Hi, my name is Lorena Dakaj

During the debate please keep in mind the following things:

- speak clearly and loudly at a moderate speed.

- be considerate of your opponent's mistakes or mispronunciations of words.

- extend arguments from summary through final focus.

- in the final focus, make it clear to me why your case is more persuasive or more informative.

A little about me: I have debated for four years at Lexington High School, and now I'm a Sophmore in Collge. My freshman year I was a policy debater but since sophomore year I have been doing Public Forum. I have had success on the local and national circuits: reaching elims at Yale, Princeton, Scarsdale, and Blake. As a result, I am adept at flowing and am able to understand most arguments.

General in Round stuff:

1) I will be keeping track of the speech times and prep time. This means I'll have a pretty good idea about whether or not you have been doing sketchy stuff with your timing. I'm fine if you silently prep during your opponents’ speeches or during cross-fires but please don't talk during your opponents’ speeches it'll cost you regarding speaker points.

2) I will pretty much evaluate any argument that is legitimately warranted and clearly explained. The exception to this rule is if you read something extremely offensive or nonsensical.

3) It needs to be in summary to be in final focus. The exception to this rule is if your speaking first and your opponent brings up some new arguments in their summary, in this case, it's fine for you to make a new response in final focus. But outside of that, your Final Focus should pretty much be a copy and pasted summary with a little more weighing and big-picture focus.

4) I won't flow your cross-fires. So if you think you won something during cross, you better tell me during your speech.

5) Please weigh and engage with your opponent’s arguments. I don't want to have to do this myself. Tell me why your winning on certain points (why your evidence or logic is better) and why the impacts that you read in case are more significant, happen sooner or harm more people.

I am a lawyer and Executive Director of the NYCUDL.

I have judged PF for the last 6+ years, over 100 rounds and run many judge trianings.

I will judge based on a combination of the flow, general logic and common sense.

Speed-don't do it. If I can't understand you, I can't give you credit for it.

If you want me to vote on an issue please include it in both summary and final focus.

Write my RFD for me in final focus.

Only call for evidence if there is a real need (context, integrity).

In general, be nice. I believe in debate access for all so I will cut your speaks if you create an environment where other people don't want to participate in the activity.

Good luck and have fun!

I'm a senior debater at Lakeland and have been debating for the last four years, and judged every year at Lakeland. I'm an adaptable judge so my preferences are by no means concrete rules, rather general guidelines.

Speeches

Constructive: I know the resolution so you don't need to read it your speech. I'd like to hear how many contentions you have near the beginning of the speech. The biggest thing is to really emphasize where each contention or sub point starts so I can flow it easier.

Cross: I don't flow cross but I do listen. Please don't spent all three minutes on the first question, or turn cross into a shouting match. I think cross should be used to clarify arguments rather than win arguments.

Rebuttal: Please make sure to tell me where you're starting, and when you switch to rebutting a new argument. Second speaker doesn't need to respond to first rebuttal, but it is often useful.

Summary: If you didn't weigh in rebuttal, you need to weigh in summary. Also make sure to include everything you want me to weigh in summary(Contentions + turns) Defense doesn't have to be extended in summary.

Final Focus: Tell me why you won the debate. Include weighing, offense, and defense. Don't make up any new arguments in final focus.

General things

Extending - When you extend cards, don't just read the author's name. I don't flow the name only the content of the card

Evidence - Have your evidence downloaded or have a paper copy. You should be able to retrieve it within thirty seconds of your opponents asking for it. Prep time starts when once the card is being read by the team that asked for it. If you can't find your evidence within thirty seconds, your prep time will start. If two teams say the evidence says different things I will ask to see the card

Time - I don't keep track of time, I trust teams to keep track of their own prep time and speech time

Speaker points - I don't give more points to faster speakers, so please make sure you speak at a rate that everyone can understand you. Clarity is the most important aspect for speaker points. I don't give extra points for politeness, but I do take away points for rudeness.