National Speech and Debate Tournament

2024 — Des Moines, IA/US

Alex McCarthy Paradigm

Policy
Policy Debate Judge Philosophy

Your experience with Policy Debate (check all that apply)

Coach of a team
NDT/CEDA debater in college
Policy debater in high school
Frequently judge Policy Debate

How many Policy rounds have you judged this year?

31-40

Which best describes your approach to judging Policy Debate?

Tabula rasa
 

RATE OF DELIVERY

8/91 = slow and deliberate
9 = very rapid
 

QUANTITY OF ARGUMENTS

6/91 = a few well-developed arguments
9 = the more arguments the better
 

COMMUNICATION AND ISSUES

7/91 = communication skills most important
9 = resolving substantive issues most important
 

TOPICALITY: I am willing to vote on topicality:

1/91 = often
9 = rarely
 

COUNTERPLANS

1/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
 

GENERIC DISADVANTAGES

1/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
 

CONDITIONAL NEGATIVE POSITIONS

1/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
 

DEBATE THEORY ARGUMENTS

1/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
 

CRITIQUE (KRITIK) ARGUMENTS

1/91 = acceptable
9 = unacceptable
Additional remarks:

Debate how you want. I am fine with whatever style or argument you want to go for, as long as you are respectful of your fellow debaters.

Justify your position. Judge instruction in the rebuttals is the best way to get a chance at winning my ballot. I want to know why I am voting on an argument not just that you have won an argument, and this is especially important in the context of offense in the debate.

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.