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 coachExperienced LD judge
Speech coach
How many years have you judged LD debate?
12How many LD rounds have you judged this year?
0-10What is your preferred rate of delivery?
7/91 = Slow conversational style9 = Rapid conversation speed
Does the rate of delivery weigh heavily in your decision?
NWill you vote against a student solely for exceeding your preferred speed?
NHow important is the criterion in making your decision?
It is a major factor in my evaluationDo you feel that a value and criterion are required elements of a case?
YRebuttals and Crystallization
Voting issues should be given:
At the end of the speechThe use of jargon or technical language ("extend", "cross-apply", "turn", etc.) during rebuttals:
Should be kept to a minimumFinal rebuttals should include:
BothVoting issues are:
Not necessaryHow do you decide the winner of the round?
I decide who is the person who persuaded me more of their positionHow necessary do you feel the use of evidence (both analytical and empirical) is in the round?
8/91 = Not necessary9 = Always necessary
Please describe your personal note-taking during the round
I keep detailed notes throughout the roundDebaters 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.
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