CONGRESS PARADIGM IS BELOW THIS PF Paradigm

PF:

ALMOST EVERY ROUND I HAVE JUDGED IN THE LAST 8 YEARS WOULD HAVE BENEFITTED FROM 50% FEWER ARGUMENTS, AND 100% MORE ANALYSIS OF THOSE 50% FEWER ARGUMENTS. A Narrative, a Story carries so much more persuasively through a round than the summary speaker saying "we are going for Contention 2".

I am NOT a fan of speed, nor speed/spread. Please don't make me think I'm in a Policy Round!

I don't need "Off-time roadmaps", I just want to know where you are starting.

Claim/warrant/evidence/impact is NOT a debate cliche; It is an Argumentative necessity! A label and a blip card is not a developed argument!

Unless NUCLEAR WINTER OR NUCLEAR EXTINCTION HAS ALREADY OCCURED, DON'T BOTHER TO IMPACT OUT TO IT.

SAVE K'S FOR POLICY ROUNDS; RUN THEORY AT YOUR OWN RISK- I start from ma place that it is fake and abusive in PF and you are just trying for a cheap win against an unprepared team. I come to judge debates about the topic of the moment.

YOU MIGHT be able to convince me of your sincerity if you can show me that you run it in every round and are President of the local "Advocacy for that Cause" Club.

Don't just tell me that you win an argument, show me WHY you win it and what significance that has in the round.

Please NARROW the debate and WEIGH arguments in Summary and Final Focus. If you want the argument in Final Focus, be sure it was in the summary.

There is a difference between "passionate advocacy" and anger. Audio tape some of your rounds and decide if you are doing one or the other when someone says you are "aggressive".

NSDA evidence rules require authors' last name and THE DATE (minimum) so you must AT LEAST do that if you want me to accept the evidence as "legally presented". If one team notes that the other has not supplied dates, it will then become an actual issue in the round. Speaker points are at stake.

In close rounds I want to be persuaded and I may just LISTEN to both Final Focus speeches, checking off things that are extended on my flow.

I am NOT impressed by smugness, smiling sympathetically at the "stupidity" of your opponent's argument, vigorous head shaking in support of your partner's argument or opposition to your opponents'. Speaker points are DEFINITELY in play here!

CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE:

1: The first thing I am looking for in every speech is ORGANIZATION AND CLARITY. 2. The second thing I am looking for is CLASH; references to other speakers & their arguments

3. The third thing I am looking for is ADVOCACY, supported by EVIDENCE

IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS IS A SPEAKING EVENT, NOT A READING EVENT! I WILL NOT GIVE EVEN A "BRILLIANT" SPEECH A "6" IF IT IS READ OFF A PREPARED SHEET/TUCKED INTO THE PAD OR WRITTEN ON THE PAD ITSELF; AND, FOR CERTAIN IF IT IS READ OFF OF A COMPUTER OR TABLET.

I value a good story and humor, but Clarity and Clash are most important.

Questioning and answering factors into overall placement in the Session.

Yes, I will evaluate and include the PO, but it is NOT an automatic advancement to the next level; that has gotten a bit silly.

I competed in Congress at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (VA) for 4 years, from 2019-2023. I now coach Congress for Phillipsburg High School (NJ) and compete for Lafayette College (PA) in a litany of speech events, as well as IPDA debate.

For any questions or feedback after round, email me at gutierrw@lafayette.edu.

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If you're reading this just before round-

1. Good job
2. Adjust yourself and your voice to the room you're in
3. Skim what's in bold
4. Have fun and enjoy yourself!
5. Good luck!

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Congressional Debate

Remember that you are a legislator! Act accordingly.

Use debate principles but stray away from the debate jargon. This doesn't mean you shouldn't bring up those concepts; just explain them without using such terms. If Mitch McConnell wouldn't say it, neither should you.

Any speech, from the sponsor to a crystal, can get my 1. Know your role within the round and execute it well.

After the authorship, every speech should have ref. If you don't, I'll drop you. It's congressional debate, not congressional oratory.

If you're giving a crystal, the definition of crystallize is "make or become definite and clear." Remember that. A crystal is not just a summary of the round! Refute, weigh, and break the round down for me, and you'll definitely do well.

Don't read off your legal pad. Look up!

Warrants are everything. Make them good.

If you make things clear for me as a judge, I am much more likely to rank you.

I will judge you primarily on your argumentation and analysis, but don't skimp out on presentation.

Sourcing is very, very important! High-quality sources (think tanks, government institutions, NGOs, etc.) are preferable. Cite the author, source, and date!

If I find out you make up sources, I will drop you. Don't make up sources.

Questioning is very important! Make your opponent squirm.

Don't let your opponent filibuster. It is possible to be too aggressive, but my tolerance is pretty high.

Improvise, adapt, overcome!

POs:

Your rank will depend on how well everyone else did. If the round is better, then you'll be ranked lower, and vice versa. It's always a risk.

If there's no one willing to PO, I will rank you higher because you were willing to step up (as long as you still do well!)

Be fast, fair, and efficient, and you'll be fine.

Please don't interject every 5 seconds or bang your gavel loudly all the time.

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Extemporaneous Speaking

Extemp is, first and foremost, a teaching event. The best speeches always leave the judge feeling like they learned something. Remember that, and you'll go far.

Your goal is to seem like the most knowledgeable person in the room.

Assume I know nothing but I can handle what you throw at me. If it's an international question or a niche topic, give me context in your intro! Don't just assume I know what the topic is about.

Answer the question! Read it carefully and get to the heart of it. If you don't actually answer the question, I'll probably drop you.

The best statements of significance explain why this question is so newsworthy. Great use of your significance statement will always stand out.

I will judge you primarily on your analysis. Whether I agree or disagree with you, it does not matter as long as you explain things well!

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Impromptu Speaking

The best impromptu speeches always leave the judge taking away something to apply from it. Remember that, and you'll go far.

Your interpretation of the quotation is the crux of your speech! Give your interpretation the attention it deserves, and briefly explain to me why we should interpret the quotation this way.

Make sure your examples are fleshed out and pertinent to your interpretation. Tie everything back to your interpretation!