I am a parent PF judge, and a practicing attorney with more than 25 years of experience.

I believe a sound debate is about a fair, intelligible and intelligent dialogue. Speed reading off a computer screen or spreading is incompatible with such a process. Fast speakers assume the risk that I could miss some arguments/points/evidence. Additionally, if in my view you've spoken at a fast clip, I will not view unfavorably your opponent failing to respond to an argument that you have advanced.

Do not resort to speech docs. Make your case orally.

I flow arguments and strictly rely on my flowsheet. While I do not take note of points made/unmade in crossfire, I pay careful attention to astute questions and answers. Please bring up crossfire points that you would like me to flow in a subsequent speech. I am persuaded by well-structured, logical and linked arguments that are honestly supported by key pieces of evidence.

In addition to making your case, you must meaningfully engage with your opponents' case. The team advancing a contention must rejoin the issue and tell me why the opposing team's rebuttal/counter/block does not work.

In crossfire, please avoid questions with long preambles.

While, for the most part, I don't get into the weeds with cards and evidence, I may on occasion call for a piece. Teams should feel free to assail each other's evidence during the debate.

Please do not use debate jargon.

I do not like theory and K's. Hew to the topic of the day.

Keep the discourse civil. Incivility in any form will hurt your cause.

Enthusiasm for, intensity, and passion regarding the proposition you are espousing is welcome. Discourtesy or aggression against your opponents is not.

Tactical and strategic thinking in arguing, rebutting, and in crossfire is always delightful.

I appreciate clear analysis of why your contention should win the day in the summary and final focus. Further, the final focus should have all that you would like me to vote on (akin to writing my RFD for me - pros of your case and cons of your opponent's.) Lastly, all arguments and evidence that are in the final focus must have been in the summary and no new arguments in the summary speech - it is a matter of fairness.

Happy debating!

I'm a parent judge in my third year of judging debate. Please do not spread or use excessive debate jargon. Speak slowly, focusing on clarity and quality of argument over quantity. Keep your delivery organized and oriented toward a first-time listener of the topic.

Support assertions with evidence, providing context or relevance as necessary. Beyond making your case, please respond directly to your opponent's arguments. Highlight areas of contrast and points you believe to be particularly favorable to your cause. Passionate engagement is fine, but please take care to be civil and respectful.

Present a clear summation of key points made (and not made by your opponents), and why your side should prevail.

Finally, I'm not interested in Theory arguments.

I look forward to hearing you.

Just a quick paradigm that will develop more over the next few weeks.

I am the Debate & Speech coach at Phillip's Exeter Academy and have judged off and on over the last 6 years.

Focus your last few speeches on impact weighing.

You don't go for everything in the round, but tell my why your best arguments outweigh your opponent’s.

Good arguments are well-developed

Clarity and quality vs ambiguity and quantity

Speed is okay once in  a while - I am not a fan of spreading at all - I may ask you to slow down, especially as I am taking active notes during the debate. Don't use speed as a tool for exclusion - in doing so, you may wind up hurting yourself, especially if I can't understand any of your points being made as you speed.

First and Foremost any racist, homophobic, xenophobic, misogynistic, ableist, demeaning, degrading comments or arguments will instantly result in me dropping the debater in round and 0 speaker points for them.

Second, this paradigm was written by Satyam Bhushan from East Ridge Debate :)

I am a lay judge and this is my first year judging. Speak to me as if I'm a middle schooler. Assume all I know is what the resolution is.

Keep track of time by yourself.

Prog Arguments: I have no experience with Ks, Theories, or Tricks (I'm also not particularly a huge fan of them). Running them is just a risk for yourself and I would prefer the debate remained on substance. I would hate to vote against a team simply because I don't really understand progs.

Constructive: Avoid spreading, you can give it a go but it would be at your own risk. Clear and concise speaking will go a long way.

Rebuttal: Again no spreading, ensure the responses are warranted, don't just say "on their [insert card name] card blah blah blah". You can read the card name but make sure you tell me what the card is saying and why your response interacts with it.

Summary: When extending, don't just read the card name, give me a story and a scenario, ensure the extension is clear and not rushed. Frontlines should be well sign-posted and warranted. Ensure you weigh, why does your impact matter. Do all of these in a way that you would try to convince a middle schooler or anyone who doesn't know the topic to a great detail. No new frontlines in second summary. You can analyze what has been said already or bring in a new thought process of what's already been said but there should definitely not be new information or cards.

Final Focus: Emphasize on extending and weighing similar to summary but definitely condense the debate and tell me what the real issues are and why you win them.

Crossfire: I would prefer grand cross would not be skipped. Be respectful in all the crossfires. I will not consider any statements made in cross in my ballot unless it comes up in a speech.

The most important thing is that throughout the debate you are telling me a story and why its more valuable. Due to my inexperience, be wary and do your best to prevent me from getting lost in the tech and the line-by-line that many debaters are used to.

Paradigm given in round, it seems to change every year. Sorry :D

(written by son who is a debater)

Hello!

This is my first time judging a tournament, so expect me to be super lay. 

I strongly suggest you speak slowly so I can understand you. 

I do not understand theory, so if you run any sort of theory, expect the worst.

I am probably truth over tech, but if you want to say the sky is green go for it. 

don't put too much faith into my flow so if you want to bring up something said in a previous speech be clear about it. 

Time yourself and be nice to your opponent, debate is supposed to be fun!!

I have been judging PF for three years. I flow to capture and compare both arguments I appreciate the need for speed, but also ask that competitors don't speak so quickly, I can't understand them. Respect for other debaters during and after the rounds is very important. Be assertive, certainly, but rudeness is unnecessary. I appreciate debaters who have clearly prepared well and researched their topic sufficiently to be able to address unexpected ideas or approaches to a topic.

General

Speech times are set

Signpost or I will not flow

Overviews are appreciated

IMPACT CALC PLEASE or you will not like the consequences

Policy:

tech>truth

Generally Tabula Rasa

Run your thing but you better explain and justify why it's good idea.

If you run dense philosophy keep in mind that my head is empty, explain what you are talking about and contextualize all of it to the ballot, otherwise don't complain about the decision

Speed is fine but Slow Down on voters and analytics

Little to no topic familiarity

LD:

I think this event exists somewhere in between pofo and policy

So I will still flow without pre-conceptions but I really don't appreciate how it has basically become 1-person policy at the national level.

Please have a well explained value and criteria and contextualize that throughout the debate.

POFO:

truth>tech

Make the debate accessible, that's the point of the event. If you want to run wacky stuff go to policy

Parli:

NPDA background

Speaks:

30: No

29: Top speaker of the day

28: I got you

27: I didn't get you

26: Words were spoken?

25: No, but different

Excellent debaters speak slowly, clearly and with good organization to their presentation.

Speak in plain English and avoid debate speak. Do not "resolve to negate" (no one says that in real life); tell me why I should find that the proposition is wrong or unwise (or the converse).

If you cite to an authority, make it clear what the authority is and why that authority is reliable. For example, it is not "Higgins 26 says". Rather, it could be: "As former Assistant Secretary of Defense John Higgins said in his Foreign Affairs article of _____."

You do not have a "card". You have evidence or opinions described by a third party source.

Be respectful to each other; do not interrupt during crossfire. If you ask a question, allow the opponent(s) to answer. Refer to public officials by their title and with respect in a way that no one knows your politics. For example, refer to them as President Trump, President Obama and President Biden.

If you say your opponents did not respond to your third contention (debate speak!) then make clear what that contention (better referred to as "point", "reason", "premise" etc.) is. The same holds true if you are addressing one of their points.

It is important that I be able to track the organization and logic flow of your arguments. I do that for the purpose of determining overall persuasiveness, not to create a checklist of everything that must be "covered". If there is a major point that I believe is unpersuasive based upon the totality of the arguments, then not every sub-point or sub-argument needs to be addressed. I am definitely not a fan of spreading, it generally shows weakness. To be clear though, if there is a strong argument that is not rebutted, that will weigh heavily in the determination of the winner.

Saying less but in a clear manner is far more important and effective than saying more in a way that cannot be understood.

Stand erect, and make eye contact with the judge(s) and note their reactions. Read my reactions to see if you are going too fast or speaking too softly. I do not care if you yell at me if that is what it takes for you to be loud enough to be heard -- and understood.

If you would like to e-mail me, use: owen.carragher@clydeco.us.

Most importantly:

HAVE FUN AND LEARN EACH TIME.

In high school, I was primarily a PF competitor on the Local and National Circuit, so I'm down for whatever as long as you're able to properly argue it. Consider me to be a tabula rasa judge. If you give me a framework, and are able to defend it through the round, that's the mechanism that I'll use to judge.

On speed, this isn't an issue for me. However, don't try to go faster than you are physically able to, because otherwise, I will knock your speaks or even drop the argument entirely. If I can't understand what you're saying, it's pretty likely that your opponents won't either, and that's just not fair.

On evidence, if you're arguing cards against cards, give me an actual reason why your evidence here is better or why theirs is worse. Don't just say that your opponents are lying and you're not, because then I'm going to want to see the evidence to see if that's true, and that probably won't be the best for you, because I don't like having to intervene.

On cross-ex, I find this to be one of the most important parts of the rounds, but I want it to be clean. Don't speak at the same time as your opponent, but also be aware that cross is not time for making a speech, and if someone cuts you off because you're talking too long, I'm not going to be upset. Also, remember that anything you really want me to weigh from cross you should bring up in a speech and extend it through. It doesn't really matter what they said if you don't tell me why that's important in today's round.

On rebuttals, I don't require frontlining, or responding to the first rebuttal arguments in the second rebuttal, but you better be sure you're able to respond to it in summary, because if you don't I will consider it dropped, and fair game for the other side to call you out on.

On summary, you need to weigh over here. Don't just tell me why your points are good or still valid, make sure to explain to me why your points are better than your opponents. Remember magnitude, timeframe, and probability over here.

On final focus, I view this as the most important part of the round. I should be able to have ignored the entire round and know who won and lost from this speech alone. I'd like it if you collapsed in on the most important points of clash in the round, and tell me how you came out on top over here. Don't try to go for too much with too little time because that's a recipe for disaster.

On aggression, be careful over here. I was a pretty aggressive debater, and it has its ups and downs. Don't be overly cruel, but I will respect assertiveness. We all know the line here, don't cross it.

Lexington High School 2020/Northwestern 2024

For 2024: I haven't judged in a while so I am rather rusty and I certainly don't have any topic knowledge at this point

Before the round starts, please put me on email chain: victorchen45678@gmail.com(no pocket box, and flashing is ok with no wifi)

Scroll down for PF/LD paradigm

Policy:

TLDR: tech over the truth but to a degree. (no sexist, racist, other offensive arguments) You do you, and I'll try to be as objective as possible. Aff should relate to the topic and debate is a game. Just make sure in the final rebuttal speech you impact out arguments, explain to me why those arguments you are winning implicate the whole round.

2022 season: I have absolutely no topic knowledge on this year's topic so expect me to know nothing and make sure you explain the stuff in a very detailed yet not convoluted manner.

The long paragraphs below are my general ideas about the debate

Top Level Stuff

1. Evidence -- I believe debate is a communicative activity, thus I put more emphasis on your analytical arguments than your cards. That being said, I do love good evidence and enjoy reading them. I think one good warranted card is better than three mediocre ones. I am cool with teams reading new cards in all the rebuttal speeches. A good 1AR should read more than 3 cards and don't be afraid to read cards in the 2NR. I believe that at least one speech in the block should be pretty card heavy, otherwise it makes the 1AR a lot easier. I will read the tags during rounds for the most part and read the text usually after rounds, but I won't do the extensive analysis for you because you should have already done that in the round.

2. Cross X is incredibly important to me and I flow them---I find it extremely frustrating when the 2N gets somewhere in 1ac cx, and then the 1N doesn't bring it up in the 1NC. Winning CX changes entire debate both from a perceptual level and substance level. Use the 3 minutes wisely, and don't ask too many clarification questions. You can do that during prep.

3. Be nice -- Obviously be assertive and control the narrative of the debate round, but there's no reason to make the other team hate the activity or you in the process. I am cool with open cross x but you should try to let your partner answer the questions unless they are going to mess up.

4. Tech over truth, but to a degree- If an argument is truly bad, then beat it. Otherwise, I have to intervene a ton, and I prefer to leave the debating to the debaters. However, I'm extremely lenient when one team reads a ton of blippy, unwarranted, and unclear args( quality over quantity). The only real intervention is when I draw the line on new args, but you should still make them and somehow convince they aren't new.

5. Pay attention to how I react in-round --I will make my opinion of an argument obvious

6. Make 1AR as difficult as possible. I know a lot of 2Ns want to win the round by the end of the block. However, that doesn't mean you should just extend a bunch offs terribly. In response, the 1AR should make the 2NR difficult- reading cards and turning arguments.

7. Please please have debates on case. I understand neg teams like to get invested in the offs, but case debate is precious. A lot of the aff i have seen are terribly put together, especially at the Internal Link level. Even if you don't have evidences, making some analytical arguments on why the plan doesn't solve goes a long way for you. I vote on zero probability of aff's ability to solve so even when you go for a CP, you should still go to case so I would have to vote you all down twice to vote aff.

8. Impact/Link Turns-- love them; i don't care how stupid the impact is(wipeout, malthus, bees etc), as long as you read ev and the other side doesn't argue it well, I will vote for you. As for link turn, I don't really need a carded ev for that, just nuanced analytic is sufficient for me to buy them.

9. Be funny-debate is stressful and try to light up the mood. Love a few jokes here and there, but since I am someone not invested in pop culture too much, some of the references I probably wouldn't get. If you do it well, your speaker point will reflect it.

10. Speaks- I am very lenient on speaks. I just ask you to slow down on the tags and author name and any analytical args but feel free to spread through the text of the card. I love any patho moments in the final rebuttal speeches on both sides. Here are how I give speaks

29.7-30: A debate worth getting recorded and be shared with my novices.

29.3-29.6: You are an excellent debater and executed everything right

28.7-29.2: You are giving pretty good speeches and smart analytics

28.5-28.6: You are an average debater and going through the process. I begin the round with that number and either go up or down.

28.0-28.4: You are making a few of the fundamental mistakes in your speeches or speaking unclearly.

27.0-27.9: You are making a lot of fundamental mistakes and you are speaking very unclearly

<27.0: You are rude ie being mean to your partner, opponents, or me (hope not).

Clipping card results in automatic 0 speaks and a loss, but I won't intervene the round for you, you have to call out your opponents yourself. If one team accuses the other team for clipping, I will stop the round and ask the team if they are willing to stake the round on that. If the team says yes I will walk out with the recording provided by that team and decide if the cheating has happened or not. A false accusation results in an automatic loss of the team that got it wrong. Spakes will be given accordingly.

Now on arguments

DAs

Yes, love them(Idk if there is anyone who doesn't like a good DA debate) -- go through their ev in the rebuttals; this is where i would like a team to read A LOT of evidence on the important stuff. You can blow off their dumb args, especially the links.

Zero Risk is very much a thing and I will vote on it.

If the 1ar or 2ar does a bad job answering turns case and the 2nr is great on it, it makes the DA way more persuasive -- and a good case debate would greatly benefit you as well.

Politics is OK -- fiat solves link, da non-intrinsic are arguments that I will evaluate only if the other team doesn't respond to them at all. However, I do want to see good ev on why the plan trades off with the DA.

I think it's best to have a CP and DAs together because there are just a lot more options at that point. If you really wanna just go for the DA, you need to have a heavy case debate up to that point for me to really evaluate the status quo since most of the aff are built to mitigate the status quo.

CPs and theory

I dislike process CPs-- I really don't like these debates -- I've been a 2n as well as a 2a, but I will side with the aff - this goes for domestic process like commissions as well as intermediary and conditional that lurk in your team's backfile. However, I have a soft spot for consult CP (my first neg argument). Just make sure you do a great job on the DA.

States, international, multi-plank, multi-actor, pics, CPs without solvency advocates are all good -- i'll be tech over my predispositions, but if left to my own devices, I would probably side with aff also

Condo -- all depends on the debating -- I think there could be as many condo as possible. but I also believe zero condo could be won. Still, my general opinion is that conditionality is good and aff teams should only go for them as a last resort.

I will read the solvency evidence on both sides. Solvency deficits should be well explained, why the solvency deficit impact outweighs the DA.

I don't like big multi-plank CPs, but run it as you like and kicking planks is fine

Judge kick unless the 2AR tells me otherwise.

Ks

I have some decent knowledge with a lot of the high theory Ks, but I am probably most well versed in psychoanalysis. That being said, I do want you to explain to me the story of the k and how it the contextualizes with the aff well in the block. Don't just spill out jargons and assume i will do the work for you. A good flow is important. What happens with alot of K debates is that at some point the negative team just give up on with ordering and it's harder for me to know where to put things. Any overview longer than 3 minutes is probably not a good idea but if that's your style, go for it, just make sure you organize them in an easy to flow manner. I probably will do the work for you when u said you have answered the args somewhere up top, but i would prefer the line by line and your speaker point will reflect how well you did on that.

FW should be a big investment of time and I think it's strategic to do so. That being said, you have to clearly explain why the aff's pedagogy is problematic and the impacts of that.

I am meh with generic links, just make sure you articulate them well. That being said, most of these links probably get shielded by the permutation.

Alt debate is not that important to me. I don't believe a K has to have an alt by the 2nr. I go for linear DA a lot, but make sure you do impact calc in the 2nr that explains why the K impact outweighs the aff. For the alt, I would like the aff to read more than just their cede the political block, make better-nuanced args.

Planless affs

I am probably not the best judge for these kinds of aff but I will evaluate them as objectively as possible

Framework:

The aff should defend the hypothetical implementation of a topical plan. At the very least, the aff has to have some relationship to the topic. I want the offense to be articulated well because many times I get confused by the offenses of these affs. I think fairness is absolutely an impact as well as an I/L. I default to debate is a game and it's gonna be hard to convince me otherwise.

I think the ballot ultimately just decides a win and a loss, but I can be convinced that there are extra significances and values to it. That being said, I have seen a lot of k aff with impacts that the ballot clearly can not address.

T

Not a big fan of these debates and never have been good at it.

From Seth Gannon's paradigm:

"Ironically, many of the arguments that promise a simpler route to victory — theory, T — pay lip service to “specific, substantive clash” and ask me to disqualify the other team for avoiding it. Yet when you go for theory or T, you have cancelled this opportunity for an interesting substantive debate and are asking me to validate your decision. That carries a burden of proof unlike debating the merits. As Justice Jackson might put it, this is when my authority to intervene against you is at its maximum."

On this topic specifically, I dislike effect Ts

These debates are boring to me and I will side with the aff if they are anyway close to being Topical, and that's usually how I have voted.

Reasonability = yes

LD:

I feel like most of the policy stuff should apply here. I never debated LD but I have judged quite a bit and I almost always see it as a mini Policy round.

PF:

I am more tech than truth, but I will absolutely check on evidence quality to make sure your warrants indeed support your claims. Feel free to run whatever arguments and I am willing to vote on any level of impact as long as good impact calc and weighing is done. If you have strong evidence you shouldn’t worry. I will not evaluate anything that’s not in summary by the final focus. And also please don’t stop prep to ask for another card. Ask for all the cards you want in the beginning and you will see plus on your speaks.

Parent judge.  Please speak clearly.  Don't spread.  

Like well-developed arguments with good logical reasoning.  Cross fire must be civil. Respect each other and enjoy the debate.

Summary and final focus are key.  Arguments need to be extended effectively.  Prioritize, weight and crystalize.  No need to add a new argument in the final focus. 

Have fun!

I started debate judging in 2020.

Hi, I'm Tiffany, undergrad at UChicago. Experience in high school LD and PF. She/her pronouns.

If you're reading this 5 seconds before round:

Don't be rude. I prefer substance. Weigh and Collapse.

TL/DR; quick summary before round:

I'm fine with whatever speed, slow down at tags. Signpost.

Warrants/Extensions: Offense should be frontlined in 2nd rebuttal, defense sticks in 1st summary if not frontlined.

Please collapse.

Weighing: Weigh early, I like good weighing.

Decent at evaluating progressive args. I don't want you running anything progressive if there's no need to. I'd rather engage in substance. No tricks.

If you are running anything progressive: open source wiki unless you want to hit disclosure theory. Please make sure you explain why it matters if you are running anything progressive or I will vote you down.

For online tournaments, please send speech docs/add me to the chain: tiffanycheng9979@gmail.com. I will be muted the entire round. Just assume that I am ready before every speech.

Read trigger warnings.

Basics/General Things:

Timers/Roadmap - You are allowed to use your own timer for reference. I will allow you to finish your sentence after time is up without impacting your speaks. Aside from this, if you go over time, I will take off from speaker points. I take off-time roadmaps or just give me the order.

Speaking speed - I did LD and PF so whatever speed is fine with me, as long as you slow down for tags and citations. Please, please, please sign post.

Respect is important to me. There is a difference between being rude and being aggressive.

Please read trigger warnings.

Neg defends the status quo unless otherwise stated in the resolution. If you tell me otherwise I will vote you down. I default Neg ballot of status quo if the debate is a wash.

Framework/Definitions:

It is not necessary for either side to provide a framework or definitions. I will go by with whatever is on the flow and if you are having a framework debate, I will gauge which framework to use when deciding the ballot. Winning framework does not automatically give you the win to the round.

CX:

I do not flow cross, so any point brought up in cross must be reiterated in your speeches for it to have any effect on my final decision. However, cross will play a role in your speaker points. I know cross gets heated so I give leniency in terms of rudeness. Please don't be a jerk.

Constructive:

Your arguments should be well warranted and have strong links. If it's squirrely I'm less likely to vote for you.

Overviews:

If your overview is a way to give your team new offense (i.e. sneaky 3rd contention) or abusive, I'll flow but drop speaks. I like overviews that are weighing/overall responses.

Rebuttals:

The responses to rebuttals must be said in the following speeches otherwise it's dropped. If you access it later I will take off from speaks. If your opponent tries to do this, I will probably notice but it will be better if you just tell me.

Summary and Final Focus:

The Final Focus can only bring up arguments that are stated in the summary. These speeches should mirror each other. I won't evaluate anything in final focus unless you only start weighing there.

Please weigh early. I won't count just a buzzword as weighing. Make sure you are interacting with your opponent's weighing.

Flex-prep:

Generally good with this unless it's abusive.

Progressive:

I did LD so I understand progressive arguments. However, I'd rather you engage in substance in PF. If you do choose to run anything progressive, explain to me why it matters.

If your opponent is not ok with you running progressive, please don't. If I find out that you are running anything progressive against a team that doesn't know how to respond/has no previous knowledge, I will tank speaks and may drop you.

Theory/Ts - I'm ok with theory if there is legitimate in round abuse (ad hominem, disclosure, etc). I'll take both shells and paragraph theory. If your opponent is abusive but you are inexperienced at running theory, just give me reasons why what they did is bad. Make sure to still talk about voters + implications. Not gonna gut check friv shell bad. You can run Ts.

Ks - I'd rather you remove the jargon for Ks so the round can be engaged in the substance. I'm fine if you don't. Tell me why the K matters. Alts need to provide solvency.

Non-topical/identity/performance affs - I'm ok with you running non-topical affs if you can tell me why it matters other than "we need to solve this issue before engaging in a debate space". Identity/performance affs I'm ok with.

CPs - I'd rather you not run CPs, especially in PF. If you do I'll still flow it through but the chances of me picking you up will not be that high.

Phil/LARP/Spikes - These things need to be explained to me with all jargon removed in order for me to flow or assess the round based off of it.

Tricks - Please don't run tricks. If you do I'll vote you down and tank speaks.

Speaker Points:

Everyone auto starts at a 28. Based on your performance it will start to vary. Things that tank your speaks include: being a jerk or doing anything you're not supposed to do in the paradigm. But mostly, just don't be a jerk.

Postrounding:

You can def ask questions, no strings attached. Please be nice when you post round. Don't be obnoxious.

If you think I messed up/decide to challenge me officially:

This is not a place for you to vent/complain about RFDs.

If you convince me, I'll give you 30/30 speaks, lose, I tank speaks.

Hello,

I'm a parent judge and have been judging PF for two years

Speaks start at a 28 and go up or down depending on the round

I like a clean debate and clear arguments. I will vote off dropped arguments and weighing

Impact before speed. Please do not spread or yell. Use fewer, clear arguments that I can understand. This will win over cramming in so much so quickly that I can't understand the points you're trying to make.

Please email case, documents or cards to kelly.ciombor@gmail.com

Don't be disrespectful or impolite to your opponents. Be courteous and no rudeness or personal attacks. I will drop speaker points

If an argument or point is not refuted or contested by the other team, I will accept that as truth.

EMAIL: jcohen1964@gmail.com

I judge Public Forum Debate 95% of the time. I occasionally judge LD and even more occasionally, Policy.

A few items to share with you:

(1) I can flow *somewhat* faster than conversational speed. As you speed up, my comprehension declines.

(2) I may not be familiar with the topic's arguments. Shorthand references could leave me in the dust. For example, "On the economy, I have three responses..." could confuse me. It's better to say, "Where my opponents argue that right to work kills incomes and sinks the economy, I have three responses...". I realize it's not as efficient, but it will help keep me on the same page you are on.

(3) I miss most evidence tags. So, "Pull through Smith in 17..." probably won't mean much to me. Reminding me of what the evidence demonstrated works better (e.g. "Pull through the Smith study showing that unions hurt productivity").

(4) In the interest of keeping the round moving along, please be selective about asking for your opponent's evidence. If you ask for lots of evidence and then I hear little about it in subsequent speeches, it's a not a great use of time. If you believe your opponent has misconstrued many pieces of evidence, focus on the evidence that is most crucial to their case (you win by undermining their overall position, not by showing they made lots of mistakes).

(5) I put a premium on credible links. Big impacts don't make up for links that are not credible.

(6) I am skeptical of "rules" you might impose on your opponent (in contrast to rules imposed by the tournament in writing) - e.g., paraphrasing is never allowed and is grounds for losing the round. On the other hand, it's fine and even desirable to point out that your opponent has not presented enough of a specific piece of evidence for its fair evaluation, and then to explain why that loss of credibility undermines your opponent's position. That sort of point may be particularly relevant if the evidence is technical in nature (e.g., your opponent paraphrases the findings of a statistical study and those findings may be more nuanced than their paraphrasing suggests).

(7) I am skeptical of arguments suggesting that debate is an invalid activity, or the like, and hence that one side or the other should automatically win. If you have an argument that links into your opponent's specific position, please articulate that point. I hope to hear about the resolution we have been invited to debate.

Mariel Cruz - Updated 1/3/2024

Schools I've coached/judged for: Santa Clara University, Cal Lutheran University, Gunn High School, Polytechnic School, Saratoga High School, and Notre Dame High School

I've judged most debate events pretty frequently, except for Policy and Congress. However, I was a policy debater in college, so I'm still familiar with that event. I mostly judge PF and traditional LD, occasionally circuit LD. I judge all events pretty similarly, but I do have a few specific notes about Parli debate listed below.

Background: I was a policy debater for Santa Clara University for 5 years. I also helped run/coach the SCU parliamentary team, so I know a lot about both styles of debate. I've been coaching and judging on the high school and college circuit since 2012, so I have seen a lot of rounds. I teach/coach pretty much every event, including LD and PF.

Policy topic: I haven’t done much research on either the college or high school policy topic, so be sure to explain everything pretty clearly.

Speed: I’m good with speed, but be clear. I don't love speed, but I tolerate it. If you are going to be fast, I need a speech doc for every speech with every argument, including analytics or non-carded arguments. If I'm not actively flowing, ie typing or writing notes, you're probably too fast.

As I've started coaching events that don't utilize speed, I've come to appreciate rounds that are a bit slower. I used to judge and debate in fast rounds in policy, but fast rounds in other debate events are very different, so fast debaters should be careful, especially when running theory and reading plan/cp texts. If you’re running theory, try to slow down a bit so I can flow everything really well. Or give me a copy of your alt text/Cp text. Also, be sure to sign-post, especially if you're going fast, otherwise it gets too hard to flow. I actually think parli (and all events other than policy) is better when it's not super fast. Without the evidence and length of speeches of policy, speed is not always useful or productive for other debate formats. If I'm judging you, it's ok be fast, but I'd prefer if you took it down a notch, and just didn't go at your highest or fastest speed.

K: I like all types of arguments, disads, kritiks, theory, whatever you like. I like Ks but I’m not an avid reader of literature, so you’ll have to make clear explanations, especially when it comes to the alt. Even though the politics DA was my favorite, I did run quite a few Ks when I was a debater. However, I don't work with Ks as much as I used to (I coach many students who debate at local tournaments only, where Ks are not as common), so I'm not super familiar with every K, but I've seen enough Ks that I have probably seen something similar to what you're running. Just make sure everything is explained well enough. If you run a K I haven't seen before, I'll compare it to something I have seen. I am not a huge fan of Ks like Nietzche, and I'm skeptical of alternatives that only reject the aff. I don't like voting for Ks that have shakey alt solvency or unclear frameworks or roles of the ballot.

Framework and Theory: I tend to think that the aff should defend a plan and the resolution and affirm something (since they are called the affirmative team), but if you think otherwise, be sure to explain why you it’s necessary not to. I’ll side with you if necessary. I usually side with reasonability for T, and condo good, but there are many exceptions to this (especially for parli - see below). I'll vote on theory and T if I have to. However, I'm very skeptical of theory arguments that seem frivolous and unhelpful (ie Funding spec, aspec, etc). Also, I'm not a fan of disclosure theory. Many of my students compete in circuits where disclosure is not a common practice, so it's hard for me to evaluate disclosure theory.

Basically, I prefer theory arguments that can point to actual in round abuse, versus theory args that just try to establish community norms. Since all tournaments are different regionally and by circuit, using theory args to establish norms feels too punitive to me. However, I know some theory is important, so if you can point to in round abuse, I'll still consider your argument.

Parli specific: Since the structure for parli is a little different, I don't have as a high of a threshold for theory and T as I do when I judge policy or LD, which means I am more likely to vote on theory and T in parli rounds than in other debate rounds. This doesn't mean I'll vote on it every time, but I think these types of arguments are a little more important in parli, especially for topics that are kinda vague and open to interpretation. I also think Condo is more abusive in parli than other events, so I'm more sympathetic to Condo bad args in parli than in other events I judge.

Policy/LD/PF prep:I don’t time exchanging evidence, but don’t abuse that time. Please be courteous and as timely as possible.

General debate stuff: I was a bigger fan of CPs and disads, but my debate partner loved theory and Ks, so I'm familiar with pretty much everything. I like looking at the big picture as much as the line by line. Frankly, I think the big picture is more important, so things like impact analysis and comparative analysis are important.

I did public forum for 6 years, so I’ll know any jargon you throw at me

Be respectful, don’t talk over your opponents, keep track of your time, I don’t want to have to cut you off. Give me a roadmap and stick to it (please). Do not debate evidence, I do not care if your card is three months newer than theirs. I don't care that much about crossfire, I'm not flowing it, if something important comes up in crossfire I expect to hear about it in an actual speech

Start weighing in summary, weighing and impact calculus is the most important thing to me, and those should both come out in summary at a minimum.

My biggest pet peeve is using all of your prep right before the final focus

Lmk verbally before the round if you read this paradigm

I am a parent judge. This is my third year judging public forum debate, online and in-person.

Please treat everyone with respect. Use conversational tone and speed. In your final focus, I would appreciate clear analysis of why your team should win. Thanks.

I am a speech AND debate coach for Milton Academy. I am an experienced PF judge who values the key principles of PF. I have been judging PF since 2011, and I debated in 2007 - 2011. Again, Policy/LD /jargon have no home in PF. I understand some jargon is useful, but not all. Be clear, be concise. Do not use framework just for the sake of having framework, don't just state a weighing mechanism and assume that puts it on the flow, do not give me a super lengthy off time road map, that sort of thing. Add me on email chains: lindsay_donovan@milton.edu

I vote primarily on comprehensive analysis, on well-supported AND well-reasoned, "real-world" links, which are the logic building blocks to your impact (no matter how large or larger in scope they may be than your opponents). I do not like source wars, or taking long periods of time to call for evidence or look at evidence, especially out of prep time. If your only strategy is to call into question the validity of evidence, you will most likely not earn my vote. I will primarily vote on the flow, but I think persuasion is the crux of debate and can make flow better... and can stick out more to me than just an extended tag on the flow.

Substance > jargon

Clarity > speed

Argument and evidence distinctions > "our cards are better read them"

Analysis > impacts

Quality > quantity of evidence

Theory/K/what have you: If Theory or K is fair, understandable, and well reasoned I can follow it. But in general I find most theory debates unfair in nature, most people just use it as a tactic to win and have no heart in it for the sake of smart argumentation. Notably I will not vote for Disclosure theory. It is a norm, not a rule :)

Pet Peeves:

• Tech > Truth (If you are saying something blatantly not true or distorting/mis-paraphrasing your opponent's evidence I will mark you down).
• Nuclear war impacts, unclear warranting or no warranting only evidence.
• Overly aggressive/rude tactics. Don't be rude. There is a difference between being assertive and rude. I tend to vote for more calm, collected, and cordial teams.
• "Collapsing" feels like a fancy way to say dropping all your points.... I don't like it. Why bring up points in the first place so easily to discard? Run a 1 contention case then... Never concede anything!
• Also - I hate Solvency (it is a Policy concept, and PF does not have the burden of proving/disproving solvency as a voting issue unless the resolution SPECIFICALLY calls for it.) This means, do not ask how they "solve for" whatever point or that I should downvote teams who cannot completely solve issues.

Spreading and Flow: I can flow SOMEWHAT faster than conversational speed. Public Forum is NOT Policy or LD debate. If you spread I do not flow. I do not believe that PFers should spread AT ALL, even for a “flow” judge. If you cannot speak well and argue well, then you are not competing in this event at your best ability.

Don't be malicious please! It should go without saying, do not say anything racist/sexist/homophobic/transphobic/ableist etc. or you can expect to get 0 speaker points and a loss. I am an educator first, so I will err on the side of letting the debate continue if someone used certain language that becomes an issue, and correct ignorance afterwards. I will intervene when I feel the safety of the participants becomes an issue (or if you ask me to! Always ask your judge to stop a round if you feel unsafe).

For some quick background on myself, I am a former debater and am currently in my last year of college. One of the things I like to see in a round is consistency and development. You should use your initial arguments as a steppingstone for the debate. Throughout the round, you should continue to grow your arguments and weigh your impacts against your opponents. Impacts are critical in a well-crafted argument and should be used to win a debate. One of the things I like to see in a round is a clash of arguments and proper use of crossfires. Use your crossfires to gain insight on your opponent's cases and further your position throughout the debate. I will judge on frameworks if given one. Be sure to argue for or against a framework throughout the round. Frameworks, contentions, and impacts should be carried throughout the round and not be forgotten after initially stated.

At the end of the day debate is about having fun and improving your public speaking skills. Make sure to show passion about what you are arguing, have a positive attitude, and make the most of each round. 

1. Be very courteous, calm and respect your peers and opponents. 

2. Speak slowly, be very clear and concise.

3. Present data / metric instead of weasel words such as high, low, believe, possibly, as much as, upto, might, could.

3. Summarize very clearly.

1. Keep Calm.
2. Speak Loud And Clear.
3. Maintain Proper Body Language.
4. Keep The Topic On Track.
5. Respect your Opponents

I am a parent PF judge and am an attorney and legal consultant.

Please make your framework clear and, when necessary, address why your framework should prevail. When you clash with your opponents, I will judge your case based on how you weigh your arguments' significance relative to your opponents' arguments.

Please do not spread (or talk too quickly). Fast speakers assume the risk that I could miss some arguments/points/evidence. Additionally, if in my view you've spoken at a fast clip, I will not view unfavorably your opponent failing to respond to an argument that you have advanced.

Citations without explanations or explanations without citations are not persuasive. Please do not use debate jargon.

Keep the discourse civil. Incivility in any form will hurt your cause. I encourage tactical and strategic thinking in arguing, rebutting, and in cross fire.

I appreciate clear analysis of why your contention should win the day in the summary and final focus. The final focus should have all that you would like me to vote on (including why I should vote for your side by explaining why the other side's arguments fail and why yours don't.)

I am a parent judge aligned with Regis High School in New York City. I have been judging debate for several years at some of the larger regional tournaments, states, and local tournaments, judging mainly Public Forum, rounded out with a BQ qualifier and BQ nationals. Parliamentary Debate is a new format for me.

I work in finance. I'm familiar with basic debate jargon (turn, extend, etc.) but I'm certainly not a very 'debatey' judge. For PF, off time roadmaps are welcome. Please be sure everything you say is understandable. Speed is okay but you must be clear. If I can't follow you it will be harder for me to understand connections between your contentions, warrants, and impacts or challenges to your opponent's arguments.

When time runs out, please finish your thought and stop speaking.

I will vote off the flow.

I participated in public forum when I was in high school and have judged since then for over 15 years. I don't have any particularly unique manner in which I judge. Some slight thoughts below on responses I've had to past experiences:

-Statistics alone cannot win you the debate. They need to be joined by rational thought and reasoning

-Providing a clear framework on how the round should be weighed is helpful in your concluding speech

-Speed is fine to a limit. At a certain point, it is a disservice to the debate

Preferences:

I noticed that most teams are prepared very well. I am looking for teams who can provide solid evidence to support their statement, and defend/offend logically. I also pay attention to and weigh the facts/evidences that may play key factors in PRO or CON. Please speak slower if you think the presented facts/evidences are critical to support your statement, since that may help you to gain a point.

Experience:

a new parent judge with 5~6 tournaments' judging experience only.

Hello! I am your typical lay judge, but a few things:

• Speak slowly; It is more important that I understand your arguments and points than having more coverage of the flow
• Quality > quantity - don't go for every single argument that you read in case, because it makes summary and final focus crowded and confusing
• Be nice and respectful to your opponents. Don't speak over your opponents in cross and be polite. Rudeness will not be tolerated and will result in low speaker points and an automatic loss.
• truth > tech - arguments should not be super unrealistic and should have some logical reasoning.
• Weighing is important! Every argument is relative and nothing is absolute, so comparing the different points in the round will be very helpful in my ballot.
• If you are disrespectful, rude, or generally just way too aggressive, no questions asked, I will drop you.

I have a hard time following cases and clarity is often times sacrificed in a debate round, so send me as many speech documents as possible (most importantly case and rebuttal). The email is hutianle@gmail.com

4 years of PF, UVA '23

Winning my ballot starts with weighing, in fact, weighing is so important I'd prefer if you did it at the begiNning of every speech after first rebuttal. Be cOmparative, I need a reason why I should look to your arguments firsT. Please collapse, don't go for more than one case arg in the second half, its unnecessaRy. I'm a lazy judge the easIest plaCe to vote is where I'll sign my ballot. I'm not going to do more worK than I need to. I will not vote off of one sentence offense, everything needS to be explained clearly, warranted, and weighed for me to evaluate it(turns especially). I try not to presume but if I do, I will presume whoever lost the coin flip.

I will evaluate progressive arguments.

If you are going to give a content warning please do it correctly - this means anonymized content warnings with ample time to respond.

I'm very generous with speaks, speaking style doesn't affect how I evaluate the round and I don't think I'm in a place to objectively evaluate the way you speak. With that being said I will not tolerate rudeness or ANY bm in round. I can handle a decent amount of speed but do not let speed trade off with quality.

Online debate I will be muted the entire round just assume I'm ready before every speech and time yourselves and your own prep. I will disclose if the tournament allows.

Questions: chashuang1@gmail.com

Top 3 about Ms. D...(Funny Face Emoji)

1) My son is a TOC Champion

2) PF Debate when I was in High School and College = I feel your pain and understand the blood, sweat, and tears that go into this thing.

3) I am FLAY judge. Clear, enunciated arguments where you explain to me and the other team, why and how your evidence and argument is superior to your competitor will always get you the win. Don't tell me who to vote for. Make eye contact, be a team player, and COOK! (Chef Emoji)

Hi everyone,

Parent of a former PF debater

Debaters should make eye contact and speak at normal speeds as opposed to read/speak as fast as possible in order to fit in the most points within their allotted time.

I am a first time judge, so speak slowly and clearly, and be respectful to everyone. Also, if you could keep track of time for yourself and for each other, that would be greatly appreciated. I'm pretty relaxed, but respect and patience goes a long way, especially as a first time judge.

I am a flay judge. I usually vote off of logical arguments with solid evidence and weighing.

I am a linguist by training so your language of debate matters to me. I like clear and comprehensible speeches, meaning you might have to slow down a bit (I'll give extra speaker points to those speakers)

I also care about being courteous and professional during your debate, meaning I would never vote for those who are too aggressive and rude.

I have no background in debate, but I've been judging since 2013. I have also been a practicing attorney for over 35 years. I am looking for a thoughtful exchange of ideas. I do not emphasize technicalities often associated with high school speech and debate. I do not like K’s.

Speak clearly and avoid spreading. I cannot credit arguments that I miss because you were speaking too fast. Arguments should be supported by evidence.

I like signposting and prefer quality of evidence and argument over quantity. Teams should do their best to collapse and weigh.

Explain why I should vote for your side, including why the other side's arguments fail and why yours don't, or why your arguments are better than theirs.

I am a relatively new parent judge.

I would prefer that you speak slowly and understandably.

Please weigh and use good evidence ethics throughout the round.

I will judge based on how well each team argued and defended their point.

Hello! My name is Anya Kasubhai, and I am currently a senior in high school. I have competed in public forum, Parli, and Policy. I will be flowing and consider myself to be in the middle of tech over truth. I like to vote of the flow, but if you do not explain your link chain well and just extend random stuff it does not help. Please signpost, collapse, roadmap (quickly please), weigh, and just tell me why you think you won. Whatever makes it easier for me to follow and ultimately vote and do this in FF please.I usually would have a good idea of the topic beforehand, but I think public forum should be easy for anyone to understand.

Email: minnalkunnan@gmail.com

I debated for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Rutgers University under Policy Debate, APDA and BP formats. I have judged BAUDL tournaments in the past and currently judge/coach for Gabrielino High School.

1. I generally don't prefer any one style of debate over another so please feel free to debate however you like. Just make it clear what my role as the judge is in the round and what my vote means.

2. Please attempt to be "normal". Debate seems to encourage anti-social and fringe behaviors that I am increasingly intolerant of. Technical analysis and argumentation is fine, but I often find some rhetorical framing and "truth" or at least belief in one's own arguments are important.

3. Please do not assume that I am familiar with the literature you are reading. I have a general sensibility of the evidence we have chosen to use in debate but I am unlikely to be well versed in your specific authors.

4. If you are going to go for theory in the round please be very specific and clear about what abuse occurred and why it creates a bad debate. I generally do not enjoy debates where either side is attempting to win using a frivolous theory argument.

5. If there are a variety of impacts in a round please provide me some way to compare them. Provide me a metric or framework for weighing different impact claims and prove to me that yours is more important.

No need to be too slow, but speak clearly so I can understand you. If I cannot understand what you're saying, I can't evaluate the argument.

During crossfire, if one side asks the other a question, do not interrupt the other side when they are giving an answer.

Advocate your position through logical reasoning and support it by presenting evidence clearly.

I greatly enjoy hearing arguments that students bring to bear on compelling contemporary topics! Thank you for engaging in this important exercise and seeking to think critically about issues we face. The world needs smart, capable, analytical minds more than ever and I look forward to seeing your talents on display as a debate judge. While I come from a family of debaters, I didn’t enter the realm until I went to law school. After graduation, I served as a law clerk for a federal judge and later became a litigator where I appeared daily in court representing a state agency as a civil prosecutor in child abuse and neglect cases. I now teach at a law school and direct our international programs. I have judged countless moot court competitions at the graduate level and have enjoyed listening to high school debaters grapple with the challenging issues of our time at many national tournaments as a lay judge on the high school debate circuit.

I am a lay parent judge who has judged a lot of tournaments, but I know absolutely nothing about (and care nothing for) technical debate. I have, however, been subjected to listening to my son talking too fast in the other room for the last three years and I still don't get it. You won't do yourself any favors by presenting that format to me. Convince me as a lay judge as to why your position should win and please don't address nuclear war and extension as your key argument for any topic because while it relates to many areas, I know WE WILL ALL DIE and you won't win on weighing or impact on that basis.

Be calm. Be respectful to one another. Know your worth and enjoy the process. I look forward to learning from you and wish you every success in the endeavor!

• I am new to debate, so make sure to speak at an understandable speed, remember, if I can't understand it I can't vote on it
• Keep track of your own time
• Don't bring up new responses in Final Focus 
• Be respectful at all times
•  

Hello! My name is Tian. I am a lay judge and this tournament is my fifth time judging.

Please:

- do not spread, if you spread I will likely miss important information

- try not use debate jargon

- signpost when possible

- give an off-time roadmap before speeches

- implicate your responses

If you have any questions or would like to add me to an email chain, please contact me at ma_tian@yahoo.com

Name: Elena MacGurn

School Affiliation:

Ravenwood High School

Number of Years Judging Public Forum:

Second year

What is your current occupation?

Group Vice President at a Digital Marketing Agency

Please share your debate opinions or beliefs:

As a lay judge, I value the following delivery aspects of a debate round:

· Clearly communicated impact

· Respectful delivery of all arguments and rebuttal responses

· Delivery speed is successful if the message is communicated with no negative effect on comprehension, and impact-weighted emphasis is achieved

· Clean and logical organization of arguments tied directly to the premise

I am a past debater (Parliamentary debate), and current debate coach. I judge based off of what I see on the flow. I will (try) not to make any assumptions on what you are saying, nor will I include anything that I may know into my judging.

I will be looking for clear communication of arguments, evidence, and impacts. I want to see how your side of the ballot is going to best solve for the problems proposed, and have the strongest real world implications. I want to see effective and explicit weighing.

I can take notes at a pace slightly faster than conversational. If you spread I will lose track of my notes and your argument. I prefer clarity over number of words said.

I'm a parent judge who brings a multi-cultural and international sensibility to my role, a perspective also informed by more than 25 years of practice in the field of law. With clients that have included hi-tech companies, venture capital funds, and a governmental agency, I have always sought a fact-based and science-driven outlook that values substance over style and rationality over rhetoric. May the best debaters prevail!

I have been coaching debate since 1983. I was a policy debate coach and judge for 30+ years. In 2012, I started coaching Public Forum debate. I vote on clear impact calculus, politeness, clarity in speaking style and well cited sources. One of the reasons I left policy is because it became a ridiculous spewing of words much too fast for anyone who was not familiar with the evidence to understand.I prefer debaters who tell a "good story" rather than give me a bunch of numbers and blippy arguments. I am looking for real debate in conversational speeches in the round.

I believe crossfire should be where debaters clarify and explain. Answering questions so that we can look at the arguments and evidence honestly is important. Any kind of rude behavior in crossfire could very well lose you the round if I am the judge. I'm looking for an exchange of information in crossfire.

I try to go into each round without preconceived opinions, and I try hard not to intervene. I will look for the easiest place to vote in the round, especially if there is not clear impact calculus in the final two speeches.

My email is marshd@dexterschools.org

I have no background in debate, but I've been judging since 2013 and I do flow.

State the resolution (amazing how many forget to). I like frameworks but they're not musts. Introduce important acronyms.

When it comes to evidence, I look for quality over quantity. Be clear about sources ("Smith of Harvard" doesn't tell me much) and how the evidence supports your claim. I will ask to see evidence if I sense it's been misused.

Please weigh in summary and especially final focus.

Speak clearly. I'm not a fan of spreading.

Manchester-Essex High School Debate Coach

No preference in terms of speed.

Debate: I am a lay judge, please speak at an appropriate pace and explain why your side is more important for me to vote on. Define any terms that you don't think a non-debater will know. For clashing arguments, try to tell me why your side of the argument is more clear and probable. Please explain how your arguments work and also explain your evidence rather than just saying the name of the author. Please time yourselves and your opponents, as I will not keep track of time. Be respectful and enjoy the debate!

For speech: I value your presentation skills like body language, eye contact, and clarity. For interpretations, I like to clearly see many different characters and connection with the audience through your expressions and theme of the piece. In oratory, I enjoy good humor and stories that make your speech seem more personable.

For impromptu/extemp: using your full time to the best of your ability is one of my top judging mechanisms. I will look to see how much you can develop your content and not be repetitive.

One thing I've noticed having judged semi/final rounds at the TOC in Kentucky, the best speakers have a great connection with the audience, whether that's humor in extemp/info/impromptu, incredible expressions and gestures in interp, and personal stories in oratory, they really make an effort to make their speech be memorable.

Experienced PF judge, First time LD judge

I value the quality of presentation and reward things like eye contact, slowing down when highlighting impacts, weighing/organizing in later speeches, and persuasive rhetoric.

I am skeptical of statistics unless they are backed by good warranting and sound reasoning. Explain your evidence rather than just stating it.

Bring any meaningful cx points into your main speeches.

Be respectful to one another.

Slow down, I have to be able to understand you to flow. If I can't understand you, that is bad

Rounds should NOT have any theory arguments.

Hello. I am a relatively new judge but I have a solid understanding of the Public Forum structure:

Tech > Truth

I prefer logical, analytical arguments.

Cards should be offered within a minute after request. Debates should not revolve around disproving evidence. Lastly, make sure to be on time. Rounds should be complete within the allotted time.

Another thing that will negatively affect speech would be debating out of speech time, and stealing prep. Please be prepared to time your own speeches. If you call out the other team for not abiding by Public Forum rules, I will take this into consideration.

Be sure to signpost as it is extremely hard to keep track of contentions, especially as a lay judge. Arguments must be extended in every speech.

Please do not dominate any crossfire round. If you ask for too many follow-up questions, speaks will be docked.

As always, no homophobia, racism, ableism, or sexism of any kind will be tolerated. Have fun!

**Updated October 31, 2023

Hello everyone!

My judging history will show that I’ve primarily tabbed at tournaments since the pandemic started. However, I’ve been keeping up with topic discussions across LD, PF, and Policy and am looking forward to judging you all!

I’ve been in the debate world for over a decade now, and have been coaching with Lexington since 2016. Starting this academic year, I also teach Varsity LD and Novice PF at LHS. I was trained in policy debate but have also judged mainly policy and LD since 2016. I also judge PF at some tournaments along with practice debates on every topic.

TLDR: I want you to debate what you’re best at unless it’s offensive or exclusionary. I try to have very limited intervention and rely on framing and weighing in the round to frame my ballot. Telling me how to vote and keeping my flow clean is the fastest way to my ballot. Please have fun and be kind to one another.

Email: debatejn@gmail.com

ONLINE DEBATE NOTES

In an online world, you should reduce your speed to about 75%-80%. It’s difficult for me to say clear in a way that doesn’t totally disrupt your speech and throw you off, so focusing on clarity and efficiency are especially important.

I usually use two monitors, with my flow on the second monitor, so when I’m looking to the side, I’m looking at the flow or my ballot.

MORE IN DEPTH GENERAL NOTES

If your argument isn’t on my flow, I can’t evaluate it. Keeping my flow clean, repeating important points, and being clear can decide the round. I flow by ear and have your speech doc primarily for author names, so make sure your tags/arguments/analytics are clear. I default to tech over truth and debate being a competitive and educational activity. That being said, how I evaluate a debate is up for debate. The threshold for answering arguments without warrants is low, and I don’t find blippy arguments to be particularly persuasive.

LD PARADIGM

In general: Please also look at my policy paradigm for argument specific information! I take my flow seriously but am really not a fan of blippy arguments. I’m fine with speed and theoretical debates. I am not the best judge for affs with tricks. I don’t like when theory is spread through and need it to be well-articulated and impacted. I have a decent philosophy background, but please assume that I do not know and err on over-explaining your lit.

On Framework: In LD, I default to framework as a lens to evaluate impacts in the round. However, I am willing to (and will) evaluate framework as the only impact to the round. Framework debates tend to get really messy, so I ask that you try to go top-down when possible. Please try to collapse arguments when you can and get as much clash on the flow as possible.

A note on fairness as a voter: I am willing to vote on fairness, but I tend to think of fairness as more of an internal link to an impact.

On T: I default to competing interpretations. If you’re going for T, please make sure that you’re weighing your standards against your opponent’s. In evaluating debates, I default to T before theory.

On Theory: I lean towards granting 1AR theory for abusive strats. However, I am not a fan of frivolous theory and would prefer clash on substantive areas of the debate. In general, I do not feel that I can adjudicate something that happened outside of the round.

On RVIs: I think RVIs have morphed into a way of saying "I'm fair but having to prove that I'm being fair means that I should win", which I don't particularly enjoy. If you’re going for an RVI, make sure it’s convincing and reasonable. Further, please make sure that if you’re going for an RVI that you spend sufficient time on it.

On Ks: I think that the NR is a difficult speech - answering the first indicts on a K and then having to collapse and go for the K is tricky. Please make sure that you're using your time effectively - what is the world of the alt and why is my ballot key to resolving the impacts that you outline?

PF PARADIGM

In general: I rely on my flow to decide the round. Keeping my flow clean is the best path to my ballot, so please make sure that your speeches are organized and weigh your arguments against your opponents.

On Paraphrasing: I would also prefer that you do not paraphrase evidence. However, if you must, please slow down on your analytical blocks so that I can effectively flow your arguments - if you read 25 words straight that you want on my flow, I can't type quickly enough to do that, even when I'm a pretty fast typer in general. Please also make sure that you take care to not misrepresent your evidence.

General Comments On LD/Policy Arguments: While I will evaluate the round based on my flow, I want PF to be PF. Please do not feel that you need to adapt to my LD/Policy background when I’m in the back of the room.

On PF Theory: It's a thing, now. I don't particularly love it, but I do judge based off of my flow, so I will vote on it. However, I really, really, really dislike frivolous theory (feel free to look at my LD and Policy paradigms on this subject), so please make sure that if you're reading theory in a round, you are making it relevant to the debate at hand.

POLICY PARADIGM

On Framework: ROBs and ROJs should be extended and explained within the context of the round. Interpretations and framing how I need to evaluate the round are the easiest path to my ballot. Please weigh your standards against your opponent’s and tell me why your model of debate works best. While I will vote on fairness as a voter, I tend to default to it as an internal link to another impact, i.e. education.

One off FW: These rounds tend to get messy. Please slow down for the analytics. The best path to my ballot is creating fewer, well-articulated arguments that directly clash with your opponent’s.

On Theory and T: Make sure you make it a priority if you want me to vote on it. If you’re going for T, it should be the majority of your 2NR. Please have clearly articulated standards and voters. I typically default to competing interpretations, so make sure you clearly articulate why your interpretation is best for debate. In general, I do not feel that I can adjudicate something that happened outside of the round.

On DA/CP: Explain why your evidence outweighs their evidence and please use impact calc.

On K-Affs: Make sure you’re weighing the impacts of your aff against tech stuff the neg articulates. Coming from the 1AC, I need a clear articulation of your solvency mechanism and the role of ballot / judge.

Hitting K-Affs on neg: PLEASE give me clash on the aff flow

On Ks: Make sure that you’re winning framing for these arguments. I really enjoy well-articulated link walls and think that they can take you far. I’m maybe not the best judge for high theory debates, but I have some experience with most authors you will read in most cases and should be able to hold my own if it’s well articulated. I need to understand the world of the alt, how it outweighs case impacts, and what the ballot resolves.

One off Ks: These rounds tend to get very nuanced, especially if it’s a K v K debate. Please have me put framework on another flow and go line by line.

I have no background in high school or college debate, but I have been a practicing attorney for more than 35 years and have been judging PF debates for 8 years.

I am a great believer in the “citizen judge” roots of Public Forum. The debater’s job is to persuade the man on the street, with no background as to the resolution of the month, that pro or con should win. Thus, clarity and focus are paramount. Your job is to persuade, not confuse, me. Well-structured arguments and effectively utilized evidence are key, but so are articulation, modulation, and engagement. A glance up from your laptop from time to time can work wonders, as can staying in the Zoom frame in a well-lighted room.

I do flow arguments, but not in a very technical way. A dropped argument will only count against you if it is material to your overall presentation and not offset by more meritorious arguments that make it through Final Focus.

Spreading and the pointless acceleration of pacing it engenders are strongly discouraged. You should choose your arguments carefully and deliver them at a pace, and with an energy and focus, that are designed to persuade.

Use your evidence fairly and judiciously. Do not overstate its significance or twist its meaning beyond recognition. I will only ask to see your card if the outcome of a round turns on an evidentiary dispute, but, if it comes to this, you want to be confident that your card can be read as presented. Also, feel free to request your opponent's cards, but do so sparingly and only when necessary to dispute a material contention or buttress a key argument.

Unfortunately, only one team can win; that’s the way it is in real life and in every courtroom I have ever appeared, so try to roll with the punches.

Most importantly, have fun. Few things are as satisfying as a hard-fought win; or as motivating (for the next round) as a too-close-to-call loss.

I am a parent judge.

Please keep it simple. For your arguments, please speak slowly and clearly, and make sure to emphasize to me what you truly want to get across in your speeches. Again, I am not experienced so I will not be able to get down every single thing you bring up in your speeches. It is your responsibility to make your narrative clear and tell me why you're winning.

I would prefer no progressive argumentation (theory, Ks, etc) as I have no idea how to evaluate them.

Former corporate lawyer and switched to a career in finance for the last 15 years. Parent of a PF debater. Preferences on style: Speed kills-if I did not hear it then it was not said. I would focus on clearly communicating and emphasizing your important points in lieu of speed. I do not vote on Theory or K arguments. Please practice good debate etiquette and most importantly, have fun.

I've been a parent judge for a 3 years . I truly consider myself new every debate season so my paradigm is evolving.

I am a sales executive and a cofounder to a STEM Nonprofit and Work well company which believes in kindness at work. I mentor young talent at work.

1. I do value clear and logical argument . I deeply value the detailed work for these debate sessions..

2. Arguments need to be called out and need to be clear .

3. Needless to say , your debate needs to be respectful. This is a great life skill .To be assertive while kind ..

4. Try to not speak too fast because if I miss ur point, it will be your loss.

I am very excited to see such young talent and I recognize that many of you will be first timers and the courage needed to be here . I will judge you because that’s what I am here for but please know I respect each one of you .

I will do my best to provide thoughtful and actionable feedback.

I am looking for creative speech topics. Material should show deep knowledge, good organization, and clear evidence from source material. I like out of the box thinking. Be clear in your thoughts and use facts to show understanding of your topic. Have good annunciation, transitions, body language, and appropriate emotions. Assume I don’t know anything about the topic. If the topic allows...Be happy, Be positive, and smile.

Hello! My name is Roy. I am a lay judge and this tournament is my third time judging.

Please:

- do not speak fast, if you do I will likely miss important information

- try not use debate jargon

- signpost when possible

- give an offtime roadmap before speeches

- implicate your responses

- when giving rebuttal, make sure your responses are specific and respond to a specific warrant/point on your opponent’s case (as opposed to vague responses or too much grouping)

If you have any questions or need to add me to an email chain, please contact me at ruan_qiang@yahoo.com

good luck!

This is my first year judging.  Please do not speak quickly.  

Hello. I am a parent judge.

I have been judging Varsity Public Forum for the last two years.

Please speak clearly and don't rush your presentation so I can understand and digest your points and arguments. This is important since I take notes during the debate so that I can reference them when making my final decision and awarding speaker points.

Please don't throw around evidence, instead, give solid reasoning for all your points. I am influenced by data and credible evidence supporting your positions with good reasoning as well. I appreciate a good argument and am looking for clear evidence to back up your argument.

I would like to see respect shown on both sides of the debate. Talking over each other in the crossfire is not the best way to get your point across.

Good luck and I look forward to judging the round!

Go slow. Be clear. Be nice.

If you would like more, I have written detailed paradigms for each style I judge:

PF paradigm

Parli paradigm

Middle school paradigm

Hello Everyone,

I'm a parent judge who is relatively new to this. I've judged two online tournaments, and Little Lex will be my first in-person.

I appreciate when cross fire sessions are productive, but please try to avoid monopolizing the section, or talking over someone.

I'm OK with a little speed as long as your speech doesn't become garbled or otherwise unclear. All things being equal, I appreciate slower, clearer and well organized over fast and sloppy. In my limited experience, you have to be a pretty experienced debater for speed to work in your favor.

Please be reasonable with your evidence and stick close to the original intent in your interpretation.

Thank you.

hi i'm medha! i did natcirc pf for four years in high school & i'm now a college soph

in general: i get that you can use your computers and you can recite your whole speech from a doc but if i wanted to hear the word-for-word prewritten prep you (and whatever coach(es) you may have) typed up before the tournament i would just read the doc myself and eliminate the middleman (you). please for the sake of my sanity don't doc bot, and if you do, at least pretend you're not

tldr be chill, say something interesting, debate well, and tell me to call for sus evidence in ff. look at the tldr of pranav mantri's paradigm – i'm on the same vibe as him

the basics

- frontline offense & weighing in 2nd rebuttal, ideally frontline everything but i won't hate you if you don't

- defense is sticky

- paraphrasing is cool and honestly i would prefer it (only half-joking)

- i have a relatively solid understanding of progressive args, but i will say there is a very real chance i could make the wrong decision when evaluating one, so do some risk appetite self-eval before round

- i don't wanna be on the email chain & i also would rather not flow off a speech doc

- fully extend args in both summary and ff

- i can handle a considerable amount of speed (<300 wpm), just be clear

- i would consider myself tech > truth. i am willing to vote on arguments that i might personally believe to be factually untrue if they go completely uncontested; ie if your arg is that elmo is the head of mossad* and nobody argues otherwise, i'll buy it. on the flip side my threshold for responses to terrible args is obv low

specifically on evidence

I CANNOT OVERSTATE HOW LITTLE I CARE ABOUT EVIDENCE THAT NOBODY TELLS ME TO CALL FOR IN FF.

maybe this is a hot take but i quite literally have zero interest in unilaterally verifying whether your evidence is real or not. i firmly don't think it's my job as a judge to sleuth through your ev and see what's legit. even if you tell me you have evidence saying the world is unified under a secret governmental organization run fully by cows*, I WILL BUY IT IF NOBODY TELLS ME TO CALL FOR IT. this does not mean i condone bad evidence ethics. if you have a problem with your opps' evidence, PLEASE tell me to call for it and i will tank speaks and potentially the team if it's super bad. if yall spend the entirety of your speeches debating a single controversial piece of evidence but nobody tells me to call it in ff, i will drop it from my flow (in pain) and find somewhere else to vote. i do this bc 1) i am convinced it's your opps' job to police your ev ethics, not mine & 2) i think it's interventionist to let my unsolicited interpretation of your ev affect the round outcome

scenarios in which i will give auto-30 speaks (assuming you were not a jerk)

- if it’s your bubble (just lmk before the round) and you generally followed my paradigm

- if you read > 10 independent well-warranted, impacted, and weighed turns in first rebuttal

- if you're super funny

- if you bring me food or hot chocolate :)

in general i will be extremely generous w speaks as long as you're not rude bc imo speaker points can only be assigned in one of two ways: 1) to measure "how good you sound" which is variable to several factors you may not be able to control, or 2) to measure clarity/skill which is largely adjudicated by the actual decision anyway. therefore i have decided i don't care and almost everybody will be getting above 29s unless you do something egregious in round like addressing me by "judge" instead of just my name (kidding but like not really pls just call me medha)

overall

relax and have fun i just wanna judge a good round and not see anything racist/sexist/any other exclusionary -ist, so make those two things happen and you can show up in your pajamas or swear or eat mcdonalds in round or roast each other or whatever & i won't care

if you need any accommodations or have any questions, please let me know either irl before round or at my email: medha.tambe@columbia.edu

good luck & lmk if there's anything i can do to make the round less stressful/more accessible for you! also if both teams are down i am willing to scrap the debate and oversee a 2v2 chess match instead (again only half-joking)

* note: i may or may not actually believe elmo is the head of mossad and that cows run the world – if you make a convincing arg to me before/after round in favor of either or both i might possibly be inclined to give you 30 speaks

* note 2: i am unironically a really good lay judge in the sense that i am great at zoning out (if you ask me to, not in general obv lol) and then making a decision based off vibe. i have about a 97% accuracy rate in guessing decisions made by lay judges in rounds, so if you want me to judge lay or you have a lay panel and you'd rather not adapt lmk and i'll scrap the paradigm & judge lay

hi! i debated pf in hs. toc '19! i was a former co-director for nova debate camp and go to uva now. i also coach ardrey kell VM and oakton ML. add me to the email chain: iamandrewthong@gmail.com

tl;dr, i'm a typical flow judge. i'm tab and tech>truth, debate however you want (as long as it does not harm others). for more specific stuff, read below

most important thing:

so many of my RFDs have started with "i default on the weighing". weighing is NOT a conditional you should do if you just so happen to have enough time in summary - i will often default to teams if they're the only ones who have made weighing. strength of link weighing counts only when links are 100% conceded, clarity of impact doesn't.

other less important stuff:

online debate: unless you're sending speech docs, please just make a shared google doc and paste cards there. i get it, you want to steal prep while waiting. but really, it's delaying tournaments and i get bored while waiting :( (you don't have to though, esp in outrounds - but i will be happier if you do)

also, if you're debating from the same computer, it's cool, just lmk in the chat or turn your camera on before the round so i know, because i usually start the round when i see 4 ppl in the room

speed is ok. i think it's fun. i actually like blippy disads (as long as they have warrants). but don't do it in such a way that it makes the debate inaccessible - drop a doc if your opponents ask or if someone says "clear".

whenever you extend something, you have to extend the warrant above all else.

defense is not sticky, but my threshold for completely new frontlines in second summary is super high. turns must be frontlined in second rebuttal.

new implications off of previous responses are okay (in fact, i think they're strategic), but they must be made in summary (unless responding to something new in final). you still need to have concise warranting for the new implication, just as you would for any other response.

i don't listen during cross - if they make a concession, point it out in the next speech.

weighing is important, but comparative and meta weighing are even more important. you can win 100% of your link uncontested but i'd still drop you if you never weigh at all and the opps have like 1% of their link with pre-req weighing into your case. don't just say stuff like "we outweigh because our impact card has x and theirs has y and x>y", but go the next step and directly compare why your magnitude is more important than their timeframe, why your prereq comes before their prereq, etc. if there is no weighing done, i will intervene.

i encourage post-round questions, i'm actually happy to spend like however long you want me to just answering questions regarding my decision. just don't be rude about it.

progressive arguments:

i will evaluate progressive arguments (Ks, theory, etc).

no friv theory, no tricks

i default to reasonability, RVIs, and DtD *if not told otherwise* - before you start e-mailing me death threats, this is just so teams can't read random new shells in summary unless they're going to spend the time reading warrants for CI and no RVIs - i prefer theory debates to start in constructive/rebuttal, and i'll be sympathetic to teams that have to make new responses to a completely new shell in summary or final focus

i'm less versed on Ks than i am theory. i can probably follow you on the stock Ks (cap, sec, etc), but if you're going to run high level Ks (performance, afropess, etc), i'll still evaluate them, but i advise you run them with caution, since i might not be able to get everything down 100%. it's probably best to make these types of Ks accessible to both me and your opponents (you should honestly just explain everything like i'm a lay judge, and try to stay away from more abstract phil stuff like epistemology/ontology/etc).

if you have any more questions, feel free to ask or e-mail me before the round!

Parent judge - speak slowly and make sure I can follow the logic in your arguments.

Nastiness is not appreciated.

Good diction and, not talking too fast, are important. When sending evidence ensure you send it on the chat or if emailing the evidence, cc me on the email chain.

Graduated from Oakton in 2022 - yuwangva@gmail.com

I'm from Oakton. I used to debate but I haven't touched debate in a while. Please treat me like a lay.

Also, keep track of your own time. I'll flow but don't expect much.

I am a lay judge, so make sure that final focuses and summaries are slow and actually summarizes everything and restates your argument.

Happy debating!

I am a parent judge. Please speak at an understandable pace. I will judge based on the quality and logic of your argument, as well as your ability to communicate effectively. I appreciate comparative weighing. Please be respectful of one another.

Normal talking speed helps me understand you better.

Email: yiwen.wu76@gmail.com

Please add both yiwen.wu76@gmail.com and mcleanpublicforum@gmail.com to the email chain.

Background: I am a parent judge. I have judged a few PF tournaments in the past (mainly on the local circuit).

PF: Please do not spread; explain your logic clearly. Do not use debate jargon, I probably won't understand it.

I will flow what I hear. Sign post with arguments not authors.

I will not evaluate arguments with weak or misleading evidence/warranting.

All offense/defense you want me to evaluate must be in both summary and final focus. Please weigh.

I will not understand or evaluate progressive arguments. 

Speaker Points: Please be polite and respectful at all times. I will take off speaker points if you are not doing well/rude in cross.

speak clearly and not too fast

As a lay judge, I am committed to fostering a fair and educational debate environment. To ensure a productive debate, please adhere to the following guidelines:

1. **No Spreading**: Debaters are encouraged to speak clearly and at a moderate pace. Avoid rapid speech delivery commonly known as "spreading."

2. **Clear Articulation**: Effective communication is key. Speak clearly and enunciate your arguments for the benefit of both the judge and the audience.

3. **Signposting Welcome**: Feel free to use signposting to help structure your arguments and make it easier for me to follow your case.

4. **Impact Evaluation**: I will assess arguments based on their impact and logic soundness. Explain not only what your arguments are but also why they matter and how they affect the overall debate.

5. **Thorough Analysis in Rebuttal**: In your rebuttals, provide comprehensive analysis rather than mere refutation. Clearly articulate how your rebuttal interacts with the opponent's arguments and why it strengthens your position.

6. **Speech Documents**: If you believe your case is densely packed or contains intricate details, you may submit your speech document. This can aid in my understanding of your case and arguments.

These rules are designed to ensure a constructive and informative debate. I look forward to a lively and intellectually stimulating discussion. Good luck to all debaters!