East Kansas District Tournament
2021 — KS/US
Debate (Policy Debate) Paradigm List
All Paradigms: Show HidePlease add me to the email chain: Brenda.aurora13@gmail.com
I debated for Washburn Rural for four years between 2014 and 2018. I debated for the University of Kansas last year, but am not debating this year so I can focus on my nursing degree. Generally speaking, I am not picky about arguments and speed. Do what you want and I’ll do my best to keep up.
T: I believe that topicality is a question of competing interpretations. I like to see good explanations of each team’s offense on the flow, how their offense interacts with the other team, and why their interpretation creates a better model for debate.
Disads: I’m a big fan, especially when you have a specific link. I think impact calculus and turns case arguments are important. I always enjoy listening to a good agenda or election disad.
CPs: Delay counterplans are cheating. I’m willing to judge kick a counterplan unless the affirmative gives me a reason not to. I prefer specific solvency advocates.
Ks: I didn’t read a lot of Ks in high school. I am most familiar with neolib and cap, but I am willing to listen to pretty much anything as long at it is explained well. I will NOT listen to death/extinction good kritiks. These arguments can be triggering for me and for other people that may be competing in or watching your round. When it comes to links, I like when they are specific to the affirmative and describe how the aff increasing/makes worse whatever it is that the neg is critiquing. If you’re going for your alt, you need to prove that it solves, as well as clearly explain to me what a world of the alternative looks like. The framing debate should be more than a block reading competition, especially if the neg isn’t going to go for the alt. The neg’s interpretation should be meaningful and not just “whoever best challenges (whatever the K is critiquing)”
Theory: I believe theory is usually only a reason to reject an argument, not a team, especially considering most theory debates are block reading contests where no one really explains or understands the argument. That being said, I might be willing to vote on condo if you really explain your interpretation and impact the argument out.
Some other things to note: I enjoy a good case debate. Please be kind and respectful to one another. If you are horribly rude and disrespectful I’ll probably vote against you
Avery Amerio (she/her)
Updated Oct. 2023.
TLDR;
I debated for ONW, current senior at KU studying History, and haven't debated in years (but I do judge quite a bit when I can.)
Policymaker to my core. Frame the round for me and I'll evaluate it--whatever you consider to be advantageous to the round (with discretion.) I don't usually have one thing I vote on, but it typically comes down to a DA (of some sort) or impact calc. But, never say never!
Please ask me questions, I will try to give you as much feedback as I can!
Debate Technicalities:
Please be nice and civil. I don't think I need to elaborate on this point!
I flow on paper (please signpost) + I flow framing separately for organizational purposes. If you're just extending tags and not tags + warrants, you're really not doing a lot.
You can speed if your opponent is okay with it. Please slow down for tags and theory so I can catch everything! If I can't make anything out, I'll clear you once. After that, there is no guarantee that everything will be on the flow.
Any argument that involves a postmodern/post-industrial/dystopian world (aka spark, dedev, wipeout, extinction-good, etc) is not my vibe.
Random Notes:
If you ask the aff to disclose, it is fair for the neg to do the same.
I don't know if it's a recent phenomenon but I'm not a fan of debaters referencing my paradigm in speeches. Crack a dad joke instead if you feel like it.
I do have RBF--I promise I am not upset with anything lol.
Policy Arguments:
T: I believe that the aff has the burden to relate to the resolution, and the neg has to argue and explain why the plan is harmful for xyz reasons. My T flow usually tends to lack ink so I rarely vote for it, but never say never.
DA: I love DAs, I will listen to any. Case-specific DAs are gorgeous and beautiful, and politics scenarios are a personal favorite. Link chains and impacts turns are underutilized in my opinion.
CP: I’m neutral on these. I like seeing a DA + CP in a strat. Just saying that "the counterplan does it better" doesn't really do anything for me.
K: Given the nature of my undergrad, I am decently well-versed in this area. I understand cap, set-col, fem, and neolib (the usual contenders), but I’ll listen if you walk me through it. Debaters have a tendency to say that an alt/the world of the alt is "waiting, creating something else, or rejecting the aff. I'm not going to vote on the K if that's the case because it hasn't proven anything. If you have a specific alt/world of the alt that includes a strategic move or impacts that will happen, then I am all ears.
Theory: In a strategic sense, I think theory is an important part of debate. However, it is not something to use because you have nothing else. Having it on the flow from surface level work doesn't really add much, unless you are taking the time to give me more w/ the argument. Please tell me how debate will be altered/what implications will occur because of xyz, and I will listen and consider.
Head coach with 28 years experience. Entirely a policymaker who just wants what is *realistically* best for our nation and world.
1. I vote on your analysis of the evidence read in round, not on the evidence itself. Cards are jigsaw pieces, and it is your job to show me how they connect. I will not intervene and fill in the gaps with my own analysis about why a card or argument matters.
2. I do not do well with speeding and spreading; you may have to make a decision between impressing the other team or winning this round. I know that you have worked incredibly hard to get to this round, and I really want to understand you and your arguments. Please know that I cannot vote on arguments I cannot understand. Your brilliance is best revealed by the words I do understand, not the ones I do not.
3. Treat me as a member of congress who is evaluating a policy proposal for our nation.
4. All arguments are fair game, but if you cannot convince me of them (rather than just reading them), I'm as likely to vote on inherency as I am a kritik.
** Stanford 2/12/2024: FIRST TIME JUDGING THIS TOPIC!!!! Break it down for me.
Assistant coach for Lawrence high school
No longer k hack lol but feel free to read a k I’ll be receptive
debated for 3 years in high school and a year in college.
I am comfortable with spreading, but lets be real its been a few years since I have debated and it may be in your best interest to slow it down for me lol-- I will never clear you
I believe in quality over quantity, reading as many off args as you can is just going to take away from the having a substantial learning opportunity in the round.
Not much else to say other than have FUN !!!!!!!!!!!! WOOHOOOOOO☆*:.。. o(≧▽≦)o .。.:*☆
Email: sivanibv@gmail.com
I debated at Lawrence Free State High School for 3 years, mainly in the open division. I'm comfortable listening to any of your arguments, but I have not judged any debate rounds this year, nor do I have extensive prior knowledge on this topic. Therefore, please clearly explain any of your more advanced arguments.
In terms of speed, I would prefer slower rounds because that is what I am used to from my debate experience. However, if you speed up and I think you are no longer clear, I will let you know and make it obvious that I have stopped flowing. As long as I am flowing, that means I'm keeping up with you!
If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask me before the round starts! Most importantly, please be respectful to your team members and opponents during the round. I will not look favorably upon any rude behavior or offensive arguments made, and that will be reflected in the speaker points.
Please include me on the email chain; shane.billig@gmail.com
I'm a fairly adaptable judge; 10+ years of debate experience as a competitor/coach. I default to policymaker framework and I am very familiar with CP/DA theory and am generally okay with any generic arguments, but I'd prefer to have the links analyzed to be as specific as possible. In general analysis and comparison of cards and warrants is the best way to convince me that your evidence is superior, and I find that many 2AC/2NC rely too much on reading more blocks rather than providing unique in round analysis.
I have and will vote on kritiks, and there are many times I think the K is the smartest choice in the round, however the more specific your kritiks get, the less familiar I am with the authors and literature. There are some key exceptions and generally any form of IR kritik or kritik of the general "structure" of society I will understand (Fem IR/Cap/Militarism for example). You must explain the kritik, the role of the ballot, and specifically explain the link and how the alternative functions. Explain the kritik in your own words, don't just read a block at me.
On topicality I default to reasonability, but this doesn't mean that I won't vote on topicality, especially if you give me reasons why I should prefer competing interpretations. In slow/quick rounds I am generally able to get citations on my flow, but in fast rounds you won't be able to extend just by author/year. Talk about the card, its tag, and its role in the round (this is just good extension advice in general). With all arguments if I don't understand your point, it doesn't make it onto my flow because you weren't clear, it got flowed onto the wrong sheet, etc then you didn't say it and I won't evaluate it. This happens most often on theory/T/K where I don't understand the violation or alternative or some other aspect of the argument--and the easiest solution to this problem is again to slow down for a second and use your own words to explain the argument.
If the round is going to have more than 5+ minutes of T/Theory I think everyone is better off if you go at 90% of your speed on those arguments. I am not as fast as you think I am, and while it's rare that I'm sped out of rounds, it does happen, and when it does 90% of the time it's me missing theory analysis because you're blazing through a pre-written block like its a politics card. I am more than happy to answer any questions you may have, and I do my best to adapt my judging style to the round I am in. One thing that I feel many teams do is over-adapt, and it often hurts them. Debate the way you want to debate, and I will evaluate it however you tell me to. I'd much rather judge really good debates over K literature I'm not familiar with prior to the round than bad or bland CP/DA debate.
Hello folks,
For me, debate is focused on the art of persuasion.
Beyond everything else, solid arguments backed by reason wins points with me.
Delivery is of secondary importance, but if I cannot hear (volume) or cannot comprehend (to much speed, incoherent speech,) can detract from the argument. I do enjoy confident speakers with great verbal and nonverbal communication.
Often, my judging comes down to only a couple of moments of the debate. I hope to clearly let each team know what moments I see the argument falling to one team over the other.
If the opportunity arises, be clever.
**Masks UP please**
Thank you for participating. I hope this experience is positive and memorable for the rest of your life.
Good luck!
Joel Coash-Johnson
My email is carolynsearscook@gmail.com carolyncook@smsd.org and I think it would be awesome for you all to start the email chain before I get to the debate so that we don't have to waste time doing it once I arrive:)
I debated in high school in Kansas from 1999-2003 (SME). I coached high school debate throughout college but did not debate in college. I was the director of debate at Lansing High School where I coached and taught from 2009-2018. This (23-24) is my 6th year directing and teaching speech & debate at Shawnee Mission South.
I dislike when debaters are mean. This activity is awesome--I believe that it pushes us and makes us better thinkers and people--and debaters cheapen that opportunity when we choose not to respect one another. Please just be kind humans.
I learned to debate and evaluate debates as a policy maker but also find that I much prefer seeing you do what you do best in rounds. That being said, you know your lit and arguments better than I do (at least you should). So:
- If you don't think the aff should get to weigh their 1AC against the criticism, you have to tell me why--same if you think that we should abandon the topic as the aff.
- If you want me to evaluate an argument and your 'warrant' is described as a specific term: that one word is not a warrant. . . you should include a description of WHY your claim is true/accurate/means you win. Debates that are heavily reliant on jargon that I am unfamiliar with will result in me being confused.
- If you do little work on literature (especially lit I am not familiar with), please don't then expect me to do a bunch of work for you in the decision.
You should clearly articulate the arguments you want to forward in the debate--I value persuasion as an important part of this activity.
Please be organized--doing so allows me to focus on the quality of argumentation in the round. Debates are so much more fun to watch when you have a strategic approach that you execute with care. Talk about your evidence. Warranted and strategic analysis that demonstrates your understanding of your own arguments, and their interactions with your opponent's, make debates better.
I default competing interpretations on Topicality and think T debates should include case lists and topical version of the aff. I think that weighing impacts is important. I also just enjoy good case debate. I tend to find consult and and condition CPs to be cheating...but you still have to answer them. You should always answer conditionality.
I really prefer that you are as explicit about HOW you would like for me to evaluate the debate and WHY this approach is best.
Please speak clearly... if you are incomprehensible my flow will not be great and the quality of my evaluation of the round will likely decrease.
I debated in high school at Dodge City High from 2000-2004. I prefer moderate to slow rounds with lots of analysis and argument development. I grew up on stock issues debate but lean toward policy making at this point.
Hello there! I have the privilege of serving as your judge. I hope you'll find the information below useful.
Experience: I debated for four years in high school and currently serve as the assistant debate coach for Olathe West.
What I look for in the round: Since every debate round is so different in terms of argumentative focus, I appreciate it when teams specifically tell me what I should be voting for/on. For me, the best rebuttals, regardless of the level of debate, are the ones that include specific appeals to the judge to vote a certain way.
Speed preference: I'm okay with speed as long as you are clear. I need to be able to get taglines, authors, and dates down on my flow.
Topicality: If you feel there's a pretty serious violation that is preventing you from creating adequate clash, run it.
DAs: With solid analysis, disadvantages are great.
CPs: If it's consistent with the negative strategy, go for it.
Kritiks/theory: If you run a Kritik, you better know what you are talking about. Please don't run one if you are simply just trying to throw off the other team. Moreover, if you choose to make a critical argument, please make it worth everyone's time. I tend to find debates that are dominated by abstraction and epistemology unsatisfying, especially when I get the feeling that there's little substance behind the convoluted language. That said, I can appreciate a Kritik if it highlights a flawed assumption that is specific to the language and logic of the Aff case. Specific links will go a long way with me.
Decorum: Be kind and respectful to your opponents and judges. The people that are involved in this activity do it because they enjoy it. Please don't kill that enjoyment by being rude or unkind during a round.
Misc: Debate to your strengths. The best rounds involve great clash and top-tier strategy. If you need to ignore parts of my paradigm in order to make that happen, please, be my guest.
Lastly, clarity is huge to me. Explain your evidence; explain what your argument is; explain what arguments you are countering; and explain what I, as the judge, should consider when formulating my decision.
Put me on the email chain (ross.fitz4@gmail.com)
I debated for four years at Barstow in Kansas City and four years at the University of Kansas
I took two years off and now I'm back working with Greenhill + doing some judging for USC
Top Level:
Do what you do best, I'll try to keep up. That being said, what I really want to see (especially for high schoolers) is teams debating straight up. What I mean by that - I'm getting tired of this meta that seems to forefront winning on tricks over out debating your opponent. I don't like seeing things like hidden A-spec or a 1nc constructed out of 2017 backfiles with one substantive position. Pick what you are best at, be willing to start the debate over that position early in the round, and have at it. I'll vote on whatever that choice is, but I like teams that are truly willing to clash and engage with the best version of their opponent's arguments.
I try my best to get everything down on my flow, and it's what I'll decide the debate on. If you think an argument is especially important to deciding the debate, make sure you slow down and emphasize its importance so it ends up factoring into my decision
Your speaks will reflect how easy you make my job, that means focusing on argument comparison . judge instruction and framing my ballot for me in the final rebuttals. Impact out conceded arguments and choose a few issues you're winning to frame out your opponent's offense.
Argument Specifics:
Having judged pretty consistently this year after time off, I think I can more readily identify my preferences in args and how to deploy them.
FW: I've debated both sides of this argument, although I've spent more time thinking about it on the neg than the aff. I think affs should have some sort of relationship to the topic, but I don't have strong feelings about what that should be. I think fairness and clash are both impacts and impact turnable. Aff teams, I think the best strategy is an impact turn to the negative standards, and an emphasis on how the 1ac interacts with framework. I find that in these debates I often vote for the team that is best at re-characterizing the debates that occur in the other team's model. i.e. does the TVA ever actually get debated like the neg team says it would? what types of affs would the counter-interp include outside of the generic list of popular K authors? I also like to reward innovation in explanation in these rounds, because it's easy for them to feel stale.
T:I am pretty neutral on the question of competing interpretations vs reasonability. Reasonability should be a question of the aff's counter interp and not the aff itself. Impact comparison is just as important in a T debate as any other.
Ks: Links don't have to be to the plan, but you should explain how they implicate the plan and use aff language, evidence, performance to prove them. Alternatives that solve the links are better than ones that don't. I can be convinced the debate should be about something other than the consequences to the aff. I'm also down to vote on extinction outweighs and the aff is a good idea.
CPs: Well developed, specific CPs w solvency advocates are awesome. I find some varieties more cheaty than others: Word PICs, Conditions CPs, Delay, etc. Process CPs probably not cheating but not my fave to vote for. Also please slow down when debating CP competition. Basically, I'm not the best for CPs that do the whole aff.
DAs: Thumbs up. Spin can get you out of a lot, even if you're worried about specific evidence. Impact overviews and turns case arguments are an absolute must, especially in later rebuttals. Again, make my job easy. Tell me why your impacts are more important than theirs.
Theory: Proving in round abuse is the best way to get a ballot. Most of the time I lean toward rejecting the argument over the team.
I go by Alex, and my pronouns are she/her. I am a former open debater and I am an assistant debate coach. I work as an elementary speech-language pathologist, so speech is a big component of my life.
Background/Voting:
As a former debater, I can usually follow along with arguments. I am open to hearing any type of arguments, but I tend to focus heavily on clarity/links of arguments (like a lay judge). I am receptive to hearing any type of argument though, as long as it is clear. I want you to have fun, so really, do whatever you think is best. Just make sure I can follow along.
I try to keep my personal opinions/beliefs outside of the arguments. I want you to convince me to vote for you, and I don't want my personal beliefs and biases to affect that. I will always come in with the thought that I will vote for either team, regardless if I personally agree or disagree with what you are arguing. Winning is contingent on you convincing me that your argument is best, and to do that, you can't just read a bunch of evidence. You will need to summarize an apply that evidence to your argument.
Rate of Speech/Speaking Style
I do not like speed reading (spreading). I am a speech-therapist and spreading drives me absolutely bonkers. It affects your articulation and your fluency. I do believe (based on my area of work) spreading can be unfair to opponents so, for fairness, don't spread. If you want me to hear your argument please don't do it. With that being said, have seen debaters with articulation, fluency (i.e. stuttering), other speech disorders. If that is something that is a concern to you, don't worry! That will not affect your speaker points, and if you are super worried about it, feel free to let me know.
Misc.
I will keep a flow of the round, and I heavily suggest you do as well. Also- I do not tend to keep time. I will sometimes set a timer, but a good chunk of the time, I forget. Please keep your own time. If you ask me how much prep you have left, I probably will not know. So be responsible of your own time. If there are arguments about times, I'm going to make my best judgement to help, but that will likely be the best I can do.
Be respectful to your opponents. Respect pronouns, don't be racist, etc. You can disagree with a person and have heated debate related arguments, but don't be a jerk. If you are blatantly disrespecting an opponent/if anything extreme is happening, I will report it to your respective coach.
I have no preference regarding if I am included on email chains or not. If a team would like to include me, please email alexandra.ginsberg@usd497.org and please let me know once you have emailed (emails tend to go in spam).
Overall: As long as there is clarity in your argument and you can show me that you understand your argument(s), you are good to go. I want you to have fun, just make sure I understand what is happening, and that you don't seem lost yourself.
Overall: if you are clear about your arguments and can show me you understand what you are saying (and not just reading), we are good to go.
Yes email chain please:
nolangoodwin21@gmail.com
Debated four year at Salina South High School
Coached on and off since 2013
Speed is fine. If I can't understand you I will just say clear.
Don't just read pre-prepared blocks straight from your laptop at full speed with little contextualization to the arguments the other team is making. Please don't just speed read over views to me in the 2NR/2AR and expect to win my ballot. Don't force me to make a decision because you chose not to slow down and contextualize your arguments. It's pretty easy to tell if I am agreeing with your argumentation. I will either miss important things you want me to vote on, or I will try to keep up with everything and not think about the arguments which will most likely result in me voting on something that you didn't actually want me to vote for.
K vs FW- If you are going to read a K aff in front of me please take the time to explain what the aff does. Defending some type of advocacy statement in front of me is going to be the best option when reading a K aff. I enjoy topic debates but that doesn't mean that I haven't voted for K affs. I often end up voting neg on FW because the aff doesn't effectively argue against a topical version of the aff. I don't really find arguments about framework creating violence to be very persuasive and reading debate bad in front of me is not going to get you anywhere.
CP- I would prefer that you have a well thought out text than just some vague text that says we do the plan minus x or something like that. Don't be afraid to go for theory arguments in front of me on cheating counter plans that don't actually do anything. I would much rather vote for theory arguments than some process counterplan that does nothing.
K- I'm good on basic K lit but if you are reading some new alt that you haven't read before or are breaking something new I would probably not suggest doing it in front of me unless you can clearly explain what the world of the alternative actually does in a method that you can defend. You need to contextualize your link arguments. I'm not going to give you a lot of lead way on generic masking links.
I think that if you are reading more than 5-6 off that you are just doing too much most of the time. You should spend more time burying them in the block on case rather than reading 4 different CP's that all have next to no way to actually solve the aff and are just baiting them into undercovering something so you can go for it because you were just faster. That just leads to boring debates.
If you have any more question feel free to email me or just ask before round.
please add me to the chain– kareemhammouda@gmail.com
I’m a junior at KU. I debated in high school (open). For the 3 years since I’ve been coaching at SMS, mostly working with novices/2nd years. The extent of my knowledge on the topic is the novice case-list.
Because I did open, i’m most comfortable in slower debates.
I'm most familiar with policy oriented arguments, as this is the extent of my experience; However, I am absolutely open to other arguments as long as they are explained well.
Please be organized, signpost, provide roadmaps, etc.
Tell me how you want me to evaluate this round–ex. impact calc is important.
Disclosure is good
Cut cards ethically
Don't clip (I pay attention)
Racism/sexism/ other isms won’t tolerated, and will lose my ballot
TLDR; I’m a policy maker fLAY judge
If you have any specific questions let me know!
Shawnee Mission East ‘17
University of Kansas ‘21
Assistant coach at Shawnee Mission East
Please put me on the email chain: carolynhassettdebate@gmail.com
***Updated***
I graduated from KU this past May after debating for the team all four years of college. Previous to that I debated for Shawnee Mission East and have been coaching there for the past 5 years now. Although I am still coaching, I am way less active in debate than ever before. I am a real adult now with a big girl job and responsibilities. That being said I am still down to listen to whatever you want to say and am more than capable of keeping up with the debate, but acronyms and assertions will take more time to click in my head since I have barely done any judging on this topic. Below are some of my thoughts over the years, honestly take them or leave them. If you win the debate you win the debate, I don't care what args get you to that point. All the top level stuff is definitely still 100% applicable though.
Top Level
I am very expressive and you will know what I am thinking. Use that to your advantage
I appreciate jokes and confidence, but don’t cross the line
Disclosure is good
Tech over truth (a dropped argument is a true one as long as it contains a claim and a warrant)
I will not vote on anything that happened outside the round
Clipping or cheating of any kind will result in an immediate loss and 0 speaks
Please respect your partner. It is my biggest pet peeve to see one member belittle the other and act superior. You are only as good as your partner, and please act that way.
** Do whatever you want, my thoughts do not determine how you should debate
Aff’s
I was a 2A for a long time and because of that, I really appreciate well thought out aff’s with a strong internal link chain. If your evidence is bad/ internal links are weak how are you expecting to defend the aff? That being said I have stayed strictly policy and have rarely strayed from big stick impacts. I am open to listening to anything as long as you can defend and explain the aff. I think case debate is very important, too many teams don’t use the offense they have built to their advantage. Spend time extending your impacts and making cross comparisons to other arguments. I also really appreciate new and tricky policy affs that are unexpected.
T vs traditional aff’s
I am a big fan of T debates and feel that they can be particularly compelling and interesting. I default to competing interpretations, but can be persuaded by reasonability if done well. Spend time on impact comparison and explaining the violation, I am most persuaded by limits and precision impacts. T is never a reverse voting issue!
Framework
I've never read a planless aff and generally always go for framework or a CP. That being said I do find framework compelling and tend to lean heavily negative. Don’t think my predispositions mean you can get away with a shoddy job on framework and expect to win the round. I am most persuaded by clash based impacts and will award negatives who are able to explain their argument, 2N's that can give the speech primarily off the flow will be rewarded. I also appreciate different approaches to dealing with planless affs. Reading DA's and CP's against K aff's is cool and fun, you should do it. That being said, it is very easy for me to vote aff if you win your impact turn outweighs their impact or an interp that solves a lot of their offense.
Theory
With the exception of condo, I think all other theory based arguments are a reason to reject the argument not the team. I will not vote on cheap shot theory arguments. 2 condo is good, 3+ I can be persuaded, but need a warranted and contextualized explanation of your interp and why it should not be allowed in debate.
DAs
Probably my favorite argument in debate. I think a 2nr that is a DA + good case debate is very compelling. I prefer specific links, but there are some instances when generics work too. You need updated evidence!! I will award teams who have obviously spent time cutting new and good evidence. Please make turns case arguments, this is vital in a DA debate. And yeah i like the politics DA.
CP
I also love a good counterplan debate. I think specific counterplans cut from the other teams evidence is especially compelling and I will award you for that. I am neg leaning on a lot of counterplan theory questions, but i can be sympathetic. Really big plank CP's are also fun, adding planks that predicts what offense the 2a will go for is strategic.
Kritiks
The aff should get to weight the implementation of the aff against the K or the squo. I personally do not go for K's extremely often but when I do they tend to be literature based on neolib, security, and other topic generic K's. While I am not super into high theory lit, I have debated lots of these K's and you should not change your strategy because of me. If your thing is high theory K's, just do a little more contextualization and explanation and you'll be fine!
Neg: Please do not hesitate to go for the K with me in the back of the room, but I want a clear explanation of the alt and the link. I think that specific links are particularly important and need to be utilized. Links of omission are not links.
Aff: please impact turn the K if applicable
Please feel free to email me with any questions
8 years of policy debate experience
will vote on anything as long as its warranted
not a fan of shadow extensions
very high threshold on T this late in the season- prefer proven abuse, default to reasonability unless told otherwise
will vote on Ks but i don't know all the lit so you need to do the work on it
WIlLLVOTE DOWN ACTIVELY RACIST SEXIST OR BIGGOTED DEBATERS
ill vote in the place of least resistance
prefer impact calc over dropped args but will vote on both
People seem to misunderstand this so I'm putting this at top to make it clear. I will vote on any argument because I am tech > truth. Run what you are comfortable with. These are just my general thoughts about debate. Don't run an argument that you think I would like just because. If you don't know how to run it properly you probably won't win.
hudsonhrh7@gmail.com put me on email chain or email me any questions
General:
He/him. I debated at Olathe Northwest for 4 years. I'm now an assistant debate coach at ONW for 2 years. I competed in both policy and LD. Debate should be an activity for everyone, and if you prevent that from happening in the round, I will vote you down. I have done a pretty even mix between DCI and KDC, but I would definitely prefer to judge a DCI style round.
I am fine with speed but I would prefer if you slowed down for tags, analytics, and theory especially because I'm not debating anymore.
I'm tech>truth maybe too much
I hope I can make my biases clear. Even though I say there are arguments I do and don't like that doesn't mean I won't vote for these arguments, so please run whatever you are comfortable with because that will make the most educational round for all of us. I will do my best to adapt the debaters in the round. So, if you prefer to run policy arguments that's fine too. If you run weird arguments go for it. However, I will not vote for any racism/sexism/ableism/homophobia good or any similar argument.
Please ask me questions about my paradigm before the round!!!!
Disadvantages:
I never really used these in flow rounds when I debated because I don't think they are good arguments compared to other things that could be run. That doesn't mean I don't know a lot about DA's. I would run some pretty specific and weird disadvantages when I debated. Generic links are okay but can be easily defeated by a smart team. I'll listen to politics disadvantages but this is not the round I would like to see. Theory against DAs can be cool.
Impact turns:
I like impact turns because I feel like they are underused. I ran heg bad a lot and ddev sometimes.
Counterplans:
Rarely used counterplans but when I did they were usually really abusive. PICs are fine. Delay and consult counterplan are less fine and you should watch out for theory but still acceptable. Perm is a test of competition, not an advocacy. Theory is fun I will vote for anything if you do it right.
Kritiks:
I ran one-off ableism a lot, usually attacking language, representations, and generic links to the topic. I also am very familiar with fem, intersectionality, Nietzche, and cap/neo-lib.I have read some Baudrillard, psycho-analysis, and afro-pess lit so I understand most of the concepts, but don't expect me to be familiar with all the different niches. I am comfortable judging all types of rounds.
Doesn't need an alt if you can impact out how the K turns the aff, wins framework, or gives me a reason to ignore the affirmative impacts. PIKs are acceptable especially for language/reps Ks.
Floating PIKs are maybe abusive but you can win the theory on that by using your K as an offense or any other way but it is still a risk you have to be willing to take. Please explain your alt and how it solves. The ballot can be alt solvency if needed and explained. Severance on perms is a voter but be careful how this interacts with other theory-based arguments you have already made on why we shouldn't be looking at education or fairness etc.
K-affs:
I ran a k-aff with a plan text that would either fiat my alt or I would kick plan later in the round after reading a K. Your plan doesn't have to relate to the resolution, but it would be preferable if it does. If you are negative against a k-aff your best strategy with me as the judge would be to run a K. I feel like lots of teams put themselves in a position where they are defending policy or the state action which the aff team probably has prepped against. Running a K makes the framework debate easier, will catch the team off guard, and can turn the aff. I do think switch side debate can be good. Not too familiar with performance affs but I am very intrigued by them if you want to run it please do
Topicallity:
I love a good technical T debate and will vote on T even if the plan is perfectly topical if the neg has good impacts.
I default to competing interpretations. I belive your interpretation is your model of debate and that voting on T is meant to prevent certain affs from being run debate wide. I don't think a definition needs to be contextual to the resolution. If by the end of the round it produces the most [insert T voter here] than I will use that defintion to evaluate the round.
I feel like a lot of teams think that a dropped standard means they won T. Think of it like conceding the other teams solves for 500 lives when you solve for 1000 lives. If you don't articulate how that conceded standard acceses the T impact the most you won't win the round. For example if they concede a limits standard it would be smart to go all in on depth>breadth. It is also good to impact out voters, ie people quit debate which means education is decreased writ large. K teams feel free to impact turn T thats always a fun time. I will vote on time skew RVIs, but I also believe that topicallity is not an RVI most of the time unless they are running multiple interps. RVI's can also be abusive. Basically, I am open to any theory argument if you can argue it well.
Theory:
You can run theory agaisnt anything if you believe hard enough. That being said you have to have a good impact that is clearly articulated by the need of the round
I love theory arguments and would like to see an in depth debate here. I will vote on blippy dropped theory arguments if all the parts are included (need to see some resemblance of interp some standard and voters) and it is thoroughly impact it out in the round. If you drop a theory argument your best way to win is weighing your inherent voters and trying to claim education gained (or some other voter) outweighs the education lost. Theory spikes aren't used as much in policy but I think they are cool and test a teams ability to flow and respond to every argument. Might be abusive tho. A lot of the stuff I said for topicallity applies here.
Only place I intervene is obvious egregious clipping and won't allow new args in the 2nr(unless justified) or 2ar (never allowed even with justification unless justification is in previous speech then it wouldn't be new arg)
Stock issues:
Inherency/harms/significance is only a voter(most of the time) if the plan is already happening. Please impact out why this is a voter because the affirmitive can still generate offense off of advocating for a plan that already exists. I think circumvention arguments are cool and will vote on them if they are sufficient (don’t think durable fist applies to everything the aff will claim). Solvency deficits are good and underused arguments and remember to bring them up when weighing impacts.
Framing:
I don’t default to a utilitarian framework for evaluating impacts, and don't believe magnitude outweighs probability by default. I don't think I ever ran a extinction impact unless I had to throw together a crappy DA because the judges in round made me. Since I see myself as more of an LD debater, framing debates are very important to me and I think they are underused in policy. I'll evaluate the round however you tell me to.
Framework:
I made lots of framework arguments when I debated and I will defintely vote on them. I like a good role of the ballot. It shouldn't be self serving, but if the other team drops it then I guess it is over for them if you continue to meet the role of the ballot as the debate goes on. I believe that the affirmitive and negative should be viewed as a body of research and that plan focus is bad. However, like any argument you could argue me out of this. I think education is more important than fairness, especially in terms of a framework debate. Fiat is illusory is a real argument because it is true. I'd like to see clash on out of round impacts as much as possible whether it is fairness, education, violence, or some other impact. I think fairness should be used to show how education is lost or how they further an out of round impact.
You can use framework still in round with normal affs and no K's. If you did this I would be pretty happy. Honestly don’t know why more teams don’t do this
Final notes:
DEBATE IS A PLACE FOR ALL PEOPLE. To reiterate, I am very lenient about what you run, but if it doesn't include certain groups in the debate space or blames certain groups of people you will not like the ballot at all.
Please have fun that's all I really care about. Don't make the debate bad for another participant.
Daytona Hodson
Previous Olathe Northwest debater for 2 years (Including quarterfinals at Novice State)
Overall, debate is an educational event. Every competitor should actively participate and contribute to the argumentative landscape. This means promoting a environment that is inclusive of everyone (ie. being polite during CX and other team's speeches), yet competitive to decide a clear winner of the round. The first thing I look for in round is professionalism.
Topicality: While Topicality is meant to establish a more educational definition, I understand topicality as a time skew. When explaining topicality, I want to see all parts of the argument (Counter Interp, Violation, Standards, Voters). Without the key parts the entire argument can be lost. As the Aff team, meeting the interpretation of the Neg is good, but I strongly urge the Aff to provide the interpretation they used to develop their case to promote the educational aspect of topicality. Tell me why to prefer the definitions, debate the definitions. Use education and fairness as your reasons to prefer the counter interpretation.
CP / DA: I prefer a traditional negative argument including CP's and DA's. I look at DAs in four parts UQ, Link, Internal Link, and Impact. I prefer argumentation on the Link and Internal links as it directly brings the DA into relation with the AFF case, but if they have been already debated, Impact debate is the next best option. If the round consists of several different types of impacts (Dehumanization, poverty, war ...etc) I want to see framework on which Impact should be preferred. This can be in the form of Impact Calculus (Magnitude, Time Frame, and Probability), card evidence by an author, or both. Addressing framework should use impact calculus as the reason to prefer the other interpretation. CP's don't need to be topical. If they are topical, that is perfectly fine, but explain why it can't be achieved under the AFF plan. Also, if a CP does not have any net benefits, then I will not vote on it as you shouldn't prefer the CP. I will vote against the argument, and not the team. As long as you run other arguments, I will continue to look at your other arguments not apart of the CP.
K's: If I had to choose to hear or not hear a K, I would lean more on the NO side. I'm not familiar with K debate. I am open to hear it, but you must explain the importance of each piece of evidence and type of argument. If you run a K and the other team drops the argument, Obviously it is an easy vote for the team that ran it. If you want to run a K-AFF, same thing applies.
Theory: I support arguments with Theory about Fiat, Topicality of CP's, and other arguments. The largest piece to win my ballot with theory is to explain why debate overall is better with it being changed. Use Fairness and Education as the voter.
Inherency/ Solvency/ Advantages: Inherency is why you should be passing the plan. If a Neg team can prove that the plan has either already happened or the problem doesn't exist, then the NEG will win. While advantages are benefits to passing your plan, they are not the reason to pass your plan. I will vote NEG if the plan doesn't solve. If the NEG shows that the case will not solve, then your plan no longer has advantages. Circumvention is a viable argument, but the NEG must prove all of the solvency is gone and not just a small part of it. Even if the AFF still solves for some substantial amount, they will win on Solvency. For any governmental circumvention case by the NEG, I am open to listen on how the plan will be circumvented after it's implementation. On Advantages, I look to see that the AFF prevents the largest impact in the round (look at how I measure impacts in CP / DA section). I also look to see if the advantages you claim are probable. Maintaining the link story is the most important part for an AFF team to maintain their advantages in round.
Flowing / Judge Requests: I often cross apply several arguments when flowing. The evidence used in one argument will be compared to the other evidence used in the round. I also please ask don't speed read. I think it completely devalues the entire point of debate. Obviously talking fast is perfectly fine, but if the goal is to run a ridiculous amount of off-case arguments just so you can say that the other team forgot to address 1 of your 5 arguments, that will reflect on your ballot.
I ask that you please provide me with a copy of evidence before speeches. This enables me to better listen to arguments and look into accusations of inaccurate claims by teams. I also ask for closed cross examination as it provides the most education for individuals during the activity. I strongly encourage teams to communicate with each other and track each others time. Unless specifically stated by the tournament, prep times should not include putting evidence on a flash drive. The most important thing I ask is for coherent road maps. If a team brings up new arguments in the rebuttals, I will not vote on them. A response by the other team directing me to the new argument would be appreciated, but not required.
While judging the largest thing I look for is sportsmanship. During my time in debate, I have seen the good, ugly, and bad. Don't make arguments personal attacks on other competitors. At the end of the day, you have to debate both sides of an argument at a tournament. After that, the best way to my ballot is preventing solvency. If the AFF solves, explain why the disadvantages overwhelm solving the problem.
I debated policy for three years in high school. I am a policymaker and expect you to weigh the round. Tell me why you win and/or outweigh the other team. I believe topicality is important and, if blatantly nontopical, I will vote for it. I have debated in fast rounds and judged fast rounds but I PREFER a more slow to moderate speed round. Case debate is important and more clash/turns the better. Kritiks and CPs are fine but convince me why you win it. Have not judged a lot of Ks so please be very concise in explaining it to me. Be clear on your sign posting. I love and will listen to your CX - I don’t mind open CX. I value your arguments equally with your passion and speaking skills. Your final rebuttal should tell me why you win! Reading a bunch of pre-written arguments or analytics doesn’t do much for me. You can impress me if you do line by line. cmhund@hotmail.com
Experience: placed top 32 in policy debate at NCFL nationals, was Kansas 4-speaker state debate champion, was Kansas 2 speaker debate state champion class 4A
I was an assistant forensics coach for 10+ years in Kansas at Blue Valley Southwest. Placed top three in sweeps in class 5A twice.
Hello! I debated at Shawnee Mission South for all four years of high school (2016-2019 topics), and I did forensics for two years. I competed in Mock Trial for two years at Washburn University, and I'm now a 1L at Washburn Law. If you want to include me in an email chain, please use this email address: eqjdb8@gmail.com. Please keep in mind that, while I do have debate experience, I have not debated since the 2019-2020 season. My technical knowledge may be a bit rusty. : )
General Notes
As a general rule, be respectful. If someone has preferred pronouns, please use those pronouns. If you do not feel comfortable sharing your pronouns, then you don't have to. To make things simpler, on the ballot, I will refer to each speaker by position (i.e., 1A, 2A, 1N, 2N) or by speech.
I will, for the most part, consider voting and speakers separately. In my opinion, debate is about both substance and performance. Even if you are not the most eloquent speaker, I may still find your arguments to be more substantive, or vice versa. On the ballot, I may leave comments about your public speaking skills, but these do not influence how I vote unless it affected my ability to understand your arguments. (Also, do note that, in the interest of avoiding a low point win, I try not to award the losing team better cumulative speaker ranks than the winning team.)
I prefer closed CX, but I'm willing to listen to open CX if both teams would rather do that. The only thing I would caution against is having just one debater asking and answering the majority of questions on behalf of both partners. To me, CX is a great time to show how well you know your evidence and demonstrate that you're not just reading pre-prepared blocks. If you have to rely on your partner to answer everything/don't trust your partner to be able to answer things, then something is wrong.
I try to flow the rounds to the best of my ability, but this also means that you should have clear organization and structure in your speeches. This can include signposting when switching arguments, saying "and" or something equivalent before a new card, or labeling your cards as A, B, C, etc. If I can't tell that you're reading a new piece of evidence, I may not flow it as such. A little organization goes a long way.
Voting (Win/Loss)
I will try to vote according to the framework established in the round, within reason. So, if the only framing read is extinction first, then I'll vote based on the worst extinction impacts. If no framing is read in round, then my default order of priority is probability, then magnitude, then timeframe. I like hearing impact calculus and when you talk about things in cards beyond just the tagline. On that note, the Aff winning impact calculus is less important if they can't win that they solve. Similarly, the Neg winning impact calculus is less important if they can't win that the plan links to the DA or the turn.
I am not a fan of spreading because it can be difficult to understand and keep up with. If I can't understand what you are saying, then I can't take those statements into consideration when voting. I'm not well read on Ks either, so you probably shouldn't read one in front of me. (On a similar note, it's also hard for me to vote Aff if you don't have a plan text. If that sounds like your Aff, please reconsider running it in front of me, or be very thorough in explaining why I should still vote for you.)
If you run T, it should be on a blatantly untopical Aff, or you need to explain the violation and standards very well. I generally don't approve of T arguments being read as a way to waste time, but I understand that there are some rounds where you really don't have anything else to argue. I default to competing interpretations, but I can be swayed toward reasonability instead. Don't forget your standards and voters.
I like counterplans; I think they're great! However, I like them more when they do something different from the plan action. If you read a plan-inclusive CP (or PIC), you need to clearly explain why your addition to or tweaking of the Aff's plan is both necessary and an improvement over just the plan by itself. I don't have any strong opinions on conditionality or perms, so it's up to you to convince me how I should feel about those in round.
When you read evidence, you need to read more than just the tags and authors. That is just making a claim, not actually explaining or proving the argument. If you don't read the actual evidence or substance of the card, I won't flow the card or take that claim into consideration, unless you read the card's contents later or re-introduce the claim as an analytic argument.
If you want to call out an opponent for saying something you think or know is false, then you should provide a source for your fact check, even if you don't have a card on hand for it. The only exception would be if the correction is common knowledge. I will not automatically assume that you are correct just because you say your opponent is wrong.
New arguments in the 2AC and 2NC are fair game, unless you can convince me in round that they shouldn't be allowed. They are constructive speeches for a reason. However, I don't think the 1NR should have any new arguments, since it's a rebuttal. I'm not likely to budge on this point, since the Neg team has an entire 8 minute 2NC that they can introduce the new argument in. If I hear a new argument in the 1NR, I won't flow it.
The 2NR and the 2AR should not have any new cards being read (nor any new arguments, but that should go without saying); however, new cards in the 1AR to respond to new cards or new arguments in the Neg Block are okay. If new cards are read in the 2NR or 2AR, I will not flow them. If you feel that the argument must be made, then try to make it an analytic argument and connect it to a previous argument from the round.
Speaker Points/Rank
These are some easy ways to lose or gain speaker points with me.
- You will lose speaker points if you are unnecessarily rude or hostile to the opposing team.
- You will lose speaker points if you swear in round and it's not a direct quote from a card. (Remember, you are still a representative of your school when debating, so you should remain professional.)
- You will lose speaker points if I can't understand what you're saying.
- You will lose speaker points if you can't ask and/or answer questions in CX.
- You will lose speaker points if you continually interrupt or try to talk over the other competitor in CX (or your partner in open CX).
- You will lose speaker points if you look only at your computer/notes the entire time. (Eye contact is a good communication strategy, though not in excessive amounts.)
- You will lose speaker points if your delivery is consistently monotone.
- You will lose speaker points if you read new cards or bring up new arguments in the 2NR/2AR.
+ You will gain speaker points if you have an organized structure in your speeches.
+ You will gain speaker points if you appropriately vary your tone, volume, and inflections to emphasize important points.
+ You will gain speaker points if you can deliver an impromptu rebuttal (i.e., not reading off a script, though you can still refer to your notes).
+ You will gain speaker points if you sound confident in what you are saying.
+ You will gain speaker points if you directly respond to the opposing team's specific arguments.
I debated for 4 years in Kansas in the late 80s and early 90s.
I have been a head coach in high school for 19 years.
I can listen somewhat quickly…but not very fast. I’m a very traditional policy-maker.
Standard things:
I want really good explanation of all arguments. I try hard not to do analysis work for you. Overviews really help me!
Topicality- If the case is clearly non-topical, please run the argument and I’ll pull the trigger on it pretty quickly. If it is probably topical…I am very slow to pull that trigger.
Kritiks- Not really a fan. I am very policy-maker in this regard. If you choose to run a K, I will listen and try and understand it. However, the way my brain works in a debate context is that I will probably weigh the impacts of the K against the other team’s impacts…you know…like a policy maker would.
Counterplans – probably a good thing to have. Not a fan nit-picky word pics, but agent counterplans and others like it are a good thing for me..
Kritikal affs- Not a fan…they typically confuse me…
Put me on the email chain brett.krambeer@gmail.com
four years in high school at Hutchinson High School (KS)
two years in college at The University of North Texas
Currently debating at Emporia Sate University (Stingers Down!)
Assistant coach for Lawrence High School (KS) for two years
Current assistant coach for Emporia High School (KS)
This happens more often than anyone wants to admit: If anyone in the room has made an offensive comment of a severe degree I will automatically vote against you. If an argument is not made in the debate about the comment, I will still vote against you if I subjectively decide it warrants that response. Your speaks will suffer regardless. I will only stop the debate if I am asked to by a debater, if I am I will.
Other than that, have fun and be nice to each other. You should do what you do, I'll adapt to you. I am comfortable with most everything. With that being said, I wish people did a better job of starting off slower, give me a sec to adjust to your voice by starting off at like 85% speed or so.. Especially if you're starting off with a theory or T argument.
An argument is a claim and a warrant. You need to win an argument AND a reason why that argument means I should vote for you. Don't just throw a bunch of cards at me, it makes me sad. I think the most important speeches are the rebuttals, write my ballot for me.. I like to be lazy, tell me what I'm voting on and why. I don't like reading evidence after a debate, I won't unless I have to or am told to.
I tend to be swayed by well-explained turns case arguments. Tell me how different flows and arguments interact with each other. I wish more people read impact turns.
Making choices is good.. I wont judge kick an alt or CP unless I am told to.
Specific arguments
Kritiks: I am most likely to vote for a K with a specific link and a well explained alternative (Do not assume I understand your alternative) and how it solves the aff/affs impacts. Furthermore, I think impact framing arguments are also very important and needs to be clearly extrapolated because I will use that to frame the rest of the debate.
Planless Aff’s: You do you, I have less experience with this style of affirmative. Yes, I will vote on impact turns to T.
I debated in the 1980s. While I maintained the "stock issues" paradigm for a decade or so after that, I have become more progressive. Twenty-four years of coaching have demanded it.
My coaching resume:
4 years KCK-Washington High School (UDL debate)
10 years Shawnee Mission North
12 years Shawnee Mission West
1 semester Palo Alto High School/California circuit
What I do not like:
DISRESPECT OF ANY KIND . . . check your sarcastic tone, your eye rolls, and your bad attitude at the door. Be a good person.
provocative language (especially slurs; I know people use them in real life, but I do not need to hear them in a debate round to be "woke")
super fast spreading (I need slower tags, and I need you to slow down if I clear you)
theory debate
extensive counterplan debates; keep it simple
What I like:
topic-centered debate
real-world application
K debates where things are explained to me in a way to make me feel morally obligated to decide correctly
strong 2NR and 2AR . . .my favorite speeches!
people who are kind but assertive
Hello,
I am the Assistant Debate Coach at Leavenworth High School.
I'm a pretty relaxed judge when it comes to preferences over what you're going to run.
Give an off time road map so me and the other people in the room know the order of your speech.
I find CX one of the most important parts of the debate so try not to secede time. Ask pressing questions to poke holes and expose their arguments. As for the AFF, make sure you know the answers rather than contradict yourself and have the NEG reveal you don't know what you're talking about. Try not to ask basic questions, such as definitions, if they seem to understand their case as it wastes time.
I'm fine with spreading, just remember to share your speech with me so I am able to follow along efficiently. Speak with confidence and energy in your voice as it brings out the passion in your arguments.
Follow all the rules from the NSDA handbook and also KSHSAA Speech and Debate handbook. If your opponents are breaking the rules, address it.
Running T's and K's are good, just make sure they are effective and not just something of a last resort.
Make sure to address all arguments. A lot of times with novices I see them drop arguments and it is usually what loses them the round.
Have fun and be respectful to each other. This is an educational experience and nobody should be demoralized because of bullying during a round.
If you have any questions for me about my paradigm, just ask me before the round begins!
dustin.lopez@lvpioneers.org
Current Head Coach at Lansing High School in Kansas, Previously Head Coach at Buhler High School in Kansas (traditional-style debate 4A school). I judge rounds regularly, and have for the last 10 years.
I did not debate in High School or College but DID participate in Forensics @ Eudora High
General Things
Speed - clarity is important, Im more on the slow end of fast debate. Add me to the email chain and I can usually keep up ok. larissa.maranell@usd469.net
FYI: I have a degree in Biology, this is included b/c my threshold for answering crap science args is low. Im not gonna do the work for the opponent but they wont need to do much. Also bad logic hurts your ethos.
In Policy Rounds -
I am pretty Tabula Rasa but default to a flow policymaker with a high regard for stock issues if no one tells me how/why to vote.
Kritiks: I enjoy them but you have to make sure it makes actual sense, If you cant make sure your opponent understands the K its not productive to the round, to you, or to anyone. You also need to explain the logic of the K for me to vote on it. (TLDR- don't be lazy and I will weigh it)
I love a good T debate :)
In LD Rounds -
Value and Value Criterion are not just buzzwords, they are central to the LD form of debate, if you read them just to move on to your policy framework that isn't the point.
In PFD Rounds -
PFD is not Policy.
Make sure you give me framework in the 1st speech, Judge instruction is key.
add me to the email chain alexmc.debate@gmail.com
General Thoughts:
1. Be respectful.
2. You do you, read what you want and debate how you want.
3. Judge instruction in the 2nr/2ar is the best way to get me to vote for you. What does an aff/neg ballot look like? What does winning x argument mean for how I evaluate the round? These are the types of questions I want answered in the 2nr/2ar. Being ahead on some part of the flow is cool but not telling me what that means for how I evaluate the round may result in you being disappointed when I decide who won the debate based on my interpretation of what those claims mean for the debate rather than what you think they mean.
4. Offense is everything - if you win a substantive piece of offense in the debate there is a high likelihood that you win the round. No aff offense in the 2ar means I vote negative on presumption. Arguments needs warrants.
The Specifics:
Topicality / Theory - I default to competing interpretations. I don't think RVI's are much of a thing unless something egregious occurs.
CP's - Perms are just a test of competition. All your cheating counterplans are fine just be ready to defend their legitimacy in the debate.
K's - I'm good with whatever literature you like. I want a clear link in the 2nr - going for presumption without an impact directly tied to the reading / politics of the aff can occasionally work but I think the aff would need to be in a pretty dire situation. Judging high school debates I often find myself dissatisfied with alt solvency explanations in the 2nr, so if your 2nr strategy is heavily reliant on the alternative be sure to be in depth and try to contextualize the alternative to both neg and aff impacts, clearly outlining how the alternative process works and how you resolve the impacts, as well as which defense / turns means I prefer alt over the plan. For framework, if you think I shouldn't evaluate the implementation of the affirmative the justifications need to be clearly outlined.
K Affs / Framework - I heavily lean towards fairness as an internal link, not an independent impact. I can be convinced otherwise but will likely need more impact explanation and comparison in the 2nr. Switch sides should have a unique reason it's good rather than solves fairness while only linking to aff offense half the time. I find ethos to be relevant in these debates, I'm not a huge fan of conditional ethics. Ultimately if you engage in good faith debate you should be fine.
Max McCarty
I debated for a year in college at UTD for a Year, Coached at LFS for 3 years and now at Blue valley North. In HS I debated at BVSW and consitantly cleared at TOC tournaments my senior year.
Put me on the email chain maxwell[dot]mccarty[at]gmail[dot]com
Tech > Truth
- I have a lot less topic experience/knowledge than I have had on previous topics. I will definitely need more explaining of things than people who worked at or taught at camps over the summer. This will still be true throughout the season as I spend less time thinking about the topic than in previous years. Simply because I am less involved.
- Over the last couple years of judging I have noticed a trend of people flying through analytics at top speed off the speech doc, if you want me to flow them it is in your best interest to slow down here. If you are doing this and not realizing it my body language will definitely tell you I am not flowing.
- I will not evaluate arguments about an individual's character or behavior that occurred outside of the debate. Serious, good faith concerns should be brought to the tournament administration, not to the judge of a debate, if you have issue before the round, tournament, etc.
- not great/terrible for K v K debates, would rather be upfront for you. Doesn’t mean that I won't try my hardest for you all but it has never been in my realm of expertise, link/perm work is a must, with more explanation than you usually might do
T: As mentioned I have little to no experience with this topic, for T debates that means I need more explanation of what what they competing versions of the topic look like. I think the internal link and impact level of these debates often gets lost, and because of that I found reasonability to be more compelling than I used to in some debates.
Theory: I would certainly prefer to judge debates about the substance of the aff vs the neg, however theory debates are inevitable and here are some quick thoughts:
- I think more teams should go for it, but it should be unique to the debate. I find general arguments of copy and pasted blocks through each speech rather boring and repetitive, and will often conclude there is little offense to reject another team or argument on this. Ways you can fix this, make it unique to the debate ie: "it is not just that they read 4 condo, but the nature of all 4 "doing the whole aff", in tandem with how "CP competition works on this topic makes it uniquely bad..."
- I do generally find condo to be good, doesn’t mean I wont vote for it but it should have nuance to it vs passed down blocks.
FW:
I generally think affs should be about hypothetical government action on the topic. However that is my opinion and I will do my best to leave it at the door. I tend to vote 50/50 in these debates here are something that may be helpful for you.
- I generally find arguments about fairness compelling vs arguments about truth testing etc.
- I think clash in these debates are good. Teams need to apply their arguments to what has happened in round. This means you probably shouldn't be reading the same blocks every debate. If your aff this means a 1ar that is contextual to the block. If your neg this means actually answering the DAs the 2ac read etc.
- round vision and the ballot: I should know what voting aff or neg does. A lot of the time this is likely done via impact calc but can often be lost and makes it much harder. By the end of the 2ar I shouldn’t have to re read the 1ac to determine that or by the end of the 2nr I should have to re read the 1nc to determine that etc.
DAS:
They are great, Impact calc is great it should be done! Link arguments are only as specific or generic as you make them. If you read a generic one that is fine, but spin can make it more specific etc. Same is true with link and internal link defense.
CP:
I love them, they should probably compete with the aff. That can certainly be a debate to be had, but generally I find that in debates where teams are technically equal the truth of the argument typically shapes that tech.
Ks:
I think of Ks as a cp with a net benefit, the more specific it is to the aff the more likely I am to vote on it. I’m not well read in lit at all so explanation goes a long way. I think you should have a somewhat specific link to the aff. I do feel like at the end of the debate the aff should get to weigh the 1ac, in what context is up for debate but im very hard to convince otherwise. Link of omissions are nonstarters. My advice is go for what you are most comfortable with and I will do my best as a judge to leave my biases at the door and evaluate the debate.
Case debate:
This is is a lost art. I think more teams need to be willing to engage with the aff. This can be done on a substance level, impact turns, smart analytical arguments, theory, etc. I have no issue with the neg reading as many offcase args as you want, but if you are doing so at the expense of a well developed case debate than don’t be surprised if I conclude a high risk of the aff, when there is little engagement with it.
Other things/pet peeves
-I think there is a fine line between being an ass and being competitive. If done well your speaks will be rewarded but if done wrong you will not be happy with them rule of thumb don’t be an ass, be respectful and have fun.
-physically mark your cards. if you do not and another team asks for a marked copy I will make you take prep within my arbitrary judgement of what that is.
- you must physically read the rehighlighting of the other teams cards simply saying “I have inserted a rehighlighting here” is not an argument in any sense please read the card. The only exception to this is if it is a small part of a card and you have explained the argument it makes in your speech.
-Clipping will result with a loss with 0 speaks. I do follow along in speech docs so if I see you doing it I won’t hesitate. If you call someone out for it you must have audio evidence of it.
email: gracemechler@gmail.com (she/her), please do not hesitate to email with any questions or concerns
Debated at Free State High School for 3 years (graduated in 2020)
I am most familiar with KDC style debate and a more medium-speed speaking style, but I am cool if you want to talk fast too. If you choose to spread or talk fast, please use clarity! Additionally, I am fine with whatever you choose to run as long as you explain it well. I am not very familiar with Ks, so if you choose to run one, please explain it well. I like to see a good explanation of impact calc and a productive cross ex.
I am unfamiliar with this topic, and have never judged it before, so please try to explain the more complex arguments :)
Bigotry/ hate speech of any kind will absolutely not be tolerated. Be respectful to your partner and opponents, and although debate can sometimes be stressful, try to have some fun!
Hello,
I am the Leavenworth High School Debate Coach. That being said I like to keep things classic. Please provide an off-time road map and signposting. This is extremely helpful for me, as I flow rounds when I judge, and since I'm not The Flash I can only write so fast. Use those stock issues they are there not only to help me but you as well. However, I'm not picky about the order you go in. If you are going to spread please articulate. If I can't understand you, I can't judge you. I will say "clear" once and if I still can't understand you after that, I will judge accordingly. I like K's I think they are highly entertaining. That being said if you are going to run a K, make sure you know it inside and out. Please whenever possible be able to state things in your own words. It helps me flow and proves you understand and can defend your case. If I don't see clash in the round I will get bored. You must provide this. Make sure you are reading taglines and summarizing after each card. If you are going to run a DA it needs a shell same with Topicalities. Provide a summary of the whole case at the end and walk me through your thought process. Remember new evidence in rebuttals is fine, but no new arguments. If you are AFF you have the burden of proof therefore, do not drop arguments. And finally, have fun! This is an educational exercise, but a great opportunity to make new friends.
I do not have many opinions when it comes to what you can and can not do but if you are going to run Topicality it better be freaking good. I have listened to way too many debates where weak T takes over.
Also, Ks are not my favorite arguments but it can be used if you see fit.
If you are going to spread try to enunciate so I can get at least a little bit of what you say. Bad spreading just makes me irritated and more likely to vote against you.
Honestly, I tend to be old-fashioned in that I like a debate round with a good solid case that is argued. I will listen to counter plans and DAs but they do need to be applicable to the case.
I do not mind some speed but I still like there to be some emphasis on speaking skills and presentation.
I will vote on Topicality if it truly is applicable but make sure you are doing T instead of significance.
I have voted for K before but it needs to be good, applicable and succinct.
Be polite, logical and please do not change history.... For example don't say something such as World War II was the only world war. Doesn't the two imply a one?
If you have questions, ask. I always forget something.
wrhs 20
kansas 24
Email - rainapeter01@gmail.com
TLDR: I care deeply about my role as a judge and will do my best to make a decision that makes sense and give feedback that is helpful. This paradigm isn't long, so don't hesitate to send me an email if you have any questions.
I have done some research on the criminal justice topic, but haven't judged much so lean on the side of more explanation for intricate topicality/counterplan arguments.
Tech over truth but arguments must be warranted. I will almost always read evidence on the important issues, but judge instruction is extremely important to frame my ballot.
I am a better judge for traditional policy strategies, but that does not mean I will not evaluate critical ones. I appreciate judges who are willing to listen to all arguments, so I am trying to be one of those judges. Death good, blatantly racist arguments, etc. are an exception.
Arguments:
DAs - Politics is my favorite argument, turns case is good.
CPs - Not good for process counterplans, generally think conditionality is good.
T - usually a question of competing interpretations. I think topicality is an under-utilized strategy on this topic.
Ks - negs should have links to the aff, I am good for abolition, capitalism and international relations critiques. Other literature bases need more explanation
Framework - Impact weighing and comparisons are extremely important. Affs should have a clear relationship to the topic and some sort of mechanism to resolve impacts
This is my first year as an assistant debate coach at the high school level. I have volunteered as a judge over the years in both debate and forensics- most recently for the four speaker regionals in Lawrence. I prefer civil discourse in the rounds that I have the privilege to listen to and assess. I also prefer a stable pacing as opposed to a racing, rapid approach to speeches. Topicality is important but a reasonable interpretation by the affirmative will be something that I judge. I prefer that a team uses reliable evidence over simple analysis. I try to take an open mind into the round and listen to the cases as presented by the competing teams.
Hi,
I’m Alina. My pronouns are she/her. I was mostly a block boy when I debated but I do prefer judging lay style debate rounds. I’m fine with Ks and like open cross x and all that stuff whatever you want to do I just think the most important thing is to have fun.
Hello all debaters and welcome,
My name is Chessa Quenzer, and I'll be judging this evening. I really look forward to hearing from each one of you. I was fortunate enough to debate throughout high school, and I really enjoyed the process and competitive spirit of debate. Please note, it has been 15 years since I've judged a debate tournament so please make sure to explain your plan. Also I do like hearing about disadvantages and outcomes that lets me know you've done your research. Thank you for your hard work and commitment to debate. Please let me know if I can assist you at any point today.
GOOD LUCK!! I will be cheering each of you on. Remember, even though this is competitive, please be kind and respectful.
Kindest Regards,
Chessa Quenzer
About me/ Preference things-
I debated at Lawrence High School for 4 years and debated in college at the University of Kansas. I have been an assistant debate coach for Shawnee Mission South High School for 4 years.
** Please add me to the email chain rose.haylee2000@gmail.com
LD
I evaluate LD traditionally with emphasis on the V and VC level. However, it is important that you are winning some offense both on the V and VC as well as the contention level debate. Winning top level offense on the V and VC and and describing how that effects the contention level debate is the easiest way to win my ballot.
TL:DR
As for how I evaluate debates, I cannot say that I have a bunch of things that I am for or against so I will just go down the list.
Make arguments to the best of your ability but please just be a good human. As far as how many rounds I have judged I did not judge or teach at a camp this summer so I am a little behind.
T- I debated and went for T quite often in debates but I won't vote for it unless its 5 min in the 2NR and you gotta have a case list and reason why your interpretation is good, what does the aff's model of debate mean for the debate community?
Theory- its fine, be persuasive and tell me why the aff/negs justification for reading a particular argument/set of arguments is bad. I can/will vote for abuse on condo or other theory but getting there may be hard, I think condo is good and it needs to be excessive abuse. Continuing on theory, you as the person reading theory need to be able to prove why their interp is bad and why that hurts you in the round, not just the debate community writ large.
DA's- I enjoy them a lot, you will need to explain each individual part of the DA debate and its implications for the argument overall I won't extend cards when you say "extend my link".
CP's- I like Cp's that are competitive. I also am a firm believer that the CP must have a NB that is not we solve better than the aff. Not a huge fan of "cheating" counterplans but you gotta do what you gotta do to win.
K's- I read and went for the cap k, I am not a K hack or know all of the things that you are talking about. I really enjoy k debates but I will need you to explain things to me and why they matter/ what you win because of each individual part of the K debate. I like techy K debates.
READ ME:
I really enjoy this activity but there are some things about it that I am not too fond of,
1. Charging the Mound, it makes me uncomfortable and probably also makes your opponents uncomfortable as well. If you have questions or do not understand my decision please ask or email me but you are not going to convince me I made the wrong decision, and if you do why does that matter my ballot is already submitted. Let's have a productive conversation about debate
2. Personal attacks at your opponent, there is a line between being sassy and making others feel bad about themselves.
3. Sexist, Ablest, Transphobic, Racist (and other isms) language and behaviors, please be good human.
4. Stealing prep, it's just a pet peeve of mine
Feel free to ask me questions about my judging paradigm before the round starts, and email me if you have any remaining questions after the debate is over. I will always be more than happy to help you all get better at this activity!
1. Be respectful towards your opponents. They may be more or less experienced than you, but they are likely trying their best so respect that.
2. Be organized and if you're going to talk fast, still be organized. I like it when organized arguments are argued against other organized arguments. As a judge, if I can't follow along with what you're saying because it is muddled, that not only confuses the issues, but also makes it less likely that I'll be persuaded.
3. If possible (I know you're all under time pressures) try to argue against the opponent's positions in the order they made their arguments. This will tighten the flow logically and make it easier for me as a judge to follow along.
4. Do your best and remember that regardless of how I vote, carry your head high and keep improving. Like any activity or course you'll take in your life, you'll make mistakes, you'll learn, and all you have control over is if you choose to improve and how to improve. I've known many debaters who started at the bottom but kept improving on every comment they received until they were among the best and top tier.
Hello!
I've judged Debate for about 6 years, and have been an assistant Debate coach for the last 3 seasons. Although I did not Debate in high school, I consider myself a fairly experienced judge.
I prefer to judge based on Policy Making (the Legislative Model). In other words, I weigh the affirmative and negative arguments against each other and make my decision based on the comparison of pros and cons presented in the round. Common solvency arguments (impracticability, insufficiency, counterproductivity, etc.) dis-ads, and inherency arguments all play a role in this comparison.
In evaluating topicality, the impact calculus of the round plays a large factor in my decision, but can be overruled by debatability and fairness. In other words, if you are providing an argument that does not give the opposing team a fair opportunity to debate and reap the educational rewards of the round, it will count against you in my ballot.
In terms of speed, I am comfortable with rapid speech, but (and I cannot stress this enough) it MUST BE COMPREHENSIBLE. If you are spreading so fast that you're stumbling over words, mumbling, not enunciating clearly, or anything else that does not allow me to understand your argument, it will certainly count against you in the ballot.
I am not comfortable giving oral feedback at the end of rounds or revealing the results of a round. All feedback will be included in my ballots.
If you have any other questions about my paradigm or require any clarification, you are more than welcome to ask me before the start of the round. Good luck, and most importantly, have fun!
Did not take Debate or Forensics in High School or College. Started judging the fall of 2019.
Speed: I’m not judging a speed-reading contest and do not care how many words you can read in 8 minutes. If you are hyperventilating, spitting or losing your place reading your speech, You are going too fast! Slow down, breathe, relax and read at a normal flow while looking up once in awhile to see if I am engaged and understanding you clearly.
Constructive: A minimal number of well-planned out cards that clearly backs up your arguments supporting aff or neg is much better that trying to string a bunch of random cards together within the time limit. I would like to know how each card fits into your overall plan. I want to get the feeling you fully understand the content of your speech and you’re not just reading a bunch of words on your laptop.
Harms & Solvency: Telling me the world is going to end or world hunger will be solved by voting for or against a topic is very hard to justify. Keep your predictions and outcome believable that can be validated by facts or past history examples.
Rebuttal: While Constructive and Cross Examination is very important, My decision for the wining team comes during the rebuttal. I’m looking for the team that can defend and strengthen their position on aff or neg while discrediting the other team’s position. I want to clearly know why your team has the best facts and arguments. Keep the Rebuttal simple and focused. Don't waste time with filler or repeating the same argument multiple times, just get your main points across.
Speaker Points:
· Speaks clearly and is confident presenting material.
· Knows the material and has good responses to cross examination
· Has good cross examination questions for opponents
· Convince me your position on the topic is the best.
Email chain: lfsdebate@gmail.com
Who Am I: I debated four years at Field Kindley High School in Coffeyville, KS, did not debate in college, and have been an assistant coach at Lawrence Free State High School in Lawrence, KS since 2013. I have a Master's degree in International Relations.
General Approach: Tell me what I should be voting on and why. If you want me to evaluate the round differently than they do, then you need to win a reason why your framework or paradigm is the one that I should use. If no one does that, then I'll default to a policymaker paradigm. I don't view offense and defense as an either/or proposition, but if you do then I prefer offense.
Standard Operating Procedure: (How I will evaluate the round unless one of the teams wins that I should do something different) The affirmative has a non-severable duty to advocate something resolutional, and that advocacy must be clear and stable. The goal of the negative is to prove that the affirmative's advocacy is undesirable, worse than a competitive alternative, or theoretically invalid. I default to evaluating all non-theory arguments on a single plane, am much more willing to reject an argument than a team, and will almost always treat dropped arguments as true.
Mechanics: (I'm not going to decide the round on these things by themselves, but they undeniably affect my ability to evaluate it)
- Signposting - Please do this as much as possible. I'm not just talking about giving a roadmap at the start of each speech or which piece of paper you're talking about during the speech, but where on the line-by-line you are and what you're doing (i.e. if you read a turn, call it a turn).
- Overviews - These are helpful for establishing your story on that argument, but generally tend to go on too long for me and seem to have become a substitute for specific line-by-line work, clash, and warrant extension. I view these other items as more productive/valuable ways to spend your time.
- Delivery - I care way more about clarity than speed; I have yet to hear anybody who I thought was clear enough and too fast. I'll say "clear" if you ask me to, but ultimately the burden is on you. Slowing down and enunciating for tags and analytics makes it more likely that I'll get everything.
- Cross Examination - Be polite. Make your point or get an answer, then move on. Don't use cross-ex to make arguments.
- Prep Time - I don't think prep should stop until the flash drive comes out of your computer or the email is sent, but I won't police prep as long as both teams are reasonable.
Argumentation: (I'll probably be fine with whatever you want to do, and you shouldn't feel the need to fundamentally change your strategy for me. These are preferences, not rules.)
- Case - I prefer that you do case work in general, and think that it's under-utilized for impact calc. Internal links matter.
- CPs/DAs - I prefer specific solvency and link cards (I'm sure you do, too), but generics are fine provided you do the work.
- Framework - I prefer that framework gets its own page on the flow, and that it gets substantive development beyond each side reading frontlines at each other/me.
- Kritiks - I prefer that there is an alternative, and that you either go for it or do the work to explain why you win anyway. "Reject the Aff." isn't an alternative, it's what I do if I agree with the alternative. I don't get real excited about links of omission, so some narrative work will help you here.
- Performance - I prefer that you identify the function of the ballot as clearly and as early as possible.
- Procedurals - I prefer that they be structured and that you identify how the round was affected or altered by what the other team did or didn't do.
- Theory - I prefer that theory gets its own page on the flow, and that it gets substantive development beyond each side reading frontlines at each other/me.
- Topicality - I prefer that teams articulate how/why their interpretation is better for debate from a holistic perspective. TVAs and/or case lists are good. My least favorite way to start an RFD is, "So, I think the Aff. is topical, but also you're losing topicality."
Miscellaneous: (These things matter enough that I made a specific section for them, and will definitely be on my mind during the round.)
- I'm not planning to judge kick for you, but have no problem doing so if that instruction is in the debate. The Aff. can object, of course.
- Anybody can read cards, good analysis and strategic decision-making are harder to do and frequently more valuable.
- Individual pages on the flow do not exist in a vacuum, and what is happening on one almost certainly affects what is happening on another.
- Comparative impact calculus. Again, comparative impact calculus.
- You may not actually be winning every argument in the round; acknowledging this in your analysis and telling me why you win anyway is a good thing.
- Winning an argument is not the same thing as winning the round on an argument. If you want to win the round on an argument you've won or are winning, take the time to win the round on it.
- The 2NR and 2AR are for making choices, you only have to win the round once.
- I will read along during speeches and will likely double back to look at cards again, but I don't like being asked to read evidence and decide for myself. If they're reading problematic evidence, yours is substantively better, etc., then do that work in the debate.
Zen: (Just my thoughts, they don't necessarily mean anything except that I thought them.)
- Debate is a speaking game, where teams must construct logically sound, valid arguments to defend, while challenging the same effort from their opponents.
- It's better to be more right than the other team than more clever.
- A round is just a collection of individual decisions. If you make the right decisions more often than not, then you'll win more times than you lose.
I'll be happy to answer any questions.
Last update September 2023 in an attempt to majorly condense down to what you actually want to know.
Yes email chain (I like Speechdrop or Tabroom Share even better but will defer to what y'all want) - eskoglund@gmail.com
POLICY DEBATE
Background
Olathe South 2001, 1 year at KU
Head coach, Olathe Northwest HS, Kansas (assistant 2006-2016, head 2016-present)
90%+ of my judging is on a local circuit with varying norms for speed, argumentation, etc.
1) My most confident decisions happen in policymaker-framed rounds. I will do my best to follow you to other places where the debate takes us.
2) If your aff doesn't advocate a topical plan text, the burden is on you to ensure that I understand your advocacy and framework. If you don't make at least an attempt to relate to the resolution, it's going to be very hard for you.
3) I flow what I hear but I will follow speech docs to watch for clipping. Egregious clipping will lead me to decide the round even if a formal challenge is not filed.
4) Whether you've got a plan, an advocacy statement, or whatever - much of the work coming out of camps is so vague as to be pointless. You don't need a six plank plan or a minute of clarification, but a plan should be more than the resolution plus a three word mission statement. I will err neg on most questions of links and/or theory when affirmatives ignore this.
5) I don't judge kick unless given explicit instruction to that effect. Conditional 2NRs are gross.
6) Flow the debate, not the speech doc.
7) Anytime you're saying words you want on my flow, those need to not be at 400 wpm please.
8) On T, I primarily look for a competing interpretation framework. "Reasonability" to me just means that I can find more than one interpretation acceptable, not that you don't have to meet an interp. My understanding of T is more "old school" than a lot of the rest of arguments; a T debate that talks a lot about offense/defense and not a lot about interpretations/violations is less likely to be something I comprehend in the way you want.
9) Long pre-written overviews in rebuttals are neither helpful nor persuasive.
10) I will not lie to your coach about the argumentation that is presented in the round. I will not tolerate the debate space being used to bully, insult, or harass fellow competitors. I will not evaluate personal disputes between debaters.
11) I think disclosure probably ought to be reciprocal. If you mined the aff's case from the wiki then I certainly hope you are disclosing negative positions. My expectations for disclosure are dependent on the division and tournament, and can be subject to theory which is argued in the round. DCI debaters in Kansas should be participating in robust disclosure, at a minimum after arguments have been presented in any round of a tournament.
CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE
First and foremost, this is a debate event. Any speech after the authorship/sponsorship speech should be making direct, meaningful reference to prior speakers in the debate. Simply repeating or rehashing old points is not an effective use of your, or my, time. Several speeches in a row on the same side is almost always bad debate, so you should be prepared to speak on both sides of most legislation.
The fastest path to standing out in most chambers is to make it clear that you're debating the actual content of the legislation, not just some vague idea of the title. Could I get your speech by just Googling a couple of words in the topic, or have you actually gotten into the specific components of the legislation before you?
I come from the policy debate planet originally but that doesn't mean I want you to speed. We have different events for a reason.
Role playing is generally good, particularly if we're at a circuit or national tournament where your constituents might be different from others in your chamber.
I notice and appreciate effective presiding officers who know the rules and work efficiently, and will rank you highly if your performance is exemplary.
LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATE
Speed is fine but I will not clear you (see longer discussion in policy below). I come from a fairly traditional LD circuit, so while I can understand policy type argumentation, my decision calculus may be a bit unpredictable if you just make this a 1 on 1 CX round with too-short speech times.
I am watching for clipping and will directly intervene against you if you clip cards in a way that I judge to be egregious, even if the issue is not raised in the round.
My default way of evaluating an LD round is to compare the impacts presented by both sides through the lens of each side's value and criterion, if presented. If you want me to do something different please run a clear role of the ballot or framework argument and proactively defend why your approach is predictable enough to create fair debate.
Your last 1-2 minutes, at least, should be spent on the big picture writing my reason for decision. Typically the debater who does this more clearly and effectively will win my ballot.
PUBLIC FORUM
Clash is super important to all forms of debate and is most often lacking in PF. You need to be comparing arguments and helping me weigh impacts.
Pointing at evidence is not incorporating it into the round. If you don't actually read evidence I won't give it any more weight than if you had just asserted the claim yourself. Smaller quotations are fine, but the practice of "this is true and we say this from Source X, Source Y, and the Source Z study" is anti-educational.
About Me:
-Hello! Please add rnivium@gmail.com to the email chain.
-Debated at: University of Kansas '18-'22. Arapahoe HS '14-'18.
-Coached for: Asian Debate League '22-'23, Arapahoe HS '22-'23, Lawrence Free State HS '20-'22.
Paradigm:
-I don't think arguments start at 100% weight/risk. I believe it is my responsibility to assess the extent to which your warrant supports your claim.
-I encourage you to have a coherent overall narrative/strategy, to provide argument comparison/interaction, and to emphasize clarity/organization.
-I would definitely prefer to judge the "best possible argument" as opposed to the "most possible arguments."
-I'm apprehensive about "insert this re-highlighting." If you do this, please make the tagline very clear and don't highlight more than the key part. The trend of "insert this section of a card we read earlier for reference; its warrant is applicable here" seems fine.
Current Assistant Coach: Lansing HS
Former Head Coach: Thomas More Prep Marion Jr/Sr HS, Bonner Springs HS
High School Policy: 4 Years - Champs
EMAIL CHAIN - kelli.henderson@usd469.net (yes, I would like to be included on it)
Speed - I’m flexible. I prefer to be able to understand you and have clarity with your words. Make that happen for whatever that looks like for you. If I can’t understand you or follow, it will be obvious that I’m zoning out. I will listen to whatever you choose to say, however you choose to say it. Make it count.
Preferences - I’m a fan of line by line. Tell me where to put it on the flow and tell me why it matters. I like Impact Calc. I typically default to policy maker and like stock issues if no one is directing me how to vote. I like to see direct clash, I believe that quality evidence matters, and having a cohesive and clear vision for the round is a plus.
All in all I try to keep an open mind to the arguments being made as long as they are not blatantly false/illogical. I want you to debate how you know how to debate I do not want an altered version based off of what you think I want to hear.
Some Specific Argument Notes:
If you do not make clear your position and why I should vote a particular way, I will more than likely default to policy maker.
Case: I love a good case debate! Be sure to have smart analysis of what is being presented in the round. Do not overlook plan.
Topicality: I like topicality and believe it is an under used tool. I want standards/voters. Do not run T just for the sake of running T. I want it to be logical and well constructed.
Disads: I value a strong link. Impact Calc. is important. If running something along the lines like Nuc War, it had better be strong and well constructed for me to consider it.
CPs: They’re not my favorite. I prefer specific solvency over generic CPs. You can still win a CP debate but please make sure it is truly more beneficial.
Kritiks: I enjoy philosophy but it needs to actually make sense. Explain the logic of the K to me if you want to win it. If you are not able to clearly explain your literature, do not go for it.
Theory: You must be able to thoroughly articulate why Theory matters and what the actual impact is. I will listen to it. I will weigh it accordingly. Not my favorite.
Things that I do NOT like or will not tolerate:
Being disrespectful - Your words matter. Use them wisely, properly, and be in good taste.
Abusing prep/flash times - be honorable and courteous.
Falsifying evidence - just don’t.
I debated for 3 years @ Washburn Rural
I debated for 4 years @ Emporia State (NDT '08)
I am the Director of Debate at Lawrence Free State HS (7th year at FS, 15th year as a head coach, 23rd year in Policy Debate)
*Please add me to the email chain if one exists: kmikethompson@gmail.com
tl;dr
I will do my best to answer any questions that you have before the debate.
-I don't care how fast you talk, but I do care how clear you talk. I'm unlikely to clear you but it will be obvious if I can't understand you because I won't be flowing and I communicate non-verbally probably more than most other judges. This is particularly relevant in online debate.
-I don't care what arguments you read, but I do care whether you are making arguments, responding to opposition arguments, and engaging in impact calculus (your arg v their arg, not just your arg) throughout the debate.
-I don't care what aff you read, if you defend a plan, or if you debate on the margins of the topic, but I do care if you have offensive justifications for your decisions, and if you solve.
-If you're reading generic link arguments or CP solvency cards - it will matter a great deal how well you can contextual that generic evidence to the specific affirmative plan.
-I think teams should be willing to go for theory more.
Some top level thoughts:
1) "New in the 2" is bad for debate. Barring an affirmative theoretical objection - I'll evaluate you arguments and not intervene despite my bias. But, if the other team makes an argument about it - I will disregard all new positions read in the negative block.
2) Neg ground on this topic is not very good. I'm sympathetic to the negative on theoretical objections of counterplans as a result.
3) If you're flowing the speech doc and not the speech itself you deserve to be conned in to answering arguments that were never made in the debate, and to lose to analytic arguments (theory and otherwise) that were made while you were busy staring at your screen.
4) People should assume their opponent's are winning some arguments in the last rebuttals. A decision to assume you're winning everything nearly guarantees that you are incorrect and minimizes the likelihood that you're doing relevant impact calculus. I really think "even-if" statements are valuable for final rebutalists.
-My speaker point scale has tended to be:
29+ - you should be in elimination debates at this tournament, and probably win one or more of those rounds
28.5 - you are competing for a spot to clear but still making errors that may prevent you from doing so. Average for the division/tournament.
28 - you are slightly below average for the division/tournament and need to spend some time on the fundamentals. Hopefully, I've outlined in my notes what those are.
27.5 - there were serious fundamental errors that need to be corrected.
Topicality- I really enjoy T debates, I think competing interpretations is probably true and find reasonability arguments to be uncompelling almost always. That said, this topic is kinda awful for T debates. If you're not topical you should have an offensive reason that you're not. If you are topical then you should win why your vision of the resolution is superior to the negatives.
Critiques- K debaters tend to spend an extraordinary amount of time on their link arguments, but no time on explaining how the alternative resolves them. Affirmatives tend to concede K tricks too often.
Counterplans - I like smart, aff specific counter plans more than generic, topic type counter plans.
Critical affs - I'm fine with K affs and deployed them often as a debater. I find it difficult to evaluate k affs with poorly developed "role of the ballot" args. I find "topical version of the aff" to be compelling regularly, because affs concede this argument. I have been more on the "defend topical action" side of the framework debate in the last two years or so. I'm not sure why, but poorly executed affirmative offense seems to be the primary cause.
kmwhite@olatheschools.org
Policy:
I've been coaching in KS for about 15 years and debated in high school and college before that. It's been quite awhile since I've done much coaching and judging on the national circuit. I'm opening to listening to almost anything but don't assume I'm familiar with specific authors.
You're likely to be the most successful in front of me by debating in your comfort zone and doing it well. I'll list some preferences below but they are all flexible based on what happens in the round. Particularly smart, original arguments can persuade me to vote on just about anything.
I DO NOT want to listen to you be rude to each other. We're all in an activity that we enjoy. Please don't be rude or condescending.
Delivery - Speed is fine. I'll say clear or slow once or twice if you're too fast, but then if you don't adjust I won't keep it up. Please slow a bit during transitions to give me a second to process where you're going.
Round progression - Please narrow the number of arguments but deepen those arguments as you go along. Give me reasons to prefer your arguments that are based on analysis and warrants. Avoid answering developed arguments by just repeating a cite.
Topicality/Theory - I enjoy these types of arguments if they are well-developed and have warrants and impacts. I don't like blippy lists of theory or cheap shots where you read six quick perms and crow because they dropped #5. Tell me very clearly what I should do with your argument if you win it.
Policy impacts - I'm most comfortable evaluating rounds as a policymaker. If you don't specify another method, that's what I'll use. Focus on offense and impacts. I do believe it's possible to mitigate an impact or weaken the link to the point I shouldn't consider it. I have a slight preference for real-world, high probability impacts over low probability terminal impacts.
CPs - These are fine. I have a fairly high standard for competitiveness.
Ks - I like philosophy and enjoy listening to good K debates, but I'm not up on a lot of the literature. Please clash with the opposing arguments and explain exactly what I'm voting for and why. On the neg, apply your ideas directly against specifics from the aff case so I can tell you understand how the arguments interact.
Evidence - I prefer not to look at speech docs unless there's a specific point I'm trying to clear up. Debate is a verbal activity and I want to primarily judge what I hear you say. I will look at evidence if it comes into question.
I'm bothered by the increasing use of heavily biased evidence that hasn't been through an editorial process so please feel free to make source arguments or call their evidence into question. If I end up in a position where I'm comparing evidence directly because you're both telling me your evidence is the best, I will definitely take author's quals into account.
My speaker point midpoint is about a 27.5. If I think you had decently ok speeches, that's where you'll be. Noticeable strategic errors in argument choice or time allocation or delivery will reduce that, insightful arguments and solid strategy will bring it up. I don't mind open cross-x but if you stand up there silently while your partner answers all your questions instead of prepping, you'll both lose points.
LD:
My preference is for LD to be a discussion of philosophy and morality. That can definitely include evaluating outcomes, but don't assume that I'll always vote for the person who proves the "best" outcomes over somebody with a strong philosophical justification for their position.
I dislike both affs and negs who seem to be advocating a specific plan and whose argumentation seems mainly about poking very small and specific holes in each others' plans.
Due to the time constraints, I am much less likely in LD to vote on "gotcha" drops than I am in policy.
I've been coaching speech and debate at SME for 20 years (15 as head coach and 5 as an assistant). I debated open at SME, where I also went to high school.
I tend to evaluate debates from a policy-making paradigm, but I'm open to other frameworks. I'm also open to any arguments as long as adequate analysis is given and the argument's relevance to the debate and issues being discussed is made clear. I'm not extremely familiar with K lit so I'd be cautious to read a K in front of me, but I'm open.
I like to see clash and connecting your arguments to the claims made by your opponents. I want your evidence to be strong in terms of having clear warrants that match your claims, but you need to do the work in terms of pointing out key warrants, as well as scrutinizing your opponent's evidence.
When it comes to analysis, I prefer genuine, conversational delivery and explanations as opposed to spewing pre-written blocks.
I prefer speed at a moderate to quick pace as long as you're clear.
I want clear link stories and strong impact calc! I prefer the debate to funnel down to essential issues.
Please sign-post clearly when transitioning between cards and arguments.
Ethos is important so please be respectful and kind to each other, and present yourselves in a convincing, persuasive manner!
For Novices: I will leave the paradigm below. However, I would advise you to debate in the style that you feel most comfortable.
I debated 4 years for Shawnee Mission West, 2 for SMSU and 2 at KU around the turn of the century before computers were commonly used in-round.
I like high rates of speed but I expect debaters to be comprehensible. I like structure. I prefer substance over style.
I will try my best to resolve the debate based on what the debaters have said in their speeches. I have some default but easily overcome assumptions:
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The affirmative should be topical and topicality is a voting issue. What it means to be topical is open for debate.
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The affirmative must win a comparative advantage or an offensive reason to vote affirmative.
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Presumption is negative absent a warranted reason for it to shift.
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Counterplans may be topical.
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I am not sure what is meant in the community by conditionality. I lean mildly towards thinking counterplans like most arguments are dispositional regardless of how the negative characterizes. Because a successful permutation among other arguments renders the counterplan moot, I don’t expect all counterplans to be advocated in the 2NR. If an affirmative chooses to turn a counterplan and succeeds while not providing permutation or other “outs”, the negative claim to avoid the turn because the counterplan was “conditional” is unpersuasive to me but not cheating.
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Plan inclusive counterplans are not cheating but I lean strongly towards PICs bad arguments.
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The affirmative does not need a net benefit to a permutation. The negative must win that a counterplan alone is better than the plan or a combination of the plan and counterplan.
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Permutations are a test of competition.
I'd like to be added to the email chain mwoodcock692@gmail.com
(he/him)
email chain >> speech drop
Experience:
Debating:
I debated at Lansing High School for 4 years
Debated two years at KU (alliances and antitrust)
Coaching:
Lansing (2020-2022)
Shawnee Mission South (current) :)
Top Level -
1. Tech over truth, the only scenario in which I may look towards truth rather than tech is as a means to break a tie in portions of debates that are extremely difficult to resolve (i.e. lack of clash)
2. Don’t let anything said in this paradigm discourage you from reading/going for any argument, the best debates are ones where people have devoted ample time in researching the argumentative positions they read. I enjoy debate and will put my best effort into my decision because of the ample work that debaters put into the activity should be seen and rewarded as such, which I believe requires judges to do the same.
3. If any arguments that are homophobic, racist, and etc. are presented you will lose the debate and be rewarded the least amount of speaks as possible. This also includes any other way that you may make the debate space less safe for people.
4. Taking CX as prep will be rewarded with lower speaks.
5. JUDGE INSTRUCTION! If you think that a portion of the debate should be the deciding factor, then tell me why that is and how I should evaluate it. The more judge instruction that you do, then the more happy you are to be with the decision I give.
Topicality -
I default to competing interpretations, if you believe I should evaluate this differently, then tell me to do so. Some big things that matter to me here is that I think both teams should have a robust explanation of what they think the topic should look like. I find limits to be more compelling than a loss of ground as internal links to the impacts that you are going for.
Impact comparison is still important here, like why does fairness outweigh education or the impacts that your opponents are going for. If the debate takes the course where both teams are going for fairness, then this should be done at the internal link level, but regardless there needs to be more impact comparison in topicality.
I think that I am pretty relaxed with my biases as to what aff's are topical and I like to think that I reward teams who invest research into these arguments and think that teams who read aff's that are perceived to be regarded as topical to the community should be punished for lazy debating on whether their aff is topical or not.
Critical Affs –
I prefer aff's have some relationship with the topic, I also want you to tell me what and how this relationship is established. I feel pretty comfortable adjudicating these debates but also believe that the more judge instruction you give me, the happier you will be. I also think that the more offense that you generate on the fw page, then the better position you put yourself in. I think if you are reading a version of an anti-cap lit based aff, then generating this offense can be more difficult, but not impossible. The ones that I have seen on this topic feel pretty defensive on fw and I think you should invest time into creating this offense.
For the neg --- I believe there is a trend where teams are choosing to read definitions that stop at Ericson, and/or some sort of evidence that is similar to it. I don't think this puts you in a position to win your limits offense and my threshold for aff defense and offense is increasingly more compelling. So, if this is your strategy, then you need to invest time into creating a vision of the topic that is actually limiting.
The 2nr should have some discussion of case, or tell me how fw interacts with the case page and give me ample judge instruction on why it should come first. Reading positions other than just framework are more enjoyable debate to watch, but fw debates can be equally as interesting as long as there is time devoted to it and your strategy.
Disads -
Not much to say here...
I think there has been a trend towards reading the least number of cards as possible, while there may be SOME cases where those cards make all the arguments needed, I will be sympathetic to new 1ar arguments should they be extended into the block.
Link specificity and spin are what I look for and reward if it is being done. Obviously, the more specific the link the better, but good spin can go a long way.
I like and reward aff strategies that straight turn disads and/or other offense generating strategies.
Counterplans –
Counterplans can make for interesting debates. I tend to side with the neg on pics and agent counterplans. I think other competition questions are typically decided on whichever team has invested more time in their strategy revolving around competition. Furthermore, I am more than happy and comfortable in adjudicating these debates, again judge instruction is important here.
With theory debates I think I am most compelled to reject the team only in context with condo but can be persuaded with other theory arguments if you are able to impact them out well enough. I enjoy watching aff teams double-down on condo and I don’t think there is a certain number of off that makes me more/less likely to vote on the argument, just win your interpretation if this is what the debate boils down to.
Kritiks –
The more specific of a link I think the better (this goes very any argument though) whether or not this is a link to the plan or the aff's performance, link spin can also go a long way. Pulling lines from evidence and contextualizing them to your link analysis is good. I do not think there must be an alternative in order to win the debate, just make sure you are wining other arguments that justify you doing this (i.e. framework). With these debates telling me what and why x matters are very important in framing my ballot.
With permutations I think the neg has to do more than just say, “all links are disads to the perm,” make sure to explain how they operate as such, and if you are going for the perm being intrinsic and/or severance make sure to explain why and tie an impact to it. On the flip side, I think that aff teams need to do a better job at answering each individual piece of offense to win a permutation (i.e. each link, disad, or solvency question) with a net benefit.
Case -
Don’t neglect case, it never hurts to extend some sort of defense or offense no matter how miniscule it may be. I think neg teams going for k’s sometimes get away with not going to the case page, if this happens make sure to use your aff.
I don’t understand the use of framing pages. They are often things that don’t matter if the neg just wins the disad or kritik that they are going for. I think the best examples of framing pages were affs written on the immigration topic and have since not seen one that was inherently offensive rather than defensive. The same goes for pre-empts. This is not to say don’t have a fed key warrant, but rather don’t just read a bunch of thumper cards or random pieces of impact defense. In this instance you should just read another advantage.