I like a nicely structured debate. Making the framework and definitions clear is important. However, I do not like for this to carry on. Make the structure clear and move on. You should not still be debating what the framework is in your last rebuttals.

I look for quality sources, not quantity

Debates that build off each other are the best. Don't debate at me, debate with your opponent.

I also look for speaking style. Since I am primarily a speech judge, I take speaking skills into account. Mumbling, speaking monotonously, over using hand movements, and stumbling will rank you lower.

Lastly, I just want the argument to make sense. Don't give me a convoluted, overly complex argument. Make it make sense.

Hi all! I am the Head Coach of Speech and Debate at Pinecrest High School in North Carolina. I am a former extemper with pretty deep knowledge of the happenings in the world.

LD & PF

--I am fine with speed, but remember with speed comes the risk I won't get it on the flow. If you see me stop typing/pen is no longer writing/I am staring blankly at you, consider that your cue to slow down.

--Make sure to differentiate your sourcing. Authors' last names are great, but tell me where the source comes from first. John Doe from the Council on Foreign Relations in 2022 sounds better than Doe 22. After that, you can refer to the source as CFR or Doe and I'm good on what you are referring to.

--Please weigh. Please. You have to do this in order for me to be able to determine a winner.

--Respect. Respect your opponents, partner (if in PF), self, and the host school. Competitive debate is a great activity; but you must maintain some sense of decorum throughout your time in the round.

Congress

--When you go to an in-house recess to determine splits, or inquire as to why no one is speaking, you have done yourself and your fellow competitors a disservice by not being prepared. Please avoid this as much as possible.

--I'm fine with rehashing arguments to a point, but you need to add more evidence to support this rehashed point. Something niche and unique that can catch the opposing side off guard.

--Presiding Officers: thank you for volunteering to run the chamber. Please only defer to the parli when you are unsure of certain procedure.

What I'm looking for is a clear, concise argument. Humor is appreciated, but all jokes should be in good taste. I want to see good preparation from competitors as well asadaptability- if you don't have something written, and the splits are bad, switching sides shows dedication. Questioning is an essential part of debate, so you should do that. Zoning out and only speaking when necessary will not do you any favors. Decorum is also an essential part of debate. You should be not just courteous but kind to your competitors. PO's should not just be charismatic but quick as well. The most consistent issue I see across tournaments is PO's taking too long to find the next speaker, whether it be during questioning or actual speeches. Other than that, do your best and pay attention.

Hey everyone!

I'm Vansh, a first-year out. I did congress for 4 years and competed on the national circuit. I hope you all can take away something from this activity that used to be such a big part of my life!

The first and most important thing I'm going to be looking for within speeches is just the fundamentals: make sure you have proper speech structure and outlines. I should be able to tell what your claim, warrant, data, analysis, and impacts are. As a judge, I'm not going to try to figure out your speech for you, be coherent and make sure your speech has a clear sense of direction.

The most important parts of your speech are your warrant and your impact. Make sure you emphasize these parts of your speech the most as these explain why your argument is true, and why your argument matters. Speeches without these are hard to follow or are insignificant within the round. Along those lines, make sure your arguments have clear link chains. If you know that there are logic holes within your link chain, then chances are I'm going to be able to recognize them.

Make sure you understand your position in the round and interact with your colleagues. If you are a sponsor or an early-round speaker, explain the bill and set up a framework for your side. If you are in the middle of the round, extend upon the previous arguments and have rebuttals against the opposing side. If you're a late-round speech, crystalize and weigh the arguments and impacts in the round. The debate doesn't exist in a vacuum, so make sure you address other people in the round! Most of the time when people hear this they immediately think of refutation, but there are so many other ways to interact with the debate. You can set a framework, extend on previous impacts, crystalize, set a burden for a side to prove, etc. The interaction within congressional debate is what makes it unique from other events and is also what makes it enjoyable, so embrace it!

Lastly, have fun! I know this sounds super corny, but genuinely the best debaters in the circuit are the ones that enjoy it the most. I know debate can be sucky at times, prep can be really hard and annoying, and rounds can feel intimidating, but I do think there is some beauty within all of it. Try to appreciate the fact that you all are modeling an actual congress, are challenging your perspectives, and are trying to find solutions to genuine issues that occur in the real world.

Debate was a big part of my life in highschool and I hope you all are able to take away as much as I did from it. I look forward to seeing y'all in round!

I am primarily a speech coach, so effective public speaking and rhetoric skills appeal to me. I prefer debates that stay centered on the topic to kritiks. Please no spreading. I don't mind fast-paced arguments, but I'd like to be able to flow what is happening effectively, and for that to happen, I don't want to be missing huge chunks of your argument because of speed. Thanks!

I am a head coach and have been coaching for thirteen years. I thoroughly enjoy all of the events that our organization sponsors and deeply appreciate the critical thinking and communication skills they promote. For debate, I can appreciate a range of styles and approaches. While I don't mind a brisk speed when it is necessary to incorporate a variety of legitimate arguments in case or rebuttal, when it is used primarily as a weapon to overwhelm an opponent with accusations of dropped cards (in particular), I admit my patience can grow thin. You also don't have to win every bit of the flow (or pretend to) to win a round for me. You may even honestly concede minor points and cards/warrants. The important thing is to win the main arguments, wherever they happen to occur in the flow. Therefore, your job is to help me weigh what the most essential arguments are towards the end of the round. That is not to say that I don't value line-by-line coverage of the flow in rebuttal, and that dropped points are of no concern. And it is possible that accidentally dropping major points (usually by poor time distribution) could result in a fairly automatic loss. It's just that all things being equal, I value winning the major points of the debate over thoroughness of coverage.

Be engaging and creative. Please do not be over-the-top with your expressions. I will take off if you speak too fast or I can't understand what you're saying.

I have been judging speech events since 2021. I look for presenters with a clearly demonstrated personal connection to a presentation/performance, no matter what the topic is. I also look for clear points or messages delivered with impact, whether that impact is made through strong argument or delivery, effective use of structure/wording, or compelling emotion.

I have been judging all forms of Speech and Debate for 5 years. I competed in Congress during my time as a competitor

I prefer to have a structured debate that has a progressive flow on both sides of the argument. Aggressive debate is fine but competitors should remain cordial to each other throughout the debate. All debate is point structured, so the win or loss is allocated to the competitor who both makes the better point and defends best against their opponent.

Organization is key for me as a judge. Your debate needs to follow a logical order with cohesiveness, if I can't understand the argument than I will have a much harder time judging it.

The most important aspects of a debate in terms of wins and losses is an evidence based approach that addresses all arguments in a manner of completeness. Leaving an opening within the debate is a sign of lack of preparation and will be judged accordingly. I expect all competitors to be aware of NSDA rules and regulations within their debating structure.

-2x LD nat'l qualifier many moons ago in Kansas City, MO ('98 and '99)

-secondary event was International Extemp (formerly Foreign Extemp)

-ranked #3 among first-year debaters in National College Parliamentary Debate while at Duke ('03)

-(volunteer) coached LD at Cary Academy while at Duke and later for a few seasons about six years ago

excited to be involved in speech and debate again!

Former PF Debater

Prefer more traditional, big picture PF debate.

Slow down, weigh, warrant, create a narrative.

I am an assistant coach, this is my second year coaching, third year judging. I am a teacher certified in English Language Arts and have actively taught high school for 5 years. My notes and comments tend to follow my flow/train of thought as I type as I go, making comments as I see things.

For my first two years of judging, I have almost exclusively judged speech events with debate/congress sprinkled in, however this year I have been judging mostly LD.

I have never gone into a round and found a student I wanted to do poorly. I want you to succeed as much as you want to succeed.

Paradigm for LD

Construction of Message:Is your argument well-thought? Is your resolve interesting? Does your evidence support your claims? Are you claims tied together and supporting each other? Does your argument flow in a logical way that makes it easy to follow by only listening, and not reading?

Delivery of Message:Are you speaking slowly and clearly enough that the judge can actually process what you are saying? (this is a speech and debate competition, not a race). Do you command the room when you speak, without being overbearing? Can the judge hear what you are saying without straining?

Evidence of Engagement:Are you actually listening to you fellow competitor? Do you make points in questioning and rebuttal that are based on what your opponents said, and not just what you thought they said? Are you adapting to the way the round is flowing?

Construction of Rebuttal:Are you able to use their Value to support your own argument? Are your counterclaims based in evidence? Are you pointing out any logical fallacies? If you raise a concern about something in your opponents case (ex: you accuse them of cherry-picking), is your case safe from similar scrutiny?

Decorum: Are you behaving in a way that reflects well on yourself, your coach, your school, and the District?

Paradigm for Congress

How I Rank:While the ballot on Tabroom only has a place to score speeches, it is not unlikely that room is full of great speakers. To fairly rank the room, I have a personal spreadsheet where I score individual speeches, as well as the categories below, to help separate the "great speakers" from the "great congresspersons". Think of it like a rubric for your English class project. Speeches are the biggest category, but not the only one.

Speeches:Do you provide a unique perspective on the bill, and not simply rehashing what has been said in the round already? Do you back up your reasoning with logos, ethos, AND pathos? Is your speech deep, instead of wide (more detail on one specific aspect of the bill, rather than trying to cover all angles of the bill)? Do you write with a clarity of style and purpose, with a good turn of phrase? Do you engage your listeners? Do you respond well to questions?

Questioning:Are your questions thoughtful and based on listening closely to the speaker, and what they actually said? Are your questions brief and to the point? Do you avoid simple yes or no, gotcha style questions? Does your questioning have a clear line of thinking? Do you connect questioning to previous speeches? Do you avoid prefacing?

Decorum:Do you follow the rules of the chamber? Do you follow speaking times? Do you speak calmly and collectedly? Do you ask or answer questions assertively, without being aggressive? Do you respect your fellow speakers?

RP:Do your speeches reflect that you are a congressperson, and not a high school teenager? Do you think of your constituents? Do you consider yourself a representative of your state or District? Do you allow your RP perspective to make your speeches better, and not become a distraction? Do you participate in motions, seconding, etc?

Knowledge of Rules:Do you have an obvious and clear understanding of the rules? Do you follow them closely? Are there any egregious breaking of the rules?

Special Consideration for the Presiding Officer:The Presiding Officer is marked for one "speech" per hour. This score is a reflection of how well they perform the specific duties of PO. It concerns knowledge of the rules (at a higher expectation than the average congress competitor), the efficiency of the room, the fairness of the PO, and the demeanor of the PO (should be calming and welcoming). I also look at them for decorum and RP.

Ashton Swinney, Senior Intelligence Analyst - Fort Bragg, NC

Background:

I am an Intelligence Analyst that works for the US Military. I have spent over 10 years in the role. My job has made me very familiar with public speaking, albeit within a military framework.

With that in mind, while I am adept at picking up jargon pretty fast, I am not familiar with the colloquialisms/slang of this organization quite yet. So I would ask that you keep that in mind.

I expect all arguments to remain professional and respectful. You may speak at what pace works best for you, as long as you are speaking clearly and concisely. I am used to listening to my audiobooks/podcasts/videos at 2-2.5x speed, so I don't expect speed to be an issue unless what you are saying is said poorly enunciated. Please do not test how much you can say in one breathe though.

I don't care if you sit, stand, or talk with your hands.

If the tournament allows it, I'll disclose the decision at the end of the round after I have submitted my ballot.

Hello and good luck! I’m data-driven and rational person. I will look for a logical flow and prefer you stayed on topic or only include relevant information. I enjoy diversity of thought and opinion. I make every effort not rely on my own beliefs but focus on the evidence presented.

Hi, I am a parent judge and new to judging.

• Please speak and enunciate clearly, I generally do not like spreading.
• If you have a document for your speech, send it to me! I'd prefer not to miss anything.
• Keep track of your own speech times, I would not like to cut you off.
• Don't assume previous knowledge, if you'd like me to know something, tell me.

I am a lay judge. While I may not have direct experience in debate, I have an understanding of PF concepts and how the rounds work at a basic level. I have a Ph.D in communication, and I teach public speaking and interpersonal communication in college, so I value the importance of your communication skills, argumentation, and overall persuasiveness. Make your points clearly, engage with other's arguments respectfully, and have impactful communication.

Please time your own speeches and prep time. I will try to keep track, but I appreciate you doing it for me. I appreciate some level of moderate pacing of speeches as well.

Thank you.

Note:

This is her son and I'm a second year LDer. My Mom usually judges speech and she's never judged an actual debate round before so you're going to have to explain all jargon very well (even the basics: turn, link, internal link, de-link). Also be aware that she's brand new to flowing as well so make sure to have an off-time roadmap and to have clear signposting.

Overall, just go slow, signpost well, and weigh clearly and you'll get the W 30.