Quarry Lane Open Scrimmage 1
2022 — Dublin, CA/US
Public Forum Judges Paradigm List
All Paradigms: Show HideYes, I want to be on the email chain - shabbirmbohri@gmail.com. Label email chains with the tournament, round, and both teams. Send DOCS, not your excessively paraphrased case + 55 cards in the email chain.
I debated 3 years of PF at Coppell High School. I am now a Public Forum Coach at the Quarry Lane School.
Standing Conflicts: Coppell, Quarry Lane
If there are 5 things to take from my paradigm, here they are:
1. Read what you want. Don't change your year-long strategies for what I may or may not like - assuming the argument is not outright offensive, I will evaluate it. My paradigm gives my preferences on each argument, but you should debate the way you are most comfortable with.
2. Send speech docs. I mean this - Speaks are capped at a 27.5 for ANY tournament in a Varsity division if you are not at a minimum sending constructive with cards. If you paraphrase, send what you read and the cards. Send word docs or google docs, not 100 cards in 12 separate emails. +0.2 speaks for rebuttal docs as well.
3. Don't lie about evidence. I've seen enough shitty evidence this year to feel comfortable intervening on egregiously bad evidence ethics. I won't call for evidence unless the round feel impossible to decide or I have been told to call for evidence, but if it is heavily misconstrued, you will lose.
4. Be respectful. This should be a safe space to read the arguments you enjoy. If someone if offensive or violent in any way, the round will be stopped and you will lose.
5. Extend, warrant, weigh. Applicable to whatever event you're in - easiest way to win any argument is to do these 3 things better than the other team and you'll win my ballot.
Online Debate Update:
Establish a method for evidence exchange PRIOR to the start of the round, NOT before first crossfire. Cameras on at all times. Here's how I'll let you steal prep - if your opponents take more than 2 minutes to search for, compile, and send evidence, I'll stop caring if you steal prep in front of me. This should encourage both teams to send evidence quickly.
PF Overview:
All arguments should be responded to in the next speech outside of 1st constructive. If is isn't, the argument is dropped. Theory, framing, ROBs are the exception to this as they have to be responded to in the next speech.
Every argument in final focus should be warranted, extended, and weighed in summary/FF to win you the round. Missing any one of these 3 components is likely to lose you the round. Frontlining in 2nd rebuttal is required. I don't get the whole "frontline offense but not defense" - collapse, frontline the argument, and move on. Defense isn't sticky - extend everything you want in the ballot in summary, including dropped defense.
Theory: I believe that disclosure is good and paraphrasing is bad. I will not hack for these arguments, but these are my personal beliefs that will influence my decision if there is absolutely no objective way for me to choose a winner. I will vote on paraphrasing good, but your speaks will get nuked. I think trigger warnings are bad. The use of them in PF have almost always been to allow a team to avoid interacting with important issues in round because they are afraid of losing, and the amount of censorship of those arguments I've seen because of trigger warnings has led me to this conclusion. I will vote on trigger warning theory if there is an objectively graphic description of something that is widely considered triggering, and there is no attempt to increase safety for the competitors by the team reading it, but other than that I do not see myself voting on this shell often.
I think RVI's are good in PF when teams kick theory. Otherwise, you should 100% read a counter-interp. Reasonability is too difficult to adjudicate in my experience, and I prefer an interp v CI debate.
K's/Non-Topical Positions: There are dozens of these, and I hardly know 3-4. However, as with any other argument, explain it well and prove why it means you should win. I expect there to be distinct ROBs I can evaluate/compare, and if you are reading a K you should delineate for me whether you are linking to the resolution (IMF is bad b/c it is a racist institution) OR your opponents link to the position (they securitized Russia). I think K's should give your opponent's a chance to win - I will NOT evaluate "they cannot link in" or "we win b/c we read the argument first".
I will boost speaks if you disclose (+0.1), read cut cards in rebuttal (+0.2), and do not take over 2 mins to compile and send evidence (+0.1).
Ask me in round for questions about my paradigm, and feel free to ask me questions after round as well.
4th year on the Circuit
add me to the email chain: kyle.du@student.quarrylane.org
tech > truth
send speechdocs for constructive and rebuttal before speech, helps me flow the round
second rebuttal should frontline offense and have defense
extend args you're going for in every speech; not in one speech = dropped
no new weighing in second FF, no new args/evidence in ffs
signpost for all of your speeches, offtime roadmaps are good too
interact with opponents' frontlines and rebuttals. don't just repeat your own args
solid time allocation, efficiency, clarity, enthusiasm = good speaks
weigh. tell me why you your impacts matter more, why I should vote for you
im okay withspeed. if you think you go too fast though please send me speechdocs
I don't really listen to cross, won't evaluate anything from cross unless it's brought up in a speech.
feel free to postround me -- I think it's educational and am more than happy to elaborate on any part of my decision.
not too familiar with theory and K's, run at your own risk
Hi! I debate Varsity PF for Quarry Lane.
Email: dk12@duck.com. Add me to the chain.
Tech ≥ Truth
It is mandated that:
- Evidence be disclosed on the wiki at least 30 mins before round (for varsity) and an email chain be started to share constructive/relevant cards (for everyone, novice + varsity)
- Your evidence be truthful. I am not a judge who will buy "the sky is green" even if it is extended properly and weighed. Your evidence must be reliable, unbiased, and fit to be discussed in a serious forum. Only after basic evidence ethics are met do I look at the flow. After that, I am a standard tech judge.
- You be respectful. Debate is stressful enough as it is. Let's not make it worse. Calm down, breathe, and talk at a reasonable tempo (<150 WPM without a speech doc)
- You weigh comparatively, extend, and not bring up new args in 2nd summary/final focus (if you want to win). Compare impacts starting in summary.
The way to my ballot is truthful contentions, well-weighed and terminalized. Run Ks at your own risk; I didn’t do any more prob than theory.Theory is good only if there is substantial evidence of abuse, friv theory will not fly.
Beyond that, relax, have fun, and ask any questions you have after round.
I am a teacher at Mission San Jose High School.
Debate Rounds
First and foremost, our school believes in fairness and transparency in debate. For varsity debaters, this means that you are expected to provide wiki disclosure, which must include all of the arguments and evidence that you plan to use in the round. Second, we believe in the importance of reading direct quotes rather than paraphrasing. Finally, you must use email chains to share evidence prior to the debate.
For my decision I will also consider the organization and flow of the debate, and the extent to which debaters are able to effectively convey their arguments and evidence. Debaters should use clear signposting and transitions to guide the audience through their reasoning. Debaters should also be able to adapt their strategy and arguments in response to the arguments and evidence presented by their opponents. I expect debaters to conduct themselves with professionalism, respect and should refrain from personal attacks or disrespectful behavior.
Theory
I will judge on Theory only on the varsity level.
If a team did not fully disclose on Wiki for any reason (personal, school policy, ect.) they will not win my vote.
Lastly, such an argument on disclosure MUST be made in the opening Constructive Speech of the team.
Speech Rounds
In order of importance:
1) Clear thesis of your presentation
2) Development or growth of character/speaker during the speech
3) Know your lines
4) Use of space
5) Moment to moment objectives
I am currently a junior at Emory university. I debated public forum at the quarry lane school for four years.
tech > truth
please add me to the email chain - snellian@student.quarrylane.org. Send speech docs before each speech !
I'm fine with speed, but make sure you're clear. Frontline in 2nd rebuttal. Any offense you're going for in final focus should be extended completely (uniqueness, links, impacts) in summary. Cross is binding but doesn't matter unless it's in speech. Please collapse !
Start weighing as early as possible and definitely focus on comparative weighing (both link and impact level if possible), when I'm looking at the arguments, I'll start with the one with the strongest weighing.
Always be respectful towards your opponents. I won't evaluate arguments that are sexist, racist, homophobic, ableist, etc. Lastly, debate can be stressful but make sure to have fun :)
Regarding prog arguments, I have little to no experience with Ks (I’ve debated a K maybe once or twice). If you want to read a K, I think it’s super interesting but I probably won’t be able to evaluate it well and am not a great judge for that. I’ve debated/read theory before, and have more experience with it than Ks, but I’m not extremely experienced with it either.
Good luck and feel free to email me before or after the round if you have any questions.
Hi! My name is Sachi (she/her) and I did Public Forum at Quarry Lane for 4 years on the national circuit. I am now a freshman in college and coach for Quarry Lane. Add me to the email chain: spatel0275@gmail.com
-- UPDATE FOR JV POLICY, GBX/BERK --
I'm familiar with policy but don't have a super extensive background in it. I recommend using my PF paradigm below to understand my judging preferences -- the main principles are the same (weigh well, extend properly, send evidence promptly/adhere to prep time, etc.). For specifics, see the first half of this paradigm.
-- Public Forum --
**Send speech docs with cut cards for case and rebuttal BEFORE the speech. I have more tolerance for less experienced debaters, but if you're in JV/varsity and aren't doing this, your speaks will most likely be getting docked.
Tech > Truth
Good with speed as long as it's clear, if you’re going >250 wpm just send a doc. And please SIGNPOST.
Frontline in second rebuttal → If you don’t frontline defense on an argument you’re going for and your opponents extend that defense, I will evaluate it as conceded.
WEIGH!! very very very important. Make it comparative + the earlier the better, I look to the weighing debate first when evaluating rounds. Hearing smart, well-warranted weighing (clever link-ins, prereqs, short circuits, etc.) makes me happy.
Collapse if it is strategic (most of the time it is). This means collapsing on your own contentions/case args but also collapsing on responses on your opponent's case (Quality > Quantity). Note** I am fine with you dropping case and going for turns on their case. It's fun if you can pull it off well (please weigh).
GOOD EXTENSIONS MATTER. Fully extend case args w/ uniqueness, links, impacts, etc. and responses should be well implicated. This can be as simple as pre-writing case extensions and reading them in the back-half, but for some reason it is still poorly done, which is sad :(
Any offense you’re going for in final focus must be in summary. Defense is not sticky.
I don't really listen to cross, won't evaluate anything from cross unless it's brought up in a speech.
Feel free to postround me -- I think it's educational and am more than happy to elaborate on any part of my decision.
Progressive Args:
I will try my best! Generally lean towards disclosure good, paraphrasing bad but I won’t hack for either. I can probably evaluate a decent theory debate … anything outside of that realm run at your own risk.
Speaks:
Strategic round decisions = good speaks !
Not sending speech docs, stealing prep, being disrespectful = bad speaks :(
Finally, this goes without saying but don’t read arguments that are racist, sexist, homophobic, etc. because they WILL NOT be evaluated and you will most likely get terrible speaks/get dropped.
Have fun!!!
Hey! I'm Amrit (he/him) and I debated Public Forum for 4 years at the Quarry Lane School and am now a freshman at the University of Washington.
UPDATE FOR NSD Camp Tournament
I CAN NOT evaluate kritiks but I'm very open to theory shells and maybe tricks but run them at your own risk
IF YOU READ A K I WILL DROP YOU WITH 26 SPEAKS
Tech > Truth (If you make the argument that 1+1 = 3 and it is extended properly and not responded to, I will vote on it even though 1+1 = 2)
Add me to the email chain: 2005amrit@gmail.com
I expect all cards for both constructive and rebuttal speeches before the speech is given. Teams that don't do this will have their speaks capped at 27.
Things I like to see in round:
- Frontlining in second rebuttal
- Extending defense and arguments in Summary
- interacting with frontlines when extending defense, do not extend "thru ink"
- doing comparative weighing (explain WHY you o/w on magnitude, timeframe, severity, etc.)
- ^^this is what will decide rounds for me
- no new weighing in second FF, very minimal weighing in first FF, most of your weighing should come in summary (even better if it's in rebuttal)
Speaks:
- +0.5 if you read cut cards in case
- +0.5 if you are disclosed on the wiki with highlights and cites
- Automatic 30 if you read solely from cut cards in both rebuttal and constructive
Progressive:
Shells:
Familiar with most (Paraphrasing, Disclosure, TW) , I can't judge a full-fledged theory debate nearly as well as others so run at your own risk
Kritiques:
I know less than nothing about these, please do not run unless I'm the only judge on a panel who doesn't know them.