Policy Paradigm

I'm open to most arguments and will vote on anything that is clearly extended, warranted, and impacted out. However, there are some caveats, which will be listed below.

First, I have rarely voted on kritiks. I don't necessarily hate the argument, but I just haven't found it persuasively articulated in a way that would make me reject the aff. Policymaking framework and the perm are pretty persuasive arguments for me. However, do your thing, and if kritiks are your thing, go for it, just make sure to explain and impact it out very thoroughly and specifically.

Additionally, I flow on paper. This means that I probably can't keep up with you if you go insanely fast. Sorry, but it is what it is. Figured I should just tell you that so you're not disappointed. I'm not saying go slow, but just be careful.

I generally default to a policymaking paradigm, meaning offense needs to be presented to win the round. There have been exceptions, and I have voted on case defense when a 100% solvency deficit exists, but that is rare. I can be persuaded to change this outlook, but an argument for why I should vote neg on presumption when the neg wins case defense should be presented.

Disadvantages are good, expected, and encouraged. The links and internal links are generally the weakest part of a disad, so the aff should exploit this, through either evidence or analysis.

Counterplans are a very strategic option in front of me on the neg. On the aff, make sure that you impact out your perm and how it would function - "perm do both" means nothing to me if that's all you say. If the neg wins that the CP solves case, any risk of a DA means I go neg, so make sure that you have a solvency deficit to the CP and/or offense on the NB if you're aff. I'll evaluate CP theory how it's presented and don't really have strong leanings on most theoretical issues.

Case - Solvency is generally the weakest part of any affirmative - make sure you exploit this on the neg. Offense on solvency is good too. I have no problem at all with the neg reading disads on case and calling them solvency turns.

Topicality - I generally have a low threshold for voting neg on T, that said you need to have a full T shell for me to vote on. I love a good T debate. Make sure to go a bit slower on T than other arguments, as it's more difficult to flow.

As a general note, I hate tagline extensions. Please do more than just "extend ______ argument," even if it was dropped. Likewise, make sure you extend everything you need to. Blowing up an advantage in the 2AR doesn't really get you anything if the 1AR didn't even talk about that advantage.

LD

I'm most familiar with traditional LD debate with F/W debate being Value & Criterion.

If you chose to debate something else that is fine, just go slow and know that I might need more explanation from you on new arguments.

they/them pronouns pls

I debated for four years at Washington HS in Sioux Falls, SD. I went to NSDA nationals all four years I was in high school, breaking my senior year and made it to quarterfinals of CFL nationals my senior year. I currently am a freshman and debate at UMKC.

I read mostly performance/kritikal arguments my junior year in high school but read "traditional policy" arguments the other my first two years with a mix of the both my senior year. I go back and forth between being a 2A and a 2N.

I will listen and vote on nearly anything.

If you say something racist/homophobic/transphobic/etc. in round you are going to lose.

Topicality- Let me start by saying you don't have to be topical. I enjoy really fleshed out topicality arguments though. I went for this argument almost every neg round my senior year.

Disads- They are fine. I will be happier if you do specific link analysis and a good amount of impact calc.

Counterplans- They are also fine. I like it when neg teams tell me how they solve the internal links of the aff instead of asserting that they access the same level of solvency.

Kritiks- I read a lot of queer, neolib, security, and fem ks when I was in high school. I like K debates but I think the neg needs to contextualize their link to the aff (just saying state bad is not enough).

Theory- I think its fun but it NEEDS to be warranted out.

This is my second year judging,

I don't really like topicality--I'll vote on reasonability.

DA's, CP's, K's are good.

I don't really like theory.

Speed: 6/10

I was a three year policy debater from South Dakota. I tend to be a policy maker judge, but I will try and vote however I am told to during the round. Some speed is fine, but make sure that you are clear with tags and you may have to slow down if you are explaining complex arguments or theories to me. Please don't be rude towards the other debaters or your partner - debate should be a place where everyone feels welcome.

Policy

I'm cool with any type of arguments being ran, but I prefer DA/CP/case debate versus critical or topicality (unless if they are actually untopical). Open CX is fine, but don't use up all of your partner's time. Make sure to have warranted extensions of your arguments and I appreciate if the debate can be boiled down to why you should win. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask me before the round starts.

LD

I am pretty new to LD, but I will do my best to judge any round. To be honest, you will need to spend a little time explaining what some of the arguments are, as I'm not up to date with a lot of the buzzwords used. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask me before the round starts.

PF

While I never competed in PF, I have been primarily judging it for the past two years. As for argumentation, y'all can run whatever you'd like, I do not mind. Don't steal prep or go over time with your speech - once you run out of time I stop flowing. Do your best to be fast with your evidence, it can get pretty obnoxious waiting. It's your opponent's right to ask for evidence, and it's on you to provide it without holding up the debate.

This is pretty much copied from Luke Cumbee's philosophy, my high school coach

Quick things

I love to learn new things
If you have any specific questions--feel free to ask
No prep for flashing
Include me in the e-mail chain/flash drive exchange
Tag team CX is acceptable, but it doesn't score you any points
In your last speech—go for arguments and never go for everything
Clash matters -- do not run away from your opponent's arguments
Student safety (mental and physical) comes first

Experience

Debated policy 4 years in high school. I have a fair amount of experience in both circuit and traditional circles.

Good Debate

Every time I update this it always seems to be me finding a new way to say this: "Do what you do best--and justify what you do." Generally speaking--this means making offensive arguments, supported by multiple warrants, effectively applied to the round--no matter your argument preference.

Theory (+Topicality)

Higher threashold for theory than many--it generally requires a legitimate claim. I’ve voted on it before but it has to be developed and it has to dive deep into the standards. I generally default to competing interpretations unless convinced otherwise. Have offense against their interpretation and use the standards to prove substance to your theoretical objection. If you go for theory in any sense of the word, tell me whether it’s a reason to reject the team or argument and provide offense for that.

Also: 10 second theory shells deserve 10 second responses. Even if they are conceded--I would still probably default to reject the arg. If you want me to make your theory argument enough weight to make me ignore everything else in the debate and vote for you, then give it the time it deserves.

On conditionality: 1 is fine--2 is probably fine--3 is debateable--4 will be a fun/unique debate but probably not fine

Disadvantages

Link story is usually the largest uphill battle, so you should probably have more than one link
Specific links are good links
Disad turns case is important
Risk of uniqueness is a thing
Link turns need uniqueness to be offense

Counterplans

Not sure what else to say--CP's are strategic and should be used often. Ones that are specific to the aff are especially fun.

Kritiks + Performance + Clash of Civs + The only section you'll probably read

Although everything is up for debate... I do have a strong belief in addressing the topic. Negative is required to address the affirmative... affirmative is required to address the topic.

I'm not sure why it's my place to tell you what you should and should not argue. I've had students who preferred to argue policy arguments and I have had students who preferred to argue performance (and everything in-between). As a coach, I could not imagine not having them on my team--nor could I imagine discouraging the passion they had in their arguments. I am a strong believer in this community; therefore, I am also a believer that we should not exlude entire types of arguments, nor any debater, nor any lifestyle, etc.

What that does not resolve, however, is how I evaluate these debates. A couple of thoughts on that... Good debate trumps my preferences. Justify what you do/why you win. Smart arguments are good arguments. Clash is always a priority. Offensive arguments--well warranted--applied to the debate's nexus question.

This was intentionally vague: if you have a specific question feel free to ask.

Framework

FYI: these are stressful to judge--I generally default to offense/defense and vote for the team that did the best debating. Any shift from this framework usually requires a team who is doing the best debating anyway.

The direction I am moving is in favor of education. The last thing I want to do is have a student feel like they can't present their best strategy in front of me--I want to see you at your best. That being said--I do enjoy issue oriented debates more than Framework debates. I also have a general thought that it can be tough to do Framework debates well. I will also say that if you want to go the Framework route, you really need to develop the arguments well (simply saying the word education is not convincing)

2019-2020 season update:

I don't debate in college, so I'm becoming less familiar with super tech-y arguments and the intricacies of the resolution. Generally, I don't think you can ever provide too many warrants/explanation, especially with more complex arguments.

General--

- junior at the University of Missouri - Kansas City

-I debated for three years at Roosevelt High School in Sioux Falls, SD, and I qualified to NSDA Nationals in Policy and Congress

-I'm always looking to learn new things

-Don’t be a jerk in round-- I have a very low tolerance for rude behavior, especially when the other team looks uncomfortable

-I’ll call for cards/want to be on email chain

-I have experience with stock issues and k debate and respect both styles

-debate your best-- I don’t want to prevent anyone from doing what they want to do

CPs--

I didn’t run CPs in high school; I'm unfamiliar with the mechanisms, but they're great when well-explained.

T--

I think the general problem with T debates for me is that they get bogged down in standards v standards and other minutia-- if the T debate is fleshed out to where clash can determine the winner and loser, then I'm cool with it

If you’re going for T, GO FOR IT-- 5 minutes in the 2nr, the abuse should be there and nothing else in the round should matter

K--

I ran Ks on aff and neg, mostly fem and psychoanalysis, and I think K debate is interesting

One caveat, I’m not familiar with lots of Ks, meaning you’ll have to explain the story and how it interacts with the affirmative/resolution

Framework--

I feel like the approach to framework should be less “fairness/limits” in their conventional sense and more “let’s make policy in policy debate.”

I default to a “how do I make the debate space better” mindset

DA--

Sell me on the link story-- I have a tendency to think link cards are pretty bad (see evidence quality standard at the top)

Case--

Extensions of warrants are really important-- I definitely do not understand all plan mechanisms after the 1AC

Theory--

In round impacts are important, sell me on why it’s important to vote on them

Slow down and flesh out the argument

Any other things-- just ask, I will answer all questions to the best of my knowledge :)

I am currently an elementary education major with a public policy analysis certificate focusing on education policy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I competed in South Dakota for Sioux Falls Lincoln in Policy Debate and Domestic Extemp.

I believe that debate is a place where everyone should be respected and have opportunities to learn. I will listen to any argument that is supported and creates a clash on the flow.

LD:

-I can handle some speed but especially with online debates, it can be difficult to understand. If I can't make out the words, I can't flow it. (Goes for tags and text)

-I have no opinion on how LD debate should be, so don't say "this is LD you can't run that" because debate is an educational space where ideas should be tested.

-I will listen and evaluate all kritiks, but debating in South Dakota means I didn't have much experience with them, so explain well.

FJG NOV/DEC 2020 TOPIC - if as the negative you argue "the fact that the unemployed do not have skills" or "they won't want to work hard" is an impact and do not elaborate on that point i will be fairly upset. think of a better way to phrase your argument.

yes, i want to be on the email chain: izzieosorio3@gmail.com

bio: i use they/them pronouns. i'm three years out. i debated 2014-2018 in sioux falls, sd. i have experience in both trad and nat circ ld and policy. i was a 4x natl qualifier, state champion my junior year, state semi-finalist my senior year, top 50 my senior year at NSDAs and top 8 at NCFLs.

i mainly ran analytic phil (kant), critical literature (anzaldua, butler), and pomo (braidotti, haraway). i'll probably be familiar w what you throw at me (ask just in case), but as long as you have a warrant, we'll be good.

prefs:

1 kritikal/performance/non-topical (high theory 2/3)

1 phil

2 larp

4 theory/t/tricks (but feel free to challenge this)

short version: tw's are necessary, pronouns are encouraged. 6/10 on speed. i'll vote on most any argument/position as long as there is a warrant. if it gets too techy, be explicit on the flow or else i'll draw the conclusions for you. pref me if you run deeply critical/philosophical positions. i'm hesitant towards theory and if it's your a-strat you need slow down - i have more thoughts later down. send me the speech doc. be nice.

long version: as an overview, my job is to adjudicate the clash between the ideas that two debaters/teams - i'm not here to tell you what to run, i'm here to listen to the arguments you present.

that being said, run your strat and run it well. i want to hear arguments that have warrants, are impacted out in the round and interactive w your opponents args. preferably these args should be impacted to an established weighing mechanism . if neither debater does this at all, i will try to discern a decision based on the arguments in round and you probably will not be happy with how i vote.

i like critical literature, i like western phil. i like high theory, but slow down so i can catch everything. i did policy in hs and can appreciate a good aff plan/solid cp+disad strat. p much i'll listen to whatever you have to bring to the debate, so run what your most familiar/confident/strong with.

with t and theory, i didn't debate it ~incredibly often~, so i am not the most qualified to judge and have a higher threshold for voting on it. however, i have less preferences/beliefs when it comes to t/theory and will listen to whatever you have as long as it's thought-out and developed. i like strategy, but don't be absurd/unreasonable (a good t shell against a plan aff instead of a generic "aff can't run plans" interp). regardless, you're gonna need to slow down for me to catch all your args. i'll vote on spikes, but if it's your a-strat, you prolly won't get high speaks (don't do 6 mins of "they dropped 'x' spike, vote them down") - give me at least one other route to vote.

speed: if i have a speech doc, we'll be good. if i don't, just be CLEAR and LOUD and i can flow. either way, if you're like the fastest spreader on earth, bring it down to like a 6. i'll yell clear if i'm completely lost on the flow.

speaks: don't be offensive/run offensive args (e.g. racism good), you'll get an L-20

high speaks are gonna be given to well thought-out positions that are utilized in substantive/nuanced ways. debaters will have interacted w the opponents arguments intuitively and made thoughtful/strategic decisions.

just be nice to your opponent, debate is not that deep to be mean about it. if it's clear your opponent has no idea what your position is and you intentionally steamroll them i will tank your speaks.

if you have any questions, email me or ask before round. glhf :)

lay judge

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I think that debate is about having fun and being kind in the process. Don't be rude or condescending to your opponents (or racist, homophobic, xenophobic, etc.), or I will have a negative opinion of you, which may affect the round's decision.

Pronouns: She/her/hers; pronounce my name correctly or not at all. Just "judge" is fine too if you have relevant questions/comments before/after round.

TLDR:

- I will not tolerate any discourteous behavior. Failing to respect your opponents and your partner is a sure way to lose speaker points, or worse.

- Run what you want, but be clear and err towards over-explaining, especially when it comes to niche Ks.

- Add me to the email chain! engiewrong@gmail.com





If time, here's the lengthy judge ramble that can be extremely useful to you if you adapt well:

I debated for four years, primarily as 1A/2N, at Roosevelt High School (SD). I no longer debate policy, as I attend uni in Singapore (Yale-NUS College '23). I have only judged two tournaments on this topic; I have debated and judged on the following topics: surveillance, China engagement, education, & immigration.

You can see the full list of arguments I've ran on the wiki, but if you're reading this 5 minutes before the round, you should know I am not well-versed in most kritiks or extremely technical conditional positions in general. Err on the side of over-explaining these arguments for me!

Speed: If you are clear, go for it. If you aren't, slow down. If I stop flowing for a long period of time, you are probably going too fast for me.

CX: Tag team is fine, but be respectful of the space you take up at all times. This means not dominating your partner or being rude to your opponent. Aggressive is fun, if you want to be! Note that aggressive ≠ mean.

Conditionality: Condo is always a strategy, but if poorly executed or evidently abusive, aff should punish neg - I won't do your work for you.

Case: Debate it. Everyone - debate it. The most ethos-y you can get in front of me is beating someone's case with their own evidence/arguments.

Theory: Please have voters, and try to get off your blocks and line by line your opponents if you want a theory ballot. I have a breadth over depth understanding of theory, so do not speed through your standards at max speed and expect me to flow you.

Topicality: I have not judged on the topic, so try not to assume I know your pet T by heart. In front of me, T is a great strategy and the best debates require you to get off your blocks and engage your opponent. Punish your opponent for dropped arguments! Kicking T can also be a great strategy. Time suck is not a voter. If you're neg reading multiple Ts and cross-applying standards, please read the standards on the first T.

DAs: Bread and butter. I prefer specific links, but generic links contextualized to the debate are just as good. Politics DAs are not the worst ever, nor are they the best ever. Impact calc saves lives (and ballots).

CPs: Fun! If specific to the aff, even better! Needs a net-benefit - internal or external is fine with me.

Ks on the neg: Fun! Must clash with the aff, must tell me how to weigh the affirmative impacts vs. whatever K says - if no one does this, I will default to weighing impacts. Kicking the alt is an uphill battle in front of me. F/W impact turns are fun; I ran security a bunch in hs.

Ks on the aff: This is certainly my weakest area of evaluation, and my bottom line is that K affs should be in the direction of the topic. Also, I'm not a big fan of performative contradictions so don't argue debate bad in front of me. Explain explain explain, please! For the affirmative: smart arguments are good arguments. Both sides need to bring clash to the round, just like in any other round.

Any other questions? Ask me before the round or email me beforehand.

If you've made it this far, note that I'll reward a good joke with +0.1 speaks! We all need a reminder that debate is meant to be a fun educational activity.