Danae Barkocy - She/her - dbarkocy@trinity.edu

GENERAL:

• Howdy! :) I’m a current college senior who debated for Leander for three years. My two main events were LD and Extemp, but I’ve also dabbled in CX and UIL congress and have done a fair amount of interp. I’m a tab judge as far as argument choice, but as always you need to explain links/solvency/etc very well and tell me the main issues you want me to vote on.
• If there’s anything you would like me to call you (name/pronouns, etc) that hasn’t been shared on Tabroom, just let me know
• I’m okay with speed as long as the case has been shared with me. Please slow down for important taglines
• I will give verbal critiques and answer questions unless the tournament rules say otherwise. Just ask

SPEAKS:

• I assign speaks based on speech organization (roadmap, signposting, etc), and clarity (can I hear what you’re saying? If you’re spreading, can I make out the taglines?). Other than that, just be a decent person - I’ll dock speaks if you’re rude/condescending in cross.

CASE:

• I’m a tech over truth judge in that I evaluate rounds based on who’s winning the flow, not which argument I think is actually ‘correct’. I insert my own opinion as little as possible, so tell me exactly what parts of the flow I’m voting on.
• In a situation that pits evidence against analytic argument, I’ll vote on whoever has the most plausible evidence. If both sides read evidence and neither side is gaining a lot of ground, I’ll vote on well-warranted analytical argumentation that provides good clash and creates a voting issue.

K/FRAMEWORK:

• I really love a good framework debate and find myself voting there often. I don’t default to a particular framing (util, etc), so I’ll let whoever is debating the round frame how it should be judged/decided and go from there (in other words, it’s very important if you make it important)

THEORY/TOPICALITY:

• I’m not opposed to voting on T, but know that I didn’t do a ton of T debate in high school so you’ll have to explain the voting issues very well (e.g., don’t talk about reverse RVIs for two minutes - just explain in Lehman’s terms why the theory creates education/fairness/equity, whatever your standard is)

ETC:

- I'm a simple woman, tell me your favorite Taylor Swift song for +0.3 speaks

Hi!

- Leander HS ‘22, UT Speech ‘26

- Mostly extemp, with some experience in CX, LD, congress, and impromptu

Some basic stuff:

• Racism/sexism/homophobia/etc. is an automatic drop (last place in speech, loss with minimum speaks in debate)

• Send speech docs (or questions after the round, etc) to ibhsdocs@gmail.com

• Use a tw/cw if needed

Extemp/IEs

This is the event I have the most experience with (it’s also my favorite :)

I want to learn! Tell me something interesting! Most importantly: have fun! If you seem excited about the topic, I'll get excited about the topic and about your speech!

Debate

Spreading is fine if I have the doc. If I don't then slow down on anything you want me to flow.

I don't know any specific K literature very well so please explain your advocacy.

Tech > truth except for the obvious like bigotry.

I listen to cross but I don't flow it unless you bring it up in a speech.

Unless the tournament says otherwise, open cross/flex prep is fine with me as long as it's fine with both debaters/teams.

Specific arg types:

• Theory: my favorite off case. Make sure you extend your interp, violation, standard, and impact all the way through if you want me to vote on your theory. I default to granting RVIs but my threshold for a successful no RVI argument is low.

• Kritiks: explain them well. Make sure your links are specific and clear.

• Counterplans and disads: nothing specific. They're fine.

I like meme cases and I'll vote them up if they technically win the flow.

Speaks are awarded on strategy, word economy, and demeanor (ex: use of humor, not being overly aggressive during cross, etc.).

Congress

Follow parliamentary procedure. PO starts in the last rank that breaks (ex: in a chamber where the top 3 break to the next round, the PO will start at 3rd place) and moves up or down from there. Please clash.

As a bonus for reading the paradigm, before the round starts, tell me your favorite type of tea and I'll give you +0.5 speaks.

My name is Huy. My pronouns are he/him/his. I was an avid forensics competitor in middle and high school in the TFA, UIL, and NSDA circuits. I was a speech and interpretation competitor, so I have extensive experience in those events; I have still judged a number of debate rounds.

My critiques are not meant to tear you down. I try to write a lot for every competitor, so please use these critiques to learn and refine/apply new things to your craft.

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Interpretation (Includes DI, HI, Duo, Duet, PO, PR, POI)

All forms of literature are fair game. I do allow swearing in moderation.

Memorize your piece. Plain and simple. I will mark down for looking at scripts during round/while another competitor is performing for non-binder events (and POI). Look at the binder sparingly during PO and PR.

Clarity. Enunciate--if I cannot hear you, I cannot judge you properly. Please (try to) do accents properly. Eye-contact, confidence, posture, stuttering, and et cetera is included in this criteria; I will recognize when you're doing characters and when you are doing the intro.

Introduction. Have an introduction. It's standard to do a piece in the teaser-introduction-piece format, but I do not mind as long as you have any introduction. It should be insightful and be more than a on-the-surface-level analysis.

Characterization. Have multi-dimensional character(s). I prefer realism when doing serious pieces, and caricatures when doing humorous pieces, but this is up to the competitor(s) discretion. I have seen competitors do well with caricatures in DI, and vice versa.

Blocking. This includes all forms of physical movement: morphing/melting/changing characters, hand gestures, crossing, binder tech, et cetera. Unless specified otherwise by the tournament director, I will judge under TFA rules, meaning you CAN move below the waist AND do binder tech during PO and PR. You have free range of movement for all other events, including POI. Don't overdo binder tech--I do not care how flashy a piece is if it has no substance. Given the online format, I do not encourage using the floor (i.e. lying down) for longer than 30 seconds unless necessary. For Duo and Duet under the online format, please still try to interact with your partner as much as possible.

Creativity. Do not copy online videos. I will down you automatically. Have integrity. I want to see something new and creative with your piece. Make it your own, and have fun with it.

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Speaking (Includes OO, INF, IMP)

Be persuasive. That is the point of these events.

Memorize your speech. This applies for OO and INF. Plain and simple. I will mark down for looking at speeches during round/while another competitor is speaking. For IMP, please do not use an index card unless it is a novice round. Memorize your quote verbatim.

Clarity. Enunciate--if I cannot hear you, I cannot judge you properly. Eye-contact, confidence, posture, stuttering, and et cetera is included in this criteria. I love speeches with personality.

Structure. Your speech can have any sort of structure you want. Though I prefer 3-point (i.e. intro, 3 body, conclusion), I don't mind as long as there is structure. If you do not have structure, I will down you automatically.

Citations. For INF and OO, please state explicitly where you found your evidence. For INF, if you are quoting someone or an event, please state who they are or what the event was. All events must explain these citations/relate them back to the speech. Have an adequate number of sources. A speech without evidence is a human without bones--no way it can stand up.

Anecdotes. Use sparingly. I do not like speakers who overload their speeches with dramatics. Save that for DI.

Gestures. Find a good balance: do not be excessive, but don't forget to gesture. Use them in the important points you want me as a judge to focus on.

Visual Aids (VAs). Applies for INF only. They are OPTIONAL. I understand the current circumstances, so you VAs do not need to be elaborate. However, if you have words on the display, make sure it is visible on camera while tournaments are still online. I will still mark you have an obviously messy VA (i.e. pieces of paper glued to a board).

Creativity. Do not copy online videos. I will down you automatically. Have integrity. I want to see something new and creative with your speech. Make it your own, and have fun with it.

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Extemporaneous (Either FX or DX)

Be persuasive. That is the point of these events.

Memorize. Plain and simple. I will mark down for looking at your prep during round/while another competitor is speaking. Please do not use an index card unless it is a novice round. Memorize your question and citations (if you quote) verbatim.

Clarity. Enunciate--if I cannot hear you, I cannot judge you properly. Eye-contact, confidence, posture, stuttering, and et cetera is included in this criteria.

Structure. Your speech can have any sort of structure you want. Though I prefer 3-point (i.e. intro, 3 body, conclusion), I don't mind as long as there is structure. If you do not have structure, I will down you automatically. Try to have a balance of sources in each point--each one should be equally important. Do not put 5 sources in the first point and have 1 in each of the other ones.

Citations. Please state explicitly where you found your evidence (e.g. Reuters on November 17, 2019). I prefer current sources, which is nothing older than ~5 years unless necessary. I do count on the number of citations and do not include repeated ones. If you are quoting someone or an event, please state who they are or what the event was. All events must explain these citations/relate them back to the speech.

Fact Check. Obviously incorrect facts will be noted.

Gestures. Find a good balance: do not be excessive, but don't forget to gesture. Use them in the important points you want me as a judge to focus on.

Creativity. Do not copy online videos. I will down you automatically. Have integrity. This includes using someone else's introduction or conclusion. I want to see something new and creative with your speech. Make it your own, and have fun with it.

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Lincoln Douglass Debate

Be a good sport. Debate rounds will get heated. No name-calling/cussing.

Clarity. Enunciate--if I cannot hear you, I cannot judge you properly. I will try my best to flow, but given the online format, if I do not catch something, I may have to ask you to repeat. Speaking points will be determined by criteria that apply in Speaking paradigms above.

Run anything. Literally anything.

Time yourself. Obvious for varsity debaters, but many novices do not know.

I will disclose at my discretion if the tournament director permits.

About Me:

Jack C. Hays High School CO'2019

UT Austin CO'2023

Add me to the email chain: jackcoffey@utexas.edu

Events I have experience from actually doing in High school: Extemp (FX/DX/UIL Extemps), Congress, PF, LD, World Schools

I have experience judging other speech events too: Info/OO/DI/HI/Duo/etc.

My primary events overall were extemp & congress and I have experience on the local, state, and national level after having competed all throughout high school.

PF/LD Debate:

For PF, I generally always vote based on impact calculation. So pretty much tell me why your side does more for whoever or why the other side doesn't do enough for me to vote for them. Weighing on what side is more important and which has more to gain is really how I prefer to do my ballots. Always tell me what side is winning and why I should vote for them and how the debate has progressed to preferring their side. For framework, I won't vote based on it unless you make a point out of it on why I should. Really framework doesn't make or break a ballot from me unless a team explains why it's relevant and why it essentially causes one side to win over another. Overall, the easiest way to get a ballot from me is through impact calculation on which side brings more to the table or why the other side does not do enough. My biggest evaluation for a ballot is always impacts. Please avoid spreading and watch the speed. I am a more traditional judge so speaking so fast to the point I can barely understand you is not always going to be the best option for you. Please avoid speed, especially when explaining things. Being a bit faster on reading cards is okay I guess, but I prefer having less speed overall.

For some niche things, if you do not mention an argument from either side or touch debate it in any way, I am just going to assumed it has been dropped. While I can keep time if you want, it is not preferred, so please time yourselves.

In regards to presentation, since it is PF debate and meant to be easily accessible to the public, please don't spread especially in the later speeches. More speed will make me less likely to understand what is being said and gives me little reason to vote for your team. Pretty much consider me more of a lay judge than anything. For speaking, just be clear and concise really. Also I really don't like rude or spiteful speeches no matter how the debate has ran.

More LD Specific Stuff:

I am not a totally progressive judge when it comes to some arguments so if I do not mention them below, just assume I have no experience in those types of arguments and avoid running them at your own discretion unless you think you're just that amazing to introduce me to a new argument and compelling enough to get me to vote on it:

Plans/Counterplans (CP) - Completely cool with me, just be sure to explain what it does and how it causes your side to win the debate. Plans/CPs are acceptable in PF for me.

Topicality (T) - Topicality is cool as long as you explain why the other side violates topicality in regards to the debate.

Kritiks (K) - I am very new to this kind of debate, but I am generally okay with it as long as you don't have a ton of speed whilst explaining. Additionally, you need to explain what harms/impacts are brought on when you assert your opponent violates the K argument. For example, if you run capitalism K, explain to me why capitalism is bad. So many people have just said that I should vote for them because capitalism is bad without explaining much how or why it is bad. I know this is super basic but you have to explain why other teams violating the K argument is a bad thing (whether it be capitalism, settler colonialism, states, etc.). Tell me why capitalism is bad and why I should vote for you!!

For speaker points, I generally give higher speaks to people who are more clear, articulate, and organized. The lowest I usually give to people is ~27 unless they have done something so bad such as being rude or very disorganized throughout the whole round to warrant something lower. Speed plays a part in speaks in that I do not prefer spreading and speed is not my forte in a round. Overall, as long as you are organized and well articulated and respectful throughout the debate I will give you decent speaks.

Extemp/Speech:

I did both FX & DX in high school so I have experience in these events and know what an appropriate speaker looks like. For your speeches, you should obviously be well-spoken and organized in throughout your round. In particular for content, good extemp speakers are able to articulate information from a wide array of sources and convey it in a manner that is articulate and entertaining. Specifically, I prefer speakers who are informative and/are entertaining by incorporating humor, emotional content, pertinent information and a wide array of relevant sources. Being funny when relevant and doing it well will always gain good points with me! Additionally, always be sure to EXPLAIN EXPLAIN EXPLAIN. Many people often just give me some facts and expect the audience to make something of it. Explain what information is important and why! Tell me what it means and how it pertains to the question of your speech. For the beginning of your speech, it should be a well done introduction that at least initially catches my attention through a thought provoking or funny statement, provides some background to your topic, tells me the question verbatim, provides me your answer and a preview of your points. For your actual points, you should aim to provide at least 2 sources of relevant information and have some structure within each point to have some flow and organization. Within each point you should again always explain the information you present to give some good insight into the importance of each point and why the audience should essentially care.

In regards to performance and presentation, I prefer speakers who speak clearly with adequate speed since a lot of people get nervous and tend to speed through their speech and use up their time. As a speaker, you should aim to be relaxed and be able to balance the time you are given throughout your speech to make the most of your presentation. Moreover, having a good physical presentation is preferred such as a good usage of hand gestures, appropriate movement (such as a slight walk when transitioning between points), and maintaining eye contact with your audience.

For cross-examination, I don't put too much emphasis on this as it is not something I would consider making or breaking your speech. Really, I just look for speakers who are kind and respectful and are able to defend their points and know their own topic well. Pretty much just don't be rude or sarcastic and you'll be fine with me.

Congress:

Pretty much refer to my extemp/speech paradigms. I have tons of experience of doing Congress from high school so I know what to look for and how good speakers are supposed to look. For your speeches, aside from the first or second affs/negs of the bill, all speeches should include some sort of clash or argumentation of the other speakers' arguments. This is congressional DEBATE, not congressional speech giving.

Presiding Officers should aim to be quick, effective, organized, and knowledgeable on parliamentary procedure. Just maintain precedence for speakers and be transparent about what is being done so the whole chamber understands what is going on. Making mistakes is okay as long as it is not a pattern so I know you really know what you're doing. Also it's cool with me if you time with your phone as the P.O., just make sure it does not become a problem through using it for communication or if you have tons of notifications that can be distracting.

World Schools Debate:

Just refer to the Speech and LD/PF portion of my paradigms as that is how I generally judge speakers and how I view a round is supposed to look. I do have experience in Worlds so I am pretty aware on how the event runs. Just be well organized, clear, and articulate. As a side note: avoid using more progressive arguments (theory, topicality, k's, etc.) as they are not to exist in worlds in my opinion. Overall, just provide clear impacts and weighing throughout the round and you'll be fine.

CX Debate:

I have no experience in this event and should not be judging it unless you like relatively traditional PF judges.

Speech - Organized arguments, credible sources, practical solutions, relatability is probably the biggest thing for me. I love speeches where personalities show through and I can see how you are as a person.

Interp - Relatable pieces with big, distinguishable characters.

WSD - I want a conversational round with a crystallization of points at the end. Clear voters are always the way to go. POIs should be addressed consistently however not everyone needs to be taken.

If you have questions about your ballot or want additional feedback, feel free to email me at leahartman04@gmail.com

CONGRESS TLDR: be unique, actually engage, actually debate, be civil

Please avoid canned AGDs. I know I should be the LAST person to complain about them because I used them all the time for my first 2 years competing. But your judge is likely to have heard them all before, and it establishes no sense of personality, no introduction to what you're about to talk about, no creativity. It's just a way to spend 20 seconds saying "I stand in ____"

Questions are important! It shows you're actually engaged in the round, and can help further the debate. Also, if there's a room with 20 people and I only hear your name called twice over the course of 3 hours, chances are I will not remember you. MAKE SURE YOUR QUESTION IS ACTUALLY A QUESTION. Rambling for 20 seconds and finishing it with "what do you think about that" is not a question and is extremely frowned upon. It is wasting ACTUAL questioning time.

Please please PLEASE remember this is congressional DEBATE. I want to hear clash, not rehash. It bothers me when the chamber turns into 20 people giving their own individual speech with NO ties to what was previously said in the round. Its even worse when the "ties into what was previously said" is just rewording what we have already heard for another 3 minutes. Rehash is the biggest reason I will drop someone. Also for clash- it needs to make sense. Naming another competitor before going on an unrelated spiel is NOT clash and will get you dropped as well.

Be civil. Do not SCREAM at competitors during a questioning block. Auto-drop. There's so many other ways to get your point across. Also on that topic, be respectful to competitors. In round, y'all are representatives or senators, so there is ZERO need to use "miss" or anything like that to refer to each other.

Make sure your energy matches the topic. Cracking jokes when the topic is about genocide or something similarly horrible is in bad taste and makes most people in the room uncomfortable.

Good luck, Have fun :)

IEs TDLR- be natural, organize well

For speech events, I want authenticity. If I don't believe your character, I cannot rank you higher than anyone who is authentic to the character. For extemp, if I am not convinced you know what you're talking about, I cannot rank you high. Confidence is key, don't be forced!

The organization is important. For extemp, I want to know what your 2-3 points are. I need the point, the evidence, and the impact. Make sure it actually relates to the question. Make sure the links make sense. Similarly, for speech, I want it to be very clear what "character" you are. Characterize differently, through body language, tone of voice, and attitude. I hate getting lost in 3 different stories that all sound like 1 person.

Please no spreading! Be concise and clear. Ultimately what decides the round is how cohesive the team is and the unified voice. Also how you attack your opponents contentions.

Hi! I'm Danielle and I'm a current junior at the University of California, Berkeley. I competed in Speech and Debate for four years during high school, with my first year being in PF and the remaining three years being in speech. My main event was OO, but I also competed in Extemp, INFO, and Impromptu. I do not have much experience in Interp, but I do have tons of experienced in prepared platform events.

OO/Info- The most important thing I am looking for is just the natural connection you have with your topic. Yes, all the tactical parts of the performance are super important, but I want you to deliver your speech in a way that is authentic to YOURSELF. I look forward to hearing all your stories!

Extemp- I do tend the base off the three-part answer model, but what I am really looking for is a well crafted argument. I want you to be able to come into the round and teach me about the topic, and convince me in why I should care about it. Evidence is KEY and citing evidence is crucial.

PF- I don't like spreading, but it will not be a make or break to speaks. However, if I can't understand what you are saying, you will get voted down. Both sides need to give clear voters in summary and final focus. I won't flow cross, but if something crucial happens during cross it will be considered. Most importantly, tell me WHY I should vote for you. What makes your case better than your opponents? Again, clear voters are key.

I debated at Princeton, TX and I'm a CXer by trade, though I've been judging often for the last five years since I've graduated so I know my way around all the other formats. I am a "games" judge so I accept anything and everything so long as I've been given proper reasoning. If nothing fancy goes on I default to a policymaker position. "Conservative" and "Progressive" styles are equally valid in my book.

My three top level principles:

• Framework is King: I cannot evaluate something like American Hegemony vs Human Rights without being given a philosophical underpinning on what's a higher concern. Framework is not an end unto itself, but to be used as a tool for establishing priority of impacts. I highly recommend both sides run something on this.
• Competition over Truth: As a judge, I want to intervene with my own knowledge and logic as minimally as possible because that's your job as the debater. As long as you get the technical performance down 80% I can be flexible on the remaining part.
• Evidence Quality over Quantity: I'm less interested in the number of cards read and more in the reasoning of how they come up with the conclusion in the tagline. I'll only intervene here when there is disagreement on what's written. I understand there are cases when a good argument for the situation cannot be prepared in a card so I accept analytics within reasonability. On areas of significant clash I give it to the side that delves deeper into the warrants. When the competing claims slide over each other, I may end up evaluating it as a wash.

One more request: when you invoke innovation, please elaborate what you mean by that. It's the biggest, most annoying buzzword in all of speech and debate.

Onto the line by line:

Speed - I can accept it as long as it's intelligible. If you get to the point where you're wheezing substantially I'll tell you to clear up. Slow down on taglines and authors. If you spread on analysis and they aren't written down on the file, then I can't guarantee I'll have them down on the flow.

Topicality - I take a layman interpretation on what ought to be topical so my threshold is rather high. That said, the affirmative must still have a good technical performance in their answer.

Theory - It's okay with me, though I think it's of a lower priority than material issues and mostly evaluate it as a tiebreaker.

Turns - Link turns, impact turns, and case turns are all very powerful, but please substantiate what's going on materially. There's nothing more confusing than when both sides claim they subsume the other.

Counterplans - The viability of a CP lies in the net benefit that's established. Mutually exclusive plans are the clearest for clash and competition. I accept PICs but there better be a good reason that the aff can't perm. Unless otherwise specified or kicked, I view CPs as part of the negative's world advocacy that can be held against them. Running multiple CPs or CP and K may obfuscate the neg's advocacy, but it's up to the aff to point that out.

Case - If offense is lacking or well defended I often let the affirmative access the try or die argument. I'm not strict on case architecture on either side, but stock issues will always be fundamental and we can't forget that.

Disadvantages - On economic related impacts, the way to break beyond surface level claims is to actually tangle with competing economic theories. Is the Keynesian, Neoclassical, or the Marxist school most accurate on the scenario regarding recessions? I don't know, you tell me. On politics, I think you're obligated to read political capital theory or else it's easy to defuse with thumpers, but I don't accept that you can fiat out of it. Generally I value strong and specific links when it comes to the impact calc.

Kritiks - I can follow along with the theory, though if you start using buzzwords and jargon you'd better be able to elaborate on that. If you run a K you should understand it well on a conceptual level. Like disads, specific links and contextualization to the aff are very important. On the aff side, I'm willing to follow along with K's bad theory, counter-kritiks, and really all bets are off here.

Send the email chain to yashkhaleque2@gmail.com, I'm also available for questions and case advice.

Johnathen.standifer@leanderisd.org

But, set up a speech drop. It's 2024, there is no need to fight school emails for email chains. share your cases, move things forward, don't be petty for your prep.

Experience in PF, CX and LD. I was an LD/CX debater in high school, and run a PF team now as a coach.

I try to run as close to a tab judge as I can, I'm willing to judge anything you run I just ask for justification in the round for why I should care about debating for it.

I'm fine with speed, I'm fine with theory and I'm fine with progressive arguments.

Don't just throw a trick in the first speech ignore it 'til the end and tell me to vote for you, that's boring.

Congress: I can't think of anything I hate more than everybody giving a speech on a bill in a congress speech. Rehashing only goes so far, I don't need 5 crystallization speeches.

MOVE THE PREVIOUS QUESTION. My points for speeches tend to go down the more an argument goes on and the more rehash we get. Forget equity, move the round forward and you'll be my favorite.

Update for 2023-2024 Policy topic: I am a Personal Financial Advisor so this topic is my jam. However, this does mean that I will probably hold solvency to a higher standard than usual since a big part of my workday is taken up by social security and taxes.

Former debate coach for American School Fez. I competed in Policy debate at W.B. Ray High School from 2015-2018. I competed in Policy debate at UT-Austin in 2019. Currently an Assistant Financial Advisor with Ameriprise.

I coach for free so if you'd like some help, shoot me an email.

Put me on the email chain: stearcd247@gmail.com

TL:DR

I am down for whatever you want to do. I am probably just as good for PoMo goo vs PoMo goo as I am for stock issues.

Please don't throw things at me or your opponents or light things on fire.

I would like to intervene as little as possible, so please explicitly tell me how to weigh the round.

Arguments that run towards clash are always better in front of me than arguments that try to skirt around your opponent.

I believe that each debate round is a story. The better story at the end of the debate wins. This means I will attempt to view the round holistically instead of looking at just the last two speeches.

Speaker Points

28.5 is default. 29 is breaking. 29.5 is speaker award. LD tends to go up by about a .2 since speaker points are just higher in the event. I will try to change based on tournament norms and competition level. If you'd like a more in-depth breakdown, read Ali Abdulla's paradigm. I will say clear twice during the whole debate, not just a particular speech. If you do not become clearer after the second time, I will stop flowing and put my head on the desk/table.

Things that will make me your speaker point fairy:

• Executing high level argumentation at a conversational pace

• Bringing cross-ex answers into speeches

• Making me laugh

General Gripes. This section is for things I've found annoying/bad about debate and have chose to impact my speaker points, but not my ballots:

• Ontology debates. If you read ontology and do not have a coherent explanation by the end of the debate, your speaks are capped at a 28.5. If you do have a coherent explanation, speaks are floored at a 29.

• Turns case on DAs. Turns case does not mean that you also read an internal link card to the aff's impacts. Turns case means that the DA turns the solvency mechanism of the aff. A good turns case is floored at a 29. A bad turns case is capped at a 29.

• Debating slow. I personally find speed to be incredibly strategic. I also find it to be incredibly grating. If you debate at a circuit level slowly, speaks are floored at a 29.2 and I will probably give you more leeway on implicit clash. No penalty for debating fast.

• If you go for self harm good, I will vote for the other debater and give you the lowest speaks possible. If the other debate asks me to stop the round, I will stop it. This does not mean you cannot read death good, just no Liggotti.

• If you use Patrick Fox as a reason policy affs are good, I will cap your speaks at a 27.

LD

I like LD theory when it's about content. I'm not especially fond of it when it's about form. That translates to content=default to competing interps and form=default to reasonability. These positions are not set in stone as every argument is winnable. RVI's make sense to me on theory arguments but not on T. That being said, I still tend to not like them as I did Policy for most of high school. Please slow down on all of these. I'm not familiar enough with judging these debates to catch the intricacies of your arguments at the same speed I can hear your read cards about hegemony and capitalism.

T RVIs probably need to be all 3 minutes of the 2AR and dropped by the neg. Theory RVIs need to be all 3 minutes of the 2AR. The greater the number of theory/T shells, the more likely I am to buy an RVI.

Don't use big analytical philosophy words you never define. I will not understand them. I will most likely understand any big critical philosophy words you never define. This is not true in every instance, so please define them all to me. I'm very familiar with philosophy but not the way it's talked about in LD.

Tricks have to be full arguments from the get go. LD is hard enough when there isn't any sandbagging, and down right impossible when there is.

If you read DAs/Plans/Ks/Performance/Things read in Policy, read below

POLICY

Affs:

You do you. I did performance, kritikal, and policy affs. I was a 2A for most of high school and and college. Please have fully explained internal link structures. I will vote neg on presumption if I have no clue what the aff does.

The worst part of any aff is always the internal link. Please have a rigorous explanation of what your aff does and how that process changes the status quo to solve your impacts.

Survival strategies are very important but I would prefer if they were tied to a method outside the ballot.

I think inherency is important.

Framework/T-USfg:

Most debates that I judge center on this question. I tend to view framework as competing interpretations of the kind of debates we should be having. What does this mean for you? A) I'm probably less interested in hearing your impact turns to framework. B) The neg probably still has to answer case. C) I am very interested in the TVA. D) I am very interested in creative definitions of the words in the resolution.

I'm probably more interested in interesting FW interpretations than I am in T-USfg.

I used to coach in Morocco. This means I tend to hold aff teams going for no CI + Impact turns to a higher standard than most judges.

I am fairly persuaded by the argument that "should" denotes action, while "ought" denotes theoretical underpinnings. Feel free to change my mind.

T:

T debates are awesome when there is clash, but that can sometimes be more dependent on the topic than on the debaters (I'm looking at you education topic). I went almost exclusively for T my first year in policy debate but didn't the next three years. I usually judge this in an offense/defense paradigm but I can be persuaded by a highly developed reasonability argument.

I am probably good for a debate about the terms of art in the topic. Probably bad for grammar.

My default understanding of competing interps vs reasonability is that competing interps is preponderance of evidence and reasonability is reasonable doubt. Feel free to change my mind.

DAs:

DAs are fun. Please have a counterplan or highly developed turns case. Turns case does not mean turns the impact, it means turns the solvency mechanism of the plan. Turns the impact is probably impact framing, so see below.

Politics:

Politics can either be a lot of fun, or an absolute disaster. I am not up to date on what is occurring in the political landscape unless it involves financial institutions in the US. Please take this into consideration.

I am probably more susceptible to an intrinsicness/fiat solves argument than most judges.

CPs:

All CPs are justified until proven otherwise. Some CPs hold up poorly to theory arguments, others hold up well. Advantage CPs with one aff advantage impact turned are great debates.

Textual competition seems silly. Functional competition and opportunity costs seem important. Feel free to change my mind.

I generally tend to think CP theory as a justification for a permutation, rather than a reason to drop the arg/debater. I can be persuaded otherwise, especially by arguments such as solvency advocate theory or object fiat bad.

Judge kick on an instinctual level is bad because I think strategic choices are one of the best things students learn in debate. Fell free to change my mind though.

Judge kick is probably an additional world in a condo debate context. Please consider this when writing your interps.

Ks:

At TOC-type tournaments, great! At NSDA-type tournaments, probably not the best idea.

This is the second most popular argument in front of me. I can probably count on one hand the number of round judged this year that did not include some for of K debate.

I read Ks back in the day. I read critikal literature for fun. I'm probably up to date on your lit but please do your best explaining as I haven't read or been in a Baudrillard debate since 2017.

I am very familiar with Queerness, Agamben, Magical Realism, Settler Colonialism, and Cap. I am very comfortable with Afropessimism, Afrofuturism, Bifo, and Foucault. I am not very comfortable with Baudrillard just because he makes me feel uncomfortable. I can flow a Derrida or DnG round but don't expect me to know what any of the fancy words you say mean.

The link probably isn't as strong as the neg thinks, but also not as weak as the aff thinks, please clash on it. Anti-state links are just as annoying as state links even though I understand the strategy and think you should read them.

I'm probably not good for kicking the alt and going for the links as linear DAs. This has always seemed nonstrategic to me. If you're winning your theory of power necessary for the linear DA, you're probably ahead on FW or the alt.

Analytics:

Please for all that is good in this world, slow down. Debaters tend to go far too fast on these and if I don't catch your warrant I'm not very likely to buy your argument.

Case Defense/Turns:

This is the second least utilized part of the debate. Solvency cards are usually bad. Impact cards are always bad. Please capitalize on this. I will give you just as many speaker points if you go for a CP/DA, a K, or Dedev so please don't be worried about the argument that you choose.

CX:

This is the least utilized part of debate. Not because debaters don't try to use it (unlike the case debate) but because debaters don't know how to either A) not be rude little snots or B) don't know how to use it in a speech. If you use CX properly then you can win the debate nearly immediately, if you use it improperly you can lose the debate immediately.

I will flow cross if I think it has an impact on the round. I will probably flow cross if it doesn't have an impact on the round.

Every time you ask a question that shows you aren't flowing, I'm mentally deducting speaker points. Probably about .1 to .2

Impact Framing:

All positions require it, so be good at it. If neither team does it then I'll do it myself. Trust me, you don't want that happening. I generally default to probability > magnitude > timeframe. This is in no way set in stone so feel free to change my mind. You do not need cards to change my mind on this, just a well developed argument.

Performance:

My favorite aff I ever wrote was a queer ballroom X-Men magical realism aff. Go wild but have a compelling reason why I should sign your name, rather than the other teams, on this ballot.

General Thoughts

I was a 2A, if that matters.

The best way to win a round is clear judge instruction. I want to intervene as little as possible and that requires explicit instruction from the debaters. If you do not instruct me how to judge, my own bias will come into play. I don't want that, you don't want that, and your coach doesn't want that. The only person that does is your opponent.

I was a flex debater because I think debate is more fun when there is contestation on the content of an argument. I also was very bad at framework/T-USfg. Please keep this in mind when you decide to pref me for clash rounds.

Tech over truth generally, but truth can sometimes overcome tech when you are just patently false. If you have a two minute long explanation about how Bifo is a materialist because he has material impacts, and your opponent says you're on crack, I'm probably voting for your opponent. If you spend two minutes explaining how your specific argument takes into account materialism even if Bifo the author does not, and your opponent says your on crack, I'm probably voting for you. In both scenarios you're probably not materialist, but in the second I'm far more likely to give you the ballot.

I do my best to leave my biases outside the room, but that will always be a difficult thing to do.

If you want any other information about how I think feel free to email me or read John Henry Stearns' or Ali Abdulla's paradigms. One is my brother, the other is one of my best friends growing up. Both think very similarly to me and reading their paradigms might help.

Other people who influenced me, in order of impact: Andrew Garcia, Aron Berger, Michael Antonucci, Walker Perkins, Tillman Huett, Preston Stolte, Shaneal Harun, Steven Pipkin

Stolen from Patrick Fox. Mr. Stearns is my dad. If you call me Mr. Stearns, I will assume you would rather be judged by him and adjust my judging accordingly. Mrs. Stearns is my mom. If you call me Mrs. Stearns, I will assume you would rather be judged by her and adjust my judging accordingly.

I only flow warrants. If I am not actively flowing, it's probably because I don't think you have made an argument yet.

I am not a flow bot. I am human and will miss things. If you think something is important, make sure you tell me.

I would actively prefer if debaters spoke at a conversational pace. This does not mean that I can't flow your spreading, but talking normally is just a lot more comfortable.

If you read an ethics challenge and wish to stake the debate on it, I will stop the round and go to tab. If you do not stake the debate on it, I will not adjudicate it.

Subtlety is for cowards.

I have voted on presumption in about half of this year's debates.

I think I suck at writing ballots. I think I'm coherent while giving the RFD. Please let me know if I'm not. If you get your ballot back and it is illegible, please email me.

I tend to give RFDs very quickly. This is because I am at all times attempting to evaluate win conditions for each debater. I will try to be as informative and constructive in my RFDs as possible.

Having Fun

I know this is a competition, but please have fun with it. I know that I did and I hope you do too.

I'm here to assess your best. Be sure to offer perspective and well developed arguments that show a total understanding of the topic. How everything relates. For example, articulate the connection between funding and solvency - "if there's no money to pay for the enforcement/products/etc, then it can't work" type of conceptual development. There should be some sort of evidence to back up a theory, but too much evidence without depth is not enough to win an argument. Really answer the WHYs and the HOWs.

I value the speaking style as much as the quality of the material. Speeches should be a convincing presentation, effectively communicating ideas, bringing everyone in the room into the discussion. (read: Speaking like an auctioneer or the person in medicine commercials reading the side effect warning label isn't including the room or natural communication in any other setting. think: professor. politician. lawyer. TED talks.)

Specifics

CX: Not everything ends in nuclear war/annihilation. It hasn't before, so what's a realistic outcome NOW? Which other impacts are there that are massively damaging to people, society, culture, etc that have happened before and could happen again in the Aff scenario? Don't spread. If you "cross supply" an author or evidence, specify which arguments are important and WHY they are, in order to show the conceptual clash. (Flush out your ideas.)

LD: Most focus should be on answering the WHY's - WHY is this wrong in the status quo, WHY is this harming people, WHY should we help, type of questions. (If we took a plan to congress and said it would cost $78M, they wouldn't say, "sure!" instantly; it would be, "wow, a lot of money. why should we spend this?") Strong V/C clash.

Extemp: Clear organization. Engaging speaking. Sources. Thorough development of what the question is asking - the context of the topic question.

Interp: Why did you choose this/these as a piece/s? Which aspect resonates with you...and why? Authenticity over emphatics. Natural and organic and what feels believable is more meaningful, for me, than a very dramatic and (overly) emotional interpretation of a scenario.

Specific Questions? I can BRIEFLY answer questions before the round.

I have been judging LD and PF debate off and on for roughly five years now and have a lot of experience with different styles of debate. In LD I am fine with most non-spreading (because I don’t want to read, not any inherent issue with spreading) levels of speed and can handle technical and progressive arguments so long as the speaker makes sure to clearly state how they expect their argument to be used in my decision making. The essential factor to remember is that LD is not a game where you just try to score points, but a game where you try to set up the rules so that your arguments count more than your opponent's. I believe LD is a fundamentally an abstract moral debate, not an empirical one and I will heavily prefer cases that rely on solid philosophical framework over cases that rely on dubious empirical claims. The skill we ought to be testing are analytical, not evidential. I do believe spoken rhetoric ought to be a component of LD's metagame, although I acknowledge it rarely is in the current moment where competitors prefer a format more similar to an essay contest. I will strongly prefer concise, straight-forward rhetoric over purple prose or intentional mystification.

IM PRETTY SURE I WROTE THESE PARADIGMS MANY YEARS APART AND DONT WANT TO EDIT THEM AGAIN (CHANCE - Jan 2023). TLDR: LD IS A MORAL DEBATE AND IM NOT GONNA READ YOUR CASE IF YOU TALK TOO FAST fr fr.

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My main votes in LD are relevancy and framework achievement. I believe LD is fundamentally a dialectical competition focused on moral philosophy and political theory, not an empirical slugfest. I want to reward research into philosophy, not weakly sourced current events minutiae. I find technocratic and policy speculation far less persuasive than well thought out theories of moral reasoning and/or political philosophy. I expect debaters to explain their arguments in a comprehensive way that either clashes with their opponent or reinterprets the subject of debate in a creative and compelling manner. I won't ever flow pedantic critiques standing in for substantive engagement with the core internal logic of your opponent's case. Creative cases are always a plus and I find judging the same tired, canned cases incredibly boring, not to mention it reflects poorly on the quality of the debater and their team when they haven’t even take the time to workshop their own arguments. Finally, you have to be having fun. If you want to do something really out there go for it!

I prefer PF rounds that are as clear as possible and competitors should show some attention to rhetoric and good faith debate as is expected of public forum. I also prefer you have fun in PF.