Hello,

This is my first time judging. I am a very very lay judge.

Speak clearly, I have a hearing impairment, please don't spread.

It is your job to win me over.

Go off in cross.

I debated LD (4 yrs nat circuit) & Policy (2 yrs at states) and graduated in 2020.

I haven't heard spreading in 2 years, so I'd avoid it. If you still choose to spread and I miss something on my flow, that's on you.

You can read whatever you want in front of me. Feel free to ask me any questions before the round.

Email me the constructive before your speech.

walpertb@gmail.com

Hello! I'm Andrew, and I'm very excited to start judging this year for debate. I was a speech and debate kid in MN all four years in high school and have coached all four years as well, in addition, I coach PA events and my congressional debate team year-round. I'm so excited to have the opportunity to watch you all engage in debate!

But I know why you're reading this competitor-- you're here to learn what style of debate I look for (or maybe you're like me and you're reading this while prepping for congress in--round in which case, good for you too!)

In congress, I look for the clash, clash, and above all, clash. That being said, if you cannot maintain basic respect for the competition (using ad homonyms, being blatantly bigoted, or shouting over one another) that is a non-starter, and you can expect if you can't be respectful, I will not be rooting for you in the coming speeches. I prefer a well-thought-out argument over a billion sources, but be prepared to back up your information. This is my event of choice, and I love to see how everyone approaches it differently-- be yourself, have fun, and use your voice to keep fighting the good fight.

(side note, please have stuff prepared to go either way so I don't need to sit through 6+ speeches arguing for legislation, or else I will be a little disengaged, and a disengaged judge is a judge who isn't loving the gig they're using their Saturdays on)

Other events I haven't had much experience in, I've seen them on the national stage but otherwise, I may have a TON of questions-- please be patient with me if I mess up something, or cause you or your competitors distress. With that being said, please make sure to formulate your argument and your backing for it, and try your best to make it so that the layperson [me] can understand it.

For PD, I pay special attention to the questioning period-- I think it shows what debate is all about, refutation is a huge part of how I'll rank you in the round.  If I feel like one duo is controlling the question period, or is being more assertive with their claims, that will typically give them a huuuuge lead. As with everything in life, stay respectful. I understand that your time to speak uninterrupted is limited, so it's hard not to spread-- that being said I still prefer quality over quantity. I look forward to this round!

General notes: I love wit/humor but make sure it's well-placed and original-- and this should go without saying but please don't be disrespectful or insulting with your humor. I am a bit unique and I don't think vulgarity should be a no-go for speech/debate, again just ensure you're able to stay classy and polite while doing so. Also, please issue a trigger warning if you are going to mention potentially triggering material, it's just the courtesy of it all. Finally, I'm a psych major with a criminal justice minor, so if you're discussing any of that material I am going to be so super excited!

If you have any questions for me about my paradigm, or just want to say hello, please feel free to ask me, I promise I'm not scary :)

Cheers!

--Andrew Christopherson He/Him/His

email chain: Al.Deak@trojans.dsu.edu

PF:

Please time yourself in speeches. I'll keep track of prep, but I encourage you to do so as well. If you call for a card your prep starts once you start reading the card and it stops once you finish reading.

I don't flow Crossfire, you shouldn't make any new arguments in it. That being said, it's a great time to clarify your case and poke holes in your opponent's case, use it to set up an argument. Also look at me during cross, not your opponent

Good rounds come down to the final focus, don't drop an impact before/during FF and expect me to vote on it. Make sure to weigh your impacts in sum or at least in FF (heck, why not both?) Don't just tell me why your case is good, tell me why it's better than your opponent's case.

Make sure to Signpost! Road maps are good too, but Signposting is more important to me. Slow Down for tags! If nothing else, it will give you better speaks.

I don't care for paraphrasing. I won't automatically vote you down for it, but if your opponent can explain why I should vote you down you better believe I will. Same goes for misrepresenting evidence, if your opponent asks me to call for a card and it clearly says the opposite of what you said/highlighted that's abusive and you'll likely lose the round because of it.

Lives > econ (If your GDP/job loss link chain stops before you get to poverty, death, food insecurity, etc, I won't weigh it bc there's nothing for me to weigh) Economy is not an impact! it's a link.

death > quality of life (I'm very open to frameworks that question this, or any other framework for that matter, but this is my default)

Finally: Unless you have something akin to a structural violence framework, you need empirics for your impact!!!! I have, in the most literal sense of the word, nothing to weigh if you don't give me numbers for how many people you affect.

Feel free to ask me any questions you might have before the round begins!

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LD: never done it, never judged it. I can probably flow a top speed of 4-5 on a 10 scale. But make tags clear/slower.

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Silver Bowl tournament only: dissing Kanye in your FF will get you an automatic 30 speaks.

Hopefully, this is the beginning of my journey judging debaters, basically a lay, a very lay judge!

I look for well articulated arguments, hopefully backed by some facts and/or credible references and total respect for your opponents! It would be yours to lose if you're disrespectful, condescending or insulting. Be respectful and courteous. Convince me with your arguments only. And, absolutely no spreading, please!

This is my fourth year judging. My judging is based on quality and accuracy. Students should be respectful and argue in a way that demonstrates this. I enter each debate with no opinion on the subject. It is up to you to convince me to side with your argument. 

These are the criteria that I typically judge:

clarity of case

clearly stated opening argument

use of facts and examples in the correct order - source then evidence

overall clarity of presented argument

crossfire - well constructed questions and answers

Hello Debaters, I debated four years of public forum at Eagan High School in Minnesota. Now I'm a coach for Iowa City West High School. During my time debating, I was both of first and second speaker, but enjoyed being second the most.

I don't want a messy round, and you don't want me to have to find a winner once the round is over, so here is how I want rounds to go:

As a broad overview, I strongly believe that the heart of PF debate is a round in which a random person should be able to come off the street, judge, and be able to provide a decent explanation of who won and why. As a result of that, I will attempt to judge that style as much as I can. I want to see clear linkchains read throughout the round and explained counterargs to what the other team says. Taking the time to slow down and explain your args and how they impact the round overall will be a lot better then just card dumping and seeing what sticks.

Overall, lean closer to lay appeal than tech, and drive home the 2-3 key points you need to win. As for some other random stuff here's this:

Cross-Fire

I absolutely think cross-fire is the most undervalued and unappreciated part of the round. I love cross-fire. If you use it to good effect and carry it throughout the round, it could be a deciding factor for me.

Evidence

If key evidence is contested throughout the round or one of the teams ask that I review it, I may call to see it at the end of round.

If we are online, use kelleybrendanw@gmail.com for email chains: I'll only look at it if there is an issue post-round, but let's have someone set one up before round in case it's needed.

Flowing

I will flow whatever you say. Run whatever you want, and I will weigh it in round. One thing to note, I have never been able to flow sources well, so please don't just say the name of the card, remind me what the card or block says. If you are dropping an arg/contention/etc, clearly let me know so I know you are trying to make a strategic decision and not just forgetting about it. Don't try to drop a something to get out of a turn though, that's still offense for the other team.

Speed

If I catch it, I will flow it. One thing to note, I'm not that fast of a writer, so if you spread, I will not catch it.

Weighing

Like I mentioned above, I want to see clear linkchains. Ideally, you have a super logical linkchain that's flowed throughout the round. I'm far more likely to pick a clean linkchain with a small impact then a linkchain that requires a lot of steps to get to nuclear war.

Speaks

I'm sure you have heard it all before, so not much to say, only that cross will be the fastest way to gain or lose points on my watch.

Progressive Args

Like I said before, I will flow whatever you say. Be warned though that I don't like them and I have a super low bar that your opponents need to clear to beat it. The only thing I'm a lot more understanding for is in-round evidence issues or clear rule violations.

Random Stuff

If you are confused by what the other team is saying, assume I am also confused, so ask them about it.

Please do an off-time roadmap

I do plan on disclosing at the end of round

I am the worse with technology, so give me a second, then maybe one more :)

If we are online, and there is an issue with hearing your opponents, please speak up

Please time yourself

If you have any questions just ask. Good luck, have fun and make some good memories.

Background

I've competed in Classic Debate for Burnsville High School and was a Captain for two years. I've judged for both Classic and Public Forum

Online Guidelines

Please have your display name state your:
- Side
- First name
- Last name
- Speaker Position
- Team
- Pronouns

e.g. NEG 1st Speaker, Isabella Ly (she/her), Burnsville AB

Please keep your cameras on when speaking, you may turn them off when not speaking/during prep time. You are more than welcome to keep them on throughout the entire debate if it doesn't cause any technical issues!

General Guidelines

Be polite and courteous during your debates, I appreciate a respectful tone and refraining from making backhanded remarks. While I do understand that it is an argument, there is a line between respectfully debating and being outright condescending.

The clearer your signposting is the more likely I am to give you the win. It's very important that I know what arguments you're making and what you're responding to.

You can talk as fast as you want as long as I can understand you and you speak clearly and audibly. Please remember that if I can't understand what you're saying then I won't understand your arguments. For PF - please no spreading.

I'll keep time, but I do expect the competitors to keep their own time as well. If you are out of time, you can finish your sentence but please stop after that. I will stop you if you continue anymore after that.

Please make at least some eye contact during your speeches!

Contact Information

Email: lyi1@isd191.org or isabellaly23@gmail.com

Absolute must:

· Show respect to each other and the judges, keep your tone and communication style civil.

· Follow the rules, maintain order, and wait for your turn.

· No commenting or passing remarks on your opponents or any others that discriminates or demeans.

· Stay clear of any prejudices, stereotypes, and please avoid passing overt or inadvertent gestures/comments.

Nice to have:

· Depth in your argument supported by reliable sources/data/established research.

· Good rebuttals that are substantiated.

· Showing me that you can come from various angles to substantiate your arguments and rebuttals, is a plus.

· Thoughtfulness and preparation.... are generally very evident and will work in your favor.

Does not matter to me:

· Presentation style or level of sophistication in delivery/speech….just be clear.

· Appearance or any other attributes that have nothing to do with your debating skills.

I will not have time to provide comments and feedback to contestants right after debate, so please check on tabroom later.

Hi! I have 3 years of experience in Public Forum debate (still debating)

Email is jpzhang23@blakeschool.org so include me in email chains

tech > truth

Speed:

Speed is fine as long as you aren't spreading. Send me a speech doc if you are going to speak very fast but I can't guarantee I'll be able to follow along. Please be clear and make sure you speak at a pace you are comfortable with.

CX:

Please be respectful of others during crossfire. If you are condescending or rude I will lower your speaks. There is a difference between being assertive and just being rude.

Prep:

I will time everyone's speeches and prep time because taking more prep than you're given is annoying and unfair.

Evidence:

I may call for evidence at the end of the round. You should have cut cards in your cases and speeches. I really don't like paraphrasing but usually it will not affect my decision or your speaks UNLESS your opponent extends an indict to your evidence and I find that you are clearly misconstruing evidence. Evidence exchange should be relatively quick; I get it if your internet is slow but it shouldn't take you that long to find a card if you were able to read it in your speech.

Constructive:

If you have no terminalized impact in an argument, I will most likely not be voting off of it unless your opponent does an atrocious job debating. Please make sure you have uniqueness -> link -> impact in all of your contentions.

Rebuttals:

Signpost! Second rebuttal needs to respond to arguments made against it in first rebuttal, especially turns. Please make sure there is an impact on your turns and to weigh such impacts because it makes it easier for me to evaluate these turns when I know what I'm actually voting for. second rebuttal can also collapse if you can kick out of one of your arguments but make sure to bite whatever defense you are using to kick out.

Summary:

Make sure in summary to collapse on the arguments you think will win the round and extend one or maybe more of your arguments and extend dropped offense. If you think you can win off of your case too you have to extend the UQ --> Link --> Impact for whatever contention, subpoint, or link you are going for. If you think only collapsing on turns will win you the round, you can do that too, Just have a strategy. Also pleaas I love dropped offense.se please please weigh and give reasons to prefer your weighing over your opponents'. "Strength of link" or "solvency" weighing doesn't make sense. The three main types of weighing are magnitude, probability, and time frame. Long link chains do not mean less probability.

FF:

Only extend what your partner extends, especially case (whatever you collapse on not the whole thing). I will not flow new arguments

Disclosure:

If you are disclosed tell me and I will raise your speaks.

There is no pre-fiat vs post-fiat. I don't buy arguments about spreading discourse. If you do decide to introduce it in the round and your opponent doesn't respond to it I will have to vote for you. I will evaluate methods debates like regular debates.

Progressive Args: I am not very comfortable with K's but I can evaluate some disclosure and paraphrasing theory. Key word "some." I have run a K before but I'm not an expert with them.

Davin if you are reading this you should do your work and stop copying my paradigm.

glhf :)