I am a Mechanical Engineer/parent. In your debate, make no assumptions of prior knowledge of subject area. Explain your arguments and evidence clearly, prioritize clear and concise arguments, logical reasoning, and real-world impacts.

Focus on explaining your points in a way that's accessible to someone unfamiliar with debate jargon. Additionally, emphasize the importance of values and ethical considerations in the round.

It is very important that I understand how your arguments relate to/and address the resolution.

Be respectful of your opponent’s especially while rebutting their arguments.

Please speak with typical conversation speed, if you speak too quickly, I will have to disregard information that I missed.

Please always use of evidence and sources, both analytical and empirical, to demonstrate your arguments.

Tell me why you believe win this debate, don't make me have to guess.

I have been a parent judge since November 2022. I have primarily judged LD but have judged one round of Parli. Please speak clearly at moderate speed so that I can understand your arguments. Please be polite to your opponent. Please provide sufficient evidence for your arguments when asked by your opponent. Don’t introduce new evidence in final speech.

My name is Pari Ambatkar. I am a new judge and hence I would request you to speak at a normal pace and clearly. It would be great if you could stick to the timings prescribed by the tournament. Please ensure you track the time.

This is my first year judging debates. I have a fairly neutral perspective and am keen on listening to data driven arguments. Previously, I have extensive experience competing in debates as a participant.

hi everyone!

my email is: aaathreya2@gmail.com

pronouns -she/her

background: currently a sophomore @ uc berkeley - I competed in speech and debate for four years on both the CFL and national circuit, with my main events being parliamentary debate, policy debate, and congressional debate by the end of senior year. I finalled at two TOC bid tournaments and State my senior year, and qualified to the TOC in Congressional Debate.

Here are a few of my judging preferences:

1.speaking: first and foremost, be respectful in round, and in cross-examination. If you bring harm to the debate space in any way, I will drop you. You’re in the round to further your point to your side, and fully participate in the round. Don’t use canned speeches or intros - I value original, unique, and nuanced arguments over delivery every time and will rank as such. Try to show some variety in the types of speeches you give (first few cycles vs. crystals)

2.cross-examination: don’t treat cx as throwaway time! I judge on the quality of all aspects of round engagement, including asking quality cross examination questions to further your argument, as well as poking holes on the other side. be present and engaged - it makes a huge difference!

3.argumentation: just to reiterate what I mentioned earlier: make original, unique, and nuanced arguments. please don’t rehash arguments late into the round. if you cite credible sources, tag them as such - they’re crucial to validating the argument you’re making.

I love clash and weighing (a lot)! please make an effort to integrate it in your nuanced argumentation. At the very least, be organized and understandable.

if you’re introducing a unique impact to the round, make sure to explain the link chain thoroughly; if you’re rehashing/validating a previous impact brought up on your side, make sure to be explicit for how your impact/argumentation is different from previous speakers. I don’t mind either, but the goal is to add depth to the round.

(For Congress) POs: I default to tournament rules on POs, but I tend to rank POs highly if they are well-paced, engaged, and prepared.

Parliamentary Debate:

Look above for my prefs on argumentation
Don’t use time in between speeches for prep
Plans/evidence whatever you want to use is up to you!
make sure you properly cite sources & empirical examples
Don’t evidence dump in speeches, I’ll give more points for warranted reasoning/connecting to the larger ideas of your case (two world analysis in rebuttals)
Ask and answer at least 2 POIs in the constructive

policy
Be clear on taglines & condense off cases in later speeches

Hello, I am a parent judge. I prefer clear, conscience easy to understand arguments, with no spreading whatsoever. I prefer that debaters warrant out their cards and explain voter issues.

I've been coaching and judging for 15+ years. So there isn't much I haven't seen or heard. I'm most persuaded by good debating. Please do not be rude or condescending. Please be clear enough to understand. Use your evidence wisely and whereas big impacts are good, realistic impacts are better. The point of debate, for me, is education and communication. Show me you learned something and that you can communicate in an intelligent, well thought out, cohesive manner. People can write out a hundred paragraphs about what they want but at the end of the day I've coached enough champions to tell you that's what it all boils down to. Most importantly, have fun! Love to see students progress and become the natural born leaders we know you all are! And to give some unsolicited advice from a seasoned coach, don't give up. It's may be cliche but somethings are said over and over for a reason. Keep trying, be consistent and you'll be successful! Good luck everyone!

Hello!

I am new judge and this is my first tournament. Please speak slowly, so I can follow you. Please explain the rules quickly at the beginning.

Thank you

C_boreczky75413@berkeley.edu

Brief update for Stanford LD competitors - I primarily judge circuit and CA-circuit policy debate, but much of the below should apply. I'm not primed for any category of LD arguments over another, and don't have an inherent preference for circuit arguments and styles, but I'm very open to them.

Four years of policy competition, at a solid mix of circuit and regional tournaments. I generally do enough judging these days to be pretty up-to-date on circuit args.

Generally comfortable with speed but I tend to have issues comprehending overly breathy spreading. And please, for everyone's sake, make sure your tags are clear and don't try to give theory analytics at full speed. You can do whatever feels right, of course, but I can only decide based on what I catch.

Broadly, I default to an offense-defense paradigm and a strict technical focus. It's not exactly hard to get me to depart from those defaults, however. I'll vote for anything, and it doesn't take any 'extra' work to get me to endorse performance advocacies, critical affirmative advocacies, etc - just win your offense, and framework if applicable.

I'd love to be a truth over tech judge, but I just don't believe that's an acceptable default orientation for my ballot. That said, engaging with that preference and doing it well is a pretty convincing approach with me. This most often comes across in impact calc.

Evidence quality is extremely important to me. I tend to grant much more weight to card texts and warrants than to tags, and I'm perfectly happy to drop ev that doesn't have warrants matching the tag, if you articulate why I should do so. That said, I don't discount evidence just because I perceive it to be low-quality, and if it gets conceded, well, it might as well be true.

My bar for framework and T/theory tends to depend on what you're asking me to do. Convincing me to drop a states CP on multiple actor fiat bad requires fairly little offense. Convincing me to drop a team on A-Spec is going to be an uphill battle, usually.

General

Speech times are set

Signpost or I will not flow

Overviews are appreciated

IMPACT CALC PLEASE or you will not like the consequences

Policy:

tech>truth

Generally Tabula Rasa

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

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

Speed is fine but Slow Down on voters and analytics

Little to no topic familiarity

LD:

I think this event exists somewhere in between pofo and policy

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

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

POFO:

truth>tech

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

Parli:

NPDA background

Speaks:

30: No

29: Top speaker of the day

28: I got you

27: I didn't get you

26: Words were spoken?

25: No, but different

I am a parent judge.

This is my first year of being a judge.

Important: please state your speech time and roadmap at the beginning of each speech.

Please speak in an appropriate volume and a reasonable pace. Please also use simple English and don't use any inappropriate language. There is no reason to be mean as we are all learning from each other.

I evaluate rounds based on the contents of the arguments, not as much the way they are presented. Please present your arguments clearly to me so I can understand easily.

Have fun!

Mariel Cruz - Updated 1/3/2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hi! I am a lay judge.

I dislike spreading and value interacting with your opponent's arguments well.

High school policy debate experience with decent results. I'm a tab judge that will let the debate go where the debaters decide to take it. I'm happy to vote for well constructed plans, counter plans, and kritiks. Miss me with that extra topicality, though. Speed reading is fine by me, but you need to slow down for tag lines, and make sure your evidence isn't power tagged to high heaven. Debate rounds that make me happy are the kinds that come down to only one or two arguments at the end that you decide should be clear voting issues. I don't want to see the entirety of the first constructive speeches still being fought for at the end of the round. Make strategic decisions to kick weaker arguments and go for one cohesive argument by the end, instead of the spray and pray that something sways me. It should be clear to me that you have one argument, maybe two, which should make me vote your way. Happy to answer questions before round.

My paradigm is a well-rounded big picture: I am not a nit-pick type of judge but an all-inclusive big picture judge. I am not interested in how fast or slow a debater speaks. I want to understand every word and know where I am being led in the thought-process and why. I am partial to layman terms and intelligent discussion as opposed to flowery speech. I am an advocate of debaters who are authentic to themselves and their voices so they are performing at optimum.

My introduction into speech and debate started in grade school with public speaking and parliamentary procedure via participation in 4-H, 1st grade-12th grade. In this capacity we were required to present demonstrations, speeches, and participate in parliamentary procedure. In high school I joined the formal speech and debate teams as well as quiz bowl participation which added to my base of learning.

A University of Kansas (Jayhawks) journalism major, I was trained in the art of listening, critical thinking, asking questions, and forming quick written and verbal response.

I was given the opportunity to work with Nova 42 in Pasadena, California upon the academy's inception. I worked as an assistant coach and extended my teaching to Broadway Academy in Walnut, CA where I taught speech, debate, and critical thinking. I am also a certified substitute teacher in the state of California and have been judging the CA and national debate circuits since it went predominantly online.

I'm highly aware of debate framework, flow charts, Lincoln Douglass, Congress, and the various forms of speech from improv to extemporaneous, dramatic, persuasive, duets, solo, and everything in between.

Hi, I'm Sammy,

Just as some background on my experience I debated in practically every event for all four years of high school, judged a handful of tournaments since graduating, and also have a decent experience in speech events. Though I have a lot of experience I'd prefer if you guys introduced your arguments and frameworks as if I'm a parent judge, I find that way of delivery much clearer to judge as well as keep up with. As far as in-round preferences, I don't have any besides some minor nitpicks. The biggest one is spreading, I'd prefer if you did not spread during the round as it makes it harder for me to understand you as well as dumbs down the debate to how many points you can make in 6-7 minutes. If for whatever reason you must deliver your speech super fast please let me know beforehand and also link your case to me and your competitor. Outside of spreading another nitpick I have is running theory; I debated in a largely lay league so I have pretty little experience with judging theory, if you do decide to run theory again argue it as if I'm a parent judge (which when it comes to theory I pretty much am haha).

For some clarity when it comes to my judging style in LD, I mainly value cohesive frameworks and developed argumentation. If you don't explain to me why I should prefer your framework over your opponents and why your arguments matter in regards to that framework I can't properly weigh or judge your arguments. Explain your link chains, weigh your impacts, and always tie them into your framework!!!

Lastly, if there's anything specific you want to see in your feedback let me know before or after the round! I'll be sure to try to give you guys the most constructive feedback and advice to help you succeed as a debater!! Good Luck!!

I am a new judge. Please speak deliberately and clearly. It would be great if you can stick to the timings prescribed in the tournament.

As a parent judge, it would be very helpful to pay attention on the following points:

1. speak slowly and clearly
2. emphasize key points

As a practicing lawyer for many years, I appreciate arguments that are logical and supported by credible evidence. I realize there are many sides to a story and therefore will focus on whose arguments are logical and the most persuasive. Develop your case and clearly articulate your points in a concise manner.

I appreciate traditional debating and probably value arguments over style. I find arguments grounded in real-world impacts to be the most persuasive. I prefer debaters who speak at a conversational pace (ok to talk fast) compared to spreading; too fast of a rate of delivery has made it difficult for me to understand all the arguments in the past. This is the same when too much jargon is used.

I try to keep a rigorous flow - taking notes and mapping arguments so I can recall and access the points made by each side.

I will try to be tabula rasa; however, if something seems to be blatantly false, I may make connections myself or research something I do not know. If your opponent raises such arguments, I expect you to challenge it. I may disagree with something you say – but I will keep an open mind on solid arguments.

I am a lay judge and a parent. I am primarily looking for arguments that are well structured, supported and presented in a clear and understandable manner. Feedback I often give is to slow down while you are speaking. If the information is presented so quickly that I can’t catch it all, you can’t get credit for it. I also encourage you to be professional and treat your opponents with respect.

This is my first year judging.

I am an experienced parent judge. Please speak slowly and explain your arguments. I will decide based on the arguments' quality and how well you articulate it.

Hi there -

Follow these guidelines and you will be successful with me as a judge.

1. The Most Obvious - Be Nice!

Be nice to your opponents in the round. If you are rude in crossfire or speeches, I will drop your speaker points.

2. Provide full cards.

When giving cards, please send the link to the website, the authors name and date, and the paragraph from the website.

3. Weigh it.

Make sure to weigh your impacts to show why you are winning the round and tell me what you are weighing off of.

4. Make sure to time yourself.

5. Don’t spread.

Happy debating!

former debater comfortable with all types of debate

i dont flow cross so just extend in next speech

I am a LD coach who at one time was a policy debater, a public forum coach and a parli coach. My true love is oratory and extemp so I love to hear good rhetorical skills. I can follow some spreading but really prefer a debate that is at good speed with a focus on argumentation and delivery. I am (also?) old fashioned in that I flow on paper and love a nice polite round. As a history teacher whose specialty is politics and international relations, I love connections to current events and historical context. My Ph.D. is in world history and I have been living in China for the past eight years teaching and coaching there, though now live in southern California. Please wow me with your global examples! (Or at least refer to Canada since that is where I hail from originally!)

Bio: I am a graduate of and debated 4 yrs of NPDA for Point Loma Nazarene University and served as Assistant Director of Debate at Grand Canyon University. I currently serve as Head Coach at iLearn Academy and still judge around the NPDA circuit.

Updated LD Philosophy: I enjoy and can keep up with spreading. But this quick whisper-mumbling stuff is nonsense. If you think a. that's really spreading b. what you're saying is intelligible, you're kidding yourself. You can go fast but you gotta up the clarity. Forcing me to read all of your cards instead of listening to the speech to understand is asking me to do way too much work and I must infer any analysis being given. It also makes it significantly harder for me to understand the nuances of how the arguments interact and I would prefer not to miss something important.

TL;DR: I strongly believe that I don't have any strong beliefs when it comes to debate rounds, I ran all types of arguments and faced all types of arguments. I see every round as an individual game and don't try to leverage my preferences into my decisions. Go for what you will. I won't complain.

Speed: Speed is usually fine depending on your clarity. I have more comments about it in the LD section. Online, depending on how fast you are maybe 80% is better in case you want me to get everything.

Theory/Framework: These are fine. I include this to say, that I don't mind your squirrely or K aff, but I'm more than willing to listen to the other side and you should be prepared to respond to framework or theory.

K's: K's are great. K's have a place in debate. I enjoy K's because I believe I can learn from them. The only issue is I am not great at being strong on critical literature bases. I believe that people who resent that type of debate altogether are stuck in an ultimately noneducational way of thinking. That being said, I'm not afraid to vote on "this doesn't make any sense". Just because it's a game doesn't mean it shouldn't be accessible.

I will say if I had to choose between the 2 I'd rather have a straight-up policy round.

CP: Just do it right if you're gonna do it? idk the goal is not to get permed right?

Condo: I don't see condo as an issue. I won't forbid myself from voting for condo bad if it's argued for well enough or the strategy really is being that abusive. Some people have ideologies, but I think that's more of a meme at this point.

I am not a big fan of RVI's at all. I will only look to vote for one if it was unresponded to or within a unique context. But my least favorite and seemingly most common is spending X amount of minutes on a frivolous T, then saying you deserve the win for wasting your own time. If it is truly frivolous then either they won't go for it or they'll lose on it if they do. I will not reward it and I find it surprising at the number of judges who don't think twice about it.

Speaker points: I'm not a fan of speaker points so I plan on being a bit of a point fairy

Enjoy debates that are fact based, with evidence where possible. Please be professional and respectful at all times. I also listen to the counters during CX carefully. Strong evidence will earn you points (over eloquence)

As a judge, I will look for the following in the debate

a) Don't spread too much. If you want to spread, please share the case with me in advance. I may hear your speech/argument, but if you do not give me enough time to process it, I may not vote on it.

b) Don't bring any evidence if the probability of the issue happening is very low.

c) Don't bring any new arguments/evidence in the final speech.

d) I prefer Quality over Quantity.

I will try to be as neutral as possible. Having said that It is your job to make sure I know your argument without having studied it myself.

She/Her

If you know you know.

2/18/24 Update - Final Update:

Abstractly T-FW is true, but concretely K Affs still have the ability to win these debates - or good K Affs that is (which fundamentally there is only 1 good K Aff) - because 95% of all topics are reactionary. In other words, I'm a T hack but I'll vote for the K Aff if your good.

"You...kicked me. But I can't be seen by ordinary humans. Are you saying you can see me?" - Rukia Kuchiki

In your debate, make no assumptions of prior knowledge of subject area. Explain your arguments and evidence clearly. More contentions does not mean better contentions, make me understand your definitions, weighing mechanism and why your speeches show you win the debate. It is very important that I understand how your arguments relate to and address the resolution.

Be respectful of your opponents especially while rebutting their arguments.

Please do not speak too quickly or I will have to disregard information that I missed. I take notes, so make sure to emphasize what you really want me to hear.

Good luck!

I am a parent-judge for an MVLA student, and a software engineer. This is my first year judging.

I appreciate contentions that are explained clearly and in an organized manner. Prefer fewer meaningful arguments over many less impactful ones. Take a few sentences to explain more important arguments, otherwise I might miss them. When referring back to cards made in earlier speeches, it's helpful to mention the essense of the studies rather than just the name of the author. Strongly prefer reasonable analysis over taking arguments to the extreme ending up in nuclear war.

Hello,

I am a parent judge.

Be respectful and track your time. Honor your time limits.

Arguments should be delivered properly with emphasis on communication delivery. Be precise and communicate your point well.

I do like to take notes and would be doing it during the rounds.

Here's my approach to judging. First and foremost I assess each debater on the merit of their core arguments as well as their use of supportive evidence. I also look for how the debater rebuts their opponent arguments. Finally I am looking for each debater's overall organization, clarity and presentations style. I suggest to keep the arguments simple so they can be explained without involving too much theory like spreading.

Parent judge, some experience judging novice rounds last school year.

Hi! My name is Jo, and I participated in primarily Lincoln Douglas debate and International Extemporaneous speech at the state and national level, and Impromptu at the state level. I have a pretty trad background (Central Valley forensics), but competed in progressive/circuit tournaments, so no issues with debate jargon in-round.

Please make sure to add me to email chains, joannmoon@berkeley.edu.Reading new cards that diverge from your constructive should also be sent throughout the round. If I or your opponents find that you are A) dismissive of someone’s identity, or B) attempt rudeness or blatant aggression when interacting, I’ll stop the round and you will lose by default, zero tolerance.

Kritiks, spreading, theory, etc. are all okay, just disclose before round. If you are able to successfully tie in Hot Cheetos to your speech, I will add one extra speaker point to your ballot.

For PF specifically, the same mostly applies, but I do appreciate clarity > spreading. Please do not run a kritik in Public Forum, it’ll impact how I judge. For Final Focus/ summary: extra brownie points if you are able to drive in the main crux of the debate and why you’ve won. I am an absolute sucker for a speech that has a clear road map of your thesis/links and crystallization! Looking at the larger picture of impacts and weighing is much more important to me than the nitty-gritty, whether your opponents dropped a small part of your speech or skimmed through your argument. Though defense in a debate is essential, when wrapping up your case, I prefer offense.

Really excited to judge all of you! At its core, debate is supposed to be an educational and fun activity. Don’t take it too seriously.

This is my first year judging - Sundar Mudupalli

Hello All,

My name is Debanjan Mukherjee and this is my second time judging speech and debate tournaments.

Some tips:

• Speak loud, slowly, and clearly
• Explain the topic/resolution and your side of the argument in a detailed manner
• Explain topic-specific "slangs" or abbreviations before using them
• Be respectful

Please keep your delivery slow and clear.

I appreciate clear analysis of why you should win in the final rebuttals.

I place a lot emphasis on eye contact and facial expression. Use your hand motions to express your self! Please talk to your audience, not to the computer screen or to your notes. Please don’t hold a computer in your hands- Instead, keep your hands free so that you can use them to express yourself. Please don’t keep looking at your computer screen and read straight off the screen with a monotone voice. You should know your facts well enough that you can make eye contact and only look once in a while at your notes. Please be courteous and kind to your opponent, and show good manners. Be honest in your facts and your sources. Present a well organized and convincing argument. Most of all, enjoy the debate !!!! I look forward to judging! Good work!!!

I'm a lay, parent judge. This is my third year judging Lincoln Douglas Debate. I have judged both Novice and Varsity: however, I do not understand spreading or progressive arguments. I prefer the typical conversational speed. The rate of delivery doesn't weigh heavily on my decision as long as I'm able to understand. Some tips that you might want to take into consideration are:

1. Being assertive is good, but please don't be offensive or overly aggressive.

2. I like a great Cross-Examination.

3. Having good evidence comparison is an added bonus, don't just take into account that evidence is right on face

4. Framework debate is good, but I don't understand complex philosophies, so you will have to explain it very well

5. Please talk clearly and slowly.

While judging for LD, I prefer the presenters to speak clearly and not in a fast pace so that the content can be understood clearly by everyone. Also the contestants should be respectful of each other no matter how the other is doing.

Although I pay very close attention to CX, I will not value it as much as the real case and rebuttals. It can be a starting point and will need to be followed on into the rebuttals for me to give it credibility.

Hi Everyone. I am an experienced parent judge, and know how to take general notes and as long as you send a doc, that is well formatted, you can probably get away with talking a little faster. As for my general preferences.

1. YOU ARE IN A LAY ROUND! Thus I expect you to utilize delivery and external persuasive techniques. The winner isn't who can win the most arguments, its the one who wins the most impactful argument and can present it in a way that shows its impact. Thus not only explaining what the voters are, but why those must be the voter is very important.

2. CX is very important. This is the only time in the debate round where you can directly engage with you opponent, so use it. This is the time you show me how your opponent doesn't know what they are talking about, by asking strategic questions and replying strategically. Considering all this, it is never okay to be rude to your opponent or to make your opponent feel uncomfortable.

3. Delivery. Like I said you can go slightly faster (not spreading), as long as you are clear. Clarity is key. This is reflected not only in whether you stutter or not, but also word choice and being able to explain a concept in a way that is easy to understand.

These are my general preference, and should give you an idea of how you want to structure your speeches. Note I am taking notes, not flowing, thus it would be great if you guys could adapt to these criterions, cause otherwise the lense at which you look the round from may be different than how I look at the round.

Hi, this is my first time judging. Please speak clearly and have clearly structured speeches. Time for yourself and your opponent. NO spreading and speak slowly. Please avoid debater terms such as "turns" or "dropping" contentions. Just explain what you are doing instead. Good luck:)

Hello, I am a lay judge who is brand new in the debating world. Please speak slowly so I can understand your arguments.

1. I'm a novice judge. Jan 20 is the first time ever I'm judging.
2. Only prepared for judging LD

Hello my name is Darryl D. Smith,

I am a parent judge from Heritage High School and this is my first Lincoln Douglas competition. In rounds, speakers need to speak at a conversational speed and if a student is speaking too fast or unclear I will raise my hand as an indication to slow down. When evaluating framework, I focus on how strong the evidence is and how it is able to prove the argument. When deciding the winner, I look towards the basis of the information provided by the debaters and how well they were able to support their side throughout the round. Please do not bring up any plan texts, counterplans, or kritiks while in rounds. Best of luck to all competitors.

Yes I wanna be on the email: kelsdebate@gmail.com

Speed is fine. 

I am a grad student and graduate teach assistant/coach. I actively competed with the Missouri State in LD my senior year. Undergraduate years prior to that work with the team was done none competitvely. With my communication background competitve and persuasive rhetoric is recognized and can be rewarded -speaker points wise- in conjunction with winning the flow. Impact calculous and net benefit emphasis is important to win a round. Don't get so caught up in the other aspects that you forget stock issues etc. 

DA: Always willing to buy a well presented DA with full internal link.

CP: Must be won in all aspects, perms must be answered well. I don't think this is the strongest negative position to take in most cases due being poorly executed and the debate not reaching it's full potential. 

Theory: Interesting arguments to hear but make sure you can fully defend and answer questions about it entirely so the debate can reach it's full potential. 

K: Kritik that links to the case is best. Will vote on a well presented and defended K. 

T: Willing to vote on T if it is ran correctly, I do not believe this usually happens. Blatant time wasting strategy is annoying if it crosses a certain threshold.

Main point: Play to your strength strategy wise but do so well, if you don't understand and explain the argument well it doesn't matter how good the argument is because you don't actually know what you're saying. Don't forget about the basics and the flow. That's how you win. 

Missouri State Debater (NDT-CEDA) 2007-2011; Judged NDT - 2011-2014

Greenwood Lab School - Middle and high school coach - 2011- 2023

Crowder College Director of Forensics (NFA-LD and IPDA debate formats) - 2015-2023

Missouri State Tournament Update

I have spent the last decade being around basically every other kind of debate besides NDT. I have judged at primarily regional and end of year national policy tournaments (NSDA and NCFL) for middle/high school and a ton of NFA-LD at the college level.

I have been working with novices and the packet this past month so I have some exposure to the topic (I also debated nukes) but you should assume I need a bit more explanation than the average judge about your argument.

Things I know to be true about myself as a judge:

1) I have a higher threshold for explanation and explaining how arguments interact than others. That is likely supercharged by the fact I haven't been around NDT in a few years. There are arguments that are just understood to mean certain things and I might not know what that is. Defer to explaining WHY winning an argument matters and interacts with the rest of the debate, even if you think it is obvious.

2) I don't have a lot of tolerance for unnecessary hostility and yelling (I am not talking about you being a loud person. You do you. I am talking about this in the context of it being directed towards others) in debates. There are times you need to assert yourself or ask a targeted series of questions, but I would much prefer that not to escalate. There is very little that is made better or more persuasive to me by being overly aggressive, evasive, or hostile.

3) Debate is an educational activity first, competitive second. I will judge the debate that happens in front of me to the best of my ability. Full stop. However, I believe in the educational value of what we learn in debates and will likely defer to the education side of things when in conflict.

4) My debate knowledge base is primarily shaped by NDT norms circa 2007-2012. I know some of those norms have changed. I will do my best to adapt the way the community has.

5) Policy arguments are more comfortable to me and what I know best. I would not consider myself particularly well versed in the nuances of most "K" literature that is read these days. However, with proper explanation and connections, I think I can judge any debate that I am presented with.

There is a ton not covered here. Feel free to ask questions or clarify. As I judge more, I am sure I will have more specific thoughts about specific parts of these debates and will add more.

Dear Participants,

Welcome to the debate round. I am looking forward to knowing your thoughts by conscientiously listening to your viewpoints on the topic under discussion. I have a fair experience in judging debate rounds and am a parent judge as well.

Please, try to talk at a voice level respecting the audience and allotted time. Also, stay relaxed and calm which will help you be more productive in the rounds. I am confident you will do your best.

Good Luck,

Taruna

hey i’m roma! i did pf for five years, speech (platform + lim prep) for seven for james logan hs.

please add me to the email chain (roma.tivare@columbia.edu), feel free to email me after rounds if y’all want clarification about anything.

tldr: happy judge happy life. extend args, tell me why you win, extend logical analysis

basics:

• i literally have zero topic knowledge! the only thing i know about the topic will be anything i heard in previous debate rounds.
• i am completely intolerant of any discrimination of any kind. i don’t find discrimination jokes funny (they will NOT improve your speaks) and in-round abuse will be reported as such. expect a dropped ballot and tanked speaks.
• debate’s not serious at all, so feel free to be lighthearted and talk casually, this is supposed to just be an educational experience for y’all so i don’t expect crazy formality
• i really hate thinking so the less thinking i have to do, the better for you (= tell me how/why you win the ballot with clear evidence and warranting)
• i’m alright with speed but i’m flowing on paper and lowkey i’m not sure i can write as fast as i used to, so slow down (will yell clear, if i have to yell clear three times i’ll dock speaks) and SEND A SPEECH DOC! it does not have to be in depth but something i can follow along with
• come to round prepared with pre flows because the sooner we get the round started, the faster we can leave which makes me happy
• if you need judge intervention because of in round abuse, send me an email privately and i’ll handle it

debate preferences:

• tech > truth, within reason. i’m not going to buy racism good.
• i <3 warrants, because the logical analysis of the warrant is what actually makes me understand your card. extend your evidence AND warrants for cohesive argumentation (ie don’t just say “remember abc ‘23” in final and expect me to suddenly evaluate your whole turn)
• please extend. i only flow what you say, so if you drop an arg first rebuttal and bring it up in final, i’m just going to put a big question mark and sad face on the flow because idk where that arg came from
• final should mirror summary. use the same voter issues or world comparisons in both, and use the same weighing mechanisms
• on that note PLEASE WEIGH. and please also metaweigh because once again, this means i think less (= better for you!)
• crystallize in the late round please. i don’t want to hear you defend your three arguments and refute your opponent’s three in two minutes in final focus. break it down so that your analysis can be in depth.
• if you want to go wild and kick case for turns or something, go for it, just make sure you generate enough offense to win
• i don’t care about cross, will not flow it. don’t be harmful/discriminatory and you’re chilling. concessions made during cross need to be brought up speech for me to evaluate it, but don’t put words in your opponent’s mouth
• i’m not gonna call for evidence, if you want me to look at something tell me to call for it. i hate falsified evidence, and depending on the severity of falsification, i will bare minimum drop the argument, and maximum drop you.
• don’t post round, i promise that i do kinda know how debate works and if you genuinely need me to clarify a result please shoot an email.

thoughts on prog args:

• i stopped competing in pf right before progressive args started to really pick up on the circuit. that being said, my partner and i had run a few modified k’s and shells at past tournaments. however, i am not the most experienced with technical prog args, but love to see them, so your best bet is to go slow and overexplain your lit. also, be accessible to teams who are inexperienced with progressive argumentation, otherwise that defeats the education aspect of debate and will not be evaluated well.

• k’s: love them! prove to me why i should prefer k discourse over substance and how voting for the k has substantial impact either on discourse or norms. while responding, engage with the actual material of the k while also disproving the link (if needed)
• theory: prove a clear violation and a necessity for the theory. again, prove why i should prefer the shell’s discourse over substance.
• cp: i think it’s dumb cp’s aren’t allowed in pf (unless this changed???) but if you run one, prove why i need to prefer it over the aff through multiple aspects. also be clear with the plan text (give me actors, funding, etc). while responding to a cp, give me actual responses (these can be analytical!), don’t just say they aren’t allowed

speaks:

• i give high speaks. auto 30 for a joke that legitimately makes me laugh out loud or for a TASTEFUL my little pony reference (this is at my discretion).

anything else:

• feel free to ask/email. good luck everyone!

Background: PF @ Mountain House High School '19, Economics @ UC Berkeley '22, Berkeley Law '26. This is my 5th year judging.

THREE ABSOLUTE ESSENTIALS BEFORE YOU READ THE REST OF MY PARADIGM:

Due to the fast paced nature of debate nowadays and potential technical difficulties with online tournaments, I would really appreciate if you could send me the doc you're reading off of before each speech to my email write2zaid@gmail.com. If you can use Speech Drop, that's even better.

Preflow before the round. When you walk into the room you should be ready to start ASAP.

I will NOT entertain postrounding from coaches. This is absolutely embarrassing and if it is egregious I will report you to tab. Postrounding from competitors must be respectful and brief.

JUDGING PREFERENCES:

I am a former PF debater and I still think like one. That means I highly value simple, coherent argumentation that is articulated at at least a somewhat conversational speed.

In my view, debate is an activity that at the end of the day is supposed to help you be able to persuade the average person into agreeing with your viewpoints and ideas. I really dislike how debate nowadays, especially LD, has become completely gamified and is completely detached from real life. Because of this, I am not partial to spread, questionable link chains that we both know won’t happen, theory (unless there is actual abuse) or whatever debate meta is in vogue. I care more about facts and logic than anything else. You are better served thinking me of a good lay judge than a standard circuit judge. NOTE: I also am strongly skeptical of K AFFs and will almost always vote NEG if they run topicality.

That doesn’t mean I do not judge on the merits of arguments or their meaning, but how you present them certainly matters to me because my attention level is at or slightly above the average person (my brain is broken because of chronic internet and social media usage, so keep that in mind).

I will say tech over truth, but truth can make everyone’s life easier. The less truth there is, the more work you have to do to convince me. And when it’s very close, I’m probably going to default to my own biases (subconscious or not), so it’s in your best interest to err on the side of reality. This means that you should make arguments with historical and empirical context in mind, which as a college educated person, I’m pretty familiar with and can sus out things that are not really applicable in real life. But if you run something wild and for whatever reason your opponent does not address those arguments as I have just described, I will grant you the argument.

You should weigh, give me good impact calculus (probability, magnitude, scope, timeframe, etc), and most importantly, TELL ME HOW TO VOTE AND WHY! Do not trust me to understand things between the lines.

More points that I agree with from my friend Vishnu's paradigm:

"I do not view debate as a game, I view it almost like math class or science class as it carries tremendous educational value. There are a lot of inequities in debate and treating it like a game deepens those inequities.

Other than this, have fun, crack jokes, reference anecdotes and be creative.

There is honestly almost 0 real world application to most progressive argumentation, it bars accessibility to this event and enriches already rich schools.

Basically: debate like it's trad LD."

SPEAKER POINT SCALE

Was too lazy to make my own so I stole from the 2020 Yale Tournament. I will use this if the tournament does not provide me with one:

29.5 to 30.0 - WOW; You should win this tournament

29.1 to 29.4 - NICE!; You should be in Late Elims

28.8 to 29.0 - GOOD!; You should be in Elim Rounds

28.3 to 28.7 - OK!; You could or couldn't break

27.8 to 28.2 - MEH; You are struggling a little

27.3 to 27.7 - OUCH; You are struggling a lot

27.0 to 27.2 - UM; You have a lot of learning to do

below 27/lowest speaks possible - OH MY; You did something very bad or very wrong

I debated from 16-19 doing PF and LD and coached a top 10 parli team in the 19-20 season. Davis CS '23. This is my fifth year judging and eighth year in the debate-space.

Three absolute essentials from my friend Zaid's paradigm:

1. Add me to the email chain before the round starts: vishnupratikvennelakanti@gmail.com. Make sure that the documents are .pdfs (so that I can open it directly within the browser).

2. Preflow before the round. When you walk into the room you should be ready to start ASAP.

3. I will NOT entertain postrounding from coaches. This is absolutely embarrassing and if it is egregious I will report you to tab. Postrounding from competitors must be respectful and brief.

I do not view debate as a game, I view it almost like math class or science class as it carries tremendous educational value. I generally dislike how gamified debate has become - especially LD. There are a lot of inequities in debate and treating it like a game deepens those inequities. Progressive argumentation is a practice which big schools utilize to extend the prep gap between them and small schools. Hence, I believe that traditional debate is the MOST educational way to go about this activity.

Your job as a competitor is to make my job AS EASY as possible. The easier you make it, the greater the likelihood of getting my ballot. The less truthful the argument, the more work you have to do to convince me that your argument is true. I am tech over truth generally but it's a lot of work to prove factually untrue arguments. It's in your best interest to make sure your arguments are truthful because then you do a lot less work to convince me which makes the round easier for you to win.

I'll accept theory on the condition that there's real demonstrated abuse in the round(going over time repeatedly, spreading when asked not to etc). You should be willing to stake the round on theory - meaning that it should be the only argument that matters in the round. Running shells and dropping them is dumb. Breaking "norms" are not indicative of abuse - you cannot expect someone new to debate to be familiar with every norm on the national circuit.

I generally dislike theory shells like Nebel or hyperspecific/friv shells. You have to do a ton of work to convince me that bare plurals is actually abuse and not just an article written by some random guy at VBI - and there's a variety of other shells that this applies to.

Disclosure theory created by big schools to trick smaller schools into giving up their prep advantage on the wiki because it's "more equitable". A fundamental part of debate is developing the ability to think and interact with your opponents' case, not reading off pre-written responses that coaches write for you (which is really easy to tell when you're doing it and irks me).

Performance Ks, K Affs, RVIs and tricks are a byproduct of debaters seeking to win this "game" of debate so needless to say I don't really enjoy listening to them.

Ks are fine. If it's something unique, you need to explain it thoroughly. If I don't understand the K, I can't vote for it.

Spreading is silly. Slow and good >>> fast and bad. I don’t think being unintelligible on purpose is a very good strategy to winning debates in real life either.

Thus, my threshold for progressive debate is high.

Generally in LD, the arguments in which you will have to do the least work to convince me are substance debate and policy debate. Phil is enjoyable as well. But you need explain explain explain explain.

I don’t think off-time roadmaps are a real concept. When you speak, outside of introductions and niceties, it should be running on someone's time.

Framework debate is good but I'm not a huge fan of value/VC debate (because the analysis is really shallow - "they don't support my VC so they auto lose". If its not that then I really enjoy it. )

If I am judging PF and you run progressive nonsense, it's an automatic loss. PF is MEANT to be accessible to the public. My 90 year old grandpa should be able to judge a round and understand what is happening.

In all events, I don't really care about cross since it's an opportunity for you to set up future arguments. I usually know who's won by the second to last speech (1NR in LD and negative summary) so unless the round is particularly close I don’t flow the last speech (2AR or FF).

It will serve you best to think of me as a deeply experienced flay judge rather than a circuit judge.

I will reward smart arguments with higher speaker points. Weigh effectively and weigh often and provide warrants for your arguments. This is the path to my ballot! Just tell me how and why to vote for you, do not trust me to understand and extend your implicit arguments.

+ speaks for Lebron.

Debate- This is my third year judging. I am well informed and have done my homework so as to judge fairly and effectively.

-Speak with clarity and at a reasonable pace so that I can take notes.

-I look for effective presentation, organization and strong evidence.

Speech- Not judged too may tournaments but familiarizing myself with the various platforms of speech. I look for effective presentation, body language and facial expressions.

Best Wishes!!

Max Wiessner (they/them/elle)

Put me on the email chain! imaxx.jc@gmail.com

- please set up a chain ASAP so we can start on time : )

email chain > speech drop/file share

*****

0 tolerance policy for in-round antiblackness, queerphobia, racism, misogyny, etc.

I have and will continue to intervene here when I feel it is necessary.

*****

about me:

4th-year policy debater at CSUF (I also do IEs: poi, poetry, ads, ca, and extemp). I've coached BP, PF, LD, and policy. Currently coaching LD and policy, so my topic knowledge is usually better in these debates. I would consider myself a K debater, and I do a lot of performance stuff, but I’ve run all types of arguments on both sides and have voted for all kinds of arguments too

• I will follow along in the doc while you read cards (it's the best way for me to absorb the content bc audio processing issues) l will probably look away from the doc when you get to analytics bc I know there's usually extemping here so pls be clear!

• More than 5 off creates shallow debates. Don't feel disincentivized to add more pages, just know better speaker points lie where the most knowledge is produced. clash/vertical spread >>>>>>

• Debate is about competing theorizations of the world, which means all debates are performances, and you are responsible for what you do/create in this round/space.

coaches and friends who influence how I view debate: DSRB, Toya, Travis Cochran, Beau Larsen, JBurke, Tay Brough, Vontrez White, Brayan Loayza, JMeza, Bryan Perez, Diego Flores, Cmeow

"Education is elevation" -George Lee

DA/CP combo:

I genuinely think CPs are fun because they force debaters to defend plan implementation, likelihood, and efficiency. Just prove competition & a net benefit (and pls refer to my point above about # of offs)

• Impact calc is key. You need to be able to explain how the impact of the DA supersedes any AFF solvency claims
• I'm personally not a PIC hater but I'm probably gonna evaluate it like a DA

K’s:

Slay when they don't get sloppy (I usually run/most familiar with arguments relating to set col, antiblackness, racial cap, bio/necropolitics, and/or queer/trans theory, so those are the lit bases I know best) Just please EXPLAIN your theory as if I know nothing bc I might not (pls don't just namedrop a philosopher and expect me to know them)

• Are we having a debate about debate? survival methods? education models? life? make that clear
• What is the role of the ballot?....
• What is MY role as the judge?...
• K on the NEG: don't fall behind on the perm debate. The links should be specific and contextualized to the plan/advocacy, not just a generic "they use the state". Severance is definitely bad, both on a theory level and an ethics level, but you have to prove that it happened.
• Performance K: If you can explain how the performance is key to the aff, I love to see it and will probably offer extra speaker points for a good performance where you are not rushing
• Policy v K: I love judging clash debates. I think these are maybe the best for topic education (unpopular opinion). FW should be a big thing in these debates. What's my role? What's urs?
• KvK: I love a method v method debate, but they can get messy and unclear, especially in LD so please focus on creating an organized story. I will never undermine your ability to articulate theory to me, so I expect a clear explanation of what's going on to avoid the messiness/unclearness

FW v K’s:

I’m pretty split on these debates. I think in-round impacts matter just as much as the ones that come from a plan text bc debate is ultimately a performance.

Education is probably the only material thing that spills out of debate. That means fairness isn’t an auto-voter for me. Clash, role of the neg, and education are standards that are more debatable for me.

• Counter-interps are key for the AFF to win the education debate. So is some sort of "debate key" or "ballot key" argument

I have a pretty low bar for what I consider "topical", and I looove creative counter-interps of the res, but I think the AFF still has to win why their approach to the topic is good on a solvency AND educational level

Debates ranked by preference

A. Policy vs K/CP

B. K v K (I feel like these debates can get messy & unclear in LD)

C. Policy vs Policy

D. Policy vs Theory

F. Trix

This is mainly just a preference of what I feel best/most interested in judging. Like where I give most feedback and can evaluate deeper vs where I'll be more shallow. Don't change ur strat, just vibe

if I’m judging PF:

I think the best way to adapt to me in the back as a LD/Policy guy is clear signposting and emphasizing your citations bc the evidence standards are so different between these events

- also… final focus is so short, it should focus on judge instruction, world-to-world comparison, and impact calc

Misc:

• DO NOT steal prep. The timer goes off, stop typing/writing, and (depending on the format) send the doc or get ready to start speaking/flowing.

• I will not connect things that are NOT on the flow, I'm gonna quote Cmeow's paradigm here bc they got a point "I read evidence when I'm confused about something, and I usually will do it to break the tie against arguments, or I will read ev if it's specifically judge instruction and something I should frame my ballot on. But, I will never ever make decisions for debates on arguments that have not been made."

• I start everyone at a 27.5 and bump you up from there. It makes the most sense in my brain to go up with each speech as new args/iterations are presented. Scores usually average in the 28.5-29.5 range

• yellow is the worst highlight color. Don't feel like you need to re-highlight everything before the round, you won't be marked down. Just know if I make a weird face, it's the yellow...

• I'm double-majoring in Women & Gender Studies and Cinema & Television Arts with an emphasis in critique... meaning I study how theory applies to media/pop culture, and how different people interpret and internalize apparent and subliminal messaging. I feel like this might be relevant for prefs or for understanding my vibe/interest areas

hi jared

***live laugh love***

Okay SO this paradigm was really outdated since the last time I updated it. No longer a PF stickler.

Instructed at NSD 2023

Grands -- I have recently learned what the topic is. Please overexplain. Please be good on the flow so I can be happy voting for you. I think there is a comfortable middle ground for you to not split the panel.

IDCA: Same things in CX as in LD, more ideologically disposed against tricks -- have not judged many rounds on the hs topic so please overexplain.

TL;DR: Pref me high if you have proficient technical and interesting debates (Policy and Kritikal). It doesn't really matter what I evaluate, pretty 50/50 on TFWK and Non-T Affs. I find Phil a perk of LD debate but still please provide a substantive explanation on why I should be voting for you. Please have better theory debates. (Also good for an agreed upon Trad round)

I FLOW BY EAR: (meaning I don't backflow the doc if I don't feel like it) I tap out at around 340 WPM, signpost if you really want something heard. You can ask to see my flow after round.

Yes I want to be on the chain, send the doc on time or early: davidwu2027@u.northwestern.edu

Please slow down for online debate.

Hi! I'm David, a first year debating at Northwestern. I've been doing debate for about 8 years. I've done literally every style of debate, thinking about NDT-CEDA right now.

You can spread, be as progressive as you want, literally make whatever argument you want in round as long as it doesn't support any isms. If you do, I will probably instantly drop you with an L 25.

Pref me (How good I am at evaluating rounds (I can trust my evaluation in everything but dense phil)

1 - K, Performance, IdPol, Baudrillard

2 - Pomo, Theory, CX

3 - Trix

4 - High Off (please don't make me flip through 9off)

5 - Your Phil literature, including Kant, Trad

For LD

Literally any form of disclosure is probably a good practice. Please send out your docs ASAP. I'm pretty tabula rasa as a judge. I'm also not very expressive but when I do emote you should very well keep note of it. If you're reading non-black afropess "I will watch you like a hawk" (stolen from someone else's paradigm). I'll yell clear once then your speaks can take the hit. If I didn't flow it it didn't happen.

Defaults (Literally can be changed with a line)

Neg on presumption.

The Aff should probably be topical.

Condo is fine.

Theory is DTA, no RVI.

Whatever framing comes first.

Perfcon is fine.

Debate in general is okay otherwise you wouldn't be participating in it.

CP's have to be both functionally and definitionally competitive.

Okay with postrounding. I did it "a lot" but only in a respectful manner up until the time people have to go for their next round. I should be able to defend my decision if I made it.

I'm pretty easy with speaks. Probably around a 28.5 or above but speaking is all ethos and speaks are always going to be arbitrary. They're up to MY discretion so do things that make ME happy and you'll probably see it reflected in your speaks (even though you might not pick up the ballot). The two are also correlated.

For PF

Do literally anything. Go crazy. I want to see PF modernized and people reading security K's or weapons K's are literally the start of it. I spent 3.5 years thinking about what it meant to be a PF debater only to come back to look at it from a progressive debater's perspective.

Defense is never sticky.

Just make sure your version of debate is accessible. If it functionally isn't (spreading over a team that clearly never has faced it) you're probably not gonna like how I end up evaluating the round.

I vote off the flow and give you speaks based on your ethos. Means a LPW is possible. I probably have the most experience reading about international and foreign affairs but I'm not gonna pretend like I have personal icks in round.

Debate is problematic, most of all in PF so I think that there are definitely things that you can do to make the debate experience better for everyone.

I have a REALLY high threshold for voting on theory in this format, needless to say if you execute it like an LD debater I'll be happy to vote for you.

I actually read evidence so if you misrepresent your cards then I will drop you for it. If you read off cut cards ALL THE BETTER!

Signpost and give judge instruction. I want to intervene as little as possible but if your opponents literally instruct me to read a piece of evidence in round then I WILL read it.

I have a lot of people I looked up to in PF. I think smart warranting and good fundamental evidence/knowledge outweighs literally any poorly or mediocrely interpreted card. It's just disappointing to see people just read over the same pre-cut blocks without making better or more intuitive pieces of argumentation.

I really loved PF when I debated it. I thought it was the best thing in the world but I truly believe that it can be better. I think that the reason that I keep coming back to debate is because I fundamentally believe that it is a good thing.

For literally any other event:

I judge to keep track of and identify the best performance, argumentation, and reasoning made in round, but IF I DONT NOTICE IT, keep track of the nuances, PLEASE explain to me. It's critical that I understand the intention of your arguments along with the arguments that you make.

PF coach for Los Altos & Mountain View. Competed in congress & PF when I was a student.

Brief off-time roadmaps are fine when needed. Be sure to signpost and let me know which arguments you're addressing. Please don't spread– you will do better if I'm actually able to flow everything you say. When addressing a case line by line (such as in rebuttal), try not to jump around. Go down the flow from top to bottom.

By summary and final focus, you should collapse on the arguments you feel are the most important. Tell me what your key voter issues are and why you believe you're winning those issues.

If you and your opponent have evidence that say opposite things, extending your evidence has to be more than just re-stating it. Why should I prefer your evidence? Why does it still stand even with the evidence your opponents presented?

Weighing needs to be comparative. It's not enough to say your impacts are big– the important thing is they're bigger than your opponents'.

Speaker points are awarded based on confidence, appropriate volume & pace, sportsmanship, and overall demeanor.

Not a big fan of theory or Ks.

Good luck and don't be afraid to ask any questions you have before the round!

Hello my name is Esther and I am parent judge. I do not know much on this topic so please explain why certain countries will do certain things, historical examples are appreciated. Do not use debater terms I will not know what you mean by “turns” or “dropping”. Explain what you are doing instead.

Please really crystallize the round for me. I do not flow so I want to know what arguments are important and the reason you are winning on them. I want clear framing in your last speeches and preempting if you are on neg.

I appreciate strong speaking skills. Personally, I like professional speaking, but I do not mind other styles. However I will struggle to understand arguments if you spread/circuit arguments and will be less likely to vote for you.

Above all, give me clarity in arguments.

Please send your cases to me before round so I can follow along. You do not have to send cases to your opponent if it is a traditional round. My email is: esthersyoo@gmail.com

2024- 2/4/2024

I'm not just any judge; I'm a ”cool” judge with a journey dating back to 2000. So, when you step into this arena, know that you're dealing with someone who's witnessed the ebb and flow of the debate currents over the last 2 decades. I am old.

General:
Yes you can go fast if you want to, just be clear, and loud enough for me to hear. I will be flowing along and won’t look at doc’s or cards unless warranted by y’all. I will do my best to time with you.

World Crafting:

Your task is to construct a compelling narrative, competing worlds, both sides have a world to offer, you sell it.

Argument Framing:

Frame your arguments as pillars that support the world you've built. Your job is to make me see the strategic significance of your narrative. Don't just present; show me why your world outweighs the others.

The K:

I have a soft spot, but only if done well. Critical acumen is your secret weapon. Integrate it seamlessly into your world, making it a key component of your narrative. I also am not a fan of non black POC running afropress, or similar k's, so please don’t. Other than that, no issues with K’s.

Theory:

Preemptive theory is unnecessary imo unless the topic warrants it, but most debates do not need a theory most of the time, but it is your round, so do you.

Tech vs. Truth:

Truth sometimes trumps tech, and in other rounds, tech might take the lead. But what matters most is how well your crafted world stands.

Rudeness is a No-Go:

Discourteous vibes won't elevate your speaks. For real

Impact Calculus and Critical Thinking:

Impact calculus is the key to your world's strategic significance. Dive into critical thinking, showing why your crafted universe is not just valid but important.

Authentic Knowledge Over Blocks:

Don't just parrot blocks; show genuine understanding. Bring knowledge to the forefront, not just rehearsed lines.

Voting Issues:

Present me with clean voting issues – make it glaringly apparent why your world is the one I should endorse. THERE IS NO 3NR. So please make it definitive in the last rebuttal

TL;DR

Be clear

Weigh

Impact calculus

liberal.cynic.yo@gmail.com

>If you want to add me to the chain or send hate mail.<

2023
i will flow to the best of my ability i have the carpal tunnel but can still keep up
spreading is only chill if you are clear
I don't need to be on the email chain but here it is if you feel like adding me anyway
liberal.cynic.yo@gmail.com
I am indifferent to the kind of argument you are choosing to use, i care if you understand it

ask questions

My paradigm was lost to the void, who knows what it said...

for long beach 2018
i'll make this, and fix it later

1. yes, i flow

2. yes, speed is fine

3. flashing isn't prep (unless it takes wayy to long )

4. i look at the round as competing narratives, i do not care what you run as long as you know what it is you are running

5. ask questions