Jordan Berry - Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School

Hello!

I have been a coach and judge since 2015. Most debaters over the years categorize me as a traditional L/D judge. My chief weighing mechanism is usually framework (my undergraduate degree is in philosophy), but I can be persuaded to the contrary. I have no value hierarchy. I strive to keep personal views and ballot intervention away from my RFD. I will evaluate only those arguments brought up by the debaters.

Speed is an issue for me. This is primarily an education and communication activity. I highly doubt either Lincoln or Douglas themselves were spreading, and I've never seen spreading in any real-life situation aside from episodes of "Storage Wars." I do flow the round (though not cross), but "winning the flow" isn't the same as winning the round in some cases; this event is supposed to be persuasive and accessible, not a checklist of responses and replies. Thus, I always roll my eyes when one of my debaters complains about "lay" judges: in crafting a case/round, they should receive as much consideration as that ex-policy debater.

Other issues for me: do be respectful. Do engage meaningfully with the resolution. Do be honest. Do have fun.

Break a leg!

jordan.berry@mps.k12.al.us

P.S. All this extinction stuff is just debaters trolling, right?

Kiarra (Key-Era) Pronouns They/Them.

You can add me to the email chain {Kdbroadnax@gmail.com} To help me keep track of email chains. Put your team code and Round number in the subject section please and thank you.

Debated at Samford University (Policy) Currently a Coach with SpeakFirst (PF and LD)

Things to do. (Policy)

1. Signpost, do line-by-line, and use analytics.

2. Speed. Go as fast as you want. If you're unclear, I will look at you very confused because I will not know what to flow.

3. Kicking {Arguments, not other debaters} You should be kicking out of things. I will give .3 on speaks if it's creative. I LOVE a good mic drop moment.

Things to do. (PF)

1. Use analytics. they are super useful and make the debate more interesting

2. Speed. Go as fast as you want. I did do policy but If you're unclear, it will reflect in your speaker points.

3. Collapse down. You are not winning everything and we both know that.

Things to do. (LD)

1. Signpost, do line-by-line, and use analytics.

2. Speed is fine. Just be clear.

3. Put me on the email chain if you make one. If I call for cards at the end of the round and then have to wait for you to set up a chain I will doc speaker points. Please just set it up before the round starts.

4. The affirmative should defend the resolution. Yes, every time.

5. Make me think. Challenge the status quo. Run wacky K's. I won't always vote on it but I will enjoy it.

6. About number 5. If you are going to run a K or something similar. Please put a trigger warning if there is mention of sensitive topics and mention them before the round starts. It's uncommon in this climate but it would greatly be appreciated.

Please, do not do these (Policy):

1. Yelling, Being passionate about your case is super cool, but yelling at me will make me not want to vote for you.

2. Introducing Harmful Partnerships into the Debate space. I get that debate is a stress-inducing activity but your partner is there with you for a reason. You should use them. I am fine with partners interacting during a speech. Ex: Your partner handing you a card or their technology to use to read a card off of, or handing you their flow. But if your partner is spoon-feeding you, your speech.

3. Demanding a Judge Kick. Nope. No. No, thank you. if you want to kick out of something then do so.

Please, do not do these (PF):

1. Excessively call for cards. I get it. Sometimes you need to see cards but calling for 5 cards per speech is a bit much.

2. Being rude during CX. I get sassy sometimes but screaming, not letting debaters answer or name-calling is unnecessary.

3. If you send a link (only a link) when an opponent calls for evidence. I'll doc speaks. If you send ME a link. ill vote you down. There are rules to this activity. You need to have CUT cards.

Please, do not do this ( LD):

1. Don't be a jerk. Not every debater is going to get your K. Chill.

DO NOT at any point compare ANYTHING to slavery, the holocaust, genocide, rape, etc.

I will vote you down.

Yay debate!

PF:

-Do not spread. On a scale of 1-10 for speed I prefer somewhere around 6-7. I would prefer you to slow down or pause a tad for taglines for my flow. Also if you list 4-5 short points or stats in quick succession, I probably will miss one or two in the middle if you dont slow down.

-Arguments you go for should appear in all speeches. If your offense was not brought up in summary, I will ignore it in FF.

-I do not think cross is binding. It needs to come up in the speech. I do not flow cross, and as a flow judge that makes decisions based on my flow, it won't have much bearing on the round.

-At the least I think 2nd rebuttal needs to address all offense in round. Bonus points for collapsing case and completely frontlining the argument you do go for.

-Please time yourselves. My phone is constantly on low battery, so I'd rather not use it. If you want to keep up with your opponents' prep too to keep them honest then go ahead.

-In terms of some of the more progressive things- I haven't actually heard theory in a PF round but I hear it's a thing now. If your opponent is being abusive about something then sure, let me know, either in a formal shell or informal. Don't run theory just to run it though. Obviously, counterplans and plans are not allowed in PF so just don't.

-pet peeves:

1) Bad or misleading evidence. Unfortunately this is what I am seeing PF become. Paraphrasing has gotten out of control. Your "paraphrased" card better be accurate. If one piece of evidence gets called out for being miscut or misleading, then it will make me call in to question all of your evidence. If you are a debater that runs sketchy and loose evidence, I would pref me very high or strike me.

2) Evidence clash that goes nowhere. If pro has a card that says turtles can breathe through their butt and con has a card saying they cannot and that's all that happens, then I don't know who is right. In the instance of direct evidence clash (or even analytical argumentation clash) tell me why to prioritize your evidence over theirs or your line of thinking over theirs. Otherwise, I will consider the whole thing a wash and find something else to vote on.

3) Not condensing the round when it should be condensed. Most of the time it is not wise to go for every single argument on the flow. Sometimes you need to pick your battles and kick out of others, or risk undercovering everything.

LD:
So first, I primarily judge PF. This means my exposure to certain argument types is limited. I LOVE actually debating the resolution. Huge fan. I'm cool with DAs and CPs. Theory only if your opponent is being overly abusive (so no friv). If you are a K or tricks debater good luck. I know about the progressive things but since I primarily judge PF, my ability to evaluate it is very limited from experience. If you want to go for a K or something, I won't instantly drop you and I will try my best to flow and evaluate it in the round. But you will probably need to tweak it a little, slow down, and explain more how it is winning and why I should vote for it. I come from a traditional circuit, so the more progressive the round gets, the less capable I am of making a qualified decision.

I do not want you to flash your case to me. I want to flow it. If you read to point that it is unflowable then it is your loss. If I don't flow it, I cannot evaluate it and thus, cannot vote on it. Spreading in my opinion is noneducational and antithetical to skills you should be learning from this activity. Sorry, in the real world and your future career, spreading is not an acceptable practice to convince someone and get your point across.

Both:
Please signpost/roadmap- I hate when it is unclear where you are and I get bounced around the flow. Have fun and don't be overly aggressive.

email: faindebate@gmail.com

‘24 State Update:

Speed < Clarity - I’ve lost hearing in my left ear so make my life easier by sending clear speech docs for every speech (don’t just arbitrarily decide to not send A2 docs you’ve compiled mid round).

Read whatever you want. I prefer theory over most args. I am not as involved with debate as I used to be so changes in meta or wording are going to go over my head.

I prefer theory to most args andgood clash makes my life easier. I am a firm believer that it is the debater’s responsibility to be both clear from a speaking perspective but also clear in what their arguments mean. Done are the days where I do the work for you and sweat over if my scim reading important philosophical texts is enough to understand complex concepts. Any phil based argument should be explained so that someone new to debate understands what it means.

Specific questions about how I judge should be asked before the round.

My threshold for voting on hidden tricks is really high now. Almost to the point where you’d have to spend 50% > in a speech collapsing to it.

I don’t disclose. I’ll write individual feedback and my email is posted if you have questions.

Tabula Rasa

Please add me to the email chain: gutierrv@southwestern.edu. I'd prefer an email chain over speech drop.

UDNC elims: I am most comfortable judging beginner to intermediate policy rounds. Please slow down, and explain more than you would normally for my ballot.

TLDR: Argue for what you’re most comfortable with (if you’re a theory/T debater see below), I’m good with speed, slow down on advocacy texts, implicate a framework. Compare frameworks. Do weighing. Implicate the link chain to solvency/ impacts. I time. Please don’t prep while the docs are being sent or before the time has started. Be kind and have fun.

I will evaluate any argument in the round- take the notes below as standards that I tend to learn towards in debate, and possible ways to heighten a strat, rather than this limiting what type of arguments you go for in a round. If you go for 14 off is good and win that debate, even if I don't think that's a good model of debate, I will still vote for that regardless of my personal beliefs.

About me:

Hey I’m Val (she/her). I’m in my last year at southwestern studying political science, latin american and border studies and spanish. Meaning, I love policy and philosophy.

As a debater, I went to a small school in Dallas and made it to outrounds at a couple TFA/NSDA tournaments. I initially started as a UDL policy debater and later as an LDer and was taught most of what I know by Kris Wright. While I acknowledge that debate is sometimes cutthroat, I know that it is one of the kindest communities out there, and I ask that you are kind and respectful.

General notes:

• Please don’t abbreviate topic-specific terms, I don't judge every topic and I probs won't know what you mean.

• I’m very persuaded by a quick overview or a story of the link chain, especially as someone who judges intermittently.

• Simply saying they dropped something without implicating the impact of the dropped arg won't get you far. Same as "extend __ arg." I grant you some leeway with the extensions but you still have to implicate the effects it has on the round and/or under a fw. Explain your warrants rather than simply extending tags and referencing authors.

• Congress- Recently judged congress for the first time - It'd be helpful if you add your initials to zoom or say name before each speech.

• World schools- I'm not as familiar with judging world schools, but I can definitely flow and understand framework, contentions and weighing. Before starting a speech, please state your name so it's easier for me to score.

• Big Questions Debate- I find that it is similar to LD but with different speech times. I'm new to the format but comfortable appropriately judging.

Not so short version

Framework - I have no predisposition about what the framework of a debate should be, however, aside from t/theory, or nontraditional K/performance debates, I weigh framework as the highest layer in a debate. I think that some variation of a complete fw debate articulates what the fw means, how the impacts in the round are weighed under the fw and why your fw comes first. If I'm unsure how to weigh these, I'll try to minimize intervention as much as possible. Winning the framework/role of the ballot is not a reason alone to win a round, it's a NIB- you should explain how your form of debate and/or impact scenario comes first in accordance with the winning framework.

LARP- f you’re doing traditional policy debate, I believe the aff has to defend the resolution/prove its desirability. As a neg I believe that you get to test the competitiveness of the aff and/or negate the resolution. Just be reasonable here. This allows you to run disasds and cps/pics, but please make it clear what the competition is and how it functions, whether that be the DA or independent offensive arguments.

Even if an impact outweighs there still has to be a clear link story as to how an advocacy causes/solves that impact. Don’t let that link story get lost, it can ultimately cost a round.

Please slow down on advocacy texts.

Criticisms - K debates are fun when articulated correctly. Like everything you run in debate, but especially important for Ks, know what the alt and story of the K is. Re-reading tags and simply extending cards will not work for me (If you run a k, know your authors.) Tell me what the alt means and how the criticism links. Most importantly, tell me how the alt solves your criticism.

Performance - I love when debaters do what they most enjoy, so a good performance can get you far. The performance needs to function as offense in the debate, so please explain how that functions under a rob/fw. Side note: if you perform in the 1AC or 1NC, and don't do it in the following speeches, I will likely not be as persuaded by any real offense coming from the performance of your speech.

Theory - ngl, if you read 20 disads to a counterinterp in 30 seconds, I'll probably suck at flowing it, because I find that it is usually really unclear. I'd prefer quality here, so if you tend to dump in theory debates, know it won't get you far. Bottom line, slow down a little here.

Topicality - I’m more comfortable with T than theory, but also slow down. If T is messy, I'll default to reasonability.

Spikes - Same feeling as theory debates apply here. Debates with spikes often get messy, and are slightly beyond what I'm comfortable judging.

*Disclaimer:* If you're religiously into theory/t/trix/spikes, strike me if you're able to. If you’re not, slow down and choose quality over quantity*

Logistics:

Speed - I don't have an issue with spreading, but be clear. (Read the T/Theory above for specifics here). I'll say clear once to let you know I can’t understand. Ultimately, not being clear results in me having to stop flowing because I can't understand.

Timing

• Speech time - I'll time, please stop as soon as the timer goes off. To preserve fairness, please do not finish your sentence or continue after your given time.

• Flex prep - It's okay with me if your opponent wants to answer your questions. They don't have to, and I won't make them.

• Prep time/marked cards - I'll time prep. Also, the most it should take to hit send on the email chain is 10 seconds. If there's a problem with you sending the doc, I'll start your prep.

If you prep while they're sending docs (during non-prep time), I will ask you to stop. If I have to repeat, I'll dock speaks for the sake of fairness.

I am blank slate, tabula rasa. What I hear is how I judge.

I want to understand you while speaking (I’m in sales) and I want you to debate each other for the topics presented in the round. I will not read any files unless there is a clear distinction of misunderstanding.

Email: caitlynajones1@gmail.com

Pronouns: (she/her)

Berkeley:

I have done no topic research. Assume I know nothing

I debated PF for 4 years

• If you want me to vote on it, it needs to be in the summary and the final focus

• Please don’t just yell cards at me. Some analysis please

• If there’s an evidence misconduct problem, I’d rather you point out the issues with your opponent’s interpretation of evidence during your speeches, but I’ll call for a card if you tell me to.

• Any concessions in cross need to be in a speech for me to flow it

• Don't Spread at me. If I need a case doc to follow you, it's too fast.

• I'm not flowing anything after the 10-second grace period

I debated for three years with Auburn High School. I have debated PF, LD, and Congress. My specialty is in LD and I have been to both local and national circuit tournaments, so I am accustomed to all types of arguments, and/or speed no matter how traditional or progressive as long as you are clear about your arguments. The points below apply to all forms of debate. If you have any questions about my paradigm or have a question about something I do not cover below, feel free to ask before the round.

--DO NOT bring up new arguments in your last speech. They will not be weighted. Go for a few strong arguments that you have made throughout the round rather than running out of, and wasting time trying to go for every argument on the flow. If you think your opponent has made a new argument, tell me if it happens to be on my flow nothing will be counted against you.

--In the round, I typically vote off of FW, impacts and dropped arguments (in that order unless it's PF and then impacts weigh highest) unless there is a reason either on my flow, or weighed by the debaters in the round, as to why something else ought to be voted on.

**Disclaimer for weighing: I will not do your impact cal for you. Spell it out for me. If you think something is important and you don't tell me I won't guess. Also if you think something is important, bring it through to the end of the round in ALL of your speeches.

--On a scale of 1-10 for speed, I can handle somewhere around 8 but would prefer around 6-7. However, I will not downvote you, or drop your speaks if you spread at an 8 unless I cannot understand you. If you speak quickly, but unclearly it is very frustrating for me trying to flow, and in some cases, I would say it can border on the violation of education of the round. I would prefer you to slow down or pause for taglines.

**Disclaimer for speed: If I am unable to understand you, or need you to slow down I will say clear. I will say clear two to three times before I stop trying to flow.

--I do not flow cross so unless you bring it up in your next speech it will not hold weight in the round.

--I am fine if you time yourselves

--In the instance of direct evidence clash tell me why to prioritize your evidence over theirs or your line of thinking over theirs. Otherwise, I will consider the whole thing a wash and will find something else to vote on.

-- If your opponent calls into question your evidence and you cannot provide what is being asked of you within one minute I will assume that either you do not have the evidence or the card is not as valid as I was led to believe, and may lead me to question the validity of the rest of your evidence.

--Please signpost/roadmap (tell me where you are on the flow/the chain of your arguments)- I hate when it is unclear where you are and I get bounced around the flow.

--Please do not be rude to your opponent during CX (especially during grand in pf.) There is a difference between being aggressive/assertive, and rude. If you are rude I will drop your speaks.

--Humor is a great way to boost speaks :)

I’m a former HS LD debater, current Junior in College. Preface: There's too much stuff to go over in text and I don't presume to have considered nearly enough scenarios, so you can ask as many questions as you want before round, I don't mind at all.

Prog Stuff:'

If either debater just straight up isn't comfortable with any progressive stuff then I would prefer it if we stayed away from it. If you still have to, then go ahead but I have to think your explanation is clear enough that the other debater could reasonably figure out a way to respond. Otherwise, I think it's abusive.

I'll pretty much evaluate any arg you want to bring to the table. But one thing to keep in mind when doing so is I haven't actively debated in 3 years so my ability to properly follow any new or niche args you bring is mostly dependent on whether or not I can understand your perspective. So basically don't throw a bunch of tech jargon that I haven't actively used in 3 years and expect it to stick.

I'm fine with K's, T-shells, CP's, basically anything but performance. Performance cause I don't think I can fairly evaluate it.

K's - the link has to be super clear and can't be tangential. I kind of subscribe to the idea that unless an analogy/link is close to a direct 1 for 1 then it's not tenable. Kind of like how technically almost anything can be an analogy to Christ or Hitler. If I think your K is abusive along those lines of too much extrapolation and your opponent calls you out for it, I'll probably weigh that heavily. So just gut check whether or not you think your K is actively relevant.

Tricks - Go for it, if the opponent is able to somewhat prove that it's abusive and you just respond with "nuh-uh people run it all the time" then I'm gonna dock you for it.

Speaking

If you spread without clearly enunciating, I will ask you to speak more clearly, slow down, and restart your speech. I'd prefer if it didn't get to that point, but if nothing changes - I'll just do my best and I'll evaluate what I can understand.

General stuff

60% Tech, 40% Truth - I vote Tech but I think truth is a valid argument and gut reasonability checks are fair if they are justified. I don't like the tech vs truth evidence credibility rabbit hole unless that becomes the entire debate. Most of the time I'll wash that and try to vote off other args.

I don't read philosophy anymore and I don't follow much of current debate standards, but I have a pretty heavy background.

I don't like hyper specific jargon in general because I think it just makes debate more inaccessible and doesn't translate into any useful skill. This doesn't mean don't use debate terms but if you bring up a philosophy term specific to your case then you better explain it - presume I've never heard of it because that's how I'll evaluate it.

You can postround me, but I'll dock your speaks if it fails. And by postrounding I mean if I completely missed an argument - not arguing against me. Keep in mind everyone thinks differently and has a totally different internal scale on every single decision. There is no universal correct ruling and every decision I make is ultimately based on my own internal scale. And you're probably not gonna change that. So postrounding is only reserved for if I just forgot about something.

Also if you just seem too rude or aggressive in round I'll dock your speaks. Debate should never feel intimidating or like bullying.

Good luck and have fun!

Consider me a new lay judge. I participated in high school debate 30+ years ago (primarily Student Congress with a bit of Policy). While I have considerable academic and professional experience in the real world of persuasion that awaits you outside the high school debate room, please assume that I know little to nothing about your topics, jargon, arguments, rebuttals, evidence, rules, procedures, etc. If it's important or at issue in the debate, you need to clearly convey that… perhaps more than once. In other words, please treat me as a general audience member. I see it as your job to guide and persuade me that you and your position deserve my vote.

I believe connecting with and adapting to your audience are critical components of formal and informal discourse and persuasion, regardless of the setting (e.g., courtroom, legislative, political, board room, holiday dinner table, etc.). Along those lines, organization, structure, and story are important. It would be best if you weaved together a narrative that guides the audience where you'd like them to end. In other words, please take extra care to connect with and guide me through your case while clearly illustrating where there are critical choices between the various positions presented throughout the round.

These tournaments and the competitions within them should be fun, friendly, and respectful. Divisiveness, personal attacks, and generally rude behavior are not welcome where I am judging. I find humor to be a great way to connect with an audience and, while they aren't evidence, I am particularly fond of puns and dad jokes.

I hope you have a wonderful time at your upcoming tourniment.