even if I know something is factually wrong, etc. If both debaters agree to a FW/ROB I will evaluate the round off of that, not who has more turns or more unanswered arguments. If no one agrees on a FW/ROB, I'll just pick one that holistically encompasses the round. I actually do care about what you are saying and will flow, but I'm ill and usually hungry and sleepy, and hate hurting people's feelings unless I already have a vendetta against you (in which case I would just conflict you), so please tell me exactly how to vote. Write my RFD for me, paint a picture in the 2AR/NR, wrap the debate like a pretty present, whatever metaphor floats your boat. Please tell me where to vote and what to look to.

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Traditional Arguments: Sure.

Plans/CP/DAs: Go for it.

Ks & K Affs: I LOVE THESE! I ran these all the time! Please make me an anti-ethical decision maker if you want, I'm pretty good at it. I understand a lot of critical literature/positions fairly well. Don't run a K unless the other case actually links and unless you know what you are doing. Don't run it just because I'm your judge. Please don't just add a police brutality tag to your case because I'm your judge. If you are going to run these types of arguments, you should have been running them anyways and know what you're talking about. They should be important to you. You should be passionate about it. The only thing worse than a bad K is theory. However, if you don’t understand/like K debate, please don’t run a K just because I’m judging you. I understand other arguments well. Also, you can definitely win on other layers of the debate even if a K is run.

T/Theory: I understand these arguments but I really don’t like them. Usually, they are jerk moves to not engage in the issue of the topic/debate at hand. If the argument applies, run it. If it’s frivolous, I would prefer you didn’t but go ahead and run it. That being said your speaker points might suffer. I will vote off of reasonability and then competing interps. So, basically, if I deem that there is actual in round abuse, then I will look to competing interps, but most theory nowadays is frivolous and annoying. That is how I am going to evaluate the theory debate should I have to. If they are actually being a buttface, then go for it, I will probably think they are a buttface too and vote off of it. Also, please don't make the entire round theory. If you run theory please tell me how it relates to the arguments being made and how I should evaluate it in the debate. Please don’t leave me alone with a T/Theory case. Spikes in the underview about how you want the round to function are fine.

Dense Philosophy: While I understand most philosophical positions, please take the time to explain these positions well. Tell me how your FW affects how I can evaluate the round.

Skepticism/Tricks: No.

I am new debate judge. Please don't spread, don't read fast, and explain your argument clearly in each speech. I like strong weighing and voters at the end of the round. Tell me clearly why you won the round. Avoid use of debate jargon.

Judging Prefrences: LD

Debate Prefrences: Lay Judge. No spreading, please speak at a reasonable pace, if speaking gets too fast and the speaker slurs their words together I cannot hear the speaker. Please stick to the topic. I take notes on the framework and the contention and what is being stated by the debaters. I will evaluate activity in cross. Make sure that you know your case well. When explaining framework, make sure that it is clearly explained as to what it is and why it matters. No debate jargon.

Judging Prefrences: PF

Debate Prefrences: Lay Judge. Please try and not to speak too fast, and be clear with all words. Make sure that everyone in the debate can hear what you are saying. I do take notes on what is happening in round but don’t rely on me knowing the names of your authors or whatever tagline you choose when naming your evidence. Please make sure to explain what each piece of evidence is saying when bringing it up again in later speeches. No debate jargon.

I did debate all 4 years of high school, so I should be able to keep up with most of the arguments that are made, but I prefer ground realistic arguments over abstract impacts that have a small chance of happening. I did mainly public forum in high school and know this format best, but I am familiar with most other formats as well. Although I can understand faster talking, this does not mean I will understand the argument as a whole when a competitor talks very fast, so it is to the competitors' benefit to pace themselves throughout their speeches. Cards are necessary in round to prove the argument that is being presented, but this does not mean that cards trump logic in all cases. If someone explains why a card does not apply with logic that I understand and stands in the round, I will take this evidence. Although the goal of a debate is to try and win, you must be civil in round to other competitors. When it comes to this though, I will be able to recognize the difference between being aggressive and attacking your opponent in round compared to being assertive when your opponent is being aggressive towards you, so feel free to stand up for yourself if you opponent is being overly aggressive in round.

Debate: I put more stock in the rebuttal section than the information sections because anyone can read something that they have prepared in advance. A true debater can win with on-the-fly questions and prepared responses to their opponents.

Speech: Have a clear speech with little pauses and breaks. One of the biggest things competitors tend to misunderstand is the timing of pauses and actions in their pieces. If performed well, these can elevate your performance to the max and secure first place

I have been judging for around 3 years on the LD local and national circuit.

I value traditional debates where both debaters emphasize clash of nuanced philosophical and empirical evidence. I believe that debate is meant to express ideas of the resolution and is meant to show the passion of the debater. Make sure to provide defensible claims and be sure and clear about the points you want to make. Remember to always treat your opponent with respect and be open to different types of arguments. I love hearing well developed values and contentions that really show the better side of the resolution at hand.

Things that you should do:

- good and easy to understand framework
- excellent contention choice
- amazing weighing of arguments and clear ballot story
- respecting your opponent

Things you should not do:

- disrespect your opponent
- having poor strategy in round
- speaking extremely fast
- not having a clear story for the me to vote for

Last note is that debate is a place where you should have fun!

Debate the resolution, not something you bought from a college student or topic you find enlightening-the resolutions are chose, voted on, for a reason.

So with that in mind, life is simple, right? Your value should simply win out and your VC better convince me that all those contentions and sub-points make sense, especially since you slowed doen so I can actually hear them. Yes, I like smiley faces, life is fun, take a step back and enjoy it!

Joe Rankin

Bettendorf High School

jrankin@bettendorf.k12.ia.us

UPDATED: October 4th, 2022

I'm not sure what happened to my previous Paradigm that was posted, but it appears to have been erased/lost. My apologies as I just learned of this at the Simpson Storm tournament (Sat, Oct 1, 2022) this past weekend.

My name is Joe Rankin and I am the head coach at Bettendorf High School in Bettendorf, IA. I have been the head coach at Bettendorf since the 2005-2006 school year. I primarily coach Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Public Forum Debate, Congressional Debate, and Extemporaneous Speaking...however, I am familiar and have coached all NSDA sanctioned speech/debate events over my time at Bettendorf.

In terms of my coaching paradigm, I'd generally consider these the 'highlights:'

1. I prefer topical debate. The resolution was voted on by coaches and students through the NSDA voting process. That's what I want to hear about.
2. I can generally handle 'speed,' but that doesn't mean I enjoy it. I'd rather help you develop skills that you will actually utilize interacting with other human beings outside of this one particular subset of existence - so I'd much prefer a rate that is more akin to real-world applications.
3. You can make whatever arguments you want to make...but I generally haven't voted on many things associating with theory, kritiks (or however you want to misspell the word critique), or other generally non-topical arguments you make in the round. It takes more work for me to believe those types of arguments are true and not a whole lot of work to make me believe those types of arguments are generally false. So, I wouldn't encourage this type of argumentation in front of me.

I figure that is sufficient for now. If you have any questions, I tend to give you that window before the round begins while setting up to judge. If not, please feel free to ask before the round. The end goal of the round for me is a competitive academic environment that is focused on education. I don't mind answering questions that will help all of us improve moving forward.

I am a parent judge, and lack a little bit of the technical lingo that goes along with the event. I do have a good record at being a fair open-minded judge who is able to discern a good argument. I do understand that limited spreading needs to happen in LD but I do not like excessive spreading. I will give you a verbal warning if you start to spread but if it continues and if I cannot understand you I cannot effectively judge your argument against your opponent.

I believe that an argument should be well thought out, well structured, and cogent. I like to see debaters who challenge their opponents on their points with crafty and well-timed rebuttals.

I'm a judge who likes to go with the flow. I take copious notes when needed, and when I give my decision, I explain in detail why I picked the winner. I expect debaters to have original arguments and a solid framework. I do not like debaters repeating the same argument multiple times to just finish up their time slot.