Hi! I've done parliamentary debate, public forum, interp speeches and platform speeches. I love creative arguments, extensive linkchains, and strong impacts. What this means is, while debating, don't just tell me that one small bad thing is going to happen. What are the consequences of that bad thing, and what new harms do these consequences cause?

I will do very little work for you on the flow, so when making refutations, please state explicitly which of your opponent's statements you are responding to, and please bring up when the other side drops points if you want your impacts to flow through.

Keep it chill and goofy in-round, don't attack your opponent, just their ideas.

I am a current high school speech and debater with experience in parliamentary debate, interp, impromptu, and am familiar with most events.

DEBATE PARADIGMS:

Off-time roadmaps are appreciated, and I am fine with mild spreading. I want to hear logical contentions, and for you to explain the reasoning behind your contentions with as much context as possible. I should not be confused by your standpoint or by what you are addressing. In other words, explain your arguments to me like I'm a five-year-old.

I value tech over truth arguments. Regardless of whatever you say in your point (unless it's offensive), I will go along with it! I believe that in the case of such arguments, it's up to the other side to disprove any claims made.

SPEECH PARADIGMS:

I look for speeches with minimal filler words/hesitations, and meaningful body language. To me, having an engaging speech is what matters most. For interp, I look for pieces with significant blocking, vocal variety, and skillful emotional portrayal.

SOME GENERAL DETAILS:

Timing: I would recommend that you time yourself, but I'm more than happy to provide time signals if needed.

Conduct: I expect you to be respectful to your opponents. I will reduce speaker points if you are disrespectful to anyone.

+0.5 speaker points for any time you make a reference to rubber duckies when speaking.

Most importantly, I want you to have fun! Good luck with your rounds!

Hello speakers and debaters!

My name is Rishi. I've been doing speech & debate for 2 years, and my main event is LD (Lincoln-Douglas) debate, although I've competed in speech events before at tournaments in the past. Here's my paradigm, I hope this helps you do well in your round! If you have any questions, email me at rishi.hoskote@gmail.com or 463500@bsd48.org (I check both often).

For speech (debate, skip over this):

I'm looking for speakers to do the following things:

1. Make sure you have a clear purpose, whether it's to persuade, inform, or entertain. Stay focused on the purpose throughout the speech.

2. Make sure the content of your speech is organized logically, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.

3. Deliver your speech with confidence and enthusiasm, using appropriate tone, pace, and gestures. Make eye contact with your audience/judge and engage them throughout the speech.

4. Connect with your audience/judge emotionally, intellectually, or both. This could involve using personal anecdotes, humor, or other forms of connection.

5. Use an appropriate style for the occasion, audience, and purpose of your speech. This may include the use of rhetorical devices, storytelling, or other forms of persuasive language.

6. Respect the time allotted for your speech and stay within the time limit. Make sure you still effectively communicate the main points within the allotted time.

7. Lastly, and this is arguably most important for me, maintain a high level of ethical behavior throughout the speech. This includes avoiding plagiarism, respecting the intellectual property of others, and refraining from using deceptive or unethical tactics.

For debate (speech, skip over this):

I'm looking for debaters to do the following things:

1. Present your arguments clearly, using concise and precise language. The arguments should be easy to follow and understand.

2. Provide evidence to support your arguments. The evidence should be credible, relevant, and persuasive (this applies to certain events more than others, so know the norms for your event).

3. Make sure your speeches are well-organized (off-time road maps definitely help, so please use them and stick to them). Each point should be developed systematically.

4. Use an appropriate style for the occasion, audience, and purpose of the debate. This may include the use of rhetorical devices, humor, or other forms of persuasion.

5. Make sure you're able to effectively refute the arguments of your opponents. I need to see that you have the ability to respond quickly and logically.

6. Make sure you're able to ask and answer questions effectively during cross-examination. This requires strong communication skills and the ability to think on one's feet.

7. Lastly, and this is arguably most important for me, maintain a high level of ethical behavior throughout the debate. This includes avoiding personal attacks, respecting the opponent's point of view, and refraining from using deceptive or unethical tactics.

Side note for debaters: please do not practice spreading. I will mark you down if you do it in your round.

Overall, make sure you have fun throughout the entire tournament! Show good sportsmanship to your opponents. I'm looking forward to seeing what you have prepared! Good luck everyone! :)

- Rishi Hoskote

Hello. I'm a member of the Sunset High School Speech & Debate team. I participate mainly in debate events, specifically Congressional and Parliamentary debate. While I have not competed in any speech events, I do have some experience with After Dinner Speaking. I'm looking for clear debates and speeches, and I will enjoy your speech more if you add humor into it (you won't be marked down for not including this though, it's just a personal preference).

Debate

When judging any form of debate, the main thing for me is that your points are clear and your speech is structured well. A speech that jumps around different points and is hard to follow will get fewer points. As for rebuttals, I want to see debaters address all of their opponent's points, and also be able to counter-argue well. In any case, do not try to use up more time by saying unimportant information. If you're done giving your points and rebuttals, you're done with your speech. I would like you to avoid speaking fast since it's my first time judging, and while I will understand any debate terms that you wish to use, I would prefer if you didn't use them too much.

Speech

I don't have a lot of expertise in speech events, so I would prefer if you kept your speech to a moderate speed and spoke loudly so that I can clearly understand your speech. In most events, I would like some emphasis on body language, hand movements, etc. Just don't overdo it. Again, I don't know much about speech events, so if this isn't part of your event or is not allowed, then ignore that part.

Good luck, and have fun!

-Sahit

Debate

• Don't thank your judges excessively before or after rounds. I understand you're trying to show respect but we can skip all the pleasantries. I won't dock you points, but please don't do it in the round.
• I don't care how fast you speak as long as you enunciate. I will flow but it's up to you to signpost to make sure your case is coherent and to summarise all your points.
• Tech over truth
• +1 speaks every time you add ducks to your speeches
• I'm not strict on time. I would rather have quality over quantity in terms of the argument. Don't ramble on to fill the time I do not care.

Speech

• I have dabbled in POI but I'm a debate person, not a speech person so let me know if there are any nuances that I should be aware of. I do have an understanding of most speech events.

Hello! My name is Sahana Muthaiya and I am a student at Sunset High School.

I have experience in prose(interp), radio, and public forum debate.

Debate:I am fine with spreading as long as it is still understandable. I would prefer that you provide context for any argument made so that I can weigh in on all factors before making a decision. Be respectful to everyone in round(it will affect your speaker points).

Speech:I value good eye contact, little-to-no hesitation, and a confident tone. While doing interp, make sure to have a variety of emotions and embody your character well.

Good luck!

DEBATE:

Good:

• Signpost
• Be Clear
• Ask argumentative questions.
• Explain why your points flow through and why your opponent's points do not.

Bad:

• Don't be TOO mean (Unfortunately people do not like mean people so don't be mean, I guess. BUT a little bit of banter is accepted and welcomed, and I won't mark you down for it. BUT LIMIT IT)
• Don't shout to get points across. You shouting just explains to me you have no idea what you're saying.
• Basic etiquette must be respected (do not interrupt, do not communicate to your partner too loud while your opponent is speaking, etc.)

Create an entertaining debate with limited banter! I enjoy arguments and conflict, so I want clash in points not definitions.

DEBATE

1. Sign - Posting

I would really appreciate it if you did this thing called signposting. It basically tells me where you are in your speech. This is helpful for not only me but also your opponents as well. You can say things like, "Our second contention is..." or "So, because of this factor, our solutions work." Things like that really help me to know where you are in your speech

2. Cross-Examination

In cross-examination, I will not be flowing anything, and this will not be used for the final decision of the debate's outcome. I won't be that picky about time. However, if you decide to ask another question after the time is done, that won't be allowed. If you have cards (For PF), don't use all the cross time to ask about those; preferably, you should ask more meaningful questions to the opponents.

3. Speed

I would really appreciate it if you talked at a slow to medium pace. This makes it easier for me to comprehend, and I will also be able to hear all you have to say better. So, I recommend that you speak slowly and clearly rather than fast to get way more points, and most judges would also agree. So, I would prioritize clearness rather than speed.

SPEECH

1. Vocal Inflection

I really like it when competitors use various tones for different emotions. This really helps set the tone for what you are talking about. This also makes me like you better as a person, as I can connect to you more. Try not to be monotone because you will lose some points.

2. Speed

I am not that picky about speed. However, I would recommend not talking at the speed of light. A slow to medium pace is much preferable because it helps me understand what you are talking about better and makes you seem more confident. So, I would be cautious about spreading (which is talking very fast) in a speech because most judges, including myself, will dock you on speaker points.

3. Time

Once again, I am not picky about time. I usually give a one-minute grace period, even if the event doesn't call for it, because I realize speaking can be terrifying. However, if you have to give a 10-minute speech but only go 6 minutes, that will cost you. I will time you, but you can also self-time yourself. I can also give you time signals if you want that as well.

BEHAVIOR

Most people know how to act; however, this is just a reminder to be cordial to all your opponents and me. If you or your team disrespect the opponents or me, I will not hesitate to take away a decent amount of speaker points from you or your team

If you have reached the end of this paradigm, give yourself a pat on the back.

Have fun speaking and debating,

-Sincerely, Kavin Ramadoss

DEBATE: No spreading please!!! Present your case loudly and clearly, and have good organization. Signposting is helpful. Keep a respectful debate, and explain examples if you’re going to bring them up: for example, if you use a historical event as evidence, give a brief summary of what it was and how it supports your contention.

I will judge the debate on both the flow / who had more solid and defended arguments, as well as speaking and structure. Just be confident and take a breath if you keep tripping up!

Have fun :)

Email Chain: shreemoyeesaha.15@gmail.com

FAQ:

Do I disclose in debate?

Nope, it goes against OSAA rules. You will find out in ballots, however, I will give you as much feedback as you want me to in your ballot. I can go from the general flow, to basic bullet points, to paragraphs - all you gotta do is specify!

Do I have to be added to the email chain?

No, it's optional. If you or your opponents want me to be added, start this chain before the round actually starts because I don't want to waste time setting up an evidence-sharing system. I'll only ask to directly look at evidence if it's a point of issue in the round.

General debate policy?

I am tabula-rasa and tech>truth. I will be flowing your speeches, not cross. I can take pretty much anything you throw at me as long as you support it thoroughly. I go by the rule that it is your burden to not drop an opponent's contention or refutation as much as it is yours to defend your own. I will not be flowing anything that's breaking the rules of the debate event even if your opponents don't refute it.

Debate speaks policy?

I'm pretty lenient with 30s! Attack the case, not the opponents. If you are homophobic/sexist/racist/anything along those lines, 0 speaks. 99% of the time, I won't give anything below a 25. Speak fast if you want, but don't spread. +0.25 points if you can incorporate a pun related to the resolution or topic somewhere in your speech.

SPEAKER POINT BREAKDOWNS

30:Excellent job, you demonstrate stand-out organizational skills and speaking abilities. Ability to use creative analytical skills and humor to simplify and clarify the round.

29:Very strong ability. Good eloquence, analysis, and organization. A couple minor stumbles or drops.

28:Above average. Good speaking ability. May have made a larger drop or flaw in argumentation but speaking skills compensate. Or, very strong analysis but weaker speaking skills.

27:About average. Ability to function well in the round, however analysis may be lacking. Some errors made.

26:Is struggling to function efficiently within the round. Either lacking speaking skills or analytical skills. May have made a more important error.

25:Having difficulties following the round. May have a hard time filling the time for speeches. Large error.

Below:Extreme difficulty functioning. Very large difficulty filling time or offensive or rude behavior.

General speech policy?

Have emotion, project your voice, use eye contact, and have hand gestures. Make sure your speech is well-structured and easy to follow. Pretty standard stuff.

As a judge, I try to have a pretty stoic face, so if you think I'm glaring at you, I'm not lol.

Feel free to contact me outside of the tournament about anything S&D. I will respond!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Hello everyone!

This is my fourth year doing speech and debate. I'm an impromptu captain at Sunset and a PF captain at Tumwater. Currently, I mainly do Public Forum, Impromptu, and Radio, but I know the basic format for pretty much any event you throw at me. S&D is insanely fun so I hope you guys feel the same amount of joy participating that I did! I know your captains have worked very hard for this, so make sure to thank them after your tournament :)) _______________________________________________________________________________________________

I hope everyone has tons of fun. Even if things don't turn out the way you want them to, it's okay! It's all part of the experience. Speech and debate is one of my favorite things to do, and I hope that becomes the case for you guys too!

Happy speaking and debating!

- Shreemoyee :)

Debate

Many things go into a successful and clean debate round that I look at. It can be brought down to 2 main things: What You Say, and What You Do. These apply to any types of debate events.

Speaking

Within debate it is important to portray your points clearly. Some things I look at are:

1. Signposting. Make sure to let me know where you are within your speech. This is something that should not only be for me but your opponents as well. This shouldn't have to be something left for interpretation. Some things I recommend you say are: "our impact...", "This brings us to...". Out right saying the words impact and link is something that I don't care about, in fact if done right it is a very helpful tool. Another way to make sure everybody knows what about to happen is with the use of Off-time roadmaps. I highly recommend the use of these and encourage it (Hint: Use them).

2. Speed. Public Forum/Parliamentary is structured so that one does not have to speak too fast like other debate events. Although I can understand spreading/fast reading, I don't condone it. I would rater you speak slow and clear. Anything important that needs to be said in a speech should be able to be said within the timings of that speech, and not read faster. Make sure to ask your opponents as well prior to doing so. As a practice make sure that clarity is a larger priority than speed.

3. Cross Examination. This is a portion of the round where the debaters take the wheel. I will not flow cross and nothing said in it will be counted towards my final ballot. That said, I do want a high quality cross though. This includes deep questions that really attack the opposition's case. Surface level questions that go no where make this portion a waste. This segment is often under rated, USE IT.

3. Cards/Evidence. This applies to Public Forum Debate. Cards are a big deal and asking for them isn't something that should be overlooked. Make sure to provide cards in cut format. This should be done via email, I just personally believe this to be the best way. Make sure to add me to email chains with these (453364@bsd48.org). During cross, make sure not to constantly just ask "What's your evidence for that?" and continue to ask follow ups. This goes back to asking deeper questions. Most of the time, the evidence is not required to be looked at. Also, if they fail to provide a card, as again nicely and not in a demeaning way in Summary or Final Focus speech. This will all be considered in Speaker Points and the Ballot. And if a card looks suspicious, hammer down on it. Make sure that if something does not flow through that I know it. False evidence is a powerful tool that can be used only if it is done correctly.

Behavior

While debating keep in mind somethings:

Make sure to enjoy the experience. If this is your first time, make sure to understand structure and tone rather than looking at a victory or loss. More than anything, I admire a clean debate. This includes debates not being one sided. If you feel defeated at any moment, make sure to not how it. Fight till the end. Make sure to attack cases, not opponents. It should go without saying to keep good sportsmanship.

Respect your opponents, partners and judges. It takes a lot to do this and everybody deserves respect for showing up. Debate shouldn't be something where you portray others as your enemies, it should be civil. It should feel natural and not a burden upon you or your opponents.

Rules and Ballots

Public Forum: Public Forum generally follows the 4-4-3-2 with 3 minute prep as per OSAA rules. Although I am aware that NSDA states 4-4-2-2 as their timings. I am ready for whatever we are comfortable with in round as long as everybody agrees.

Parliamentary: Parli follows a 7-8-8-8-4-5. This is usually the case all the time.

Lincoln-Douglas: I might be wrong with this but the timings for LD are to my understanding 6-3-7-3-4-6-3

*Note: I will not disclose Ballots at the end of a round

Have Fun!

-Saikapish Sahu

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FpFGDeqryYVR3kgXKDVaegBbB0W77I0uUJeb3kpLLus/edit?usp=sharing

a little bit about me:

-I go to Lakeridge High School, class of '25 and I use he/him pronouns. My main events are Lincoln-Douglas, impromptu, extemporaneous speaking. I have dabbled a bit in parli but am by no stretch of the imagination an expert. Feel free to email me before or after a round if you any questions at stuck26529@loswego.k12.or.us.

non-negotiables:

-I expect every person to make speech and debate an inclusive and accessible place. I will dock speaker points if you are mean or rude to your competitors, judges, or audience. The whole purpose of speech and debate is to have a forum to respectfully debate our ideas or talk about important issues, not a place to shame others out of competing (especially regarding those who are less experienced).

debate (parli, policy, PF, LD, congress):

-I can, in general, keep up with some level of spreading, but as stated above, if your opponent calls "clear", I expect you to make an effort to slow down or enunciate better. If you choose to spread, you are doing so at your own risk; if I can't hear what you're saying, I can't flow it.

-I am fairly tabula rasa which means that I will try to limit the amount of influence my outside knowledge has on the round. If your opponent says something that you believe is incorrect, point that out to me and tell me why that is incorrect.

-I really appreciate roadmaps, whether on-time or off-time, so I know where you're going!

-Your value and value criterion/weighing mechanism are there for a reason and I expect you to use them. In your voters speech, be sure to tell me why you have won the round, specifically by using the value and value criterion/weighing mechanism.

-Specifically for PF and policy: Full disclosure, I have never judged a round, written a case for, or competed in PF or policy. I know the basics, but because of this, please do not expect me to understand all of the jargon; please find another way to explain it to me other than with words I may not understand.

-Overall, be good people. Debate is supposed to be civil where you are attacking the argumentation, not the person. If you choose the latter, that's a great way to not win my ballot.

speech (impromptu, extemp, HI, DI, duo, POI, poetry, prose, interp, ADS, oratory, radio, inform):

-For interps:

-I really appreciate enunciation; it's easier to get your point across if I know what you're saying :).

-I also appreciate it if you have some blocking with your speech, but please don't overdo it to a point where it is distracting.

-Don't worry about memorizing your speech in its entirety, I'd rather have a speech that's fluid while occasionally looking at your speech then one that's choppy if you try to do the full thing by memory.

-Also, I'd enjoy it if your speech had some analysis of or tie in to the real world.

-For platforms:

-I would really like for you to have a roadmap in your speech to tell me where you're taking me.

- I would also love it if you had some sort of thesis or main idea for your speech that you stated explicitly.

-It would be fantastic if you had your speech completely memorized, but I won't mark you down for having a few slip ups. Feel free, if you need, to take a few seconds, breathe, and pick up where you left off. It will always better than trying frantically to recover from a mistake (speaking from experience).

-Please have jokes! Jokes keep your audience entertained, myself entertained, and you entertained as well. That being said, my same rules still go: do not be discriminatory, offensive, or rude when making jokes (this is a great way to be ranked last!).

Overall, have fun. You're here to have fun and so am I! Do not use your time to be rude to others or put them down. Enjoy this time you have while you still have it. Finally, believe in yourself, you're going to do amazing!

(Feel free to read my entire paradigm or just the parts that you need to know. Let’s be real, this paradigm is pretty long.)

Hi there!

I’m Chelsea and I’m a S&D competitor from Sunset High School. This is my 4th year doing speech and debate. Currently, my main events are open/varsity DI (dramatic interp) and open/varsity PF (public forum). I am familiar with other events, more so with speech than debate just because I’ve focused on DI a little more than PF.

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General paradigms: speech and debate should be fun! Always be kind, respectful, mature, professional, and a good sport. No one likes a sore loser. Learn new things about what to do and what not to do. Do your best. And of course, have lots of fun!

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Debate specific:

I will come into the debate pretending that I don’t know anything/have a minimal knowledge base about the resolution. It will be your job to educate me on what the resolution is and show me why your side is better than your opponents’. I will be flowing all speeches but will not flow cross-ex (crossfire). Therefore, if you or your partner catch something crucial in cross-ex, do not assume that I will have caught it and will remember it. It is your/your partner’s job to bring it up in the following speech.

Establish before the debate how you and your opponents will exchange cards if necessary before the debate. It’s preferable to not waste time during the debate deciding on how you’re going to work things out. An email chain usually works, and it’s up to you and your opponents if you want to add me as the judge to the email chain. I will not add whatever is sent in the email chain to my flows unless it’s brought up/has already been brought up in speeches.

My ballot will be for you and your partner if you: 1) have solid contentions, 2) have quality evidence, 3) refute your opponents’ contentions/rebuttals well, 4) have clear speech structures, and 5) give well-articulated speeches throughout, though my ballot will mainly be based on the first three points listed. Signposting is incredibly helpful, but only when used properly. Make sure that any debate jargon used is minimized, since your opponents (and even me) may not be able to understand what point you’re trying to get across. In fact, a lay judge (an inexperienced judge who basically has no idea what debate/speech is) should be able to understand what you’re saying. Use prep time, cross-ex time, and speech times wisely. I will not piece things together even if it’s the most obvious thing in the world unless you/your partner (or your opponents, yikes) point it out. That said, please provide a clear uniqueness-link-impact or claim-warrant-impact chain, though the first is definitely preferred, for each contention. This should be done with cards. Paraphrasing is okay, but remember it’s a very “Oregon” thing to do, which isn’t necessarily bad. But going back to the chains, notice that impacts are key to both types of chains.

During the debate, I may or may not be nodding to what you’re saying and may or may not look like I’m glaring at you. Nodding when you’re speaking doesn’t mean I agree with what you’re saying, and I will never be actually glaring at you. :) If I look at you and type something down, this does not mean I’m typing out something that’s necessarily bad. At the start of the debate, whether or not I know you or your opponents, this doesn’t mean I will be partial to you or your opponents in the round. Who I seem like I agree with throughout the debate may in fact be the one who loses the debate. That said, do not assume anything.

I don’t mind if things get a little heated, but rudeness and disrespect will never be tolerated. This includes swearing, being rude in general, disrespectful non-verbally, unnecessary interruptions, or anything similar. Swear words especially are a hard no-go. You will get a grand total of 0 speaks (speaker points) if a single swear word slips out, whether it was said out loud, whispered, or mouthed. I will be able to immediately tell the difference between a heated debate and a disrespectful debate. You will be marked down for it. Remember, attack contentions and points, not people!

Like my fellow judges, I won’t give below 25 speaks 99% of the time unless you do anything drastically wrong. Speaking fast is fine, just as long as both I and your opponents are able to understand what you’re saying. Spreading (speed reading) is a little riskier, but if your opponents ask you to slow down, please do so. Ignoring these requests may or may not mark you down, depending on the situation. If you’re the one making the request, never ask in the middle of speeches! Always make requests (not questions, that’s for cross-ex!) before and after speeches.

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Speech specific:

In general: I’m expecting a well-structured, organized, fully memorized speech. Minimal hesitations at all times if any. For you impromptu kids, your speech will of course be non-memorized, but be confident in what you’re about to say to make it seem as smooth as possible. And let me see some eye contact! Keep me engaged! I won’t fall asleep if you don’t, but I will get bored and mark you down (though this will most likely be a rare consequence).

Interp-specific: I doubt that any of you chose a piece because it’s boring, so show me that it’s not! I want meaningful blocking, strong emotional portrayals, and emphasis. Project your voice! Unfortunately, I will mark you down if you’re too quiet, no matter how good you are. Even if your character is meant to be a quiet person/being, make them quiet with an echo. Voice inflections and pace are extremely important as well. I should be able to follow your speech easily, so be sure to lay out your speech clearly and chronologically if possible. Clear climaxes are something that I will be looking for.

Platform-specific: Do not fill your speech with fillers (this means um’s and like’s). If you lay out a thesis/main idea of some sort, stick to it! Have a good amount of emotion, project your voice, use eye contact, and have hand gestures. Voice inflections, appropriate volume, and pace are essential to every speech. Jokes are all good fun as long as they’re not offensive to any particular person or any group of people. If this happens, you will get marked down. If you mess up, don’t worry too much about it, just try your best not to do it too much. Keep your cool. In addition, I’m expecting a topic that’s at least a little bit related to social justice & social issues to some extent.

If you made it all the way to the end of my paradigm, congrats! Get out there and have fun! I’ll see you around.

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- Chelsea (she/her)

Contact me for any additional info about my paradigm or for more info on your ballot: 469868@bsd48.org

Background:

I am currently a Hight school student competing in Open Public Forum and Prose for Sunset High School. I've been a debater for 5 years and counting. I started competing in Open Public Forum at the beginning of 2018 and I did speech events throughout these last three years, but debate is my focus. My pronouns are He, Him, and His

Enough about me...

General Approach:

Civility: I will absolutely not tolerate disrespect, discrimination, rude behavior, or anything that harms down your competitors, judge, or audience. We are here for educational purposes and to have fun. I will vote you down as this behavior inherently inhibits learning and enjoyment of this sport. I welcome vigor and passion in your arguments, but that does NOT allow you to target the people in the room just because you don’t agree with them.

Role as Judge: I try to come in as a judge under the framework of tabula rasa--blank slate. I do my best to limit any interference on my part (the only exception is a violation of civility as mentioned above) as I know how frustrating it can be as a competitor. Therefore, if you want me to vote on something or make an argument with complex links, you need to tell me and explain the links of the argument. I am not going to come in with any assumed knowledge, so if you are arguing on "common sense" you still need to do the leg work of what that argument entails. I will not do the work for you in making and furthering your arguments. On your ballot, I will give suggestions of how to make your arguments better, but I will not factor that into my reason for decision. I AM A FLOW JUDGE. I will vote off of what is on the flow, and I will flow anything you say as long as you tell me where on the flow you are (look to next section).

Organization: This is key to effectively communicating your arguments. PLEASE use off-time or on-time roadmaps (I don't care which, just tell me which one you are doing), signpost, use tag-lines, list your number of responses/links/impacts, etc. This makes it easier for me to track and flow your arguments, so when I am making a decision I am looking at all of the arguments you made in comparison to your opponents.

Importance of Impacts: Impacts are the reasons your arguments matter!! Vocalize them PLEASE. Why does your argument matter? Crystalize these during your last speeches.

Speed: I don't care if you talk fast. I am comfortable with all speeds, however, if your competitor asks you to slow down please respect that and do so to the best of your abilities.

Timing: I prefer that you time yourself. I will give you time signals if needed, but I do prefer to focus on flowing. I don't mind if you go a few seconds over so that you may finish your sentence, however, please do not go over 30 seconds, I will stop you if you reach that point.

Parliamentary Debate:

* Please be mindful of what type of resolution you have (policy, value, fact) and make sure you are doing some resolution analysis so that you are making applicable arguments (i.e. don't run a plan on a value resolution).

* Respect each other time for questions. Ask the questions you need, but do not take up more than a minute or so of their speech for questions. Additionally, if you cannot get to a question that is okay, but does not say "I will get to it at the end of my speech" and then say "sorry I can't take questions now that I am in protected time" (this was an old pet peeve of mine). Also, PLEASE do not stand up for a question and try and just make a comment/argue your own points, you will have your time to argue in your own speech.

* Run whatever you want (as long as it is applicable to the resolution). I am, as a tabula rasa judge, open to any type of argument and support debaters who take risks. If you want to run a K, topicality, permutation, inherency/harms press, counter plan, etc. just please provide correct structure! Other than that, I am happy to hear any type of argument, I actually encourage it as you learn a lot from it.

Public Forum Debate:

* Please do not make your debate about "do you have a source for that?" Evidence IS important as you need substantial support for argument validity, however, if you can logically explain an argument that can be generally understood/agreed upon by the public, a source is not necessarily required. (I have been asked before if I had a source for what the First Amendment entailed...this is unnecessary and takes away from the actual debate at hand).

* Please make sure your summary speeches are crystallizing the main points of the clash. Start narrowing the entirety of the flow to the main points of the clash and why you have won them. The voter speech is best used when you actually do voters instead of doing line-by-line refutation (same goes with summary speech).

* Showing evidence is important in understanding what the source says. If the source says differently than what is paraphrased, call attention to it and I will look at the source myself if need be. I recommend having your partner look at the evidence shown during the crossfire while you continue asking questions so you can get the most out of your time. Please have evidence available for opponents or myself if called for, and be able to highlight/point to the part of the source where you are pulling from.

* I am quite open to any arguments that you want to run. As the rules state you cannot run formal plans/counter plans in Public Forum Debate as this is supposed to be an accessible form of debate, but I will of course listen to and be open to more unique arguments or approaches.

* Please adhere to my civility paradigm at the top, especially as crossfire tends to run into trouble in that area.

Policy Debate:

* My main thing for this form of debate is civility! Policy gets heated, but always remain respectful to those in the room.

* You are of course able to run any argument, just stay organized.

* Please don't assume I know about the topic, again, I approach debates with tabula rasa — Blank Slate.

Lincoln-Douglas Debate:

* This is the one format of debate I do not have personal experience in, but I am very familiar with the format and norms of this style. The general debate comments apply, otherwise, you are open to running the round how you would like.

Hello! I am Alice Thomas, my pronouns are she/her, and I attend Lake Oswego High School.

I primarily have debate experience in parliamentary and public forum.

When judging speech I will stick to what the purpose of the event is and how well you follow through on what is required in terms of speaking skills. I value creativity and development of your topics, please make them entertaining to watch.

When judging debate I prefer to look at the skill of the debaters and team rather than just the ethical element of your first speech by itself. How persuasive can you be? Why is your case logically superior to that of your opponents? How well do you understand the purpose of the topic and the structure of the debate? If you have better arguments than your opponent but you fail to refute properly when your opponents did, I will be voting for the other side.

As a second speaker myself, I value an excellent refutation speech that brings your opponent's case down while uplifting your own. I also appreciate good teamwork with partners and sportsmanship with other teams. This should be an engaging experience to grow and develop as a public speaker, and I aim to give thorough feedback.

All in all, I hope you will have a good time at the tournament, and I wish you good luck!

Parliamentary Debate:

a) I am very tech over truth.

What this means is that I view debate and argumentation as a game to win, rather than who simply has the "best" or most "truthful" case. For example, if Aff says that the sky is yellow and Neg doesn't say anything, I will buy that the sky is yellow. If you don't extend arguments or framework, if you don't give me voters, I will vote against you.

b) When framework clashes come into play, defend your framework and how you weigh your round. Show why I as the judge should view the debate through the lens that you set up. You must win that battle. The same goes for definitions, albeit less important. If you lose either of these two, I will likely have trouble buying your entire case, regardless of the actual arguments.

c) I like it when there are clear impacts that are presented in your speeches that have good links to them, as with a strong, well-organized, and meaningful voters speech to make it last in my head.

d) Additionally, during refutations especially, I'd like to see time being managed well and attempting to refute every argument the opponent makes, and would also like to see your own arguments being repaired and extended because without that you have no more offense to me. Re-iterate your arguments and explain why they still matter. Arguably, this is more important than the actual refutation itself.

e) I enjoy it when you can creatively interpret the resolution, especially in parliamentary debate, so long as you can justify why your interpretation is correct.

f) Overall, the quality of your speaking doesn't really matter as much as it would an IE, but speak clearly and don't go too fast or slow, so that it's easier for me to flow.

Public Forum Debate:

a) A bit of history on the origins of Public Forum Debate:

Public forum debate was originally created as an antidote to the often highly technical policy debate (something you'll hear about in high school). In fact, it was the founder of CNN, Ted Turner, who first introduced the idea for this type of debate, which originally bore his name (Ted Turner Debate). He wanted to create a space where debaters could convince an audience of people who were not knowledgeable about a subject matter to vote for them.

b) In the spirit of Ted Turner, I believe that as Public Forum debaters, you should do your best to convey your ideas in a clear manner. Even in high school, the judges for PF are often lay judges, so I will pretend I know very little about the resolution. It, therefore, is up to you to inform me of what you are talking about.

c) Public Forum is an evidence-based debate. What this means is that I look for strong evidence and strong backing of evidence. If you cannot present evidence in a manner that is convincing, I will have trouble believing your case over your opponents'.

d) Remember that your case is only half of your debate!!! While I cannot emphasize preparing well in advance for Public Forum, you can still win a round with worse evidence than your opponents; it's a matter of how you use your speaking to appeal to me as a judge.

e) See points c and d for parliamentary debate. Keep point b in mind, but I will emphasize that a lot less in PF.

f) Points a and e in parliamentary debate do NOT apply at all to PF. Parliamentary debate is a different style from PF.

g) The quality of your speaking matters more in PF than in parliamentary debate. However, I do not expect the same quality as a dramatic interpretation; it should be calm and informative.

Furthermore, since public forum is meant to inform a lay judge, I will be a lot more strict on aggressiveness than in parliamentary debate. I want you to be nice to your opponents. The only exception is during crossfire; I want to see good questions asked, and a bit of (respectful) pressing here and there is acceptable and encouraged. Just don't seem mad.

Speech:

I will judge based on how good your speaking quality is and how well you're able to organize your ideas. Organization is something that I place a great amount of importance in; it's important to be able to convey your ideas clearly.

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In general, just be nice to each other and don't say rude things to your opponents.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at albert.a.wang@vanderbilt.edu.

Most importantly, have a good time!

In your final speech, if you address me as "Judge Albert", I will know you have read through my paradigm and I will be very happy.

EDIT: Please don't feel any pressure to do the above in the final round at Nationals.

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My Points Scale:

30: You killed it. Absolute genius.

29: That was pretty epic

28: Excellent Job

27: Great Job

26: Good Job

25: Could use some adjustments

24 or below: You probably had some theory issues

Note: I will probably give you lower scores than other judges. That's just how my system works.

Also, if you get 28 or above, that's a very significant accomplishment. I don't give many scores above a 28.

“Stop talking, start speaking”

I compete in varsity PF and radio commentary for Sunset High School (‘26).

Debate:

• Weigh arguments for me. I will only judge what you lay down for me on the table.
• Say things because they are meaningful, not for the sake of saying them.
• I'm pretty good with speed as long as you articulate clearly. Don't eat your sentences, speak them.
• I like signposting.
• Technical debate jargon is mostly fine. Don’t overuse it.
• Don’t ask for cards in cross. Ask outside of speeches. Especially if you are first-speaking, don't wait until cross to ask.

Speech:

• You wouldn't perform a piece on something boring, so show me that it's not.
• Inflection, fluency, and gesticulation are important to me.
• Be organized and speak clearly.
• It's fine if you stumble as long as you keep yourself together and act like it never happened.

Overall:

• Let me know if you want time signals before your round begins.
• I don’t want to hear anything negative about other debaters, judges, or staff.
• Be mature and respectful.
• This is a place to learn and get support, so have fun!

Questions about my ballot? Email 461932@bsd48.org.

Johanna Wu 10th grade student from Lincoln High School.

Debate specific:

Don't spread, I prefer when someone is knowledgeable and well spoken.

I also appreciate roadmaps, off-time or on-time and signposting. Good framework is important for good speeches

For PF, I believe that cards are important and to always cite sources, and it's good to always try an ask questions in crossfire.

Additionally, remember that if your opponent states that the grass is blue, the grass is blue until you point out their mistake. If your opponent states something blatantly wrong, don't be afraid to call it out because otherwise their point flows through.

You will be marked down if:

• Talking loud enough during your opponents' speech to distract them
• Acting toxic
• Rude behavior in general.

PERSONAL STUFF: Lake Oswego Senior High School '23. Columbia '27. Aspiring philosophy major. she/her/hers. I want to be on the email chain - lingyuezhang12@gmail.com. 4 years of LD. I consider myself a failed progressive debater; I went to camps, competed in bid tournaments (mostly online), did ok for myself, but I ended up doing much better on the local/traditional circuit.

ARGUMENTS: Equally fine with pretty much everything (policy, T, theory, phil, Ks). I'll vote on disclosure, frivolous theory, RVI, I can't think of anything else that people consider sus that I need to clarify rn but email me if you want to know. Not a fan of tricks but I've never really seen them before, so if you're brave you can be the one to try and convince me they're super cool and good. I don't care if you spread but I'm not a great flow-er, so it's probably to your advantage to send analytics and go a bit on the slower side.

My biggest paradigm is accessibility. I will not tolerate debaters who make the debate space less accessible to others. This can be through being disrespectful in or out of round, but can also be in the arguments you run. It is my firm belief that a good debater, whether progressive or traditional, can adapt to both their judge and their opponent. I don't care if this cramps your style or makes me a bad judge. Deal with it.