The Quarantine Classic
2020 — Discord, US
Public Forum Paradigm List
All Paradigms: Show HideSophomore at Princeton debating British Parliamentary and did 4 years of PF in HS.
fawazahmad@princeton.edu if you have any questions.
Overarching things:
Tech>Truth: All of us can pretty much agree, most of the arguments we read in PF are bs so I evaluate the round solely on what's presented in the round regardless of the truthfulness of the argument. But remember the more sophisticated your argument gets the lower threshold I have on evaluating responses.
Frameworks: I default to a cost/benefit analysis framework. If a team provides a framework for me to evaluate the round under it should be introduced as early as possible and extended throughout all speeches. Introducing a framework in second summary is FAR too late. If there are two frameworks please do the comparative for me and explain why I should pick one over the other.
Comparative Analysis: Please do the comparative for me with different arguments. If both teams are running similar arguments do the comparative and tell my why yours is better. If teams are running different arguments (ie one is an economic impact and one is a democracy impact) I need to know why I'm preferring your argument. Absent comparative analysis, I will have to interpret things on my own and you don't want that.
Extension: Extending only the authors and taglines of cards doesn't suffice for me. You need to extend the substance of the card as well and how they relate to your impact. If you want me evaluate something in FF it should be included in summary. I usually allow first speaking teams to extend defense straight to final focus but in reality you should be mentioning important defense extensions in summary.
Progressive args: I don't have that much experience with progressive arguments. I don't like theory debates but will tolerate them. Run these types of arguments with caution. If you run them with me explain them really well in round.
Misc:
-I will not flow cross. If something important happened in cross mention it in speech.
- When time stops, I will stop flowing. Anything said over the time limit will not factor into my RFD
- Quality over Quantity; don't spread. If you plan on speaking fast please send a speech doc. If I can't understand you I'll say clear and after 3 times I'll stop flowing.
- Second rebuttal should respond to turns/disads.
- Please collapse on a few arguments in summary. I prefer quality over quantity and clear extensions.
- Weigh, weigh, weigh (as early as possible in the round)
- Implicate turns and defense
- Please don't miscut (I will drop you)
-There's nothing more I hate than long speeches in cross.
-Please be nice people in round and don't run arguments that are harmful to a group of people
GLHF
I'm flow
Anything goes
I'm tab
I will give 30 speaks
Add me to the chain: tanujbalaji1@gmail.com
Update: If you do everything you can to make the round go as quick as possible, I will increase your speaks (joining early if pairings go up early, not frivolously calling for cards or taking forever to produce them, etc.)
I'm Tejas, I debated a couple years at Del Norte
I STRONGLY prefer it if you frontline offense and whatever you're going for in second rebuttal
Defense is sticky for the first speaking team for whatever the second rebuttal doesn't frontline. However, if the second speaking team DOES frontline, defense is NOT sticky. However, even if second rebuttal doesn’t frontline turns, they need to be extended in the summary for them to generate offense.
If they are extended from rebuttal to final by the first speaking team, given that the second rebuttal did not frontline them, they will be evaluated as terminal defense.
I need full extensions in summary and final
Weigh as early in the round as possible, preferably starting in rebuttal
I'm fine with speed, but send a doc if you're spreading or if your opponents aren't comfortable with speed
Collapse in the back half please
For theory, K's, tricks, etc. I'll evaluate it, but I'm not the best judge for it, as I haven't debated it much myself, so tread with caution
I usually default competing interps and always yes RVIs unless told to do so otherwise
I default con for policy resolutions and first speaking teams otherwise unless contrary arguments are made
I'm tab
Be aggressive and interrupt as much as you want during cross I literally don't care at all
You can also do flex prep, tag team cross, skip grand, etc.
You don't need to add me to the email chain, I'll call for evidence only if I'm asked to do so
I'm pretty nice with speaks, I'll usually average at least a 29
I don’t call for evidence unless told to do so
If a team thinks they are getting absolutely nuked and forfeits prior to grand cross, I’ll give them double 30s
Have fun
Mira Loma HS '22 | UC Berkeley '26
Email: holden.carrillo@berkeley.edu
In high school I competed in PF for 3 years, mostly on the national circuit, and had an average career. I've competed in NPDA in college for 2 years, winning NPTE and a few other tournaments. I coached LD at James Logan and parli at Campolindo last year.
Public Forum
TL;DR: I'm a few years removed from the circuit so be aware that I may be unaware of newer norms. Tech > Truth, speed is fine but I don't like blippy arguments/responses, good warranting and good weighing are musts. Respond to everything in 2nd rebuttal. Overall, I'm chill with most things that go in round, and I'll do my best to adapt to you.
Front-Half:
- Speed: Add me to the email chain. I'd like docs sent in the first four speeches, even if you're going slow. If you send a doc, any speed is fine. If you don't, don't go faster than 300 wpm, anything under shouldn't be an issue.
- Evidence: While I paraphrased in HS, I'm not super proud of it. While I'm not a huge stickler for paraphrasing/reading cards, paraphrasing is a bad norm and I'm down to vote for paraphrasing theory if it's run correctly and won.
- Cross: I'll probably be half listening to cross, so I'll never vote off of anything here unless it's said in speech. However, cross is binding, just make sure someone mentions it in a speech. If both teams agree, we can skip any crossfire and have 1 minute of prep as a substitute.
- Rebuttal: 2nd rebuttal must frontline everything, not just turns. Advantages/disads are fine, 4 minutes is 4 minutes, but my threshold for responses will increase if you implicate them to their case. Blippy responses are tolerable but gross, I'd like it if you weighed your turns and your evidence when you introduce it.
Back-Half:
- Extensions: My threshold for extensions are very very very low. I think that extensions are a silly concept and uneducational (especially in PF). As long as you talk about the argument, it's considered extended. However, this doesn't mean that you can be blippy in the front half, and this doesn't mean that defense is sticky. Unless your opponents completely dropped their argument, dropped defense still needs to be mentioned at least briefly in summary.
- Weighing: Be as creative as you want, I hate judges that don't evaluate certain weighing mechanisms like probability and SOL. If 2 weighing mechanisms are brought up and both are equally responded to without any metaweighing, I'll default to whoever weighs first. If nobody weighs then I'll default to SOL (please don't make me do this).
- Final Focus: I know this is cliche, but the best way to win my ballot is by writing it for me. You're best off specifically explaining why your path to the ballot is cleaner than theirs rather than focusing on minuscule parts of the flow.
Progressive Debate:
- Theory: I'm probably a bit better at evaluating theory debates than LARP ones. I'll evaluate friv theory - if the shell is dumb then the other team shouldn't have an issue with winning it, but please don't be abusive to an inexperienced theory team. For accessibility reasons, if no paradigm issues are read, I'll default to DTA (when applicable), reasonability, and RVIs.
- Kritiks: Anything should be fine, but while I had a few K rounds in PF, most of my K experience comes from parli (i.e. I still don't know if proper alts outside of "vote neg" are allowed in PF, a lot of rules around K's are cloudy for me). There's a lot of literature I'm not familiar with, so please take CX to explain this stuff especially if it's pomo.
- Tricks: I'm a fan of them, don't know why there's so much stigma around them. With that being said, if you're hitting an unexperienced team, my threshold for responses are low, but feel free to run tricks.
Also, uplayer your prefiat offense. Please. Not enough teams do this in PF and it makes my ballot hard.
Other:
- I presume the team that lost the coin flip unless given a warrant otherwise. If there's no flip I'll presume the 1st speaking team
- Big fan of TKO's
- Big fan of content warnings
- Big fan of tag-teaming
- Not a big fan of discrimination/problematic rhetoric. This should go without saying, but you'll be dropped. On this note, please do not run afropess if you are nonblack.
Speaker Points:
Speaks are dumb and stupid and bad. You'll most likely get high speaks from me anyways, but if you want a 30, just win and debate well. Here are some other bonuses:
- + 1 for disclosing on the wiki (show proof before the round)
- + 1 for showing proof of you streaming my mixtape
- + 0.5 for a Lil Uzi Vert/Ariana Grande reference in speech
- + 0.1 for every CX skipped
- + 0.1 for every swear word
- - 0.1 for wearing formal clothing in an online round
- Instant 30's if you run spark, dedev, CC good, wipeout, or any other fun impact turn
- Instant 30's if you run any prefiat argument
- Instant 30's if both teams agree to debate without any prep time
- Instant 30's if you weigh/respond to their case for at least 30 seconds in 2nd constructive
If I'm missing anything specific, feel free to ask me any questions before the round!
Parliamentary
TL;DR: Most of my parli experience is on the college level, so I might be unaware of specific norms in HS Parli. Tech > Truth, speed is fine but I don't like blippy arguments/responses, good warranting and weighing will take you a long way. Overall, I'm chill with most things that go in round.
Case:
- Love it, I'm a case debater primarily.
- Please please please please please terminalize your impacts. For some reason some HS parli teams struggle with this. Tell me why your impact matters, go the extra step during prep.
- I'm a sucker for squirrelly arguments and impact turns.
- Please weigh, I mean it. The earlier you weigh, the higher my threshold for responses are. If 2 weighing mechanisms are equally competing with no metaweighing, I'll default to the first one read.
- I love lots of warranting.
- Go for turns.
- Skim through my PF paradigm to see detailed opinions on case, but to put it briefly I'm pretty simple and am cool with anything.
Theory:
- Good with theory, probably the most comfortable with my decisions here.
- MG theory is good, but will listen to warrants otherwise. I probably won't vote for theory out of the block/PMR unless it's a super violent violation.
- I'll evaluate friv theory - if the shell is dumb then the other team shouldn't have an issue with winning it, but please don't be abusive to an inexperienced theory team.
- I really don't understand the norm of no RVI's in parli. If a team runs theory on you, go for RVI's!!! I'm not an RVI hack but my PF background makes me want to see more RVI debates.
- Defaults: CI's > reasonability, DTA > DTD, text > spirit, potential abuse > actual abuse (but as with all defaults, win an argument on the flow and my mind changes)
Kritiks:
- While I'm totally cool with K's, I'malso not familiar with a lot of lit, esp some of the weird pomo authors, but at the same time I'll 100% vote for something I don't understand if you win it. When competing, I usually run Buddhism, Althusser, or some variation of cap, that's what I'm the most comfortable with. Any common K with a clear topical link should be fine though.
- Don't take the easy way out, write some non-generic links! This isn't necessary, but I feel more comfortable voting for a K with unique links to the topic.
- I feel a lot more comfortable judging K's vs. case/T-FW/dumps than K v K debates (while I really don't care what you run, that's where I'll feel most confident with my decision)
Other:
- Speed is cool (top speed like 250-275 depending on how clear you are), but if I say slow and you don't slow then I'll stop flowing.
- Extensions are silly. While I do have a threshold for extending, that threshold is very low so the only time it would be a good idea to call out your opponents on their extending is if it's literally nonexistent.
- I'll evaluate any cheaty CP unless someone runs a shell telling me it's bad.
- If you're gonna perm something, respond to the perm spikes!!! Perms are a test of competition, not advocacy.
- Tricks are good, but my threshold for responses are low, especially if you're hitting a less experienced team.
- Condo's good, but you can convince me that condo's bad.
- Presume neg until I'm told otherwise
- Big fan of content warnings
- Big fan of tag-teaming
- Not a big fan of discrimination/problematic rhetoric. This should go without saying, but you'll be dropped. On this note, please do not run afropess if you are nonblack.
- Collapse. Please.
- Flex is binding but needs to be brought up during speech for me to evaluate it.
- Repeat your texts or say them slowly please!
Speaker Points:
Speaks are dumb and stupid and bad. You'll most likely get high speaks from me anyways, but if you want a 30, just win and debate well. Here are some other bonuses:
- + 1 for showing proof of you streaming my mixtape
- + 0.5 for each Lil Uzi Vert/Ariana Grande reference in speech
- + 0.1 for every swear word
- - 0.1 for wearing formal clothing in an online round
- Instant 30's if you run spark, dedev, or any other fun impact turn
- Instant 30's if you run any prefiat argument
- Instant 30's if both teams agree to debate without flex (if applicable)
As I'm writing this, I feel like I'm missing something, so feel free to ask me any questions before the round!
For LD/Policy:
I have literally zero policy experience and limited LD experience. I know enough to be a decent enough judge, but may be unaware with specific norms on the circuit. Check my parli paradigm for my general thoughts on things!
Quick Prefs:
1 - LARP
1 - Theory
3 - Tricks
3 - K v. Case/T-FW
4 - K v. K
5 (Strike) - Phil
Just for background, I have competed in PF, LD, (Big Questions & Congress once). I've pretty much seen and experienced all types of debate, so I am a pretty flexible judge.
In Round:
1. This is specifically for PF: I'm a tech judge. For the first half of the round, I don't mind speed. Send a speech doc if you're going to do around 900 words, and for rebuttals, evidence is a plus, but if you're bringing something up in response to a contention, warrant, impact, link chain, etc., make sure it has warranting as well, and that you explain why I should even consider this as a response. Warrant and impact weighing early in the round is also good as well, and it sets you and me up for a good back half of the round. Okay, for the back half: collapse, collapse, collapse! I can't stress it enough, and then make sure to extend weighing, your link chains, and anything else you want me to vote on. Speaking of voting: point me to the spot on the flow where I should evaluate you. I love directive language. Otherwise, if you want to try anything else in the round, feel free to ask me.
2. For LD, I did this event for two years and I've seen a lot. I'm fine with progressive and traditional, but overexplain things to me if it's super progressive. My circuit was never extremely progressive so I'll appreciate it. That being said, I love counterplans. Use them!
3. For Speech Events, I've done that districts 4 event grind with speech events too so I got familiar with a lot of the rules. Just have fun and be expressive for these events, and ask me questions in round if you have any!
4. As a general rule, don't take everything so seriously, and treat your opponents/competitors with the golden rule.
My tip to winning my ballot: WEIGH WEIGH PLEASE GOD WEIGH
also collapse and extend please, write my ballot in final focus
I am in my second year competing in college APDA :)
theovdatta@gmail.com
I did some PF
Here is my full paradigm if you care to read it, otherwise just ask me questions before round
postrounding is good, do it if you feel the vibe is right
update on theory: I default reasonability and won't change that stance. I will not evaluate CIs>reasonability, so if you read theory, don't read it this part of meta-theory, and be prepared for some subjectivity in evaluation. 99% of the time, debates will still come down to who is winning the warrants/weighing, I just want the room to maneuver in RFD. Additionally, No RVIs doesn't mean you can drop offense on your opponent's CIs, so don't try to implicate it that way - I will not buy this implication.
update on communication: I won't STOP you from speaking to your partner while they are giving a speech, but please don't do it. I will dock speaks, and I have never seen it been done well enough to justify both the perceptual loss and the interruption in thought process. Just do what I did when my partner missed an argument – write it big on paper, and hold it up for them to see.
update on speed: I did a lot of debate and I can flow very well. With that being said, I will not flow off of the doc (I think its a bad norm). Take this advice as you will.
I've been a debater at West CTA for around 3 years now in the varsity PF bracket; I've done IX for 2 years and am the 2021 Nevada State Champion; I've done LD for 1 year. I qualified to nationals in PF and IX :)
I use they/them pronouns. Flow judge all the way. <3
Updated for NWCTA Novice Only.
1) If you have shady as heck evidence during a round I will call for it, and please don't make me wait. I don't want paraphrased evidence (so cut them), and if I believe you are practicing bad evidence ethics, you will automatically lose the round. Paraphrasing evidence is fine as long as you introduce the full card first.
2) Don't delay giving sources to your opponent, I hate that so much and it is very obvious that you're doing it.
3) I will take time for your speeches and crosses, and you will have a 5 second grace period. I will not cut you off, but I will not flow anything that comes after 5 seconds after your speech is supposed to be finished. If you are the opponent team, you should be checking your opponents' time -- if they go over time and you decide to respond to that and argue it as if it was truthfully in the round, you will waste your own time.
4) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE signpost! That is so important and if I get confused it will end up hurting your team more than I would like.
5) Weighing is extremely important if you don't already know that, so be sure to weigh. Weigh early and make sure I know, because if the flow doesn't tell me how I have to vote I will, default to utilitarianism.
6) I don't care about cross-examination, so if you have anything you want to point out, bring it up in a speech, but please do not yell and be nice to each other. Take turns asking questions and followups are allowed. The first speaker gets the first question unless forfeited.
7) Please remember that the public forum is supposed to be a debate-style that appeals to general audiences, so reduce your policy jargon. But if you decide to, unfortunately, be policy-ey, I will be fine with things like delinks, turns etc. Lincoln-Douglas debaters, I don't care what you do, just don't LARP excessively.
USEFUL TERMS TO KNOW: terminal defense (when you indict the premise of the argument so there is 0% offense for that team to gain off of it, but you don't gain any offense either), link turn (the link actually goes the other way), impact turn (the impact is actually good/bad), delink (the link is just not true or mitigated), mitigate (lessen the degree), nonunique (whatever they are discussing occurs in both worlds, typically applied to impacts or the actual uniqueness argument)
8) Defense is not sticky in my opinion. Do not flow through ink. AKA: everything you want to matter, you keep bringing it up.
9) If you spread I will make you lose automatically. I can handle 250wpm and lower. This is a debate competition, not a rap battle.
------ PROGRESSIVE DEBATE BELOW ------
1) Kritiks: I love Ks; make them make sense.
2) Theory/Theory Shells: I will evaluate them. Please don't run some BS friv theory, 30 speaks theory, etc. Make sure this theory shell matters (for example: spreading is ableist, etc.) In my opinion, there is RVI so do not debate it. If you run a theory shell, make sure you win it.
3) Tricks: No. Debate is educational, not elementary stuff.
4) General Rules: If you are not part of the community that your arg is based on, do not run it (ESPECIALLY AGAINST PEOPLE OF THAT COMMUNITY). Examples: Orientalism K against an Asian debater, Antiblackness/Afro Pess K against a Black/African Community debater, Gendered Language against a female, etc. If you are part of the community then it is fine. These progressive arguments are to give marginalized communities a voice, not give wealthy, privileged individuals the ability to exploit them more. If you want to run an argument as a community that is not discussed in that K, you better give me a good reason as to why you are able to advocate for them without manipulating the communities' voices. You have a higher burden to prove.
Thank you to Anya Tang, Sean Wallace, and Cobin Szymanski for getting me into progressive debate! Love y'all!
Pet Peeve: Poorly extended arguments. Please extend your arguments well. There is a sweet spot between brevity and depth that you should try to hit, but don't extend your case in 5 seconds please. This is a hill I will die on, and so will my ballot.
Feel free to email for questions, feedback, or flows: zdyar07@gmail.com. Also add it to any email chains.
TLDR: I'm a typical flow judge. I value quality of argumentation over quantity. Please collapse, extend warrants and impacts, frontline, and weigh your arguments. I'm fairly tech (see my notes at the bottom and make your own assessment). I also tend to think a lot-- I don't always vote on the path of least resistance, I vote on what's warranted, implicated and extended in the context of the round.
Background: Was a mediocre PF debater for 4 years in Minnesota at both traditional and nat circuit tournaments. Coached and judged since 2020. Graduated from UW-Madison in 2023 with degrees in Economics and Political Science.
Basic Judging Philosophy I vote off of what is warranted, I prefer what is weighed. Give me reasons to prefer your warranting over their warrants and do weighing that COMPARES your impact to their impact by telling me why yours is more important and WHY. Don't just say a buzzwords like "scope" or "de-link" and move on.
After the round: I will give you an oral RFD if possible once I submit my ballot, and feel free to question/post-round me because it makes me a better judge. I will also call for cards (see evidence section).
Speed
- I can handle around 250 words per minute BUT only if you SLOW DOWN ON TAGLINES. Send a speech doc if you are above 225 wpm or have bad clarity.
- Reading fast is not an excuse to be blippy. Speed should allow you to have better warranting and more depth, not less. Speed + 6 contention cases are not the move
- Just because you CAN read fast with me, doesn't mean you SHOULD. Read at whatever pace you debate best at, don't try and rush just because I'm techy.
Evidence
- You may paraphrase, BUT I expect you to send a cut card with a citation. DO NOT send me a full PDF and tell me what to control+F. I doc speaks for bad behavior in this department.
- After the round I will call for some key cards from case/rebuttal, even if they weren't relevant to my decision. This is my way of checking power tagging/bad cuts. If a card sounds too good to be true, I will call it. Even if the card isn't relevant to the round, I will drop your speaks if it is miscut.
Rebuttal
- Number your responses so it's easy for me to flow.
- Collapse in 2nd rebuttal (it's strategic in winning my ballot). you MUST frontline offense in 2nd rebuttal, and I strongly strongly strongly prefer you frontline every arg you are going for fully.
- Disads are fine in rebuttal. If a DA is read in second rebuttal, I'm more lenient on frontlines/responses in 1st summary. Try and link-in if you read a DA.
Summary & Final Focus
- I have a VERY high threshold for case extensions (lots of warrants plz). Don't underextend or you will probably lose.
- I prefer defense to be in summary (defense isn't sticky). I will maybe evaluate defense that is extended from 1st rebuttal to 1st Final Focus ONLY IF it is cold dropped, but there is a low chance I will evaluate 2nd rebuttal to Final Focus defense. I will never evaluate defense that isn't extended in Final Focus. Your best chance of winning defense is to extend it in both summary and final focus.
- Offense needs to be in both summary and FF.
- If you don't collapse, frontline, and weigh in summary, you probably won't win my ballot.
Theory
- I will vote on theory, but I prefer it to be read in the first speech possible (i.e., don't read a shell in 2nd rebuttal if it can be read in 2nd constructive). Disclosure, paraphrasing, content warning, misgendering theory, etc. are all fair game.
- I'm not a theory expert-- don't assume I have strong technical knowledge of foundational theory concepts like RVIs, reasonability vs CIs, etc. For instance, I almost screwed up a decision because I didn't know whether a specific response qualified as an RVI or not bc no one explained it to me. So explain and implicate that kind of stuff for me more than other tech judges.
- Very pro-content warning shells, but ONLY when they aren't friv (i.e., I think reading one on a poverty impact is too much, but reading like a gendered violence content warning shell is definitely not friv). However, I'm non-interventionist so I'll vote on anything. I do believe that content warnings aren't a race to the bottom and that there is some reasonable threshold for me to buy them, but also this is one of the places I kind of default to a reasonability stance-- I think there is some gray area I want people to hash out in rounds though.
- If you use theory to exclude your opponents and you have structural advantages in the debate community I will you drop the shell faster than you can read your interp. But, if it's two rich private schools bashing each other over the head with theory, go ahead.
- Don't extend your shell in rebuttal (you shouldn't extend case in rebuttal either).
Ks
- I've voted on Ks several times before, but I'm not well-versed in the lit so slow down on tags and key warrants.
- You need to at least have minimalist extensions of the link, impacts, and all other important parts of your arg (framing/ROB) in summary AND Final. Don't try and read the whole thing verbatim.
Progressive weighing
- Progressive weighing is cool-- I like well-warranted metaweighing (though I've seen it done well only a handful of times), link weighing, and SV/Extinction framing.
- Saying the words "strength/clarity of link/impact" is not weighing :(
Assorted things
- If both teams want to skip cross/grand cross and use it as flex prep, I'm cool with that. Negotiate that yourselves though.
- Read content warnings on graphic args, though I'm more open to no content warnings non-graphic but potentially triggering args like human trafficking (will evaluate CW theory though). Google forms are ideal, but give adequate time for opt-out no matter how you do it.
Speaks
-Speaks are inherently biased towards privileged groups-- I will try and evaluate speaks strictly based on the quality of args given in your speech.
-There are 4 ways your speaks get dropped: 1) Arriving late to round (unless you have a legitimate reason/accessibility concern), 2) Being slow to produce evidence or calling for excessive amounts of cards, 3) Stealing prep time, 4) Saying or doing anything that is excessively rude or problematic.
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How tech am I? Here are some arguments and how I'd evaluate them.
- Climate change fake/good: While obviously untrue, I would vote on it as turn/defense. However, my threshold for frontlines would be low, so it likely isn't a super strategic choice.
- Election Args/[politician] bad: Would 100% vote on it-- run whatever so long as it isn't offensive
- Racism/sexism/homophobia good: Nope.
- Economic Growth Bad (DeDev): Would 100% vote on this.
- Tricks: Nope.
- Impacts to animal/plants: I would love the chance to vote on this with a framework.
UPDATED January 2024:
I haven't been judging LD for a while; I've mostly been judging PF for the last 3 years. I've almost certainly left things out of this paradigm - if you have more specific questions that aren't covered here, email me at serena.e.fitzgerald@gmail.com.
Generally:
I competed primarily in LD in high school (graduated 2015) and NPDA in college (graduated 2018). I've been a (mostly) full-time debate coach since.
I base win/loss only on the content of the arguments; speaker points are based on a combination of rhetorical performance, strategic vision, and technical skill.
Speed is fine, but I'm somewhat rusty, so I might "slow" or "clear" you. I'll call for cards if there is a dispute over their content, but I won't rely on a speech doc to cover for mudmouth or sloppy spreading.
I don't vote off of "arguments" made in cross, only in timed speeches.
Weighing, framing, and evidence comparison are all incredibly helpful since it a) makes my job easier and b) allows you to control which arguments I evaluate first. Absent debaters' arguments, I generally default to evaluating procedurals first, kritiks second, and policy arguments last.
I'm fine with "sticky defense" but I generally won't evaluate anything unless extended in the last speech; and if it's extended through ink I won't evaluate it.
Specific arguments
LARP/policy/util debate - I'm an econ and political science major, so I'm a fan of really specific, nuanced arguments in those fields. I'm comfortable judging really obscure or squirrely contentions, since they liven up the tournament a bit.
I am willing to engage in a lot of warrant comparison if the debaters don't do it for me in order to weigh whether a DA/ADV is more probable, so having specific, solid warrants in your evidence (rather than broad claims) will likely help you.
Kritiks - I'm a big fan of good K debate, and creative, interesting philosophical arguments or frameworks will probably boost your speaks.
I have a relatively high threshold for frame-outs. I find myself more comfortable either voting on substantive solvency arguments based in the critical literature, or granting a weighing mechanism that substantively benefits your critique, than an outright "don't evaluate their case at all" framework. The other two options might be more strategic ways to cross-apply your framework cards in front of me.
In college and high school, I mostly read Ks focusing on Marxism, anti-colonial writers like Fanon and Friere, and poststructuralist authors like Foucault and Guattari. Puar, Mbembe, and Butler are some of the contemporary philosophers most influential over me. For other theories, you may want to read an overview if you are collapsing to it, to make sure I understand your thesis accurately. (It's probably helpful even if I have read that author before, since you might be emphasizing a different part of their work.)
Theory/ Procedurals - I default to competing interpretations. I'm pretty neutral about most theory debates and I'll vote for most interps (yes, including shoe theory) as long as you win on the flow.
I find that compared to other judges, I'm not as rigid about the phrasing of theory arguments. If someone substantively makes a "we meet" argument but doesn't formally flag it as such, I will still evaluate the content of the argument and apply it to the theory. However - this is imperfect, and I may not always know what you meant a particular argument to refer to, so it is still always best to flag your arguments and signpost clearly.
I don't have a very high opinion of IVI's as they are usually read; the existence of theory in debate does generally seem like the best way of deciding and enforcing the "rules" of debate. However, I find they're usually more persuasive when they incorporate more substantive arguments (especially if it dovetails with the thesis of the case or other arguments presented) - for example, many of the responses that critical affs develop to topicality are very interesting.
tldr; default to a genuinely flow-based judge. Updated recently for greater clarity.
I am good with tech rounds, but my threshold for speed is lower when judging, so don't spread on me. I need cases to be around 750 words for me to catch everything, but my response to speed somewhat improves as the round progresses. In other words, I need you to take it slow in constructive, but I can generally handle quicker back half rounds.
I vibe with all the standard stuff but am also susceptible to good rhetoric. I judge directly off the flow and am very conscious to not insert personal knowledge/evaluation.
No discrimination on the identity or circumstance of participants in round will be tolerated. Read trigger warnings with an opt-out if you at all think your case might warrant one. Please use gender neutral language in round if you don't know the pronouns of your opponents.
Grand cross is fun, and people need to stop being mean to it :(
Theory: I have voted on theory before and am open to evaluating it so long as it's targeting significant in-round abuse. I still follow theory on the flow, but I do believe that theory somewhat asks the judge to draw upon their own perception of what's happened in the round. I am 100% willing to stop the round and vote if there is any kind of behavior compromising the safety of participants. I will never, ever vote on disclosure theory.
Framework: Love it. Comfortable voting under basically any philosophical framework (deontology, util (I have a greater understanding of act utilitarianism rather than rule utilitarianism) rights, etc) as long as its won. I will give you a speaks boost if you run rights framework bc I've never head that in PF and want to see it. Also love fiat analysis.
Ks: If your K isn't accessible, I would ask you to offer an opt-out system. I am definitely more likely to vote on Ks that have tangible pre-fiat impacts. I am a decent evaluator of Ks if they're accessible enough for the literature to be understood. Please, please, please don't spread Ks.
Speaks: My speaks start at 28, and I definitely do hand out 30s. Just because you lose doesn't mean low speaks. If you're break quality, expect above 28s.
General Preferences: Fun rounds are the best rounds. Please extend cards when doing case extensions. Implicate your offensive responses.
Feel free to ask me if there's any questions post round.
Hello! I’m a 1st year out from Chanhassen HS (Minnesota) and attending the University of Florida.
If you care about my experience: I joined debate in my sophomore year in High School, competing in PF all 3 years (and did congress once). I found success at locals and national circuit tournaments. I'm a 2x National Qualifier, breaking at nationals both my junior (top 65) and senior (top 45) years. I also broke at a few nat circ tournaments my junior/senior years.
Note for TOC: I have not judged since the Bronx tournament, and I am in the middle of finals week so please keep that in mind!
If you have any questions or would like to add me to the email chain: ellasfurman@gmail.com
Super short version: Standard Flay Leaning Tech judge, I will usually vote off the flow but recognize I am human and am subjected to my own biases depending on presentation. If you want to go tech, I would appreciate it if it didn't sound like a monotone mess and don't spread on me.
If you skip over everything else in my paradigm, at least read this. If you spread, you are guaranteeing you get below 27 speaks and if it's incomprehensible to the point that anyone must shout "clear" multiple times, you're likely going to lose. I have Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and due to this, I cannot flow super fast arguments, that's not saying I will give up - but don't expect me to put myself through physical pain to catch everything. If you plan on spreading: strike me or emphasize the things you need me to catch. That being said, I do prefer conversationally quick debate and can flow 850-900 word (PLEASE stay below 1,000 words) rebuttals/case as long as your annunciation is good.
Here are my in round preferences:
Content/Trigger Warnings: YOU MUST READ ONE. If you have an issue with an argument presented in the round - you don't need a warrant for why something triggers you, just a general warrant for why it would be triggering in general and you don't need to disclose if you are triggered either. Run a shell, even informal and I will most likely vote on it
I will end the round if I deem it necessary for the safety of any competitor, and give the team responsible for the lack of safety a loss.
Stylistically: I am willing to adapt to teams, but keep in mind that I do have a preference towards techier debate but don't spread "uniqueness controls the direction of the link" and if you do you will get a "cool" on my flow. Again, don't spread (seriously, don't). Don't flow through ink, I vote off of any offense at the end of the round.
On Presumption: I honestly believe that the ones about speaking order or the "status quo" are a waste of time, if there is a SYSTEMIC disadvantage (i.e sexism, racism, etc) that you say I should presume you on - I would absolutely be down for that.
On Theory/Ks/Progressive debates: I will listen to any progressive arguments and am willing to vote off of it, I’ve ran theory myself and also have some experience with Kritiks (having run the majority world K, and an ableism rage K) but don't read like high-level kritiks without explaining it to me and how I should evaluate it. Also, I don't think that there really can be an Alt in PF debate since usually, that would be a counterplan... which is illegal...
Friv: Disclosure theory (if you're reading this against a small school), shoes theory, or any shells of the sort. I will most likely not vote on it, especially if you're running it against novices because I think friv theory, in general, is really bad for debate.
I default to competing interpretations for most shells unless you can tell me why I should intervene with reasonability.
Furthermore, as a female-presenting former debater, I am well aware of the microaggressions that exist within this community.
Male PFers: Your voices are naturally louder and deeper than womxn debaters. Do NOT speak down or over womxn opponents. I don’t want ANY questions regarding your opponents' knowledge on the topic, or anything of that sort. It’s degrading and inappropriate. If you do I will either drop you or at least tank your speaks because of this. (I have had personal experience with it, and it's why there is such a gender gap in PF)
Finally, I will not tolerate any racism, homophobia, xenophobia, antisemitism, ableism, or anything of the sort. This will not only result in the lowest possible speaks but also a drop.
Speaks:
I think speaks are meaningless and are extraordinarily subjective. I'll start with a 30 for everyone, and lower it if you're problematic or disregard my paradigm.
Hello!
My name is Krishma and I am current a freshman debater and I have experience judging parli (college and high school) and very little experience judging PF and LD. In my brief PF and LD judging experience, one thing I encountered a lot was spreading. PLEASE, I encourage you to not spread in rounds I am judging. I prefer quality>quantity (and I really cannot decipher words when debaters speak that fast).
Any unethical content (racism, homophobia, etc.) results in automatic loss and low speaks. It is important to be respectful in rounds and I will be upholding this strictly.
Also I am not familiar with tech words. So unless I can infer what you are talking ab in rounds, I would not waste time using very particular debate jargon.
im a lay judge lmao
nah but fr
Debate is a communication activity. At the end of the day, if you can't communicate your arguments articulately and explain to me why you won, you didn't win. You can be as tech as you want but if you can't communicate, you won't win.
Consider me PF flow.
Specifics:
No progressive arguments. Treat these online tourneys like real tournaments. If I think your progressive argument isn't related to substance or isn't calling out abuse, I'll stop flowing.
Tech vs Truth, but like obviously don't run fake args, cuz then its easier for them to respond. If a response is dropped its true tho even if I don't believe it as long as there is a warrant.
Comparative Analysis Weighing(pre-reqs, link ins, short circuits) > traditional weighing. This is because comparative analysis gives me actual reasons to vote for you over them.
Warrants are the most important thing in an argument, if it's not there I wont flow it.
Frontline in second rebuttal or the response is conceded. I've read full contentions in first summary but don't read DAs past first rebuttal.
Speed is chill, dont spread, send docs if u wanna go hella fast
Speaks are based on skill of debater and strategy and less on actual speaking ability. I always get bad speaks thats why.
Hi!
I am a pretty chill and laid back judge. I myself do PF, so I know most of the ins and outs of how a round should go. Below are a couple of answers to common questions and some things you should know before beginning your round.
- I am 100% tech over truth. If you don’t give me anything technical to go off of, I will vote where I believe the arguments were the most convincing.
- If you or your partner concede something, it will automatically go to the other team. Spending time on it will not help, so I recommend spending time elsewhere on the flow. Try to win other points.
- I do not have any issues with speed. If you plan to speak at a speed that isn’t normal for Public Forum, please start an email chain with myself and the other competitors on it in order to ensure we all understand what is going on.
- In order to make sure that I understand all of the arguments in full, I may stop the round to ask a quick question or two. Make sure you have a good explanation because if I don't understand your argument, how am I supposed to vote for it?
- I don't vote on solvency just name dropped. You need to prove how YOU solve as well.
- I will not tolerate being rude or overly aggressive towards your opponent. I understand cutting someone off because they have been talking for too long, but being plain rude is unnecessary and will be reflected in your speaker points.
- Please DO NOT bring race into a debate in an inappropriate way. If you attempt to use my race as an advantage to win the round, you will lose and receive the lowest amount of speaker points the tournament will allow.
- I love jokes during the round because it makes it a lot easier for me to watch. With that being said, any offensive jokes made will cost you and your partner the round. If you have to question whether or not the joke was offensive, DO NOT MAKE IT.
- Make clean extensions of your link story if you want me to vote on a certain point in the debate. Just extending an uncontested impact or an uncontested response will not help. Tell me the story behind the point and if you can give me the card info as well so that i may draw the line on my flow.
- PLEASE COLLAPSE. I AM BEGGING YOU. Collapsing makes the round better for literally everyone involved. If you try to go for everything and miss one key extension it could cost you the round and no one wants that. Soooooo collapse.
- I welcome questions after the round to try to clarify why you won or lost the round, but please do not attempt to change my mind about the decision I have made. I attempt to make the best possible decision based on the flow and the content of the cases. Trying to change my mind will just aggravate me. It is what it is.
Overall, just be kind to your opponents and the judge. If you have any questions, please ask them before the round starts. It never hurts to ask. Happy debating.
For Stanford:
Everything in LD paradigm applies to PF. You can spread and I don’t care what you read. Send all speech docs beforre your speech with the cards your reading to my email below, if we have to do some weird calling card stuff I’m prolly gonna doc points bc it just takes way too long. Ideally you don’t paraphrase, won’t hack straight against if you do, but may lower speaks, so just read cut cards.
Email:sunayhegde2017@gmail.com
Hey, I'm sunay (he/him). I did LD at Montville Highschool for 4 years. Got a bid in LD my senior year and a few bid rounds.
It's been like 6 months since I have actively thought about debate. This means that you should probably go like 60-70% of your max speed in rebuttals (I have always been a bad at flowing either way) and always err on the side of over-explanation, especially for more dense debates. There are probably things I have forgot and need time to think about.
Shorter version:
Pref Sheet for all Events (1 is highest, 5 is lowest):
1 - Policy/theory
2 - K (security, cap, grove)
3 - tricks
4- phil
5 - pomo, performance
Defaults:
Theory - Dtd, C/I, no rvis
Presumption/Permissibility flows neg
yes 1ar theory
extinction ows
Will probably better fairly generous with speaks but generally my metric will be to start at a 29 and go up or down depending on strategy etc..
*As a general note, I don't care what you read and will vote on literally anything as long as its not racist, sexist, etc.., but things on the lower side of my pref list mean that I have less experience with them/will have a harder time evaluating more higher levels of those debates and will probably need you to go slower/over explain.
Long Version:
tech > truth
Policy- favorite style of debate and debated this the most. I really like smaller affs and specific case debate as opposed to generic impacts. Impact calc in the back half of the round is super important, 2nr/2ar needs the comparison otherwise my ballot becomes much harder to make. Also don't forget ev comparision since i'm unlikely to do the work there if you do not do it for me.
Theory - Dont care if its friv. Go a little slower through analytics and on the interp text/counterinterp text, esp if its analytic, since if u go full speed through like 3 shells good chance im gonna miss stuff. Disclosure good, but if you use it to abuse novices speaks will probably be lower. Good standard comparison and clear abuse stories make these rounds easier to judge.
Tricks - Will vote on anything as long as it has some type of warrant. Won't be too happy with ev after x speech args but like if its conceded and extended with a warrant I'll vote on it. Generally, if you want to read em - delineate them, err on the side of overexplaining the arguments (like don't be blippy) and be up front in CX. Also, reading them on a novice or trad debater will cap your speaks at 28. *Fair note here that just because I will vote for them does not mean I am gonna be the best at evaluating a Nailbomb AC or something of that sort.
Phil - Im not well read on a lot of type of phil. My knowledge on most lit bases is fairly rudimentary, which means for more niche arguments I'm unlikely to know it. I also was on the util side most of the time in these debates, meaning that however hard I try to be tab those biases will probably sway me in close debates. With all that being said, if u wanna read it go ahead, although im probably not the best to evaluate these debates. If you do go for it j make sure to explain it coherently and not just use a bunch of buzz words. This means that you probably shouldn't go max speed when explaining your syllogism and be blippy when extending random blips at the top of fw. I also really find permis/presumption debates to be pretty tedious, so if your nc/ac is just a bunch of permis/presumption triggers im probably also not the guy for you. This also means if skep is your strat im probably not the person to pref.
K - I've only really read cap and security as a debater so assume I don't know your lit and err on the side of overexplaining the theory of power in the 2NR. I really like well done K debates, so please don't forget the line-by-line for overarching overview answers and shallow explanations of the arguments that regurgitate buzzwords,. Including examples to explain the theory of power and/or alternative are also good. I also like specific links to the 1AC, generic links are fine but specificity will always better your chances of winning and/or getting good speaks. Make sure to have turn cases or alt solves stuff in there too. Also pomo makes me confused, so just be sure to explain it, im not gonna be able to vote off weird buzzwords i dont understand no matter how tab i try to be.
K affs/performance - I like K affs that have a clear advocacy that actually does something (non t/performance affs are fine but the threshold for either explanation of what the aff does/justifying the impact turn to T will be much higher). If you have some vague advocacy that is basically non T and super shifty, but act like its T in 1ac cx, I am going to be much more receptive to T args compared to if the aff was just non-T and went hard for the impact turn. This also means the overview to the 1ar should slow down and give a explanation of the affs theory of power, what the aff does, and why I should vote aff. If im left confused as to what the aff actually does by the end of the round, the presumption push the neg is going to make will be much more persuasive. Basically, make sure your ci is not super vague and ridiculously blippy, be ready for the impact turn debate, and give a clear explain as to what the aff does.
There is probably a bunch of stuff im missing just because i dont want this paradigm to be too long, so if you have a specific question just ask it before the round.
Treat me as a PF lay judge during the round. To win the round here are the following things to prioritize:
1) Slow and steady speed
Although I will be able to understand most of your content, make sure to slow down and be clear about what you want me to prioritize in the round (main arguments, pieces of evidence, voter issues).
2) Make sure to extend your arguments (the arguments you want me to vote on) to the final focus.
3) Be respectful to your opponents and everyone else in the round
For MS PF'ers: treat me like a lay judge
HS:
General Stuff:
I may ask you to treat me lay if I'm tired (I apologize) but in general, tech judge.
- make email chain pre-round and add me (elamalsakini@gmail.com)
- send case before speech; I don't need docs for other speeches but no spreading (stay within ~225 wpm)
- have cut cards
- you have three-ish minutes to find a card when asked before it's dropped and we move on
- anything you want evaluated in decision should be in speeches
- i'll evaluate Ks + T but be clear/treat it like an argument
- tech > truth (don't use that as an excuse to not warrant/implicate)
- pre-flow before round
- don't be a bad person + have fun
Speaks:
I average somewhere between 28 - 29, but I go higher often enough.
Bio
Hi, I competed in PF for Hamilton High and am currently a college senior.
I am old and uninvolved with debate, so I probably can't flow speed well anymore. I would suggest you treat me like a flay judge.
**Note for Cal Invitational: I am only judging Sunday and skipped Saturday. Hence, I am NOT familiar with the topic and what is considered stock/trendy.
TLDR: quality>quantity, extend your link story, weigh. Everything here is pretty standard.
1. Collapsing is absolutely necessary; do not try to extend everything in case and win every argument. Going for 1 or 2 pieces of offense will result in a much cleaner round.
2. I expect you to *EXTEND YOUR LINK CHAIN* in both summary and final focus. Walk me through your warrants and impacts again. Don't just frontline and entirely skip over your link story (ghost extensions).
4. Defense does not need to be extended into the first summary, unless 2nd rebuttal chooses to respond to defense from first rebuttal (I won't strictly force frontlining in 2nd rebuttal). However, it might be good to extend important terminal defense into the first summary for the sake of emphasis (up to you).
5. **Weigh, weigh, weigh**. Don't forget to also weigh turns (too many teams don't do this). Keep your weighing comparative -- saying "poverty is the most important impact" is not real argument comparison. My decisions very often come down to whichever team did the better job weighing, especially when the link debate becomes messy. If you are speaking 2nd, don't wait until FF to weigh (I will default to this if no other weighing is done).
6. If you want to read an actual warranted framework, that needs to come no later than 1st rebuttal. This means if you are speaking 2nd, you will need to introduce any framework starting in case (not 2nd rebuttal).
7. I have minimal experience with progressive argumentation, so steer away from it. I heavily frown upon what I perceive to be tricks or gimmicks.
Miscellaneous
Feel free to post-round/ask questions until you are satisfied. Once upon a time, I was once a tryhard, sweaty, angry PF debater myself, so I understand the pain of dropping rounds. Please time yourselves.
Experience:
I currently compete in open public forum and have a couple of years of experience. I also do a few other styles of debate like CNDF and BP. So don't worry about using PF terms like timeframe, drops, magnitude, flow etc.
Evidence
PF is very heavy on evidence so use cards that are cited with trustworthy sources, and if your evidence seems too far fetched or the numbers don't sound right I will either disregard or call for it. But at the end of the day evidence and cards aren't everything, you need to explain it well. So the warrant is extremely important. I won't just buy a card without any reasoning or explanation.
Preferences
I would like you to write my flow for me, basically making everything VERY CLEAR. Summary and Final Focus are the most important speeches, especially in FF please give me voters to vote on. Explain why you won in each voter so you essentially write my flow.
I am alright with speed but PF has short speeches which means you should explain your arguments concisely. Don't spread or go crazy fast because if I can't understand you I can't flow it. If you have to speak fast make sure to enunciate and emphasize.
Pleaseee extend your arguments, if an argument doesn't come through to FF, or was dropped in summary I won't vote for it. As a debater I don't like it when my opponents bring up new evidence, arguments, or refutations later than grand cross, so please don't do that.
Frameworks aren't required but if you have one that's great, and if you don't have one but your opponents do as long as it is reasonable I will go with the provided framework.
I don't flow crossfires so if you want something to be flowed bring it up in the next speech. Tell me the impacts, your argument essentially has no value if there is no impact, so weigh impacts! Speaking style only contributes to your speaker points and just basic understanding. So your content > speaking style. Rounds can be very stressful so a little humour is appreciated to lighten up everyone's moods:)
Time
I will time you but also time yourself. There is no need to time your opponents and please don't tell them they are overtime, I will do that. I will give you 5-10 seconds of grace time, so just wrap it up I won't simply cut you off. I value what you have to say over time.
Etiquette:
Debate is a peaceful way of arguing not firing roasts at each other, especially during crossfire please be respectful let them finish their points otherwise I might lower your speaks. I encourage you to attack the arguments all you want but leave the person out of it. Be savage but don't be mean:)
Relax and good luck!
Feel free to email me at meverestlin@gmail.com
PF/LD in HS, former UT policy debater (2A/1N).
PSHS '20, UT '24
Conflicts: Plano Senior HS (Plano, TX), Jasper HS (Plano, TX), Clark HS (Plano, TX)
plano.speechdocs@gmail.com (Email for email chain)
Judges who I largely agree with:
Pref Sheet for all Events (1 is highest, 5 is lowest)
1 - LARP/theory
2 - K
3 - phil
4 - tricks
5 - K aff, performance
Defaults
Theory - DtA, Reasonability, RVIs*
Presumption/Permissibility flows neg
Policymaking in the absence of a RotB and Utilitarianism in absence of an alternative framework
Note that these are just what I default to in the absence of arguments made for any of these issues, if any arguments are made on these I will obviously evaluate them.
*Check theory section if you do CX Debate
As a general note, my favorite rounds to judge are really solid LARP/theory/K rounds, but don't worry if that's not your strat because I'm fine with anything as long as you do a really good job of it. Good flow-oriented debate will always beat grandstanding and not flow-oriented debate.
TLDR if you are pressed for time: Debated LARP style and a little bit of K. Do your strat and I will do my best to evaluate it.
PF
- +0.5 speaks for disclosure on the NDCA wiki before round with proof
- just because you have a piece of evidence doesn't mean it has a warrant - make sure each card you provide in any speech has sufficient warranting
- second rebuttal should frontline offense in the first rebuttal
- defense isn't sticky in summary
- summary and final should ideally mirror each other
- weigh, weigh, weigh! good weighing will reward you in round
LD/CX
LARP - favorite style of debate. I really like smaller affs and specific case debate. Good weighing in the 2NR/2AR is a good way to get my ballot in a LARP round. Finally, please extend case in the 2AR if you want me to evaluate it at the end of the round. If case was conceded in the 2NR, a small 2AR extension at the top of the 2AR will suffice.
Theory - I prefer more fleshed out arguments rather than blips. I would also like you to go a little slower through analytics and on the interp text/counterinterp text. I will vote on disclosure theory but I think there is a difference between someone not disclosing at all and someone not adhering to every single little interp you have. I also probably won't evaluate disclosure on people who can prove in a verifiable way that their school policy prevents it. Other than that, I don't have any strong preferences on theory but I will say the bar to responding to friv theory is much lower. Good standard weighing and clear abuse stories are easy ways to get my ballot in a theory round. *CX Specific - theory/T are not RVIs, so don't try it.*
T - I only really ask that you have a TVA/caselist with any topicality argument or I will err more on the aff side of topicality. Other than that, anything is fine.
Tricks - I mean, I guess you can but I won't be too thrilled about it. Just delineate them, err on the side of overexplaining the arguments (like don't be blippy) and be up front in CX. I will not vote off condo logic - its a terrible argument (tbf all tricks are terrible but this one just is worse than the rest).
Phil - I'm familiar with Kant, Rawls, Hobbes and virtue ethics at a basic level but assume I don't know your lit and err on the side of overexplaining what the framework is and how the offense links under it.
K - I've only really read cap and security as a debater so assume I don't know your lit so err on the side of overexplaining the theory of power in the 2NR. I really like well done K debates, so please don't forgo the line-by-line for overarching overview answers and shallow explanations of the arguments that regurgitate buzzwords, that will make me sad. Including examples to explain the theory of power and/or alternative are also good. I also like specific links to the 1AC, generic links are fine but specificity will always better your chances of winning and/or getting good speaks.
K affs/performance - I don't really know the ins-and-outs of this style of debate too well because I never really debated in this style, but I will say I tend to lean on the neg side of T-framework just because I ended up on that side in a lot of debates.
Assistant LD coach for Peninsula HS
tech over truth - i will flow all arguments and vote on what you extend into your final speeches.
"like many before me I have decided that I am not a fan of cop-out or cheap shot strategies designed to avoid clash and pick up an easy ballot. This means my threshold for an argument that is warranted and implicated is much higher and I feel more comfortable giving an RFD on 'I don't know why x is true per the 2ar/2nr.' If you would like to thoroughly explain why creating objective moral truths is impossible or why disclosing round reports is a good norm then please feel free to do so, but 10 seconds of 'they dropped hidden AFC now vote aff' isn't going to cut it" - lizzie su
i do not feel confident in my ability to evaluate the following debates:
-phil ac vs phil nc
-k aff vs non cap kritik
-phil ac vs kritik
non-condo theory shells are dta unless otherwise justified
convinced by reasonability - affs need a c/i
i tend to read a lot of evidence - spending more time reading quality evidence will serve you well
better for framework 2nrs that go for fairness
i try not to be expressive in round if i make any facial expressions it is probably unrelated
He/Him
email: prateek.motagi@stern.nyu.edu
lots of circuit experience (gtoc and more)
ask me anything before round!
tldr: run whatever, explain it, win!
disclosure is good (I mean for my decision, ofc)
-
Tech>Truth. I'll vote off ANYTHING extended cleanly on the flow. I was forced by my partner to love impact turns (do what you will with that). More on progressive stuff below.
-
Pleeeease read content warnings for potentially triggering args or u lose speaks (saves u from theory)
-
for novices- a content warning is when you read a warning for potentially harmful stuff in speech. for example, if I'm running solving domestic violence in my case, which some people could be uncomfortable debating about since that's an issue personal to them, I would say 'content warning: domestic violence' before constructive to notify them :)
- Tell me if you're in the bubble and I'll give you 30s
- If there is a lay or a flay on the panel, kick me. I'm fine with a nice, chill debate, and you should adapt to the majority!
Speeches
- Paraphrasing is chill, just don't lie about evidence. HOWEVER, I’m open to cut-card theory–I won’t intervene with my personal ideologies.
-
I'm fine with any speed, I don’t want to limit you as the judge. However, notify me before your speech so I know what to expect! I'll let you know if I need a doc or not.
-
Enunciate even if you're spreading, don't try to slur words to get more stuff out pls.
Rebuttal
-
You must frontline in 2nd rebuttal.
-
Independent DAs in 2nd rebuttal are sus, but responsive/overviews are fine.
Summary/FF
-
Must extend your link, impact, and clear warrant!!! (idc about author names I don't flow them)
Framework
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Framework's cool! Please warrant it. Too many times, teams will just read a blip at the top of case saying “The fw for this debate should be how x will help in the future”
-
I GUESS I'll buy any framing. If it makes my head hurt then I will not vote off of it (this is maybe the most I’d intervene?)
Progressive
-
ngl idk much about prog
- I was not a theory debater
judge simp bad!
I am currently a student at Harvard College. I dabbled in debate while in high school (if it matters to you, I debated under University Irvine Independent or University High School, Irvine Gupta & Moudgalya).
I would certainly not consider myself an incredibly technical judge. To that end, however, I will do my best to flow the debate; you'll give your side of the debate the greatest presence on my flow if I can write down everything and hence, I recommend speaking either slow or only moderately quick. You win my ballot if you can: 1) explain your arguments clearly and with strong evidence and warrants and 2) explain why your opponents arguments are wrong and explain why your arguments matter more than your opponents arguments. I am very expressive – if I agree with what is being said, I will likely be nodding along and if I am confused, I'll likely express my confusion.
In regards to weighing, I think that weighing is an incredibly important aspect of debate. However, simply throwing around buzzwords like 'magnitude', or 'risk of offense' will not carry you far in the debate. Weighing is best delivered when it is early, warranted, reasonable, and contextualized.
Since I am a few years removed from the activity, I am unsure about what the 'meta' of the activity is; when I left, theory was starting to gain steam and paraphrasing was commonly frowned upon. I will do my best to be tabula rasa and hence, I do not have any preconceptions about rules or norms in debate. Apart from an argument (and of course, behavior) that is discriminatory or hateful, I am open to hearing any argument, provided it is clearly explained and well warranted.
Lastly, I love snark/sass but hate disrespect. The line is incredibly fine. Be careful, respectful, and most of all, have fun. Debate is not worth it otherwise! You are welcome to post-round me (respectfully); I view my job as a judge to adjudicate debate to the best of my ability and to that end, I don't mind questions.
*This will likely be somewhat confusing, please make an attempt to read it and I am more than willing to clarify before the round, but will not repeat it verbatim*
Background: Competed in PF, CD, and IX for Wauseon (OH), also debated in college for Heidelberg University. In addition, I competed at the 2018 Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl National Championships. I coached at Wauseon (OH). I am a Ph.D. candidate in applied economics at Western Michigan University. I have judged more extensively than my Tabroom indicates, as I judge every weekend, Ohio just does not use Tabroom. Primarily judge/parli Congress as such you will find my Congress paradigm much longer. Served as the Parliamentarian for the final round of Congress at the 2020 and 2021 OSDA State Tournaments, as well as the semifinal of the 2021 NCFL tournament .
Conflicts: Wauseon (OH)
FAQs
1. What should I call you?
You can refer to me by name. I also use he/him pronouns. Preferably don’t call me “judge”, that’s a bit strange.
2. Are there arguments you won’t vote off of?
If something is clearly false or abusive, I probably won’t vote for it. If you’re being blatantly offensive, I might drop you.
meme cases, do NOT run a meme case.
3. Should I shake your hand?
Please do not do that.
4. Do you disclose?
I will follow the rules of the specific tournament in regards to disclosure and oral feedback. But generally, if the tournament allows I prefer to disclose.
5. In Congress (and other debates) should I wait for a sign of readiness from you?
No, you may assume that I am always ready
Anything else?
Be respectful of your opponent. Ask for their pronouns and use them correctly. Don’t do things that will clearly and unnecessarily make the round unfair to your opponent (ie., don’t spread or run tricks against a novice or something like that. You won't auto lose me but I will be annoyed!) Have fun with it, it is supposed to be fun.
Feel free to ask me questions about anything on here or anything not on here.
General Debate Info
Speed:
I find myself very comfortable with any level of speed presented by debaters. However, do not use speed to be abusive to your opponents.
Argument Styles:
Link your arguments to the resolution. Do not leave me wondering what your case has to do with the resolution, and why you’re reading it. If you are reading something off case make me at least acutely aware as to how it links to the resolution.
Tableau Rasa:
The short answer, yes. If you say something inaccurate I will note it on the ballot, but will not consider it in my decision unless your opponent mentions it. Refer also to FAQ 2.
Evidence:
Yes, you should cite evidence to support your claims. Claims supported by evidence, empirics, and philosophy, along with developed warrants, links, and impacts will go a long way to winning my ballot.
CX:
Run as inventive of a case as you can properly defend in the round, maintaining proper respect for the activity and your opponents.
Give an off-time road map and signpost clearly in all speeches.
LD:
You should have a balance of hard evidence and philosophy within your case.
I will listen to and tolerate most any argument you run in front of me.
A Value and Value criterion are integral.
If you are going to use an uncommon philosopher/ school of philosophy make sure you flesh out the details of it, and do not simply name drop a philosopher.
PF:
Err on the side of more traditional arguments, stick to the resolution. I prefer to not judge a round of Policy with the time constraints of PF.
I like Grand Cross, I know some do not, but I believe it serves a purpose.
I do not enjoy being an interventionist judge in PF or LD.
Congress:
Modeling proper decorum is incredibly important, respect your opponents and the event if you fail to maintain proper decorum during the round you will fail to be high on my ballot. Included in having proper decorum is an understanding of the rules outlined in Parliamentary Procedure.
I tend to rank presiding officers quite well, it can even serve as a tie-breaker between two competitors when I conduct my pref ranking of the chamber. If you preside over an effective chamber it will boost your rank, if not it will drop you pretty far, as an ineffective presiding officer can quickly derail a chamber.
This is a debate event before anything. That means you should be adapting to the round as it goes. The sponsor and the first negative speaker should set up the round for strong debate. The sponsor should state the problem, how this bill fixes the problem, give one or two impacts from solving it, and if you're a superstar give me a framework. As the round moves on from these first two speeches, I should see an increasing amount of refutations and original views on the legislation. As we move into the last 1/3rd of the debate cycle there should be an increasing amount of extensions countering the other arguments of the other side of the debate while still maintaining an original point of view and analysis. When arguments for both sides are exhausted or when the debate becomes stale, I should see the crystallization of the debate, and speeches that refute the whole of the opposition not just individual speakers bringing the debate to an effective conclusion.
Effective cross-examination involves attacking your opponent’s arguments and exposing the flaws therein. Do not waste time by asking favorable questions of your opponent, use the time to ask them questions which clash and help to hash out the debate. Ask questions in a succinct manner, there is no reason your question should take half of the questioning block to ask. The same applies to long-winded answers, do not waste the questioning period. Defense in cross x is more straightforward because all I want to see is that you can defend your argument to the point where it is still standing strong after cross x. I prefer calmer cross x over yelling, remember that decorum is integral to successful Congressional debate.
I rank based on the totality of your participation in the chamber this includes decorum, questions, answers, speeches, and general participation(voting, making/seconding motions, etc.). Basically, participate and move the debate further and you will likely end up high on my pref ballot.
you tried
to call the
question
but you
said
"i motion"
not "i move"
-Rupi Kaur
I am a flow judge. if you want me to consider a point in my RFD, you must state it cohesively in your speeches and ensure that you bring up important points. if it’s not on my flow, i won’t consider it.
speed: i’m all right with speed as long as you’re speaking legibly and i can comprehend your words enough to note them down. i don’t see any benefit or reason to spread but if you do, it’s your choice. remember, you’ve to win the judge over, but if they can’t understand you, there’s going to be some problems.
evidence: statistics > anecdotal/theoretical evidence. your argument must be supported by sourced evidence consistently. don’t simply state an argument and expect me or your opponent(s) to buy it. if asked for a card, you must be able to provide. if you ask your opponent for a card, the time you take to view the card will be deducted from your prep time.
*REMEMBER TO SIGNPOST* begin your speech by saying “my framework is...” or “contention 1...” it makes it easier for both the judge and your opponents to flow your case.
i love seeing active clash during crossfires. be quick on your feet and attack your opponents, defend valiantly, and win every single battle. you might not win the round for being able to handle crossfires well, but you will be rewarded with good speaker points.
If you have any more questions my email is saravpac@gmail.com
I will vote based on two key elements of the debate:
A. Are you able to refute your opponent's responses and expand on your own?
B. Are you able to tell me (comparing your argument to theirs) why your argument is more important?
Some general stuff:
*Please frontline your opponent's response
-This means responding to your opponent's responses, which is important for Key Element A listed above.
*I like when people are passionate about debate, but please do not be obnoxious. We are all here to have a good time.
*I probably won't call for evidence, but if I do, it is either because you/your opponent told me to for any reason, if I think that your evidence is not what it says it, or if theres direct clash.
*Im chill with spreading just let me know before hand and send me your cases so i know what youre saying
*make sure you extend your arguments
*I probably wont pay that much attention to what you say in cross unless you extend it
- a little bit of aggression in cross is fine just dont kill each other
*ONLINE DEBATE*
I don't care if you sit or stand, or wear formal clothes. You're debating at your house lol just vibe. Just abide by the tournament's rules for webcam and mute your mic if you're not speaking. Try to speak at a slower pace than you usually do when debating online so I have an easier time following along.
feel free to ask me any questions before the round starts :)
good luck and have fun!
i debated at hamilton high and toc qualled senior year
please weigh
while i'm all for dumping responses, i would prefer if y'all actually warrant and implicate your responses
2nd rebuttal doesn't have to frontline defense, but it does have to frontline turns/DA's
if 2nd rebuttal doesn't frontline defense, then 1st summary doesn't have to explicitly extend it
i generally give high speaks unless someone was being rude, sexist, racist, homophobic, etc.
im open to progressive argumentation, but im fairly new to it so explain it thoroughly
speed doesn't really matter as long as you're clear, but if you're going to spread send a speech doc
if you have any questions feel free to ask before the round
email - pinakpanda@gmail.com
general stuff:
i vote off flow!!
-my email is sanaiyapinnock@gmail.com if you need it
-im fine with spreading, just let me know beforehand and send me ur case to follow along
-just ~vibe~ in the round but it's ok if you're aggressive. just don't bully each other
-if you make me laugh or make a pop culture reference you get extra speaks
-seeing someone run a meme case would make my day i love them
-if you say something offensive or bigoted i'll drop you or RUIN your speaks that's it
-EVIDENCE. HAVE GOOD CARDS AND RELIABLE EVIDENCE. DONT BE AFRAID TO CALL CARDS!
public forum:
-extend and collapse!!
-please don't just yell at each other in cross. ask questions to poke holes into each other's arguments.
-cross can help your speaks but i won’t vote off of it or lower ur speaks. HOWEVER, if something is extended from cross i'll obviously evaluate it
-please!! signpost!!
-we can skip grand cross since it can get really awkward but only if both teams want to
-weighing is really important!! weigh as early as possible (magnitude, probability, timeframe, prereq, etc)
lincoln douglas:
-definitions aren't necessary, for me they just waste time but you do you
-kind of the same paradigms as pf: signpost, weigh, don't be mean in cross
-clear value and criterion! ld is about morals so it's really important when yall incorporate your value & vc throughout the round. EXTEND IT TOO
-extend framework if you have it
congress:
-you have 1 minute of cx so DO NOT WASTE TIME. ask good questions
-clash is really important
-the quality of the speech ur reading is really important to me but still please have GOOD ARGS and not just say big words
unless told otherwise my (30 points) speaker point system is:
>25: you REALLY messed up
25-27.3: below average
27.5-28: pretty average
28.1-29.6: you were good!!
29.7-30: dude you were AWESOME
Tech > truth
The most important thing is to have fun. Debate is a learning experience and everything you learn from it is valuable. I will give as much constructive feedback as possible to help you out for the rest of your debate rounds.
Make sure to compare arguments and collapse (pick 1-2 arguments to mainly focus on in the second half of the round).
For any specifics, just ask me before the round starts!
I competed in PF at Ransom Everglades in Miami, FL for 3 years. I was a contributor to Beyond Resolved for 2 years. I am a second-year public policy studies major at uchicago now. if you have any questions about how i decided a round i judged of yours or need any coaching/advice my email is dschurr@uchicago.edu.
update for remote tournaments: I'll join the zoom as soon as the pairing is out so if you want to start early i would love that <3
to make it short and sweet, i vote on the flow but i also need to see a narrative throughout the round. the team that builds that narrative for me while also winning on the flow will be getting two 30s and a W.
How to win my ballot:
- paint a picture of the world on either side and tell me why one is better than the other
- be clear with your explanations (I may be on the flow side but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate simplicity)
- be honest with your evidence! i paraphrased in debate and am a strong supporter of paraphrasing (why would you not want to hone your analytical and critical thinking skills???) but if you take advantage of paraphrasing you will make me sad :/ also bonus points and major speaker points if you know all of your evidence really well and can explain it in cross
- WEIGH!!!!!! Don't just say the word 'magnitude'. Give me comparisons between your arguments and your opponents' arguments
- care about your arguments! I love seeing debaters who are passionate about their arguments and genuinely believe in what they are running
- collapse your narrative - there is a reason the speeches get shorter! you are not supposed to be rereading your case to me in final focus. If you have two arguments and one is obviously winning, pick that argument and tell me why it's more important than anything else in the round. chances are if you extend everything, either a) you will spread and i will not catch any of it, or b) you will extend two arguments poorly instead of extending one really well
- don't care about frontlining in second rebuttal. if you do it, cool. if you don't, cool.
- I do care about defense in 1st summary. you now have 3 minutes and i did it with two so it will make the round significantly easier if you do it. I will not, however, drop you if you do not do this. it's just highly recommended.
- Have fun! this time will be over before you know it and you'll be looking back on these days fondly, so make them enjoyable
Things I really dislike:
- people who run theory or ks just to win ballots. if you do this in front of me the one thing u will be sure not to receive is my ballot. if you run these arguments very well and care about them, however, you may win my ballot
- being mean to each other. I think it goes without saying that if you're disrespectful in any way to anyone in the room, I will be sad:/ (i find it very difficult to give a mean team the w so i may make a decision to show you that acting over the top obnoxious has no place in PF)
- mean crossfires? just don't make cross unbearable for me to watch. don't take yourselves too seriously!
(Scroll down for my PF paradigm)
Defaults
Comparative Worlds
Theory/T -> K -> Case
Reasonability
Drop the arg
No RVI
Fairness
Ethical Certainty
Presume Neg
Quals:
I do LD. I've qualled to the toc and reached deep elims in a few tournaments.
Disclaimer: I haven't done anything debate-related for two years, so I will be rusty with getting back into it.
LD:
Framework: I enjoy framework debates. Although I am a progressive debater, I do understand and can vote off of framework if sufficient enough for me. Just remember to extend reasons as to why your framework should take precedence in this round. Also, don't confuse your case with the framework and cross-apply your case arguments to justify your framework. They are two very different layers of debate.
Kritiks: Kritiks are my favorite part of debate. If you are planning to run a K, please make sure you understand how to debate a K and know sufficiently about the K to debate it.
Theory: When there is real in-round abuse, I think theory is a good check to it. However, when you run theory just for the sake of winning, it's annoying. I will vote off frivolous theory and a priori arguments but with very great displeasure (expect a drop of speaker points). Disclosure is probably good.
Topicality: Topicality arguments are great.
P/CP: Case arguments that pertain to the topic are great. I like clever plans and counter-plans. PiCs are great as well. I'll take whatever you got but remember to extend.
Contentions: If you aren't a progressive debater, this may seem more familiar to you. I am completely fine with lay and traditional arguments, and don't let the previous stuff scare you into thinking that.
Extend: If you don't extend your case in the rebuttal speeches, I'm not going to flow it through the round.
Impact Calculus: I, as the judge, can't attach a value as to how I'm going to judge an argument if you don't tell me how to assign that value. Please remember to weigh your arguments and be explicit.
Add me to the email chain if you are spreading: jungwoo.seo@emory.edu
Please don't spread if your opponents can't either; it's abusive and doesn't promote educational practices that way.
PF:
If you're going to be fast, don't read paraphrased evidence. I will not flow it.
Framework: Although I know that PF is more of a contention level debate, I have seen interesting frameworks being used, so I'm open to new and interesting frameworks that work on proving your point. I default to CBA if no framework is mentioned.
Contentions: You are free to use whatever arguments that you think may help you and if I think you won that, I'll vote for it.
Crossfire: I think crossfire is my favorite part of PF debate. Please keep it civil but don't be afraid to make some sassy comments or ask good questions.
Extend: If you don't extend your case in the summary speech, I'm not going to flow it through the round.
Impact Calculus: This is critical, especially in public forum. I, as the judge, can't attach a value as to how I'm going to judge an argument if you don't tell me how to assign that value. Please remember to weigh your arguments.
Defense: Defense is not "sticky." You need to cleanly extend the defense you want me to evaluate in the summary and ff if you want me to evaluate it.
Theory: I will evaluate theory just as how it is evaluated in LD and CX. You do not need to ask your opponent if you can run theory or not; that's silly.
Please don't shake my hand, thanks.
(Not to be confused with David Sposito, who also judges for Ferris)
add me to the chain: dmspingola@gmail.com - subject line: [tournament] [round] [aff team] (aff) vs [neg team]
everything is fine.
debate on the line by line.
highly prepared, technical debates are the most educational and most fun to watch (though framework often satisfies that description).
most things which are unfair are also reciprocally unstrategic; try to debate substance if you can, though sometimes it is an impossible or unreasonable expectation (esp in high school).
me being familiar with a position is not an excuse not to explain it - debate is a communicative activity.
debate is fun - don't ruin it, though I trust you won't.
Feel free to email me with any questions :)
send speech docs
2x pf toc qual, couple of bids, not very familiar with theory/k's but am willing to evaluate them, will presume 1st if not offense, also did speech & WSD, and ran a few tournaments here and there
I flow
i'm Kaitlyn, and I currently debate in LD for Coppell. i have some experience in PF and CX. i use she/they pronouns.
please add me to the email chain: kaitlyntapia427@gmail.com
preferences:
1 - K, larp
2/3 - theory
4 - phil
Strike - tricks
General: i can flow any speed as long as it's clear. if you aren't confident in your clarify, i would prefer if you went slower. i flow on my laptop, if that makes any difference.
K's:
- i'm primarily a K debater, and familiar with most mainstream k's like cap and IR
- mostly read setcol, queer theory, academy, and antiblackness lit
- lean neg FW
K affs:
- i read these. aff should be about military presence, however you define that
- for aff: need ballot warrant and explanation of what affirming does. very willing to vote on presumption otherwise
- low threshold for 1ar a2 switch sides and TVA
- clash>fairness
- for neg: academy/baudrillard k>cap k
Larp (policy style):
- i did CX for a couple years in middle school and read the PTX DA, NATO consult CP, and econ DA (basic stuff)
- depth >>>
- i love case turn NRs
Theory
- FOR LD: lean neg on fw, piks probably unfair, floating piks are even worse, yes 1ar theory, yes RVIs, subsets good, neg gets 3 condo, presumption neg, disclosure at least 20 mins before is good, lean neg on vague alts/private actor fiat (all negotiable)
- FOR CX: same as above except no RVIs, neg gets 5 condo
- the nc/1ar needs all parts of a shell (interp, violation, standards, paradigm issues - DTD) for me to consider evaluating theory/T
- won a ton of T "military presence" debates this topic
- in-round abuse stories are great but not mandatory if going for norm-setting
- no theory regarding what debaters wear
Phil:
- i know a lot about Rawls and Kant. that's it.
- author reps ivis ("your philosopher is racist/sexist/homophobic") can be compelling, but you must warrant DTD
Trad:
- i used to be a PF debater and I went to nats so i am perfectly fine with evaluating lay/trad debates. stock positions are boring though
- YOU DON'T NEED A VALUE AND VALUE CRITERION. i presume util absent specification
Tricks:
- "tricks are for halloween" - patrick tapia
- this includes size 4 fond unbolded 2 second aspec shells, which get new 2ar/nr responses
Speaks:
- i average at a 28.5 and add more points with clarity, judge instruction, sign posting, and/or funny jokes.
- will yell clear 3 times before I just stop flowing
- i’ll decrease your speaks if you are rude (interruptive, unnecessarily aggressive).
- docking points if not downing for repetitive misgendering opponents
have fun and be kind
Debate experience:
I am a "parent judge" but a former debater. I debated policy in high school and another 4 years as a debater for USC (NDT). Was away from debate for about 15 years, but the over last 5 years, I've been frequently judging PF and LD rounds (with several TOC-bid tournaments the last couple of years for LD).
Feel free to add me to the email chain for evidence: ptapia217@gmail.com
Me Likey / Me No Likey:
LARP - 1
K's - 2
Phil / Theory - 3
Tricks - not unless it's Halloween
Speed:
I can handle a reasonable amount of speed. College debate is pretty fast. However, I dislike super blippy rebuttals full of analytics read from a doc. While I will probably flow most if not all of it, I'd prefer you to slow down a bit to articulate warrants of arguments you feel will be critical for you to win.
Kritiks:
I am reasonably familiar with most generics (setcol, cap, afropess) and a few postmodernist positions, but it might be safe to assume that I may not be as familiar with the literature base as you might be.
K Affs:
I have tended to vote close to 50/50 for and against K affs, so I tend to be fairly open-minded about these positions, but I am more persuaded when you can articulate a clear and compelling reason as to why you need my ballot. However, I also enjoy a good framework debate that's clearly contextualized for the aff (and the round) rather than something mechanically just read from premade blocks.
Speaker Points:
I tend to be reasonably generous and won't give anything below a 28.5 in a bid tournament. If I think you're strong enough to break, I won't give you less than a 29.5. I won't disclose speaker points, however.
freshman @ the University of Michigan studying math of finance on a premed track currently competing policy/pf for umich debate
6 yrs in debate, 3 on vpf natl circuit competing for Brooklyn Technical HS (if you know what this is and you say bronx sucks I add speaks)
add me to the email chain (danvi@umich.edu)
General:
i hear an argument, i write it down on my flow.
don't spread
speaks start at 28 and if you say something offensive it goes down but if you impress me it goes up
low point wins may happen in round
i don't flow cross but if you flow it then i flow it
don't run k's, theory, or shells bc ill have a hard time following but if they are run i'll still vote tech > truth
1/2 ac:
do not run theory! I said it before and I'll say it again PF is PF and as a policy debater who did PF people do not want to debate policy in PF. I'll flow but beware I'll look upon it negatively.
rest is self explanatory I said it above
general cx:
make me laugh because that's what makes debate fun but do not be rude
cx is a time to argue, so do it. bonus speaks if you (respectfully) call out and say "judge...this is wrong" obviously within reason
do NOT use cx as a continuation of your speeches and if you drop a new contention I drop your speaks
rebuttal:
cleanly flow because it makes everyone's life easier, don't go all over the place because then my flow is all over the place and it's harder for you to win the round
if you're 2nd rebuttal frontline first and don't go line by line - try to save the best for last
summary:
COLLAPSE
it's OKAY to concede an argument. we can't win everything all the time so emphasize which points you HAVE won to make the debate easier for me to judge.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: the cleaner the flow the easier it is for you to win
do not repeat your speech in summary, and make sure to weigh
ff:
just regurgitate the biggest points + weigh; you have two minutes, so make the most of it
good luck and have fun! if you say Ohio State sucks and Go Blue you get 28.2+ speaks guaranteed(unless of course you break one of the rules above)