I am a parent judge new to speech and debate, expecting students to speak slowly and clearly. Please just assume that I would sometimes know about the topic beforehand. In addition, I might need students to explain their voting issues clearly.

Hi! My name is Thanisha and I am currently a junior in high school. I have been competing in Lincoln Douglas for about 4 years and in Speech for 6 years now and am pretty well-versed with the speech and debate world.

Don't forget to include me on the email chain: thanishakapur1@gmail.com

My paradigm of any round is derived from: CLARITY!!!

All things said in the round need to be clear! Whatever it is you want me to comprehend, vote on, and so forth, needs to be clearly articulated, while one is speaking. This stipulation should not be interpreted as: I am ignorant about debate. I am simply placing the burden on the debater to debate; it is his or her responsibility to explain all the arguments presented. Furthermore, any argument has the same criteria; therefore, clash, at the substantive level, is a must!

First and foremost, I follow each debate league's constitution, per the tournament.

Secondly, general information, for all debate forms, is as follows:

1) Speed: As long as I can understand you well enough to flow the round, since I vote per the flow(!), then you can speak as slow or fast as you deem necessary. I do not yell clear, for we are not in practice round, and that's interference. Also, unless there is "clear abuse," I do not call for cards, for then I am debating. One does not have to spread - especially in PF.

2) Case: I am a tab judge; I will vote the way in which you explain to me to do so; thus I do not have a preference, or any predispositions, to the arguments you run. It should be noted that in a PF round, non-traditional/abstract arguments should be expressed in terms of why they are being used, and how it relates to the round.

Set a metric in the round, then tell me why you have won your metric, while your opponent(s) has lost their metric and/or you have absorbed their metric.

The job of any debater is to persuade the judge, by way of logical reasoning, to vote in his or her favor, while maintaining one's position, and discrediting his or her opponent's position. So long as the round is such, I say good luck to all!

Ask any other clarification questions before the round!

I'm a parent judge. My idea of a good debate is a healthy exchange of ideas presented professionally. Your arguments must not be argumentative; you win by the soundness--not loudness--of your argument. I do not penalize (or reward) debaters merely on technicalities. I enjoy listening to debaters who display a mastery of the topic and make their case with conviction. I can handle speed; you do not have to slow down for me.

I just have a few suggestions on what I value.

a) Logical arguments. Please have a coherent structure to your arguments. Back up your arguments with evidence/data. And make sure your arguments are impactful.

b) Speed: I value medium speed at the expense of too many arguments. Don't be too fast. I won't vote you higher based on the number of arguments.

Good luck and have fun!

TL;DR

flow judge

if you don't say it, it doesn't count (goes for both sides)

organization is important

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Want more info? Keep reading.

I debated mainly LD in middle school and am currently debating in high school.

I debated PF for a bit in middle school.

In no particular order, here's some things that I look for/judge on:

**follow the rules of the tournament:

1. How well you speak won't necessarily make you win/lose a round, but speech organization is very important. Number your arguments and signpost please.

2. Give me an order before the speech please.

3. Spreading is fine; just share speech docs. (However, if your opponent can't understand you properly so they, or I, say "slow" or "clear," then slow down)

4. Do an overview because impacts are important and you can lose/win rounds on impacts.

5. I don't flow CX. If you want me to consider a point brought up during CX, bring it up in your speech.

6. If you drop a point but your opponent doesn't point that out, it won't affect you. (Basically, if you do anything and your opponent doesn't point that out, it won't affect you.)

7. If you tell me about an argument (or anything at all really) but don't give it any impact or link it to an impact, I won't vote on that.

8. Give properly cut evidence. Bad highlighting and inaccurate citations can make you lose if your opponent points that out.

9. Do the judging for me; point things out in your speeches that you want me to pay attention to and vote on. If you don't, I'm not considering that point.

10. Be respectful, courteous, and have fun :)

Feel free to ask me any other questions before the round starts.