Experience: I debated for three years at William P. Clements HS, specifically focusing on LD, Congress, and Extemporaneous Speaking.

Info --

Congress - Stick to the topic, make sure your argument isn't purely repetitive. If you're going to speak, make it worth it. 

You shouldn't be reading something word for word, and should be building upon previous ideas in the round.

CLASH is extremely important in any type of debate, congress is no different. 

Most importantly, be respectful. Being snarky, disrespectful, rude, or anything along those lines has no real purpose, and will hurt your score. 

Follow basic rules for your circuit and NSDA (this should be obvious). 

IE's - 

Put on a show! Be you. Your personality is extremely important in speech, and I love seeing different takes on ideas. Don't be afraid. 

Be aware of your time restraints, and pace yourself well.

The meat of your speech is very important, and points without proper evidence/analysis won't get you far, but remember to focus on fluency as well.

If you have any questions about one of my ballots, email me @ krishbatabyal@gmail.com

Aloha!

I am returning to judging after a couple years off to care for my parents. I have judged speech and debate from middle school to collegiate levels. I have a Master of Arts in teaching Language Arts and qualified for AFA-NIET (Now AFA-NST) during my time competing.

i recently judged prelims and outrounds at AFA-NST 2022 in Lincoln,Neb.

While speech/debate is a very personal endeavor, my opinions may run contrary to your expectations for any number of reasons and my decisions are not personal, but are rooted in 20 years of judging and coaching experiences.

I’m holistic in my judging and judge on the merits of arguments rather than anything negative toward your opponant.

I would appreciate getting a roadmap/info chart to help with flow. I also appreciate metaphor when interpreting resolutions.

I appreciate a good turn in debate rounds—Hit me with unexpected angles and viewpoints. Thank you for keeping your delivery slow and clear—especially since we are online and internet glitches happen. I also appreciate clear analyses of why your team should win in the final rebuttals.

Finally, I lived in Hawai’i for 14 years and will often drop “Aloha” or other Hawaiian words. If it’s unclear, please feel free to ask!!

Hey everyone!

I am a parent judge who has "been in office" for around two years. This paradigm reflects the skills and attributes that I have seen in stellar debators/speakers, that I believe my ballot should represent. I have subdivided my paradigm into sections specific to each event, but keep in mind that I will also hope to see these skills represented across the board.

Congress: I primarily judge congress, as this is the event my daughter participates in. Here are some key traits I score my ballot by:

• Introduction/rhetoric/conclusion: I find that these areas are the places to really distinguish yourself as a debator. The reason I love judging congress so much is because of the blend between speech and debate. If your intros and rhetoric don't pull me in to your speech, your rank might be lower just because I am not hooked. On the other hand, if your speech has no real "substance" don't expect good ranks either. I want BALANCE!
• Points: I'm going to keep this section short. Please keep your claims relevant to your speaking spot in the round. If you are giving a sponsor, keep your cards limited to status quo and solvency. After a cycle, we can move on to the net benefit or net harms. ALSO NO REHASH :)try to update your points to match the round.
• Evidence: I prefer cold statistics over opinions. If you list a bunch of your opinions, with no statistics to back it up, I have no incentive to believe what you are saying. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it is very probable that you are indeed correct, but having statistics is always more believable than hear-say.
• Impact: This is where I really rank my top 5. If your impacts are only a sentence, that is not enough. I want to really realize how this legislation impacts real life people. Don't just say "this policy hurts our economy". Tell me how our economy getting impacted hurts realistically.
• Presentation: I am not a real stickler on presentation, but I do know where to cross the line. If I see you reading from your pad or not looking at the audience, I know that you are not as prepared as you should be. Voice modulation and emotions are key. Hand gestures should not be overused, and they should match what you are saying.

PF, LD:I don't have a specific breakdown for these events, but i'll try to summarize key points.

• In terms of speed, I don't care how fast you speak. If you talk really fast, but you keep tripping over your words, I would rather you talk slower. As long as your substance is good, expect a good ballot from me.
• Evidence is also key. Just like congress, I want cold stats. If you list a bunch of your opinions, with no statistics to back it up, I have no incentive to believe what you are saying. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it is very probable that you are indeed correct, but having statistics is always more believable than hear-say.
• In terms of cross ex, I want to be able to hear what both groups are saying. If you all talk over each other, I am going to stop listening. Please be courteous!

Speech events: I mostly judge speech of presentation. If you look confident and if what your saying pretty much matches your topic, expect good ranks from me!

• Presentation is key! If you are constantly moving and detracting from what you are saying, I have no incentive to actually listen. If you speak in a monotone voice, I WILL get bored. Even if you are saying the most interesting thing in the world, I literally cannot concentrate. PLEASE have good presentation.
• In terms of actual "substance" I just want you to keep your speech in line with your topic. If the topic is, for example, about the crisis in Ukraine, I don't expect you to start talking about woman empowerment. Both are equally important topics, but I want you to stay on track

I hope everyone has a great round! If you have any questions for me, please ask me BEFORE the round actually starts.

I look for cogent argument effective delivery and a clear thought process to reach conclusions.

Introduction:

Hello, my name is Pavan Katragadda. I have been involved in the world of speech and debate for over five years, serving as a parent judge. My journey in this field has been enriching and enlightening, and I am eager to continue learning and growing with each debate I judge.

Communication Style:

Clarity of speech is of utmost importance to me. I believe that the essence of a good debate lies not in the speed at which arguments are delivered, but in the articulation and structure of those arguments. Therefore, I encourage debaters to speak clearly and at a pace that allows me to follow their line of reasoning. If you choose to spread, please be aware that if I cannot follow your arguments, it may impact my evaluation.

Technical Terms:

While I am familiar with the general rules and format for most of the Debates, I may not be well-versed in all “technical” terms from the debating vocabulary. If you plan on using any such terms, I would appreciate it if you could explain them during your speech. This will ensure that I fully understand your argument and can evaluate it accurately.

Post-Round Process:

After the round has concluded, I like to take a few minutes to reflect on the arguments presented and enter my feedback and results. Please understand that this process takes time, and as such, I will not be able to disclose the results or provide judge’s feedback immediately after the round.

Expectations:

I expect all debaters to come prepared with strong arguments backed by solid evidence. A good debate is not just about winning or losing; it’s about learning, growing, and enjoying the process. So let’s have a fun and engaging debate!