Strake Jesuit Freshman Round Robin
2019 — Houston, TX/US
PFRR Judges Paradigm List
All Paradigms: Show HideDid pf for strake, qualified to toc 3 times, won tfa state in 2020
flay judge
Don't go too fast
Please try not to call for a lot of evidence
ask questions if you want to know specifics
Strake Jesuit '19|University of Houston '23
Email Chain: nacurry23@gmail.com
Questions:nacurry23@gmail.com
Tech>Truth – I’ll vote on anything as long as it’s warranted. Read any arguments you want UNLESS IT IS EXCLUSIONARY IN ANY WAY. I feel like teams don't think I'm being genuine when I say this, but you can literally do whatever you want.
Arguments that I am comfortable with:
Theory, Plans, Counter Plans, Disads, some basic Kritiks (Cap, Militarism, and stuff of the sort), meta-weighing, most framework args that PFers can come up with.
Arguments that I am less familiar with:
High Theory/unnecessarily complicated philosophy, Non-T Affs.
Don't think this means you can't read these arguments in front of me. Just explain them well.
Speaking and Speaker Points
I give speaks based on strategy and I start at a 28.
Go as fast as you want unless you are gonna read paraphrased evidence. Send me a doc if you’re going to do that. Also, slow down on tags and author names.
I will dock your speaks if you take forever to pull up a piece of evidence. To avoid this, START AN EMAIL CHAIN.
You and your partner will get +.3 speaker points if you disclose your broken cases on the wiki before the round. If you don't know how to disclose, facebook message me before the round and I can help.
Summary
Extend your evidence by the author's last name. Some teams read the full author name and institution name but I only flow author last names so if you extend by anything else, I’ll be lost.
EVERY part of your argument should be extended (Uniqueness, Link, Internal Link, Impact, and warrant for each).
If going for link turns, extend the impact; if going for impact turns, extend the link.
Miscellaneous Stuff
open cross is fine
flex prep is fine
I require responses to theory/T in the next speech. ex: if theory is read in the AC i require responses in the NC or it's conceded
Defense that you want to concede should be conceded in the speech immediately following when it was read.
Because of the changes in speech times, defense should be in every speech.
In a util round, please don't treat poverty as a terminal impact. It's only a terminal impact if you are reading an oppression-based framework or something like that.
I don't really care where you speak from. I also don't care what you wear in the round. Do whatever makes you most comfortable.
Feel free to ask me questions about my decision.
do not read tricks or you will probably maybe potentially lose
Strake Jesuit '19 | UT Austin '23 | SMU Law '26
He/Him/His
Email Chain/Questions: caden.day@utexas.edu
Please start an email chain as early as you can before the round starts. Also, I can absolutely tell when you are stealing prep while "trying to get the email to send" or while "waiting for the email to send." Please don't do that.
TLDR
Tech>Truth. Read anything that isn't exclusionary. Warrant everything (cards, analytics, extensions, etc.). Extend all parts of your arguments (including turns).
Tech>Truth
You can genuinely read anything in front of me as long as it's explained well. I'm most familiar with/primarily read Theory, Plans/CPs, off-case Disads, soft-left Ks, and framework/philosophical arguments. I am less familiar with non-t arguments and tricks. But again, read them if that's your style! I can keep up.
Tricks without warrants will be treated similarly to any other argument without a warrant—they will be given very little credence. So, if you plan on reading tricks, don't just dump them on the flow. Take time to explain the warranting in them.
There is, of course, the obvious exception to my "read anything" policy, which is that I ask you to foster an inclusive and educational environment.
Speaking Style and Speaker Points
I give speaks based on strategy. I start at a 28.
Go as fast as you want unless you are going to read paraphrased evidence. Send me a doc if you’re going to do that. Also, slow down on tags and author names. If, in later speeches, you aren't relying on a doc, dial back the speed a bit so I don't miss anything.
I will dock your speaker points if you take forever to pull up a piece of evidence. To avoid this, START AN EMAIL CHAIN.
You and your partner will get +.3 speaker points if you disclose your broken cases on the wiki before the round. Tell me if you have disclosed your cases because I won't check for you.
Summary/Final Focus
EVERY part of your argument should be extended (Uniqueness, Link, Internal Link, Impact, and warrant for each). Extensions of taglines or claims alone are insufficient. Please please please extend warranting and analysis.
Similarly, if going for link turns, extend the impact that you're co-opting; if going for impact turns, extend the link that you're co-opting.
Miscellaneous Stuff
Defense that you want to concede should be conceded in the speech immediately following when it was read.
Defensive extensions should be in every speech - it is not sticky.
I require responses to theory/T in the next speech. ex: if theory is read in the AC i require responses in the NC or it's conceded.
Any misrepresented evidence that is called to my attention by your opponents will be struck from the flow. In especially egregious cases, I reserve the right to severely dock your speaks or drop you outright.
If you have more specific questions, don't be afraid to ask them before rounds! Similarly, if you have questions about my decision after the round, ask away! It won't impact your speaks or my decision or anything like that. I want you to leave the round with a better understanding of my RFD if you feel confused.
jedonowho@gmail.com
Extensions need to include warrants - simply saying extend Smith '20 isn't enough, you need to be warranting your arguments in every speech. This is the biggest and easiest thing you can do to win my ballot. Rounds constantly end with "extended" offense on both sides that are essentially absent any warrants in the back half and I end up having to decide who has the closest thing to a warrant which means I have to intervene. Please don't make me intervene - if you actually extend warrants for the offense that you're winning you probably will get my ballot.
Make my job as easy as possible by clearly articulating why you've won the round - write the ballot for me in summary and final focus. Even though I'm flowing and doing my best to pay attention, I'm not infallible and so if the summaries and final focus are just going over a bunch of arguments without clear contextualization of how they relate to the ballot, I'm going to struggle to decide the winner.
Don't do debater math.
Don't steal prep or do anything else that makes the round last longer than it needs to be (not pre-flowing beforehand, taking forever to pull up evidence). Please pre-flow before the round! Flex prep counts as part of your prep time - really not sure where people got the idea that it doesn't lol.
Don't go too fast in front of me.
Open to theory and K positions but I'm not super familiar with these arguments. I think the arguments can be very fun and educational and encourage them if you want to read them. I have decided I will not vote on non-topical Ks though.
Technical things:
Defense isn't sticky anymore with the 3-minute summary
Second rebuttal needs to frontline.
If you want to concede defense to get out of a turn it needs to be done the speech after the turn is read.
No new weighing in 2nd FF, unless you're responding to weighing from 1st FF.
Strake Jesuit '19
Contact: jhdowdall19[at]mail[dot]strakejesuit[dot]org
Update for the Strake RR: I haven't judged since NDF, but I reread my paradigm and still agree with most of it.
Technicians over truth.
Evaluating the Round
First, framing and weighing: I will attempt to figure out what arguments are the most important based on any framing and weighing read in the round. If there is none, I will default to CBA and wait until the last step to figure out the most important offense.
Second, I will evaluate topicality, theory, kritik or any other pre-fiat arguments. For T and theory I will default to drop the argument. If you do proper weighing, I’m willing to evaluate substance first.
Third, evaluating links/link stories: I will evaluate both sides links to see how strong they are in the context of the round; this will determine to what extent your impact matters.
Fourth, comparing impacts (hopefully your weighing will tell me how I should do this); otherwise I’ll probably have to intervene.
Rebuttal
Rebuttal should Frontline. Turns and defense from first rebuttal not addressed in second rebuttal are conceded.
Rebuttal (especially second rebuttal) should not have long offensive overviews. I won't vote you down for this, but you'll lose speaks and I'll be very receptive to theory against this.
Summary
Don’t go for everything and weigh.
First summary should extend defense on whatever argument second rebuttal goes for.
Extensions need to be a good bit more than “extend this card.”
Final Focus
I will not vote off of any offense that was not in summary.
It is not too late to do some weighing (but I will be less receptive to it than weighing that has been consistently done since rebuttal or summary).
Card Calling
I’ll call for cards when they sound sketchy, when I am told to call for them, or when opposing cards directly contradict each other with no interaction.
Progressive Args
Theory
I prefer theory in shell format, and I am more receptive to it in outrounds and at bid tournaments (in other words don't use theory as a way of excluding people or getting an easy win).
Kritiks
Not super familiar with them but I've had an LDer explain them to me at least two times. I'll try my best.
Disclosure
0.5 extra speaks to any team that discloses their case on the NDCA PF wiki at least 30 minutes before the round.
Another 0.5 speaks to any team that flashes or emails me and their opponents their case and speech docs.
Make sure you tell me if you disclosed, so I can add the the extra speaks.
Misc.
Don't grill me if you didn't watch the round
If your opponents read a non-unique and a turn, the non-unique needs to be explicitly conceded in the next speech for the turn to go away.
If the round has absolutely no offense, I will default to the first speaking team.
Ask questions if you have any.
Strake Jesuit '20 / Duke '24
I did PF for four years in the TFA (TX) and on the National Circuit. I won TFA state and qualified for the TOC twice.
- Warrants and signposting are very important
- I'm going to vote for the team with the least mitigated link chain into the best weighed impact
- Defense in summary and you can read defense against your own case
- Be clear if you are conceding defense
- 100% conceded=100% true
- Frontline in second rebuttal and collapse in summary
- Clean link > weighing
- I don't like calling for cards
- Impact turns need a link
- Implicate your offense and clearly tell me why you are winning the round (write my rfd)
- Merited theory is fine. My defaults are CI>Reasonability and RVIs good. I am comfortable with framework debate, K's, and basic tricks. If multiple progressive args are read you need to tell me which offense is prioritized
- I will disclose and I'm fine w/ questions
Email: asjalal20@mail.strakejesuit.org
For Online:
Email chain is good for evidence exchange. I do not want to wait 30 extra minutes for evidence exchanges.
Strake Jesuit '19 | Duke University '23
Email: RainDropDropTopSpeechDoc@gmail.com
Background: I did PF for four years in the Texas and National Circuits. Qualified for TFA State three times and Gold TOC three times, clearing at both. I formerly coached for Strake Jesuit in Houston and served as the tournament director for the Strake Jesuit PFRR from 2018-2022. I was heavily influenced by policy debate, so I generally agree with their debate norms.
Debate Philosophy: Debate is a game. I evaluate tech>truth only. I am tabula rasa, meaning you can read any argument as wild as you want and I will vote on it as long as it is warranted and not offensive. I mainly did LARP/traditional debate but also have experience debating theory and Ks, so you can run whatever you want. However, I only vote on arguments I understand, so I am more impressed by PF and policy-esque arguments more so than LD. Content wise, I strongly prefer in-depth substance over random off-case debate. I believe that my role as a judge is to be an educator and a norm-setter. In a nutshell, I take from Andy Stubbs in that I vote for the team with the strongest link into the highest layer of offense in the round.
Disclosure/Chains: Disclosing to the NDCA PF wiki is the only way to get above 29 speaks. Tell me if you disclose. If you are sharing docs or spreading, use Speechdrop, flash drive, or email chain.
Evidence: Cut cards > paraphrased. I will call for cards if you tell me to or if it is contested. For citations, I just need author name and year. Misconstruction of evidence will result in lower speaks, based on how flagrant it is.
Speed: Clarity>Speed. If you are clear, go as fast as you want. Slow down on author names, tags, and analytical arguments in case/rebuttal. Then, since I would be familiarized with your evidence, you can speed up summary/FF. Not the biggest fan of spreading; if you do, send docs. If you do spread, it must be cut card and not paraphrased evidence.
Style: Line by line debate only. Extend by author name and sign-post. Implicate all offense in terms of how it affects the ballot. Sign-post.
Speaker Points: Speaks are based off of in-round strategy only. Everyone starts with a 28 and I'll go from there. 29.0+ for disclosing only.
Misc: Speech times are set. One team is aff and one team is neg. I only vote for one team. I only down one team. No double wins or double losses unless instructed by tab. Speeches are set i.e. first speaker gives case and summary. Fundamental rules are set.
[Part 1: Speeches]
Cases: Run whatever you want.
CX: I'm okay with open CX meaning your partner can join in to clarify answers. You can also both agree to use the rest of cross as prep time.
Rebuttal: Second rebuttal just has to answer turns on case, not defense. Don't read a blipstorm of paraphrased responses or card dump; I either won't be able to flow it or won't feel comfortable voting on it. Not impressed by irrelevant DAs that don't actually engage the aff. Depth>Breadth. I like analytics especially when they implicate cards. You can read overviews, new advantages, add-ons, uniqueness updates, link boosters etc., but they must be based off of case or directly answer your opponent.
Summary: First summary doesn't have to extend defense, but must extend turns. Second summary has to extend defense and answer turns. Turns conceded out of second rebuttal are considered dropped for the round. Most (preferably all) new implications must be made in summary. I am fine with advantage add-ons and link boosters in summary, but I would like it more if these are read in rebuttal if possible.
Final Focus: This is the speech you call out drops and implicate the stuff extended in summary. Second FF should not have too many new weighing/implications. Anything outrageously new in 2FF will not be evaluated. It's subjective, but you'll know if something is too new in 2FF. Just weigh and implicate here.
[Part 2: Off-Case Debate]
General:
On a scale of 1-5 (1 very comfortable and 5 unfamiliar) of how I feel about judging these arguments:
Framework: 1; I like it. Introduce in case.
Kritiks: 3; No high theory. I like topical Ks. K affs and Reps Ks are fine too. I care most about the strength of the alt when it comes to Ks.
Theory: 2; My defaults are CI>Reasonability and no RVIs. Still tell me what I should prefer. I don't like friv theory. I default T>K.
T: 3; I default drop the argument. I default T>K.
DAs: 1; Yes. My favorite type of argument
Plans/CPs: 1; Tell me why the CP is competitive. Solvency advocates help. I don't like multi-planked CPs.
PICs: 3; Same as CPs but you must also provide a net benefit.
PIKs: 5; Not a fan. No experience with this.
Tricks: 5; Not a fan.
Non-T: 5; No experience with this.
Misc: I'm not too familiar with arguments like permissibility, skep, presumption etc. so I will try my best to evaluate them, but my understanding and threshold for response are fairly low.
Feel free to ask any questions if you have any!
Have Fun!
Hi y’all my name is Santi, i competed for Strake Jesuit for 4 years and closed out Texas PF State in 2020. I’ve read a total of nothing on this topic.
TLDR
Just warrant your arguments, carry across summary and i’ll vote for you most rounds. Any speed is fine but if you know for sure you’re going fast just send out a speech doc. All theory is fine and i’m less versed on K’s and tricks but if you explain it I’ll vote for it.
FULL PARADIGM
Full disclosure I 100% copied this paradigm from my old partner Cooper Carlile (Bold = most important)
If you say "off the clock roadmap" I will give you a 25. just tell me what the structure is
Debate is a game so I will evaluate / vote on (almost) any argument that you read.
I am TECH > TRUTH. If it is conceded it is true. If you don't respond to turns in second rebuttal then they are conceded :/ You should also respond to terminal defense. it just makes it easier for everyone.
anything over ~225 wpm you should send a speech doc otherwise i prolly wont catch everything especially if im unfamiliar with the topic
I will default to Clarity/Strength of Link + Magnitude weighing. If it is conceded and if it has a large impact, you're prolly gonna win. also i presume squo
I am aight with Theory (despite only running disclosure, bc... PF), and to a much lesser extent Kritiks, just make sure I can understand it. also if theory/Ks are read they should be sent as speech docs before they are read
also im good with tricks... just flesh them out in the back half for the sake of everyone in the round.
IDC if you read offensive overviews in second rebuttal, first summary cannot just say that its abusive and say it doesn't matter, I am very receptive to any theory arg about offensive overviews though even if its just a paragraph theory esque arg
If you read cut cards, I will start you at a 28. If you disclose on the PF wiki I will start you at a 28.5 and if you send a speech doc before each speech that you read carded evidence I will start you at a 29. email me speech docs (or questions) @ santiago.weiland@gmail.com Otherwise, I determine speaks based on strategy, not speaking ability.
If it takes you forever to pull up evidence I will get annoyed
please for the love of god signpost PLEASE and weigh
if it isn't in summary then it should not be in final. I will just not evaluate it.
If you concede to defense you need to explicitly say which defense you concede to you cant just say "We concede to the defense on our first contention" like dog come on. You can also read defense against your own case to kick out of turns i think it's funny and strategic
Flex prep is cool and tag team speeches/CX is cool too
if im vibing with an arg then im prolly gonna nod my head. If i am not vibing, then I will not look like I am vibing.
"If you at any point in the debate believe that your opponent has no routes to the ballot whatsoever i.e. a conceded theory shell or a conceded higher level of the debate, you can call TKO. What this means is that if I believe that the opposing team has no routes to the ballot, I will give you a W30. However, if there are still any possible routes left, I will give you an L20." - Cara Day
I will also disclose after round and I will tell you your speaks if you want.
and finally, as Anson Fung once said, "Debaters are like big politicians speaking on a big stage." So have fun!