I have been a coach for four years and I have worked as a guidance counselor for 21 years and teach communication skills. I am looking for clarity and I want you to engage me with your speech. Please speak at a pace that allows me to keep up. I will put down my pen if I can't follow you. Please emphasize your points so I know that they are important and remember to pause on occasion so that I can take in your ideas.

Analysis is important. I appreciate a clear explanation of your position and I will be listening for how you support your position. Roadmaps are appreciated.

You can keep your own time, or I am happy to time and give you cues.

Be kind, be professional, and have fun!!

I am a parent with 2+ years of experience judging both individual and debate events.

* Spreading: I try to flow all contentions but may miss some in cases of high speed delivery. I favor well developed arguments over trying to overwhelm other side with sheer numbers.

* Theory: Please explain arguments without relying solely on jargon, but if you over-argue your points, I'll assume that you have nothing better to say.

* Voting: I favor competitors that present the most logical arguments, and clearly explain how impacts of their case outweigh those presented by opponents. To win my vote on framework arguments, they must be well developed with clear links to your case.

* Other Preferences: Questions should be concise and relevant, not long rebuttals with a half-hearted question at the end. I don't consider road maps to be off-time. The clock starts when you begin speaking, and I will cut you off if you go more than a few seconds over time.

Affiliation: Clackamas High School

Competitive experience: 2 years of NPDA (college parli), 1 year of CEDA (college policy)

Coaching/Judging experience: 6 years of NPDA coaching with 45-60 rounds judged per year, 10 years coaching high school policy

Pronouns: He/him

Post the order in the zoom chat ((especially when someone is afk) credit to Wichita BM and Gerrit Hansen for this one)

I’m into philosophy. It was my major for my decade-long undergrad, so that won’t change anytime soon.

I'm also a former law student focused on immigration, employment, and labor.

Although I have run topical affirmatives with a plan in the past, I have generally moved towards the critical as I have continued (From a Heg and Econ National Security Courts aff to Lovecraft performance and high theory).

In CEDA, I have gone for the Cap K with a Historical Materialism alt in every one of my 2NRs. This does not mean that I will automatically pick you up if you run it, but I will be familiar with most of the arguments and authors involved in that debate.

I have come to grips with the fact that I am not very good at evaluating Framework. This does NOT mean you shouldn't run it in front of me or go for it. I think Framework is a valuable debate to be had in most rounds and I encourage people to look at varying forms of this argument in debate. You should be aware, however, that I am not going to be able to fully appreciate the nuances of Framework arguments. It's really not you, it's me.

I hold a high regard for creativity in debate, both in strategy and style. In my mind, creativity is the reason debate is such a fantastic activity. I particularly like arguments that are novel, strange, or Weird.

I am also pretty expressive in round. If you notice me nodding my head or or making a face that suggests "Hey, that sounds reasonable" then that probably means I'm thinking that. If I look up in disgust or confusion, then that means I am probably experiencing one of those things.

All that being said, I am open to most any position or style so long as you can articulate why your arguments are preferable.

Also, feel free to find me outside of rounds and ask me about a round (please bring your flow or be specific about what went on in the round, I can only remember so much on demand) or about general arguments and strategies or whatever.

Clarity: I flow all speeches in the debate and I stick to that flow when making my decision. I will call clear if I can’t understand you. If you are still not understandable to me after I call clear twice, I will stop flowing what I cannot understand.

Clipping: If there is a challenge relating to clipping cards, it must be brought with video evidence. If a team has been shown to be clipping cards in my round; that team will receive a loss and the clipper will receive 0 speaker points for that round.

Email: forensicsresearchinstitute@gmail.com

If you're racist, homophobic, et., I'll vote you down.

Debate:

I did Parli for most of my time as a competitor. I judge through a policy lens, so please give me very specific impacts in each of your "worlds". All theory is open game if its done well. If no one brings up theory or metadebate, I won't vote on it. Whatever you tell me becomes reality- so build your reality well and remember to address all parts of the opponents' reality! Please be kind and respectful to one another.

Tell me what to vote on, or else I'll just default to whatever I think is most important. If you tell me that one impact is more important than the others, and have good reasoning to support that, I'll vote on it. Comparing your side's "world" vs. your opponents "world" will make my decision much easier. How will voting one way or the other actually manifest in reality?

Impact calculus really helps me decide how I will vote. If you have a really low probability high magnitude impact (like nuclear war), tell me why that matters more than your opponents high-probability, low-magnitude impact.

Speech:

I vote based on the following criteria:

Structure- If you have a hook, intro, thesis (if necessary), a few points and a good conclusion. For interps, just having a good intro and clear points is good. '

Content- Having interesting content is my second way of ranking people. I especially like personal anecdotes.

Rhythm / Clarity / Tone- Having consistent word density, memorizing your speech well, and hitting the 'highs and lows' of your speech are all important to me.

*Strong public speaking

*Very clear arguments

*Proceed slowly

*Professional demeanor and respectful to others

I like the spirited debates where teams listen to the arguments presented and provide intellectual challenges in the round. I’m the type of judge that appreciates politeness. If you find yourself being condescending, check in on whether your arguments are truly good. A better intellectual path will stand on its own.

Experience: I debated in both High School and College and coached for a few years. I was never the top debater on a team, but I appreciate the time and focus it takes to research, write and practice this art. If you run a good kritik or a creative case, explain it well and I’ll recognize it as just as legit as a traditional approach.

I prefer roadmaps and off time is fine, as is signposting throughout your speech. I appreciate a clear analysis of why you should win my vote in this particular round. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll win every Contention, so, synthesize the impacts and share your logic with me in your final speech.

I am a lay judge. Because I have no technical background in debate, I anticipate watching for:

- Mutual Respect and Civility. Participants should display emotional maturity and refrain from personal attacks, hostile tones, or talking over each other.

- Logical Arguments that Flow Well. Collect your thoughts so you are concise and clear rather than rambling. Provide specific support for your arguments. Explain arguments at the level that an intelligent, but unfamiliar person may require.

- Confident and Persuasive Delivery. Sound interesting. Vary your tone to show emphasis. Sound like a human.

Be kind, civil, and professional. This is paramount. I will not tolerate a debate that devolves into rudeness, name-calling, or inappropriate behavior. 

I participated in Speech and Debate in High School. However, even with this, I am still a layperson when it comes to the specifics of debate. Communication ability is the most important aspect of any debate. If you do not have the ability to speak quickly, clearly, and effectively, then you are expected to slow down your arguments. It is better to have a few solid points rather than many hastily explained points.

If you have questions or concerns feel free to contact me, at any time, at dorlandb@tillamook.k12.or.us. 

I am a lay judge, so I appreciate patient participants who are willing to teach me and help me run the event correctly.

For debate events, I will be evaluating for clear speaking, signposting, and civility. I do not want spreading.

I prefer debates based on the topic and less on semantics and definitions. If you run K or T, be prepared to explain it clearly to me (and this is good advice for working with ALL lay judges).

Email for Chains and Whatnot: dheath@pps.net

History: I have been coaching Speech and Debate in South Dakota and Oregon since 2015, with an emphasis on Policy, LD, Public Forum, and Extemp. While Policy and Extemp were the events of my youth, LD and Public Forum is where I have spent most of the last few years.

Event Specific Paradigms

Policy: Moderate speed, I don't like high speed debates. I'd probably be considered more of a "flay" (flow + lay) judge. I'm down to hear counterplans, topicality, disadvantages. I'm only willing to vote on theory if the abuse is obvious. Generic arguments are fine but clear links are necessary. I'm not your K judge. Ultimately I believe that Policy rounds should come down to direct clash, impact calculus, stock issues, solid argumentation, and/or competing interpretations of the resolution.

Yet more Policy: Speed is fine if clarity matches the rate of delivery. If a competitor is going so fast and wild that I cannot flow their arguments then I am not able to effectively consider and weigh them for the round. Counter Plans, Topicality, Theory arguments, Framework, ext. are all fine and I will enthusiastically vote on them, but I feel that they need to have some direct connection and relevance to the actual case. As in generic negative arguments are completely valid, but they need to have some clear and legitimate relationship to the discussion. I fear that I am constitutionally disposed against generic Kritiks, unless they are narrowly interpreted and directly applicable to the affirmative plan and the ideas that it represents. Ultimately I believe that Policy rounds should come down to direct clash, impact calculus, stock issues, solid argumentation, and/or competing interpretations of the resolution. All of this is simply preference, however, and if a team can successfully convey the meaning and importance of any set of arguments I will absolutely vote for it.

LD: I love a values debate. Contentions and criterions are fantastic things to discuss and debate, but I feel that LD is at its best when it comes down to a clash of who upholds a value most successfully, and why that value should be the central consideration in the round. Speed is fine, but I do feel that LD should be a clash of ideas versus a contest of tactics and game theory.

Public Forum: Direct clash, clearly identified voters, and framework are the things that I initially look for in a round. Speed is fine, but clarity and rhetorical skill should be the primary skills demonstrated. Try to demonstrate how one case is better than the other, however the idea of better might be defined within the round. By the Final Focus speeches there should ideally be a couple of clear and distinct voting issues that provide some level of clarity on the round. If the round turns into a deep and meaningful framework discussion I am completely fine with it.

For Debate:

Slow down. For debate I always see great start, spreading in the middle then adding new args in the final. Look, just go slow the whole time. I promise you, a few well heard arguments will sway judges more than technical rule based filler. Plus, your speech will be much clearer and they will be in complete sentences.

I look for speakers to react to the other side's bigger points. Did you hear what they said?

For IE:

There is the intellectual story and the emotional story. One is coherent fact storyline. The other is how it made me feel. The ideal for all performances is when your audience temporarily loses their sense of place and is "in" your story. Think of your favorite movie. If you can do that, I will be yours!

Rich

Hello! I am Deborah Kurtz from Portland, Oregon. I've been teaching English Language Arts at Mountainside High School in Beaverton for the last five years. Prior to teaching, I had a career developing training and marketing programs for large corporations, such as Intel and Petco.

I'm thrilled to be coaching and judging Speech and Debate this year. Clear, organized, and engaging communication is most important to me. When it comes to debate, I'm looking to see who can present the most organized and persuasive argument. Please focus on the issues to strengthen your positions; I'm not interested in getting into the weeds of debate theory. I'm interested in discussions that would educate and persuade everyday people. Most of all, be positive and respectful to your competitors.

I am a communication judge. I like students to clearly communicate, give real-world examples and have clear clash. Structure and organization are very important and will help me flow the round. I don't like progressive LD. I don't enjoy a definition debate in any form of debate but I will vote on topicality. I want civility, persuasion, and a clash. I generally vote on stock issues in Policy and I am not a fan of K's.

Parent judge. Very limited experience. Please speak at a reasonable speed (do not spread).

My Speech and Debate experience includes competing in Individual Events and CEDA debate as an undergraduate student at the Universiry of Oregon (1988-1992) coaching Debate at Willamette University while I was in Law School (1002-1995), and judging High School and College Speech & Debate as a parent of debaters at McMinnville High and University of Oregon.

I have been a trial lawyer for 30 years. I like clash, quality evidence from qualified sources, comparative analysis, and crystallization in last rebuttals. Don’t take anything for granted. You have to explain your arguments, why your evidence is compelling, and how the arguments weigh in the round. It’s your job to persuade me and communicate your positions in a way that is effective - that is how you will win my ballot. I don’t like whining, personal attacks, dominance, aggression, and disrespect. I do appreciate professionalism, kindness, and integrity.

Be smart and speak well.

English Teacher (middle school) 30+ years. Philosophy Major. I value creativity, unique perspectives, honesty, and kindness. This is an opportunity to really learn to think and be exposed to many different perspectives! In the late 70's/80's I debated in Arizona--high school and at ASU. Policy debate was the only option and it was the beginning of spreading, when the speed of speaking became important for success. I follow Robert's Rules of Order and/or the event rules specified by tournament hosts to insure fairness and consistency: adhering to time limits, speaking routines, and questioning rules in debate. Have fun, learn, make friends, and do your best.

Public Forum debate is not designed to be a talk as fast as you can debate. It is designed to be spoken at a clear and reasonable rate and pace. As a newer judge I want to be able to keep up with the debate.

I am relatively new to the debate and speech judging. I am a parent and a lay judge. Please do not spread or speak too fast. Please be polite and time yourself. Thank you.

I've been judging for three years and am a lay judge. In debate, I prefer arguments that are evidence and fact based over blanket statements or assumptions. I really enjoy a healthy competitive environment where everyone is respectful of all competitors. 

I am a tenth year English and theatre teacher. I was a journalist for two years before that. I did speech (DI, DUO, OO, PR) and mock trial for four years in high school.

I've coached speech in Oklahoma before moving to Oregon in 2019. This is my 5th year coaching speech and debate in Oregon.

I prefer speaking clearly at a good pace, but not overly fast so that I can understand what you are saying.

What I am looking for:

1. Well-Structured Argument/Speech: how your case is “built”. This includes contentions, definitions, etc, but also your logic and how you tie it all together. This also includes that ability to clearly refute the other side's arguments. CITED EVIDENCE is always a plus when applicable. I understand this doesn't apply in Parliamentary or Impromptu.

2. Introduction/Set Up: the start of your case that clearly states the resolution and structure of your case

3. Flow/Pacing: how your case fits and flows together

4. Composure and delivery: respect and decorum toward your opponent. Ability to respond well to questions and refutations.

Most of all HAVE FUN! :)

As a judge I expect debates to be civilized, organized and equitable. Competitors should walk in a room prepared and presentable. Organized and easy to understand, as well as follow arguments are a must. Speech and Debate is meant to be fun, it is not the place for pettiness or discriminatory language.

In regards to speech specific events, pieces should flow, be easy to understand and be entertaining. Understanding your source material is important. While I obviously am judging based on speaking capabilities, when it comes to breaking ties the entertainment value is the final breaking factor.

All Debates:

Feel free to time yourself but my time counts!

I don't mind "Off Time Road Maps."

Looking for good organization with clear concise ideas supporting what you are trying to convey.

In LD and Public Forum; I don't like speed, this is not a sprint is a marathon of information make me understand.

Courtesy to Opponent (includes abusive behavior or interrupting the other team let them finish statement n questioning). In Parli when talking to your partner during presentation do it quietly not to interrupt the speaker.

In Parii my expectations have risen due to the use of internet. I am expecting good quality work and quoting of sources will be a must to support your contentions.

"Pretend I am dumb as a rock and educate me!"

My paradigms are few and fairly simple. This is partially for your own information as well as a way I can remind myself when asked in round.

1. I am a seasoned veteran in the space with competitive experience at the high school and college level. Roughly 5 years in total. I have been a full time judge for almost twice as long. So you can understand that I am able to understand most arguments and positions one may choose to run in a given round. With that in mind certain position pertaining to theory or K shells I would rather not see in events outside CX. If a parli round does involve a Counter plan or a T sheet of some kind, I can roll with it as long as it is well explained and reasonably fits in the scope of the resolution.

2. Given my experience you may think that I can keep up with speed. Mind you I can but it is not something I particularly care for. What I like to hear is well thought out and warranted points that best describe your position. I'd much rather see 2 fleshed out contentions rather than 5 blippy ones you hope to out-spread your opponents on. Along side this if (Pertaining to everything not Parli) if you have a card and you read it, explain what you just read or how it connects to the overall thesis of the contention/argument. Don't just read a study or a statistic and expect the judge to do the work for you.

3. In cases where a definition or the value criterion/weighing mechanism is a point of clash, I want to see good argumentation explaining why I need to prefer your side over the other. DO NOT assert that you are in the right for one shallow reason or another. Explain why the debate should be looked the lens you believe it should. On the same page, if you have a value you want considered, try to tie your case back to it. IE, when explaining the impacts of the case show or reference it is the more utilitarian or more just impact. You get the idea.

4. -LD can disregard- I believe partner-style debate to be exactly that, a partner/team sport. So if you wish to confer with your partner at any time at all during the course of the debate, fine. I encourage it. That being said, please be advised I only flow and focus on the words coming out of the currently timed speaker's mouth. Meaning if your partner says something to you or helps you answer a question during cross that is fine, but if the speaker does not audible say it, I will not care and likely disregard the comment. Therefore, make sure you and your partner are communicating effectively to make sure all cases notes are properly presented.

5. When is comes to question and answer periods (cross examination or questions in parli) REFRAIN from making any argumentative statements/questions. Any and all questions should be purely clerical in nature. Meaning, please limit your question to matters pertaining to explanation of statements made by the opposing side. If you want to ask about mechanics of a plan or to explain a point more, that is fine. Along the same line, please keep question periods civil. Do not step over your opponent until they have finished their answer. Lastly I do not flow during cross examination periods. If there was something brought up in those moments you want to be addressed, bring them to my attention during your time.

6. Simply put. BE. COURTEOUS. I cannot stress how much I despise overly hateful rhetoric, calling out the other team in a demeaning way, and just overall cockiness. Be kind, be conversational, be nice. No calling the other team racist, no blaming groups of people for current global crisises, no homophobia. Makes sense? It should.

7. -Parli only- With the dawn of internet prep I think it is more incumbent on the competitors to have some evidence. Now granted evidence does not win debates and I won't take a lack of evidence as a reason to prefer. That being said I expect more fleshed out contentions and hopefully a stronger debate. If you can provide evidence and leverage that as a voter cool. I really would like to hear at least one full citation from each side.

If you have anything more specific to ask in round, be my guest. I will answer straightforward and honestly.

I have been coaching and judging High School debate since 2003, though I have spent the better part of the last decade in tabrooms, so don't get to judge as much as I used to. :-)

If I had to classify myself, I would say that I am a pretty traditional judge. I am not a huge fan of Ks, because for the most part, I feel like people run Ks as bad DAs, and not a true Ks.

I cannot count the number of times I have had a student ask me "do you vote on [fill in the blank]"? It honestly depends. I have voted on a K, I have voted on T, I have voted on solvency, PICs, etc., but that doesn't mean I always will. There is no way for me to predict the arguments that are going into the round I am about to see. I can say that, in general, I will vote on almost anything if you make a good case for it! I want YOU to tell me what is the most important and tell me WHY. If you leave it up to me, that is a dangerous place to be.

Important things to keep in mind in every round.
1) If your taglines are not clear and slow enough for me to flow, I won't be able to flow them. If I can't flow it, I can't vote on it. I am fine if you want to speed through your cards, but I need to be able to follow your case.

2) I like to see clash within a debate. If there is no clash, then I have to decide what is most important. You need to tell me, and don't forget the WHY!

That leads me to...

3) I LOVE voting issues. They should clarify your view of the debate, and why you believe that you have won the round.

National competitor in World Schools, Extemp (IX), Policy, PF, and Duo. State level competitor in Congress

For debate: I will write really all of what I'm given as arguments, no matter what they are. That does not mean, however, that I'm willing to weigh random contentions, advantages, DAs, impacts, etc. the same as well-made and cited arguments. It just means that it's the burden of the responding team to point that out to me with or without cards. I will write down cross-ex, but it won't be on the flow unless a speaker brings it up in a speech as part of their argument. If you want to make my decision more predictable or precise, make sure that you bring up how your points fitframeworks in a round. If there's no framework debate, I will have to decide on my own how a round is weighed, which - try as I might - may not be on points or arguments you were thinking.

For speech: I tend to focus a lot on physical movement and tone when watching speech events. I love hearing that passion and confidence in a speech and seeing it in a competitor's movements as well. Of course if someone has a speech or movement limitation I will take that into account as I go about judging. I do understand the difficulty of limited prep events though and won't judge too harshly with that in mind. However, I expect points to be made with cited evidence where possible and, if a conclusion is made by yourself, lay out that logical chain as though I was a lay person. With prepped events, show off! Have some fun with it and show me that you've got this. I believe in you, and so should you. (For events in which it can be used, I speak Spanish, French, and some Maasri Arabic). Creative and stand-out uses of props, movement, or tone are great ways to show that you know your speech even down to the details.

For interp: Confidence. Is. Key. It comes with time and practice, I know, but of all the people in the room you know your piece best inside and out. Forget a line? That's fine, I've been there, too. Don't get too tripped up on the technical details so much that you forget that interp is a performance. You can always improve for the next tournament if something goes wrong or you forget lines, but there's no going back on the current round. Pops and voices should be sharp and distinguished unless there's a reason to have them otherwise.

Most of all, enjoy yourselves. Debate is educational, professional, and fun for everyone there, so keep up the good work y'all!

As a parent of two kids that have done speech and debate, I know a few things about judging. However, I’m still a ”lay judge” as I look for arguments that make the most sense and are communicated properly. I expect good sportsmanship and going against ideas, instead of people. Overall, these debates should be able to convince me to vote in one favor or the other, and it will be through a layman perspective.

Introduction to topic and event

Clear delivery

Emphasize on impacts

Being polite to opponent teams

1. About me

I did LD, extemp, congress, and a few other events in high school, so I'm familiar with this setting. I'm a student at UO studying political science, and if you have any questions about scholarships, college applications, etc. feel free to ask me after the round! I'm here to help and you asking questions won't impact my ballot.

2. General preferences

Debate is a competition in logic and public speaking, an educational exercise. Don't spread. This isn't a test on my listening speed.

Judges will probably vote for you if you make their job easy! Signposting, road mapping, explicit links and impacts, clear voters, etc. -- walk us through your reasoning. If your opponent drops an argument, uses a fallacy, misinterprets evidence, says something during CX you want to capitalize on, TELL US. I will mark down logical mistakes I notice, but won't use them in my decision if you don't point them out. Again, clarity is everything.

Clash is more than repeating your arguments and just saying they're better. Claims need warrants.

Off-time roadmaps are fine, but keep it quick. If someone tries to begin their arguments off the clock we all get annoyed.

If you use a kritik, you need to show it's unique to this topic or round, instead of this being your way to avoid writing a new case.

Quick note on etiquette: it's in informal rule to not speak directly to your opponent except in CX. Address your judge and say "my opponent said..." or use their preferred pronouns.

I'm tabula rasa in the sense that I work to not allow my own political beliefs, philosophical frameworks, and policy opinions to cloud my decision. I'm not tabula rasa in the sense of ignoring reality. Some things are inherently bad and not everything leads to nuclear war.

3. Event-specific preferences

LD: Got to love a framework debate. Even if you agree on value, VC, and definitions, then clash on who upholds the framework better! Don't be lazy and forget to mention your value after the first speech.

Parli: The structure of the round depends on the type of resolution. Don't bring a plan to a value debate! Tackling a policy resolution with just a one-sentence plan is a tragedy! You get the idea. Also, if your opponent wants to ask a question while you're speaking and you ask them to wait to the end of your speech, remember to follow through with that.

PF: This debate style was created to be judge-able by anyone regardless of debate experience, so do keep that in mind.

.

Good luck, be kind, and props to you for doing this! :D

About Me: I have been engaged with speech and debate since 1993. I competed in policy/standard debate, Lincoln-Douglas, and Congress. I now find myself as a parent, coach, and judge. I hold speech and debate as one of the most important activities youth participate in. I do not separate speech from debate, and this is important if you want to win my ballot. Debate, to me, is an exercise in logic and rhetoric. With that, here are the items I am looking for.

1. For value debates (e.g., LD, Oregon parli sometimes, most resolutions in congress, etc.) – I am more of a traditionist: to me a value debate is more about a clash of philosophical concepts and ways to look at the world. I do not like seeing policy in an LD debate or in value-based parli resolutions. I want to hear the why before we move to the how.

2. I like to see a solid framework. I want to hear clearly stated values. Tell me how I, as a judge, should weigh the round and why it matters. Definitions can make/break a round for me. If there is clash on a definition, I will track it, but I don’t want the whole round to be a definitions debate. That said, I am not a fan of esoteric mid-19th century definitions that totally change the entire meaning of a term. I am willing to entertain Ts here, but they best be good.

a. Public Forum – for Oregon tournaments, please refer to the OSAA handbook 13.2.8. Plans or counterplans are not permitted in this debate format. Do not present them.

b. Oregon Parli – you are allowed to use a dictionary. It is the one thing you are allowed to use, so please – USE IT!

3. The contentions need to flow through the framework and to the value. If the impact of a contention is massive, but it is never linked back to the framework and value, I will struggle to see how it fits into the winning criterion or weighing mechanism.

4. Value criterion and weighing mechanisms should allow either side to win the round. I will most likely not award a VC/WM that I determine to be abusive, but I need to hear clash on it. If the opponent accepts a blatantly abusive VC, then that is what I will use.

5. Please don't be lazy with how you use values or VC/WM.

6. Impact is really important. I want to hear you link the impact back to the value and how it adds weight.

7. Voters – this is where you need to finish the deal with me. Tell me why you won, walk me through it, and give it to me in simple terms. This is where you bring it all back and explain to my how the case provides the most weight to the value – you have to sell it.

8. I am flowing the round, and I will use the flow for aiding me in determining who won the round. That said, I like a round where I don’t have to flow. Give me a clear path/roadmap (no off-time roadmaps however), signpost as you move along, and don’t bounce all over the place. If I am having a hard time following your case/speech odds are my flow won’t match yours, and your flow notes aren’t going to be used to determine who won the round.

a. In public forum rounds, I shouldn’t have to flow. The format was designed to allow the average adult to walk on into the room, know nothing about debate, and be able to decide who won the round.

b. If an argument is dropped and properly identified as being dropped then in almost all circumstances that contention will flow to the opponent.

c. Rhetoric is often broken down into logos, pathos, and ethos. I want to be persuaded by the winning side, so keep in mind that I will be looking across the three. If a competitor is all evidence with little explanation or connection with the audience, then competitor will have a hard time persuading me. If it is all emotion without logic then it won’t go well. All the confidence in the world shouldn’t be the reason that a case wins.

d. Do not use logical fallacies. I will note on my flow when one is used, and if the opponent is able to identify the fallacy in a clear and concise way, the argument will most likely go to the opponent. Granted – if you call out your opponent for using a fallacy and you either are wrong or use the fallacy-fallacy, that won’t bode well.

10. I have yet to hear a competitor spread that is able to deliver on pathos or ethos. If I am handed a case where I may read along since the speaking will be screeching along at Mach 10, then I question the live nature of the event.

a. Note: yes, I can keep up with spreading and read along, but I should not have to. Again – I expect quality over quantity.

11. In most instances I am leery of Ts and Ks. May you use them with me? Yes, but they need to setup correctly and they ought to be relevant. I also take them seriously, so if you are arguing that your opponent is being abusive here and now, you have my attention. If the argument and/or accusation is generic and used simply as a tool to get a win, odds are you just lost the argument and potentially the round. Be careful with what you are saying – words matter in the real world.

12. I am not a tabula rasa judge. There is some common knowledge. Not everything leads to nuclear war (sorry, I just have a hard time with most, not all, nuclear war arguments). Please don’t ask me to suspend belief.

13. Be nice, and while this may seem obvious it isn’t always (note – I find that most debaters are very nice).

14. Avoid debate jargon. I don’t want to hear about how the aff dropped the negs NC1 during the 1AR, it doesn’t flow, blah blah blah. Go back to my points on rhetoric. Walk a non-S&D person through it.

Hello,

I have been judging and coaching since 2016, before that I was a competitor in high school. My day job is a compliance director and pre-kindergarten teacher . My paradigms are pretty simple. In debate I vote by flow, show me the link chain, connections, and how your evidence or case is stronger than your opponent. If you provide a frame work, carry it through the round. I do not like spreading and super fast speaking, slow down and annunciation your words. Debate is still a speaking event, show off your public speaking skills . My pet peeve is interrupting opponents and rude manners, such as mumbling rude comments, if you ask a question, wait for a reply before moving on. Keep your comments to the case not other students. In IE events, I am looking for annunciation, smooth pace of speaking, use of gestures and showing a varied range of emotions. Best of luck in your rounds, feel free to ask any questions.

New Judge. I encourage clear speech, good content, committment of the participant and adhering to guidelines, as provided for the event. Keen to share from my experience at work and life and learn from yours as you develop it for our future.

General

Please signpost everything and impact out. Argumentation needs to accessible. Please be civil to one another, I will vote you down if you're racist, homophobic, etc.

Parli

I judge parli from a policy perspective. I like formal structure (plantext, CPs, DAs, solvency press, etc) and for a value resolution, it means that I want to know what are the real-world consequences of voting in a certain way? For example, if you want me to vote that "liberty should be valued above safety" tell me what natural policies consequences will follow and the impacts of those.

If it's a policy resolution please have a plan on aff or at the least a specific approach to affirm. If you perm a CP as a test of competition I will not let you drop the CP. If you need to test completion just run theory and fully extend the argumentation on why the CP isn't competitive. If we're in Oregon doing Oregon parli I expect you to operate under Oregon parli norms. If we're in Califonia doing California parli I expect you to operate under Cali parli norms.

NPDL Parli

I'll vote on just about anything but, conditional counterplans. If you take up everyone's time to read and have your opponents start argumentation I expect you to follow through. If you run an Aff K you need to run theory on who's ground you're on and why it's theirs. I'm fine with speed, K's, theory etc. I vote on the set WM and Value of the round so if you don't set either I'll go point by point on the flow. So whoever has the most standing after clash will likely win. Finally, I like some questions please don't refuse all questions in the round.

Policy

I'll listen to and vote on everything but conditional counterplans. If you take up everyone's time to read and have your opponents start argumentation I expect you to follow through. If you run an Aff K you need to run theory on who's ground you're on and why it's theirs.

LD

I won't mark you down for spreading but I will mark you down if your judge or opponents can't understand/follow your argumentation. In general, I have a preference in favor of traditional LD over progressive LD. I don't flow cross or questions if you find something significant please bring it up in a speech and tell me where to put it on my flow. Other than that have a good time and ask me for any specific information.

PF

I know part of PF is the culture of respect, but you don't need to waste time with thank-yous before every speech. I don't flow cross or questions if you find something significant please bring it up in a speech and tell me where to put it on my flow. Other than that have a good time.

Please ask me if you have specific questions or would like clarification.

Don't spread, don't run Ks, and be nice to people, in and out of rounds.

Carter Thomas (they/them)

I'm a college freshman with 4 years of experience in speech and debate, specializing in parli. I'm comfortable with jargon, and I will be able to track with you if you talk quickly (that said, I am personally opposed to spreading as a competitive strategy). I'm new to judging, but I am familiar with current debate theory trends and I have plenty of competition experience, so don't worry about losing me.

General:

I prefer truth over tech—please do not try and convince me of things that could easily be refuted by common sense. "Corporations do not have an inherent desire to generate wealth" is something I would accept if you back it up and it isn't refuted. "North Korea, an island nation in the North Sea, is lauded internationally for its philanthropy and pacifism" is not. We are here to learn from each other, and I will vote in accordance to this principle.

I'm alright with theory-heavy arguments, though I will prefer post-fiat impacts to pre-fiat ones in most settings. Especially when we're talking about policy, I'm more interested in the worlds described by the resolution and its interpretations than I am about the impacts of how you go about talking about them. Be very careful with the term "abusive"— unless your opponent is creating an obviously hostile environment I will probably not agree with its use. That isn't to say that I'll never accept pre-fiat impacts, but I'd prefer we wear our policymaker hats.

I typically prefer education over fairness. We're here to compete, but we're also here to learn.

In general, I want you to treat this like a real-world discussion of politics, ethics, science, economics, philosophy, or whatever else it happens to be.

Parli:

Since some tournaments allow internet usage, I know you'll use that to build your cases. When it comes to citing statistics in round, it definitely won't hurt you, but I'm not going to fault you if you don't—pure extemporaneous argumentation is a part of the Oregon parli meta that I believe makes it better than California and I'd prefer that we didn't get bogged down in the back-and-forth of asking for sources.

LD/PF/CX:

I don't have nearly as much experience with these, but my takes on theory still apply. I still prefer effective arguments to volumes of evidence, so bear that in mind.

Don't spread. It doesn't help anyone, and if I legitimately can't keep up with your speaking I will set my pen down and stare at you with contempt.

Kritiks:

It better be really good. There's situations in which it is justified to call out the assumptions that an argument is built on, especially in an environment where learning is our focus. But it needs to be clear that you're genuinely trying to advance our understanding, and not taking a cheap shot at your opponent.

Misc. remarks:

Remember that this is an academic space, and the dialogue should reflect that. If you would prefer to use more casual or informal language for effect, that is fine, but it shouldn't distract me from the topic at hand or sacrifice precision of meaning.

TL;DR:

I've done this before, don't worry about losing me. While winning is fun, we're here to learn by sharing ideas with each other. Make sure your presentation reflects that.

If you are a novice - please do not feel pressure to fill time just because you have run out of things to say. It is much better to end your speech early and leave time on the table than to fill time just for the sake of filling time by repeating arguments you or your partner has already read.

General debate: I judge primarily on the flow. If you're talking too fast that I can't write your arguments down, or if you are not properly sign posting to where I should write that argument, I might not be able to vote on it. I do not intervene. I sometimes write "consider this argument next time" on ballots, but I won't make links or impacts for you, you need to be explicitly clear.

I don't flow questioning periods - if you're trying to make a point, you need to so directly on the flow (with internal sign posting) and use your opponent's answer as the warrant for that argument.

I often do not vote in favor of Ks and would rather see those types of arguments structured as a DA if the K is on the resolution. The only exception to this general guideline is if one team is uniquely offensive in round and you're running the K against something specifically said or done by your opponent.

Parli: I judge parli from a policy perspective. This means that for a policy resolution ("given actor" should "given action) I like formal structure (plantext, CPs, DAs, solvency press, etc) and for a value resolution, it means that I want to know what are the real world consequences of voting in a certain way? For example, if you want me to vote that "liberty should be valued above safety" tell me what natural policies consequences will follow and the impacts of those.

LD: I rarely cast my ballot based on the framework debate alone. I put more weight on the contention level. In general, I have a strong preference in favor for traditional LD over progressive LD.

PF: I like to see your analysis in your evidence. Please do not just quote an author, but explain how what this author said relates to the argument in your specific case. I often ask to read evidence myself, so please have full articles available for context, with your specific source highlighted or indicated.

I have a background in policy debate, so that means that I like structure and specific impacts. Other than that, I am pretty tabula rasa. Please tell me how you win this debate with discussions of burdens and weighing mechanisms. In Oregon Parliamentary, I am not a huge fan of Ks because I do not think you have enough time to prepare one properly, but I will vote on one if the opp links into it hard, like you can show me how they are specifically being sexist, racist, trans/homophobic, etc.