I am looking for insightful and new analyses of a topic in OO

I am hoping to be pleasantly surprised in INFO

I want honest and truthful storytelling in INTERP

I am a parent judge and judged mostly PF since 2020 including some TOC bid tournaments this year. But please strike me if you don’t want deal with lay judge

1) I am OK with above average speed but please don’t speak too fast

2) Key points clear and well supported

3) Make good and logical arguments

4) Be respectful to your opponents and try to not interrupt too much during crossfire.

Have fun and good luck!

I am a parent lay judge. Analytical and thoroughly explained responses are preferred, but if you have evidence make sure to tie it back to your response. Speak at a normal pace, with minimal fluency breaks. Make sure to keep your own time, and be respectful during cross. My RFD will be based on the arguments I understand the most.

Background: Coach/Sponsor of Cinco Ranch HS (Katy ISD in Texas). 2nd year as Coach/Sponsor, 9th year as an educator. Did not participate in Speech & Debate in school. Honors/AP level English teacher, so assume that I know how to structure an argument and can follow your rationales.

IE Paradigm

Your event should dictate how you're approaching it: be funny for Humorous, weepy for Dramatic, emotive for Poetry/Prose, factual for Extemp, informative for... Informative. Just make sure you stay within the rules of your event (eye/physical contact, movement, etc.).

PF/LD Paradigm

- My students say that I am more of a Trad judge than Prog. Take that for what you will.

- Please keep the spread to a minimum. Even though I'm a coach, please treat me like I am a lay judge when it comes to speed. Don't spread like peanut butter and jelly.

- I do not know about theories/kritiks nor do I wish to. Personally I find that their usage takes away from the actual debating itself. Please save these tactics for a Tech judge that understands them. They will go totally over my head.

- Impacts matter more than just stating facts. Link the effect of your information instead of giving me a bunch of data and statistics without context.

- Don't get lost in arguing over the definition of a specific word vs debating over the topic as a whole. Remember that you should have prepped cases on a topic, not on the wording of it.

- I do not need to be included on any email chain. That's for you and your teams to set up before we start the round. Please don't take up time in the round to set it up. Rounds are long enough as it is.

- Keep discussions focused on the topic. Deviation from the stated resolution will hurt your side, as will irrelevant arguments and thoughts. I will be flowing your case as you talk.

- Be civil and respectful of each other. Articulate thoughts and counterpoints without making it personal. Don't just browbeat each other for the sake of your argument. Let opponents actually finish a point or thought before responding.

- Bullying your opponents will not yield positive results on the ballot. I will not hesitate to stop you mid-round to address any potential instances of disrespect or negativity, dock your speaker points, and address egregious incidents with your coaches later. Your coaches would do the same for you (I hope).

- While not necessary, do your best to reiterate your team's position at the end of your time (aff/neg, pro/con). Nothing more embarrassing than laying out a brilliant argument for your own side... and then telling me to vote for your opponent.

- Novices, feel free to ask me what you can do to improve as a competitor after the round is over. I'll do my best to teach you something.

Tabula rasa within the limits established here. Speed as fine as long as (1) your volume is loud enough for me to hear you and (2) know that I usually give high speaks but will deduct points if you're talking into your laptop. No tricks.

Clash is good. I like creativity and will reward that in the round. A creative case is better than one I'm going to hear every round. Open to theory but I hate tricks.

I like an efficient round - please have speech doc sharing etc completed before the round begins. I will deduct speaker points if you delay the debate over a speech doc is not ready before the round.

Pronouns - she/her/hers

Experience

Did VPF and UIL policy for 4 years in high school and was decent at it. I did a bit of extemp too, but I didn't care for it. I am a sophomore in college now, so it's been a few years since being involved in debate but I can keep up. I am a political science major, so I am up-to-date with most politics.

Demographics/Personal

I am a white woman raised in an economically stable household in Houston, TX. I attended Stratford High School which is evenly split between white student enrollment and minority student enrollment. I am currently attending the private university Trinity University in San Antonio, TX, that is primarily attended by white students. I am apart of the LGBTQIA+ community. I am a political science major, anthropology major, chem minor, and museum studies minor. I am native in English and can speak basic conversational Spanish, French, Latin, and Arabic, but I cannot understand a round in any of these languages. I regularly keep up with politics (international and domestic). If you have any other questions, feel free to ask me before round starts :). 

General (PF specific)

Pre-flow before round - I will not give you time in round to do so. I prefer line-by-line rebuttals, a summary that begins to narrow the line-by-line to a big picture, and a big picture final focus. I don't flow final focus, but I will listen to it and it will contribute to speaker points. Pls first summary, respond to the rebuttal as best as possible - I will flow new evidence if I truly believe you did a good job responding and expanding on it. Second summary, pls do not bring new evidence or arguments. If you don't weigh, I don't up you. Please start weighing in rebuttal, but if the first rebuttal doesn't weigh and the first summary weighing is out-of-this-world amazing, then I'll accept that weighing. Second rebuttal and summary I expect to have weighing in it. If neither team weighs....bruh. I don't flow crossfire or cross-examination. I don't call for cards unless told to, I'm not gonna find stuff sus for ya. I love weird arguments, just make sure you can run them well! :D

Speed

Please don't spread, I have ADHD and can forget things you say very easily and not get everything down. I did do UIL policy, but UIL is very traditional and slower so I'm not used to policy argument dumping. I am comfortable with you speaking fast, but if I cannot understand you, I will say "clear". If I cannot understand you after saying "clear" twice, then I'm just going to stop flowing. 

FW

I'm cool with frameworks but I don't believe there is enough time to develop a framework in PF. So if you do bring in a framework, either plan to develop it or drop it. To drop framework, I hope that you explicitly state you're doing so. P.S. 
I love Michel Foucault and biopolitics/necropolitics, so if there is a Foucault framework, I'll eat it up as long as you can run it well.

Etiquette

Don't be rude! I get getting heated - everyone has their off days, but being outwardly rude/disrespectful to your opponents automatically gets you downed with 25 for speaker points. I do know the difference between dominance and rudeness - if I believe that you being condescending extends to your opponents rather than just their arguments or case, I consider that extremely disrespectful and you will be downed. Don't fight with my decision because it won't change anything, and please refrain from asking condescending questions regarding my decision - they won't be acknowledged or answered and you'll probably only be more upset. Racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, xenophobia, anti-semitism, etc. will be an automatic down and I will report you to TAB. Unfortunately, the speech and debate sphere is already inherently problematic enough and I don't want that in any round I'm judging.

former PF at slakes; pronouns - she/her

duong.kalina4@gmail.com

if you have any questions please feel free to ask prior or after the round. Not a fan of super excessive post-rounding.

- tech>truth but warrant it

- fine with speed but you have to speak clearly (clarity's important!)

- I enjoy a snarky or funny cross as long as it furthers the debate- you can make jabs at each other's arguments but no isms (racism, xenophobia, misogyny, etc) or overt rudeness.

- extend please; Warrant your arguments. Weighing is important. Defense isn't sticky. Draw a clear path to the ballot for me.

- ev ethics are important.

- I lack experience debating and judging prog args but if you can explain it well enough go ahead and run it.

See Oliver Lin's

Judged about forty tournaments, about two thirds through tabroom. I have exposure in WSD, LD, PF and CX. I've also judged OI, Prose, HI, Domestic and Foreign Extemp.

Do not like spread, as it is too difficult to gleam the details and take notes on it. I feel that if I can't understand the words coming out of your mouth, and be able to jot a note down about it, then you did not say anything.

Speaker points are higher for those that speak clearly, provide well defined citations, use proper voice inflection and appropriate body movement for the event.

While I don't recommend running topicality or kritik, I'm willing to keep an open mind to it if you think you really have a case for it. I have only seen one topicality argument that had validity, but missed opportunity on a few others.

Been catching CX/Policy recently and seeing many Viva Voce violations. Partners, do not interupt/prompt your speaker when they have the floor. It will likely cost you my ballot. Also, even if open cross is agreed upon, the speaker should still respond to all questions after their speech. It provides better speech points for all speakers.

bellaire '21 | rice '25

Email is: saumyajhaveri17@gmail.com

PF:

Tech > Truth

Defense is sticky

I don't like progressive arguments

Won't call for evidence unless the team explicitly asks me too

Good extensions are key, including a claim, warrant, and impact.

Comparative Weighing wins the round

Congress:

1. Sponsors are underrated, so there's a good chance I score them high. The sponsor should be able to set the tone for the rest of the round. A great sponsor > late-round rehash speech.

2. Argumentation is the most important thing in this event, so your speech needs to have a clear link chain

3. Use strong passionate rhetoric smartly. Meaning, the whole speech shouldn't be full of metaphors and hyperbole.

4. Please don't say "right now in the status quo." It's the same thing.

5. Have fun and find ways to make yourself stand out from the chamber.

tl;dr former PF debater treat me as a flay judge

Debated Public Forum for three years (20-22) as St. John's FL. Qualified TOC sophomore and junior year. Debated Worlds as a senior.

Speed is fine as long as you maintain clarity. Speech docs are preferred, but I will begin to dock speaks if I need to refer to it multiple times.

Theory

I'll evaluate it tab but I will drop the shell rather than default to reasonability (which is the same thing in my opinion).

Kritik

Never ran it. Never hit it. Run at your own risk.

Substance

Tech > Truth. No sticky anything. Please extend and weigh.

Don't be a jerk in round. I will start by docking speaks, but I will drop you for unacceptable behavior (any -isms, bullying, threats). Please be civil.

Worlds

Same thing as PF except no speech docs and obviously no progressive stuff.

Speech

Zero experience here. As lay as it gets.

Email: varun13m@gmail.com

Discord: VElit13#6805

Please add me to the email chain/Google Doc!

I am a junior Congressional (formerly did PF for 5 years) Debater for Bellaire(in Houston, Texas), qualified to TFA State in PF my freshman and sophomore year (if this helps). I started Public Forum in 6th grade at Lanier Middle School, and debated with them all three years of middle school.

(Paradigm inspired by Vedanth Ramabhadran)

General

OFF THE BAT, PLEASE DO NOT BE SEXIST, RACIST, HOMOPHOBIC, ETC. Debate is a competitive and inclusive activity, and I expect that all of you uphold this. We're all in this together!

PF

Tech > Truth (but please don't be ridiculous)

Please feel free to lighten the mood a little bit. Nevertheless, you should still be focused on the round and don't waste too much time bc you want to play around. A little bit of humor is appreciated and would make my job a little bit more fun.

I am ok with a little bit of speed but I really need to understand you. There are obviously an infinite number of arguments you can run in a short amount of time, but understand that I am more likely to flow you better if you speak slower.

AT ALL COSTS, PLEASE WEIGH!!!

Weighing is crucial for me to even evaluate the round. Your job as a debater is to offer me the clearest way to the ballot(make me do the least work in the round). To make the round even cleaner, please metaweigh(why one weighing mechanism is better than the other weighing mechanism)

I don't like to presume anything, but if it ever gets to that point, it'll probably have to be the negative side(but a round should never result in such a decision)

Please time yourselves(I might be timing as well). I'm fine if you go 5 seconds over time but in those 5 seconds you bring up a whole new impact/argument/etc, I am not going to flow it.

Warranting is crucial in every aspect of debate. Don't just say x happens. Tell me how/why x happens.

If you are Flight 1, please don't postround extensively(send me an email, text, message on Discord instead). If you are Flight 2, feel free to postround as much as you want. Regardless of the result, please be respectful of both your opponents and me.

Sharing cards should be a quick process, if it takes too long, it irritates me and gives me a doubt that you are stealing prep time(which is definitely frowned upon).

Don't comment on your opponent's speaking style(that is for me and me only to evaluate), you should interact with your opponent's arguments. Your job as a debater is to convince me on the flow.

If you are flight 1, you can take about 5-6 minutes to preflow your case in the room, but if you are flight 2, please preflow before the round.

Constructive

Just make sure you are clear and understandable. I prefer you send me your case a couple minutes before you start either on an email or Google Doc(so I can flow it easier).

Crossfire

If it becomes disruptive, I will note this down. I am not flowing it, but if something important happens, feel free to bring it up in the next speech.

Rebuttal

Responses should interact with the opponent's arguments, don't be generic and just read basic blocks and expect me to understand the response.

Implications are key when reading a turn for me to evaluate it.

First Rebuttal should be able to cover all the arguments on the opponent's side, feel free to use this time and introduce weighing! (The earlier, the better!)

Second Rebuttal needs to frontline(defend) the responses and attack the opponent's flow. If you drop any responses and the opponent extends it in summary, I consider it clean as it was conceded. I prefer you collapse in this speech(go for one argument).

Summary

This is the most important speech in the round. It really shows what arguments are going to be on the RFD(Reason for Decision).

The first summary needs to frontline the responses that you are collapsing on.

On the arguments you are not collapsing on/dropped, you don't need to address defense(Non-Uniques, De links, etc) but the offense needs to be responded to(esp. turns).

Proper extensions are necessary for me to evaluate it.

Please collapse(if you haven't already)!!! It is a strategic move and makes the debate a lot easier to evaluate!

This is also an area to bring up/address weighing(if not already).

Final Focus

Don't bring up new arguments in this speech.

Finish on a strong note and extend weighing and offense especially.

Speaker Points

My range is usually 27.5 to 29.5. If you earned a 30, you did an amazing job of vocal variation and made the round very fun to judge. If you earned less than a 27.5, it is likely because your speaking was very disruptive and/or you were being homophobic, racist, sexist, etc.

Most importantly, please enjoy your experiences! Learn from your mistakes and you're more likely to do better if you have fun!

Debate 

1.Arguments: I am generally open to all types of arguments; however,I do not vote for any arguments that I do not fully comprehend. Meaning if you are planning of running kritiq or various progressive/novel arguments, be prepared to provide clear context and explain to be why this your argument is applicable to the round. 

2. Speed- Talking fast is not usually an issue for me, however, keep in mind you do run the risk of enabling key arguments slipping through the cracks. Do not spread unnecessarily. I strongly prefer rebuttals with strong analysis rather than a rushed synopsis of all your arguments. I witnessed many debaters conditioning themselves into thinking it imperative to speak fast.  While sometime speed is necessary to cover your bases, it is more more impressive if you can cover the same bases using less words. Be concise.

3. Technical stuff - If you have any short and specific questions, feel free to bring them up before or after the round. Here are some things to keep in mind. When extending, make sure your arguments have warrants. If you say something like " Please extend Dugan 2020," without re-addressing what argument that card entails, I might opt to disregard that argument.  Also, when responding to an opposing argument, please don't simply rephrase  your the same argument in your initial case without adding anything significant. I will sometime consider this as you conceding the argument. For any type of debate, I really like it if you can set up the framework on how the round should be judge along with giving strong voters. This essentially helps you prioritize what's important throughout the round. Always weigh whenever possible. 

4. Additional items.

a. When sharing  or requesting case files, we be expedient. If this is during the round and prep timer is not running, no one should be working on their cases. This exchange should be very brief. Please do not abuse this. 

b. For PF crossfire, I prefer it if you didn't conduct it passively where both side take turns asking basic questions regarding two different arguments. I also rather if you built on from your opponent's responses by asking probing questions. Capitalize on this chance to articulate your arguments instead of using it to ask a few question.

I believe that everyone has a voice which needs a platform to embrace self-expression, unique personalities, and the social construct of expressive speech in a safe, nurturing environment. As long as we follow the words of Benjamin Franklin, "Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment," for ignorance shall not prevail!

It is imperative to be polite, purposeful. and punctual.

With Lincoln Douglas (LD), I prefer traditional value and criterion debate, impact calculus, solvency, and line-by-line. Speech should have obvious organization which allows me to make a well-informed decision, focusing on presentation, logic, argumentation, and conclusion with a summary to wrap up the topic presented.

With Public Forum (PF), I prefer line-by-line, impact calculus, solid evidence from valid sources, be polite, and time yourselves. There should be a pre-determined resolution based on current events and trends. I should hear valuable insights. If you are providing a "filler", this will guarantee a low score, especially if it is personally offensive to the opponent or other marginalized groups.

With World Schools, I prefer obvious teamwork, focused on the issue presented with in-depth, quality argumentation creating solves with real-world examples while challenging the opposing team on a principled level.

With Congress, I look for proper parliamentary procedures and clarity of delivery through rigor, focused on democracy and clarity of ideas, seriousness in demeanor, and effective empowerment in speaking extemporaneously about the topic. Authenticity with clear speaking points such as sentence structure, eye contact, transitions, and word choice. The standard of decorum must be met.

In terms of speaking events, be purposeful when presenting the piece(s) to the extent that I feel as if you wrote it and expressed it with rigor, intensity, and passion.

You've got this!

Sonya Smith