Please speak at a conversational pace. If I can't understand your argument, I can't flow your argument.

Prefer quality over quantity. One solid argument will persuade me more than a dozen undeveloped arguments.

When speaking, please introduce evidence with the author’s full name, qualifications, publication, and publication date. This information is essential to evaluating the strength of your evidence. While last name/year may be the minimum requirement per NSDA rules, it is not sufficient to win the ballot. Each piece of evidence should be introduced with a brief pause or by saying “quote/unquote.” This is necessary to distinguish between evidence and analysis.

Please signpost with arguments, not authors.

Please ensure that your evidence supports the claims you are making. Disconnects between claims and evidence will seriously damage your credibility.

· Focus on making a sound, well structured argument – 2 or 3 strong points will go much farther than 5 or 6 weaker arguments

· Avoid acronyms and jargon that are not widely known – if you must use them, clearly define them

· Do not speak over one another – respect your opponents time – this is particularly important during online tournaments

· Speak clearly and at a regular, speaking pace

My Background:

- Am a practicing lawyer with 33 years of litigation experience

- That said, am a parent judge who started judging when our younger son began debating as a freshman in high school

- Have judged Public Forum and Speech many, many times for the past 6 years

- Have judged Lincoln Douglas a few times over the years

What I expect from debaters:

- Speak clearly and slowly. I cannot stress this enough. If you speak too quickly and I can't follow you, you will not be helping your team.

- Persuade me with arguments that are supported by evidence. Evidence should be presented with full citations and explained clearly. Citations without explanations or explanations without citations are not persuasive.

- Tell me why I should vote for your side by explaining with particularity why the other side's arguments fail and why yours don't. Focus me on the important issues in your favor.

- Be respectful of everyone who is participating in your debate - your opponents, your partner, the judge. Consider your tone, your conduct, and your words.

- Do not assume that I understand acronyms or phrases that are peculiar to the topic but not necessarily in common use in the English language. Take the time to define them.

MICHAEL KEANE PARADIGM

Background:

- A litigator in trial and appellate courts in New York since 1988, I have also taught legal writing and argumentation, and designed and judged moot court competitions.

- I have judged Public Forum, Lincoln Douglas, and Policy Debate (and Speech) since 2014 in New York City, New York State, out-of-State Invitational and National Tournaments.

Debaters:

1. Speak clearly: debaters cannot be credited points for arguments that are not clear.

- To enhance clarity, avoid talking so fast that you cannot be understood, and thus present an incomprehensible argument that fails to score points for your team.

- To enhance clarity, avoid jargon that judges may not understand and that you may misapply, and thus present a confused argument that fails to score points for your team.

- To enhance clarity, avoid "spreading," which usually sacrifices quality for quantity, and thus present a disjointed argument that fails to score points for your team.

2. Provide support for arguments: try to provide identifiable authority for assertions made, with citation to both author and publication (and show appreciation for the relative reliability of different sources).

3. Demonstrate that you have listened to the arguments of you opponents by responding to and pointing out the flaws in those arguments, in addition to promoting your own arguments.

4. Show respect for your opponents and teammates.

5. Have fun.

I've been judging and coaching most events in Speech and Debate in middle and high school for over 30 years. I do my best to be a careful listener and appreciator and to stay attentive to the challenges of telling a clear and effective story which is somewhat different for each format.

Honesty, passion & respect for the event and for all humans connected with this activity are assumed.

I flow but an overly rapid delivery means I need to fill what is lost to smeared inaudibility; that then enhances the risk that I'll lose nuance around which close rounds can sometimes pivot. K's--if delivered at a reasonable rate of speed and that don't confuse blips for articulated reasoning--can be interesting, maybe even persuasive. However, acknowledging that there is a status quo topic for which everyone has prepped is going to require a potent core objection(s) if it is to be set aside. Not a casual ask.

The usual debate verities matter: clarity, reasoning that provides context and thoughtful impacts, as well as weighing relative merits of two cases fashion a road to a ballot that rewards the hard work. Claiming drops that are better characterized as inadequate responses will elevate this judge's eyebrows.

A luminous presentation comes from a rich understanding of the topic. It's exalting & admirable when debaters enter a zone where they are completely engrossed.

Congress: know of what you speak; flow well; avoid rehash & don't repeat other speaker's arguments unless you have a way to extend and develop understanding; understand rebuttals; speak out of a location of conviction and tell us why affirming or negating the bill matters.

As for Speech events persuasive & clean balance of speech technique with a deep feeling for emotion and a sense of the speaker's connection with the emotional truth of the piece is always a hoped-for result.