I am a parent PF judge, and a practicing attorney with more than 25 years of experience.

I believe a sound debate is about a fair, intelligible and intelligent dialogue. Speed reading off a computer screen or spreading is incompatible with such a process. Fast speakers assume the risk that I could miss some arguments/points/evidence. Additionally, if in my view you've spoken at a fast clip, I will not view unfavorably your opponent failing to respond to an argument that you have advanced.

Do not resort to speech docs. Make your case orally.

I flow arguments and strictly rely on my flowsheet. While I do not take note of points made/unmade in crossfire, I pay careful attention to astute questions and answers. Please bring up crossfire points that you would like me to flow in a subsequent speech. I am persuaded by well-structured, logical and linked arguments that are honestly supported by key pieces of evidence.

In addition to making your case, you must meaningfully engage with your opponents' case. The team advancing a contention must rejoin the issue and tell me why the opposing team's rebuttal/counter/block does not work.

In crossfire, please avoid questions with long preambles.

While, for the most part, I don't get into the weeds with cards and evidence, I may on occasion call for a piece. Teams should feel free to assail each other's evidence during the debate.

Please do not use debate jargon.

I do not like theory and K's. Hew to the topic of the day.

Keep the discourse civil. Incivility in any form will hurt your cause.

Enthusiasm for, intensity, and passion regarding the proposition you are espousing is welcome. Discourtesy or aggression against your opponents is not.

Tactical and strategic thinking in arguing, rebutting, and in crossfire is always delightful.

I appreciate clear analysis of why your contention should win the day in the summary and final focus. Further, the final focus should have all that you would like me to vote on (akin to writing my RFD for me - pros of your case and cons of your opponent's.) Lastly, all arguments and evidence that are in the final focus must have been in the summary and no new arguments in the summary speech - it is a matter of fairness.

Happy debating!

I'm a flow judge and have debated 4 years of PF at Trinity School. Broke to dubs at TOC '21.

Defense is not sticky - if you want defense to flow through, you need to extend it in every speech. That said, if first summary extends defense that wasn't frontlined in second rebuttal, second summary is too late to bring up a new frontline.

Screaming "Smith 18" is not an extension. If you want me to vote on something, you need to extend the warranting as well as the evidence.

I don't flow cross - if something important is said during cross, make sure to bring it up in a later speech.

Talk as fast as you want as long as you're clear (but I find that when people talk fast, their warranting suffers; I will not vote off blippy warranting).

No theory unless you actually, genuinely care about the issue (see TOC finals 2021 for a good example).

Bonus points for any jokes made during speeches :)

Revised April 11, 2018

Sandy Berkowitz

The Blake School (Minneapolis, MN), where I teach communication and coach Public Forum, World Schools, Policy, and Congressional Debate. I also coach the USA Development Team and Team USA in World Schools Debate.

I debated policy in high school and college and began coaching in the early 1980s. In addition to the events listed above, I have coached and judged Lincoln Douglas, Extemp, Oratory, Rhetorical Criticism/Great Speeches, Informative, Discussion, and (and to a lesser extent) Interp events, at variety of schools in IL, NY, NC, MN, MI, ME, and CA.

Public Forum

Fundamentally, I believe that PF provides debaters with opportunities to engage and debate key issues of the day before experienced debate and community judges. It is useful and important to understand and adapt to a judge’s preferences. So, for me:

General issues

--The crux of PF is good solid argumentation delivered well. Solid arguments are those that relate to the resolution, are well organized, well warranted, and supported with quality evidence that is explained.

--Good analytical arguments are useful but not normally sufficient. If you make an argument, you bear the responsibility of supporting, explaining, and weighing the argument.

--I flow. But, clarity is your responsibility and is key to a good debate.

Evidence Ethics

--Evidence is critical to building good arguments and that includes warrants. Use academically rigorous and journalistic sources to support your arguments. Offering a laundry list of 5-10 names with few warrants or methodology is not persuasive.

--Proper citation is essential. That does not mean “University X” says. A university did not do the study or write the article. Someone did. Source name and date is required for oral source citation. Providing qualifications orally can definitely enhance the clarity and persuasiveness of your argument. The complete written citation (including source name, date, source, title, access date, url, quals, and page numbers) must be provided when asked in the round.

--Exchange of evidence is mandatory when requested. There is not infinite prep time to find evidence. If it takes you more than a minute to find a card when asked, or all you can provide is a 50 page pdf, then I will disregard it.

--Paraphrasing is not as persuasive as reading cards and using the evidence appropriately to develop and deepen your arguments.

--If you have misconstrued evidence, your entire argument can be disregarded.

--Evaluate your own and your opponents’ evidence as part of your comparative analysis.

Strategic issues

--Extending arguments goes beyond authors and tag lines. Extend and develop the arguments.

--Narrative is key. Debate is inherently persuasive. Connect the arguments and tell a story.

--It is in the best interest of the second speaking team for the rebuttalist to rebuild their case. If the 2nd speaking team does not do that, they likely yield the strategic advantage to the 1st speaking team.

--Avoid Grand becoming yelling match, which is not useful to anyone.

--Clash is critical. It is vital to weigh your arguments, which is best to begin before the final focus. Write the ballot in the final focus.

Delivery and Decorum

--PF, and all debate, is inherently a communication activity. Speed is fine, but clarity is absolutely necessary. If you unclear or blippy, you do so at your own peril.

--Be smart. Be assertive. Be engaging. But, do not be a bully.

--Racist, xenophobic, sexist, classist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, and other oppressive discourses or examples have no place in debate.

Finally, have fun and enjoy the opportunity for engagement on important questions of the day.

World Schools

Worlds is an exciting debate format that is different from other US debate and speech formats. It is important for you to understand and adapt to the different assumptions and styles of Worlds. Content (the interpretation of the motion [definitions, model, stance], arguments, analysis, and examples), Style (verbal and nonverbal presentation elements), and Strategy (organization, decision making, engagement, and time allocation) all factor in to the decision and should be seen as critical and interrelated areas. Some things to consider:

--As Aristotle noted, we are influenced by both logos and pathos appeals, which you should develop through both examples and analysis. Thus, narratives are critical. Not just a story to “put a face on the motion,” but an overall narrative for your side of the debate.

--Motions are, in most cases, internationally, globally focused and your examples and analysis should reflect that.

--Have multiple, varied, and international examples that are used not only in the first speeches, but are also developed further and added in the second and third speeches to be more persuasive.

--Racist, xenophobic, sexist, classist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, and other oppressive discourses or examples have no place in debate.

--POIs can be statements or questions and are a key element of engagement during the debate. Questioners should be strategic in what to pose and when. Speakers should purposefully choose to take POIs and smartly respond to them. Typically, speakers will take 1-2 questions per constructive speech, but that is the speaker’s strategic choice.

--Importantly, carry things down the bench. Answer the arguments of the other side. Rebuild and develop your arguments. Engage in comparative analysis.

--Third speeches should focus the debate around clash points or key questions or key issues. Narrow the debate and offer comparative analysis.

--Reply speeches should not include new arguments. But, the speech should build on the third speech (especially in the opp block), identify key voting issues, and explain why your side has won the debate.

Be smart. Be articulate. Be persuasive. Take the opportunity to get to know other teams and debaters.

Policy and LD

I judge mostly PF and World Schools. But, I have continued to judge a smattering of Policy and LD rounds over the last few years. Now that you may be concerned, let me be specific.

Overall, I believe that rounds should be judged based upon the arguments presented.

--Clarity is paramount. Obviously, my pen time is slower than it was, but I do flow well. Roadmaps are good. Sign posting and differentiating arguments is necessary. Watch me. Listen. You will be able to tell if you are going too fast or are unclear. Reasonably clear speed is ok, but clarity is key. For most of my career, I was a college professor of communication; now I teach communication in high school. I strongly believe that debaters should be able to communicate well.

--Do what you do best: policy based or critical affs are fine. But, remember, I do not hear a lot of policy or LD rounds, so explain and be clear. Having said that, my area of research as a comm professor was primarily from a feminist critical rhetorical perspective. In any case, you bear the responsibility to explain and weigh arguments, assumptions, methodology, etc. without a lot of unexplained theory/jargon.

--Please do not get mired in debate theory. Topicality, for example, was around when I debated. But, for other, new or unique theory arguments, do not assume that I have current knowledge of the assumptions or standards of the theory positions. It is your responsibility to explain, apply, and weigh in theory debates. On Framework, please engage the substance of the aff. I strongly prefer you engage the methodology and arguments of the aff, rather than default to framework arguments to avoid that discussion.

--Racist, xenophobic, sexist, classist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, and other oppressive discourses or examples have no place in debate.

--Last, and importantly, weigh your arguments. It is your job to put the round together for me. Tell a good story, which means incorporating the evidence and arguments into a narrative. And, weigh the issues. If you do not, at least one team will be unhappy with the results if I must intervene.

Finally, I believe that Policy and LD debate is significantly about critical thinking and engagement. Better debaters are those who engage arguments, partners, opponents, and judges critically and civilly. Be polite, smart, and even assertive, but don’t be impolite or a bully. And, have fun since debate should be fun.

I have been judging PF for three years. I flow to capture and compare both arguments I appreciate the need for speed, but also ask that competitors don't speak so quickly, I can't understand them. Respect for other debaters during and after the rounds is very important. Be assertive, certainly, but rudeness is unnecessary. I appreciate debaters who have clearly prepared well and researched their topic sufficiently to be able to address unexpected ideas or approaches to a topic.

My name is Jian Chen and I’m a parent judge from Princeton that has been judging for a while. I’m comfortable with a lot but I ask that you use logic and reasoning to back your case. Please speak clearly and comprehensively. Overall if you can explain and defend you argument well I can follow it

.

Hi! My name is Claire and I've been debating at Scarsdale High School for 4 years.

I'm a tech over truth judge. Be respectful, don't be rude, racist, or otherwise offensive, if you are you will be dropped.

Add me to your email chain: cchou23@scarsdaleschools.org

A few things about how I judge:

1) Do not run theory or kritiks in novice (if you don't know what these are that's fine and you don't need to worry about it).

2) Although I listen to cross, I don't flow cross, if you want me to evaluate something said in cross, restate it in your next speech.

3) Extend your arguments throughout all necessary speeches.

4) I won't evaluate new arguments brought up in final focus.

5) Remember to weigh, the earlier you weigh, the better.

6) Signpost throughout your speeches.

7) Be sure to speak at a hearable speed. I am okay with speaking at a faster speed but if I can't make out what you are saying I'll stop you within the first 15 seconds and ask you to redo it at a slower pace.

8) After about 10 seconds over time I will stop flowing what you are saying.

9) I don't flow names of cards (i.e. Smith '21) so during your speeches please refer to the information, not just the card name.

Feel free to ask any questions! :)

Parent/lay judge familiar with other types of debate; have judged PF several times. Speaking briskly is OK, but if you speak too quickly for me to understand / take notes, it will be difficult to place weight on those points. Easier for me to understand if you minimize debate jargon. Both sides should be civil -- for instance, crossfire questioning time should be roughly equally distributed between both teams. Prefer fewer high quality arguments / crystallization to a smear of random cards or impacts that require suspending disbelief or logical leaps. If you strongly emphasize a piece of evidence I will probably ask to read that card. Please make sure it says what you argue it says. I don't understand "theory" arguments and believe that the debate should be about the stated resolution. If you exchange evidence you can include me on the email chain using apchuhome@gmail.com.

For public forum, please speak slowly and clearly. I prefer well-structured arguments with fewer sources of evidence as opposed to an overwhelming number of sources that are not clearly linked to your argument. As you present your case, define terms and abbreviations as if the audience has little to no background in this area. The final focus, closing argument, is important as I develop the Reason for my Decision.

Hi, I am both a debater and a judge. Here are some preferences and things you should avoid when debating.

Preferences:

I like debaters to give clear roadmaps of their speeches and have easy to follow line-by-line

Speak clearly so I can flow all of your important arguments

If you have a specific response, be clear about what it is (Non-uniqueness, turns, etc)

Dislikes:

Do not spread, you may speak quickly if needed but I prefer you to speak at a normal pace

Please do not use unconventional types of arguments in public forum, I think they hurt fairness (Ks!, CPs)

Don't avoid arguments, clash is the most fun part of debate

Previous coach, tab director (be on time!), and judge of long ago. Never debated. I can flow arguments made at slightly above conversational pace and appreciate when winning arguments are made clear enough that I don't have to think too hard.

• Don't time torch the round - there are guidelines in the Live Doc about prep time deduction if your evidence takes an excessive amount of time to find. You should be able to find your cards within ten to fifteen seconds in our digital age. Use hyperlinks to your advantage!
• There are also specifications about no prep during evidence finding since, if it's as fast as it should be, that time isn't deducted from prep.

Theory: Debate is a game that should be equitable, educational, and played respectfully. I'll listen to arguments that impact to the shortfalls of the debate space in any of those domains.

I am a parent judge aligned with Regis High School in New York City. I have been judging debate for several years at some of the larger regional tournaments, states, and local tournaments, judging mainly Public Forum, rounded out with a BQ qualifier and BQ nationals. Parliamentary Debate is a new format for me.

I work in finance. I'm familiar with basic debate jargon (turn, extend, etc.) but I'm certainly not a very 'debatey' judge. For PF, off time roadmaps are welcome. Please be sure everything you say is understandable. Speed is okay but you must be clear. If I can't follow you it will be harder for me to understand connections between your contentions, warrants, and impacts or challenges to your opponent's arguments.

When time runs out, please finish your thought and stop speaking.

I will vote off the flow.

I've done 3 years of varsity debate so far.

Don't spread too much.

Signpost.

Try to speak clearly and emphasize the important words.

I’m a first-time parent judge.

I will make my decision based on flow. Please keep your delivery as clear as possible. Speaking too quickly will lower speaker points. Weigh impacts throughout the round. Keep debate jargon to a minimum. I will not flow crossfire, but I will listen, and as such keep your tone respectful of one another.

I am a flow parent/lay judge who prefers clarity over speed.

Please avoid spreading so that I do not miss an argument or response.

I appreciate respectful disagreement and appreciate when you are being directly comparative with your opponent's arguments to demonstrate how you are winning the round.

Keep the impacts realistic. It will be easier to vote for you if the case seems both practical and plausible.

I expect the debaters to present evidence in their arguments and will only look at it if there is a conflict.

I am not particularly supportive of theory arguments and would prefer you stick to the topic at hand.

Although an experienced PF judge, I am also an LD judge.

I'm a parent judge that's judged a couple debates before. Please speak slowly so I can understand your points and follow your arguments. I have no background knowledge on the Arctic topic and have no personal experience as a debater. Please be courteous to each other.

Shortcut: Identity/Materialism Ks > T > Larp > Ethical frameworks or High theory Ks> Theory > Dense tricks

Please time/record yourselves and each other

Email: Sklein.debate@gmail.com

Hunter '20

I did four years of LD and qualified to the TOC twice. I taught at NSD Flagship '20, NSD Philly '20, and TDC '20. I have not judged since Yale 2021. This is my wiki from senior year.

I will evaluate any argument in the round and try to refrain from inserting my opinions as long as arguments a) have a warrant that I can explain in my decision and b) are not clearly offensive. I will not understand your position (especially philosophical/high theory ones) as well as you do. If you are reading a non-T aff or high theory K, explain what the aff/alt/method does. If an argument is important, let me know: have explicit weighing, spend time on the argument, or even tell me to highlight it on excel.

Additional preferences: https://linktr.ee/sklein.debate

PF: I am looking for the most persuasive debater given the arguments on the flow. I taught PF for four weeks at the NYCUDL and am familiar with the format, but have no background on the current topic. I am fine with speed (I neither expect nor prefer it) but would like to have the speech doc if you spread.

No need to be too slow, but speak clearly so I can understand you. If I cannot understand what you're saying, I can't evaluate the argument.

During crossfire, if one side asks the other a question, do not interrupt the other side when they are giving an answer.

Advocate your position through logical reasoning and support it by presenting evidence clearly.

Hello! My name is Tian. I am a lay judge and this tournament is my fifth time judging.

Please:

- do not spread, if you spread I will likely miss important information

- try not use debate jargon

- signpost when possible

- give an off-time roadmap before speeches

- implicate your responses

If you have any questions or would like to add me to an email chain, please contact me at ma_tian@yahoo.com

I've been judging PF debate for two yea and have taught in both middle school high school. I deeply appreciate clarity of argument and for debaters to speak slowly enough that I can understand what is being said. I flow on the entire debate including cross

This is also my first year as a LD judge. Likewise, clarity is essential. Please don't speak too quickly!

Hello! I am a LAY parent judge from Newton South. My name is Darya Priklonskaya. It’s a pleasure!

Because I am a lay judge, I would appreciate it if you guys would speak a little slower and clearer so that I can understand. Pretend like I know almost nothing about the topic.

Warranting and explaining specific terms relating to the topic would also be nice.

Also, do not assume I know debate jargon; therefore, please put it into simpler terms if possible.

In general, just keep in mind that part of my voting will depend on how well I understand a team’s argument. Even if a team might have had great points, they will not go into my final decision if I do not understand them.

Moreover, PLEASE signpost to make flowing for me easier. It will only benefit you.

Also, please do not weigh on morals. You can have different impacts obviously, but as an example, if one team had an impact of 15 billion dollars and another team had an impact of 1 billion lives, don’t say something like, “you would be saying a life is 15 dollars if you vote for them judge”, instead just say “lives are irreplaceable, therefore our impact is more important”, you guys get the point.

Lastly, please be courteous to each other and show respect.

I know I said a lot about my criteria, but at the same time, if the feeling that someone is judging you stresses you out, try to at the same time pretend like you are debating each other, and I am just a bystander.

That’s all! Have fun debating guys and do not stress it! There are plenty of tournaments to come!

Hi! My name is Aseel and I am a new judge. I did Speech, specifically Original Oratory, in high school and I am now majoring in public health/biology in college. I have never debated in Public Forum, so please treat me like a lay judge. This means:

- Speak slowly (I will not be able to understand you if you are speaking too fast)

- Be nice during cross (I prioritize respect over screaming to get your point across)

- Explain things clearly (I'll have some topic knowledge, but clarity is still very important to me)

Important: do not be racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic, etc. If I see any of that your speaks WILL be tanked and I WILL drop you.

All this being said, I want us to have fun and learn! Can’t wait for a great round :)

BLAKE UPDATE: If you are reading this and in LD, full disclosure, it has been a minute since I have judged LD and I have yet to do so online! Just be mindful of speed so that you don't get cut off by the tech

if you're going to not read cards or you paraphrase , you should probably strike me. In addition, it shouldn't take you longer than 30 seconds to find evidence. After 30 seconds, I will begin your prep. If it takes you longer than a minute and 30 seconds, all you can bring up is a 30 page PDF, or you cannot produce the evidence at all, you will lose the round. Please send the email chain to both cricks01@hamline.edu and blakedocs@googlegroups.com

• TL;DR- I was primarily an LD debater in high school, debating for Whitefish Bay HS in Wisconsin. I am now an assistant coach at The Blake School in Minnesota. I have different paradigms for different events, so read for the event that pertains to you and all should be fine!

  LD

  Speed: Typically, I can understand most speeds. However, i have let to judge online LD, so going a bit below your top speed may be beneficial to you. Slow down for tags, CP/Plan Texts, and if you’re reading unusual kritiks or frameworks. I want to make sure I spend more time conceptualizing what you’re talking about as opposed to figuring out what you just said. I will say “clear” or “slow” three times before beginning to dock speaks.

  Plans and Counterplans: Follow your dreams. I find these debates to be very interesting and a great way for debaters to creatively attack the topic. Make sure to make your advocacy very clear though.

  Kritiks: While I do love a good Kritik, make sure you’re running it well. Understand your kritik, don’t just pull one out of your backfiles and hope for the best. Again, make your advocacy clear. If you’re kritik is weird, please explain it well.

  Theory: I will vote on theory, but I do have questions about frivolous theory. That said, use your best judgement within the context of the round.

  Philosophy: Yes please! Explain it well and you should be golden!

  PF

  • I will pretty much listen to, flow, and vote off of anything. Have fun :)

  • I do have a high threshold for extensions. Blippy extensions are not my favorite thing, so extend your warrants as well

  • The inability to produce a piece of evidence that you have introduced into the round ends the round in an L-25 for your team

  • theory is lovely. I genuinely believe disclosure is good and that paraphrasing is bad.
  • Provide impact calc throughout the round
  • I will not vote on arguments that are dropped in summary, even if you bring them up in final focus, be warned. I may consider them if the warranting is a little bit blippy in summary, and better explained in final focus, but it has to 1) have been in rebuttal as well and 2) basically the only clean place to vote
  • CLASH IS KEY

  • Please read cards. Paraphrasing is becoming a problem in debate and often leads to some kind of intellectual dishonesty. Let's just avoid that.

  • Try to avoid Grand Cross becoming Grand Chaos in which there's just yelling. It isn't at all productive.

  • 2nd rebuttal should rebuild!

  • extending over ink makes me very sad :(

• Miscellaneous:

  • Do not be a terrible person. Don’t be sexist/homophobic/racist etc. If I see this, not only will I be sad, but so will your speaker points

  • Please please please weigh your arguments.

  • Also- please please please give voters!! If you don’t tell me what you think is important in round, I’ll have to decide for myself and you may not enjoy that.

  • please please please time yourselves and your opponent. I do however have a 10 second grace period to finish arguments you are already in the process of making, but I won't evaluate entirely new args after the speech time

  • Yes- I want to be on the email chain. My email is cricks01@hamline.edu

Please make sure to speak clearly, it allows for easier interpretation of arguments and support

Make sure that you bring supporting evidence with your arguments, especially main contentions

When refuting your opponents points, make sure to give a clear description of what is the flaw in their position. If you can support your own counterpoint with more evidence, it makes your counterpoint strong. Contending points is one of the best ways to eliminate your opponents main points. Keep in mind you should challenge their points directly, make the connection that your points have more magnitude or scope, and really focus on solidifying your position in summary.

I have done Public Forum debate for four years (all throughout high school, and thus am very familiar with the format and mechanics of a round), and am a first year student at Williams College. Regarding judging, I value persuasive delivery, effective argumentation when using evidence, proper citation of said evidence, clear analysis, framework and context, continuity of arguments (eg. avoid dropping a contention or neglecting to address a counterargument made by opponents), explaining impact, and weighing. I personally have no issue with assertiveness, but when it escalates to aggression that interferes with the integrity of the round or becomes demeaning to other individuals in round I will deduct points. Arguments that are offensive (racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, etc.) are not tolerated. Respect and civility amongst opponents and teammates are incredibly important.

topspin12.8@gmail.com - add me to email chain

lexington high '22

michigan '26(not debating there)

PF - you do you, be clear, be nice, control big picture arguments and be technical and you will get my ballot - do impact calculus and explain why you're controlling the flow

LD - just check my policy paradigm and i don't like tricks

Policy -

4 years of policy debate - first year out- debated throughout the nat circuit

qualled to toc senior yr if that means anything to you - probably know me best from the wakanda cp memes

TLDR: you do you, control big picture args, be technical, signpost, do coherent line by line, clarity over speed, be kind and respectful and have fun

Preferences:

1. Tech > Truth, but I don't evaluate arguments like racism good(sorry GBN) sexism good etc. because those are intrinsically negative and discriminatory arguments and I feel as a judge I shouldn't be fostering those kinds of discourses in the debate space
2. Framework vs K affs - my favorite debates. I read a K aff for most of my career, both with and without plan texts, but I also went for framework in almost every 2NR against a K aff. In an ideal world where both teams are equally prepared and are evenly matched, I strongly believe the negative would win 9 times out of 10. That being said, this world is not ideal. Now, I don't have a bias against K affs and I love hearing them and I probably get whats going on so you dont have to strike me if you're a K team but make sure you explain what the aff does(even if its nothing) and have a good impact turn to framework. K aff counter-interpretations are bs(sorry LRC) and they almost never solve negative offense. But the negative needs to explain why this is true and have a tangible impact to those deficits. Fairness is an impact, education is also an impact. Tell me how to weigh the two and why your model generates better debates. I'm not a "they said fairness so I'll just vote neg" type of judge but I do believe procedural fairness is an intrinsic necessity to the activity but that doesn't affect how I evaluate arguments if anything it just means I view the debate solely based on who debated better which is a net positive for both teams(I hope).
3. CPs + DAs - these are also fun. I hate CPs with 50 planks and a billion cards to explain each plank so don't do that unless your CP is actually fire. DAs are fine I know there aren't many on this topic but link and impact debating is essential in these debates and I don't think debaters emphasize these portions of the debate as much as they should. I'm a fan of process CPs, consult CPs, CPs in other realities, etc. they usually make the debates more fun to judge. If you are aff against these kinds of CPs I highly suggest you just out debate them on a technical level instead of shrugging them off as crappy args because I am not afraid to vote on meme arguments since I've gone for a bunch myself.
4. T + theory - Topicality debates are fun, and I find myself being split 50-50 on both sides. These debates are best when there's in depth line by line, clear analysis and explanation of your impacts and how your interpretations solve them and clear impacts to DAs to their interp. Just saying "that kills limits" means nothing unless theres a clear explanation of why preserving limits is good. Aff teams should have a counter interp with a solid net benefit and substantial defense to negative interps. You can always go for plan text in a vacuum too since I think negative teams usually fumble that debate but if you do make sure you explain your net benefits to plan text in a vacuum and why it is net better for debate. Theory debates are silly and I hate judging conditionality rounds unless the negative team reads 5+ condo. I do think international, object, and utopian fiat are bad but I'm still likely to vote up teams with arguments that utilize those kinds of fiat if the theory debate is a wash.
5. Impact turns - great and even better when they're paired with advantage counterplans, explain what your UQ is, the different impact modules and if you have an alternative of some sort(like in dedev debates) then why it solves any residual offense. im fine with arguments like spark or wipeout but make sure you ask your opponents first if they're ok with death related arguments before debating them in front of me.
6. Ks on the neg - just do you. I probably know what's going on and I definitely know whats going on in cap k, antiblackness, settler colonialism, anthro, cybernetics, psycho, and unfortunately baudrillard debates. However, if you are to read baudrillard in front of me your speaks are capped at a 28.8.
7. Speaks and presentation - don't call me judge. just call me shreyas. be nice, don't be overly mean its just cringe. be assertive but not aggressive and if you can make me laugh then +0.2 speaks. if i have to yell clear you're losing 0.5 speaks. line by line is my favorite part of debate so good line by line will be rewarded. references to rishi mukherjee, kunal kapoor, will yang, armaan tipirneni, chris yang, matt berhe, chris jun, jeffrey he, atul venkatesh, vinit iyer, alex eum or any lex debater in general gets you +0.3 speaks(unless you say smthn bad about them).

I started judging this year (2021). I prefer for debaters to speak at a speed that they would use in normal conversation.

I'm new to judging Public Forum, having judged Speech for the last four years.

I ask that you speak slowly and clearly. Present arguments/points of view that address your position, supported by an adequate amount of evidentiary citations. Please try to be concise and to the point.

Please avoid a rapid delivery of arguments followed by a lot of citations which will make it difficult for me to follow and understand you. You can be firm and forceful in your positions, but not aggressive in your demeanor.

Hi - I am a parent judge who has judged five prior debate tournaments. I did not participate in debate in high school. Please speak clearly and not too fast, so I can follow your arguments and supporting evidence. Sometimes less is more. I understand some debate lingo but using less in your speeches will be better for me. Thanks and I look forward to your debates!

Please add me to email chains: tianyicyang@outlook.com

pronouns: he/him

Tech > truth. I abhor when judges interject their own personal beliefs into their RFDs (with the exception of when teams make arguments that are racist, sexist, transphobic, ableist, etc).

Top Level:

The below bullet point list summarizes my broader view of debate arguments.

Now a couple of things that will make me happy that I wish novices did more often -

1. Impact calculus and ballot framing in the 2NR/2AR is mandatory - not doing so forces me to intervene/make assumptions about your arguments. In sum, tell me why I should vote for you at the top of your speech.

2. Line by line refutation is mandatory - anything else makes decisions really messy and makes it really easy for me to forget key arguments that you want me to evaluate - THE CHANCE THAT I MAKE A DECISION YOU DON’T LIKE GOES UP SUBSTANTIALLY IF YOU DO NOT DO CLEAR LINE BY LINE

3. SIGNPOSTING IS IMPORTANT - jumping between flows sporadically without indicating that you are doing so is super annoying - I will definitely lower your speaks if you do this

4. DON’T DROP THINGS JUST BECAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THEM -It sucks that you’re facing a new argument that you’ve never seen before, but taking some prep time to figure out how to answer it is better than straight up dropping it and hoping the other team will forget they ever read the argument.

4. Clarity is a must - if you said something incoherently, I won’t have it on my flow.

5. Road maps before speeches are mandatory

Other Things:

1. Open Cx is fine

2. Please do not be rude to your partner or your opponents - being rude will be bad for your speaks

3. Please do not steal prep. If I notice that you are doing so excessively I will dock speaks. I understand that sometimes speech docs take forever to send out or save, so I'll try to be flexible.

4. Be confident! This will perceptually help you, and increase your speaks.

5. You can read basically any type of argument in front of me. On the neg, I've gone for DAs, CPs, Ks, T, impact turns, and various procedurals. On the aff, I've read soft-left affs, hard-right affs, and K-affs.

Here are some specific notes on types of argument:

DAs: I’m fine with politics DAs, I go for them all the time. @aff teams, you can often make bad DAs from the neg go away with a few smart analytics. You don’t need cards to point out that something is utter incoherent nonsense.

CPs: I love CPs that are from the aff's solvency advocate because they show that you (or someone on your team) actually read their ev. I'm fine with process CPs, but I'm even better for tricky perms. I’m also fine with generics like states, especially b/c there is basically 0 core neg ground on the water topic.

Ks on the neg: I'm alright with these, I'm most familiar with setcol and the cap K so with any other Ks a little bit more explaining will have to be done especially on the link level for me to vote for them. I do think that neg teams should win a specific link to the aff.

K affs: I probably won't judge a Kaff round, but just in case, I'll put some thoughts here. The most important thing in framework debates is impact calc - I need to know how I prioritize impacts and arguments. For K v K aff rounds, the aff probably gets a perm (no perms in a method debate never made much sense to me unless it’s dropped).

Topicality: The smaller the aff is, the more receptive I am going to be towards topicality arguments. I do think that reasonability is often a compelling argument IF EXECUTED CORRECTLY (especially when the T-interp is arbitrary), so T should probably not be your A-strat vs borderline topical affs unless you have nothing better to say (which, given the water topic, is an understandable situation to be in).

Theory (not including topicality) - My threshold for voting for theory is high-ish (I think reasonability or non-res theory bad tend to be quite persuasive against many theory arguments), but if they drop theory and you point that out and extend your argument I will vote for you.

Soft Left Affs: I've read these a bit, so I understand their appeal. However, I think that soft left affs are often run badly. Yes, your argument is probably true, but that doesn’t mean it merits a ballot if its not debated well. For example, a lot of soft-left teams say "conjunctive fallacy means no DA" and then proceed to poorly answer the DA, and that won't really work in front of me most of the time. I can definitely be convinced that the DA is so asinine that I should vote aff, but I won't reduce the DA for you.

Public Forum Specific:

I did policy debate in high school, not PF, so my experience in this area is quite limited. Haven't been in the debate space since April of last year so it'll take a bit of time to get used to how things are again. Most arguments should be fine but if you think I might have trouble understanding something make sure to explain it more in detail in your speeches.