I like to see a variety of sources in extemp. Don't just throw it in there to have it, make sure it helps paint the picture.

I like to see some type of extemp walk to help me visualize the speech more.

Threads not the most important to have in extemp, but there should be some solid transitions going into each point.

Significance in all speech events are super important to me. I need to know why I should listen to you.

If using language it really needs to have it's purpose.

Debate:

Talk Pretty

I enjoy role of the ballot and role of the judge you tell me how to vote on the round.

Run whatever as long as you can explain. Key word is EXPLAIN.

Don't be rude to one another or you will lose speaker points.

Policy- Tab judge who defaults on who's impacts outweigh. Will listen to K's but need explanation. Prefer quality over quantity. Does not flow author's names; make sure to extend the warrant. Ok with speed just value clarity. I will not join an email chain because I am not reliant on the information but more of the presentation. If you are unable to A. adapt to a judges preferred style of debate and B. realize that this is still a communication event, then you will not win my ballot.

Congress- Highly value clash. Do not regurgitate information/arguments just for the sake of getting in a speech. If a speech is just a summary of what has been said so far on a piece of legislation, I will award it a 1 or 2. In order for me to rank you, you need to be an active member of the chamber (ask questions), give competitive speeches (clash and don't regurgitate info), and speak in a fashion that does not sound rehearsed.

Speaking- I want you to have a conversation with me, not sound like a news reporter. It is ok to bring humor into a speech instead of it being straight information. I need you to tie back each point you make to your question. Having your AGD work its way through each point and the conclusion are a favorite of mine as well.

Harvard update (2/12/2024)

Not great for the K, except for maybe K's of language/rhetoric. In Policy v K rounds, I vote aff for the perm quite a bit. Not sure I have ever evaluated a K v K debate. In K aff v T-framework debates, I usually vote neg. Fairness and clash are pretty persuasive to me. I have voted for a non-topical aff a few times, but it's probably an uphill battle.

You should probably go slower than you would like in front of me, but I can usually keep up. If you really want me to keep up, I'd recommend leaving analytics in the doc.

I expect everyone to be nice and respectful to each other. Please be mindful of pronouns. Ask your opponents if you don't know.

I err neg on most counterplan theory questions, but I can definitely be persuaded that conditionality is a reason to reject a team, especially if there are more than 2 conditional worlds. Process CPs are kind of a gray area for me. I like them, but I could be convinced that they are bad.

Yes, I want to be on the email chain (davy.holmes@dsisdtx.us).

Some info about me:

Policy Debater from 1996-1998 for Gregory-Portland HS (Texas)

Assistant Policy Debate Coach from 1998-2002 for Gregory-Portland HS (Texas)

Debate Coach/Teacher at Sinton HS (Texas) from 2002-2003

Debate Coach/Teacher at Hebron HS (Texas) from 2003-2007

Debate Coach/Teacher at San Marcos HS (Texas) from 2014-2017

Debate Coach/Teacher at Dripping Springs HS (Texas) from 2017-present

Updated 1/3/2024

Top level observations for all debate events:

-You should not assume what your opponents' pronouns are. Ask if you don't know, and then make every effort to use them. When in doubt, referring to your opponents as "the aff" or "the neg" is probably a good idea.

-Slowing down and explaining things clearly is usually a good idea, especially in rebuttals.

-Perms that aren't explained aren't arguments.

-If a timer isn't running you shouldn't be prepping.

-I can't vote for something that I didn't flow or understand. I won't feel bad or embarrassed about saying I just didn't understand your argument.

Policy: My favorite event, but I am getting old. I am okay with speed, but clarity is important. I'm definitely more comfortable with plan-focused debate. If I was still a debater, I would probably be reading a small, soft-left aff, and my preferred 2NR would include a counterplan and the politics DA. For the most part, I think debate is a game. The negative should have access to predictable, topic-based ground. While fairness is likely an internal link to other impacts, it is also an impact in and of itself. Affirmatives that don't defend topical, hypothetical action by the resolutional actor will have a tough time getting me to vote for them. Neg kritiks require a lot of explanation and contextualization. I do not just assume that every K links. I have found that I am much more persuaded by links to a team's rhetoric or representations than other types of links. "They use the state and the state has always been bad in the past" won't usually beat a permutation. I am pretty bad for alts rooted in pessimism or alts that seemingly require an infinite amount of fiat. More than 2 conditional cps and/or alts dramatically increases the persuasiveness of condo theory.

Worlds: I tend to judge Worlds more than other debate events these days. I try to judge rounds holistically. My decision on who won the debate will be made before assigning points on my ballot. Line-by-line refutation is not an expectation. Debaters should focus on core topic arguments and major areas of clash. When appropriate, I enjoy detailed explanations and comparisons of models. Speakers 1-3 should take at least 1 POI.

LD: Even though I dislike this term as applied to debate, I am probably best for LARP and/or util frameworks. Not great for the K. Probably terrible for tricks or phil. Even though I think disclosure is good, there is less than a 1% chance that I'll vote on disclosure theory.

PF: I don't think PF judges should have paradigms. Unless your opponents are ignoring the resolution, I will not vote on theory in PF. #makepublicforumpublicagain

Congress: I pretty much never judge Congress. Students who expect to rank highly should make good arguments, clash with other representatives as much as possible, and participate fully throughout the session.

I am mostly a policymaker judge, but I will weigh the stock issues for their impacts in my decision making.

I value a Negative approach that is logical, and simply throwing Negative arguments at the Aff, regardless of whether or not those arguments contradict each other is not good debate.

Signpost always, make the connections, give me solid analysis. I am not an interventionist, so you have to persuade me to vote for you, and tell me why.

Quality of evidence is important; just because you have a card doesn't mean it is a good one, and I do read the cards.

I'm fine with a K, so long as it is not designed to shut down debate or shift the focus of the round away from the resolution, and so long as there is a clear, logical link to the Aff. Performance Ks will get an automatic loss.

Splitting the negative block is fine.

Aggressive debate is fine; rudeness is not. I do not tolerate cursing in the round, and your speaker points will suffer heavily. Be judicious about using quotes with curse words or vulgar language.

This is a communicative, persuasive event, so I am not a fan of spreading. If I can't understand you, I will likely not vote for you. If you absolutely must spread, I must be on the email chain - margaret.toney@ecisd.net - or included on speech drop.