National Speech and Debate Tournament

2024 — Des Moines, IA/US

Steven Wang Paradigm

Lincoln-Douglas
Lincoln Douglas Debate Judge Philosophy

Your experience with LD Debate (check all that apply)

Former LD coach
Experienced LD judge
Speech coach

How many years have you judged LD debate?

12

How many LD rounds have you judged this year?

0-10

What is your preferred rate of delivery?

7/91 = Slow conversational style
9 = Rapid conversation speed
 

Does the rate of delivery weigh heavily in your decision?

N
 

Will you vote against a student solely for exceeding your preferred speed?

N

How important is the criterion in making your decision?

It is a major factor in my evaluation
 

Do you feel that a value and criterion are required elements of a case?

Y

Rebuttals and Crystallization

 

Voting issues should be given:

At the end of the speech
 

The use of jargon or technical language ("extend", "cross-apply", "turn", etc.) during rebuttals:

Should be kept to a minimum
 

Final rebuttals should include:

Both
 

Voting issues are:

Not necessary

How do you decide the winner of the round?

I decide who is the person who persuaded me more of their position

How necessary do you feel the use of evidence (both analytical and empirical) is in the round?

8/91 = Not necessary
9 = Always necessary

Please describe your personal note-taking during the round

I keep detailed notes throughout the round
Additional remarks:

Debaters who rely upon "spreading" in order to bury their opponent in volume mention of so many unexplored contentions as to make rebuttal impossible, or very nearly impossible, and then argue the dropping of one or more of their unexpanded contentions as voters, are not all that likely to succeed in a round I judge. I don't mind relatively rapid speed, but the debater had better be making rational and "clinched" arguments. Also, if it is so rapid that I don't catch what a debater is saying/has said, then it doesn't make it into my flow and it is of no value to the debater as a voting issue. Arguments that contradict earlier contentions, or have a large gap in reasoning/linear progression of logic can be quite fatal to one's case. Jargon and/or lingo/technical terms can be used to the extent that one's contentions and flow of reasoning are lost amongst them, and I will be likely to point out such. Frameworks should be applied in such a manner as to support the thrust of your overall argument rather than in manners which back you into a corner from which a fatal contradiction of earlier contentions or obvious humanitarian considerations will be likely to destroy your position. In other words, please don't argue for an extremely dubious morality or an unjust form of "justice" as the argument won't be likely to prevail, even if it does cause your opponent to contort and spasm in trying to meet and overcome your claims. Please do not put forth a ridiculously abusive definition, contention, or series of contentions, especially those that aren't germane to the topic at hand for the purpose of defeating your opponent through a haze of confusion and theater of the absurd. I don't vote for those strategies.

Note: if you wish for your pronouns to appear the debaters you judge on text/email blasts, log into Tabroom, click Profile at top, and add them in the Pronouns field.