The Dulles Classic
2020 — Online, TX/US
Policy Paradigm List
All Paradigms: Show HideParent judge:
Hello all, I am a parent judge and I have been judging LD, PF, and other individual events for the last 6 years.
My email israjran@gmail.complease use it for pre-round questions and for the email chain. Sending me your cases will help me flow and adjudicate your round better.
FLOWING: I will flow a line-by-line analysis. Please start out with specific arguments and then summarize at the end. I am tolerant of going slightly over time limits. I am fine with moderate spreading and persuasive speeds. in the case of persuasive debate, I will weigh the argumentation, and will consider intonation, inflection, diction, clarity, and truth of the arguments in question.
DECISION: I evaluate framework, arguments, reasoning and evidence. Please have a clear framework that's well explained, I default to Util but explain how your impacts function under that FW.
OTHER PREFERENCES: For speaking, please speak clearly and speak to the point. In terms of speed, please do NOT SPREAD. Speaking marginally fast is okay as long as you slow down at the impactful parts, tags, numbers you want me to flow, etc. Do NOT RUN THEORY . If I do flow part of your theory argument , it will not be a major evaluation in the debate. Pleasedon't read Kritiksor dense philosophical fws. Counter-plans are fine if you explain them well and show why they are preferable to the aff.
***My hearing was not too great during 2023 but it is doing much better now and I'm feeling much more confident on judging. Just a health FYI/PSA.***
For email chains and any questions, my email is jason.courville@kinkaid.org
Speaking Style (Speed, Quantity) - I like fast debate. Speed is fine as long as you are clear and loud. I will be vocal if you are not. A large quantity of quality arguments is great. Supplementing a large number of quality arguments with efficient grouping and cross-application is even better.
Judge intervention - My role as a critic in a debate round is different than my role as an educator as a teacher in a classroom. I think the debate round should be understood as a brave space, where creative perspectives are presented with the expectation of student-centered competitive rejoinder. If there are arguments that your opponent makes that you believe have racist/sexist/heterosexist assumptions, I would encourage you to interrogate those assumptions within your debate speeches. I am far more hesitant to intervene and stop the debate than I would be to stop micro-aggressions between students in my classroom.
Theory - Theory arguments should be well impacted/warranted. I treat blippy/non-warranted/3 second theory arguments as non-arguments. My threshold for voting on a punishment voter ("reject the team") is higher than a "reject the argument, not the team" impacted argument. I'm open to a wide variety of argument types as long as you can justify them as theoretically valuable.
Topicality - My topicality threshold is established by the combination of answers.
Good aff defense + no aff offense + solid defense of reasonability = higher threshold/harder to win for the neg.
Good aff defense + no aff offense + neg wins competing interps = low threshold/easy to win for the neg.
Counterplans - counterplan types (from more acceptable to more illegit): advantage CPs, textually/functionally competitive PICs, agent CPs, textually but not functionally competitive PICs (ex. most word pics), plan contingent counterplans (consult, quid pro quo, delay)
Disadvantages - Impact calculus is important. Especially comparison of different impact filters (ex. probability outweighs magnitude) and contextual warrants based on the specific scenarios in question. Not just advantage vs disadvantage but also weighing different sub-components of the debate is helpful (uniqueness vs direction of the link, our link turn outweighs their link, etc).
Kritiks - My default framework is to assess whether the aff has affirmed the desirability of a topical plan. If you want to set up an alternative framework, I'm open to it as long as you win it on the line-by-line. I most often vote aff vs a kritik on a combination of case leverage + perm. It is wise to spend time specifically describing the world of the permutation in a way that resolves possible negative offense while identifying/impacting the perm's net benefit.
I most often vote neg for a kritik when the neg has done three things:
1. effectively neutralized the aff's ability to weigh their case,
2. there is clear offense against the perm, and
3. the neg has done a great job of doing specific link/alternative work as well as contextualizing the impact debate to the aff they are debating against.
Performance/Projects - I’ve voted both for and against no plan affs. When I’ve voted against no plan affs on framework, the neg team won that theory outweighed education impacts and the neg neutralized the offense for the aff’s interpretation.
Other Comments
Things that can be a big deal/great tiebreaker for resolving high clash/card war areas of the flow:
- subpointing your warrants/tiebreaking arguments when you are extending,
- weighing qualifications (if you make it an explicit issue),
- comparing warrants/data/methodology,
- establishing criteria I should use to evaluate evidence quality,
- weighing the relative value of different criteria/arguments for evidence quality (ex. recency vs preponderance/quantity of evidence)
If you do none of the above and your opponent does not either, I will be reading lots of evidence and the losing team is going to think that my decision involved a high level of intervention. They will be correct.
I competed in most of all categories of speech and debate during my first 2 years of college with a theatre arts and academic decathlon background.
No speed, no spreading. If I can't understand it, I won't consider it!
The main things I look for are:
CLARITY - Be consistently clear in what you are talking about.
ARGUMENTATION - Uphold strong points that are logical and bulletproof.
IMPACTS - Calculate the impacts of your advocacy in relation to your opponents. Show me why yours matters more.
Explain to me why YOU win the round in the end. Tell me what to do as a judge and make me want to buy into it.
Email: jjenningscrosby@gmail.com
Last updated: 10/4/20
General:
Summary - Read basically anything you want, go for what you're good at, try new things if you want, Don't be rude.
About me - I debated at Crosby highschool and middle school for a collective 6 years and I debated policy at University of Houston for 3 years. I used to help as an assistant coach for The Kinkaid School for about 3 years.
I am fine with almost any argument, so if you want to read it I'll listen, unless it's things like racism or patriarchy good.
Speed - Go for it. I will not say clear if you're partially unclear, unless its egregious.
Edit for online: remember, not all microphones are created equal, so make sure your microphone can adequately pick up how fast you’re going (maybe record you practicing a block to test it), because your mic may only be able to pick up about half of the syllables you say if you’re going too fast for it.
Cx: (LD is below this)
On topicality and theory, I default reasonability if there is no discussion of this in the debate because it's much less of a risk for the neg. Make sure to make it very clear what your interpretation is and exactly what portion of the plan violates that and explicitly apply what ground/predictability/education/etc you lose from their specific interp compared to yours. A lot of T debates get lost in the impacts of standards/voters and don't contextualize it vs the counterinterp.
On kritiks, You HAVE TO explain the alternative, in debate people get away with not doing that too much, which is annoying as a judge. The only exception to "not explaining the alt" is when you kick it and go for just the k as a k of policy framework/policy debate itself (I don't think is applicable to every kritik, but it is to some). I like when the link is contextualized to the aff (give specific analysis about how the aff makes the system of oppression worse or prevents it from changing).
On Counterplans, I love good counterplans, as long as your story on the world of the cp is clear and you're winning a net benefit that you solve, you should be fine. Do clear solvency/net benefit comparison.
On Disads, have a logical story as to why the aff links and how that causes the impact. Do impact comparison.
Non-traditional Affs - I will evaluate any affirmative even if it's non-policy, just make sure if you're untopical, you have a reason to be untopical.
Framework – I am not afraid to vote on this, I think there are benefits and disadvantages to policy debate and benefits and disadvantages to kritik aff debates. Make sure you weigh the Interp vs the counter Interp because a lot of people weigh the debate in terms of there being no counterinterp.
For LD:
I’ve judged a lot of LD debates. I have coached a few students in LD as well. I am a CX coach/judge/debater normally so do what you want with that info.
I will evaluate almost any argument, I tend to think of the debate round on the bigger picture focus (mainly because the 1ar I feel is rough and it allows better debates for LD), although I have no real predisposition against technical debate, the debaters should tell me how to frame the debate in the context they desire.
Framework: I'm fine with policy, whole resolutional or k debates, just debate out how I should evaluate who wins.
Topicality: I will evaluate T, I default to reasonability if no arguments are made but I will evaluate it either way. Make sure to make it very clear what your interpretation is and exactly what portion of the plan violates that and explicitly apply what ground/predictability/education/etc you lose from their specific interp compared to yours. A lot of T debates get lost in the impacts of standards/voters and don't contextualize it vs the counterinterp.
Theory: I will evaluate most theory, but it has to make sense and I tend to have a higher threshold on what I think is a voter, meaning most theory I've seen in LD doesn't rise past the level of reject the argument, while some LD judges would reject the team. I will not vote on RVIs. I also probably won't vote on frivolous theory (which I think is a very subjective term), which all I really mean is make sure theory has a legitimate reason to reject the team. I default to reasonability if no arguments are made but I will evaluate it either way.
CP: I think CPs make the most sense vs plans and I can be convinced Topical Cps are illegit if you’re winning whole rez should be the focus of the debate (all up to debate).
K: On kritiks, You HAVE TO explain the alternative, in debate people get away with not doing that too much, which is annoying as a judge. The only exception to "not explaining the alt" is when you kick it and go for just the k as a k of policy framework/policy debate itself (I don't think is applicable to every kritik, but it is to some). I like when the link is contextualized to the aff (give specific analysis about how the aff makes the system of oppression worse or prevents it from changing).
Updated - 9/5/2024
Email: I do not use email for debate rounds please use tabroom.share or speech drop.
Experience:
Coached debate at HAIS (1), Crosby (3.5), Dulles (3.5), and Niles West (3.)
Debated policy for 4 years at Crosby (2004-2008), In College at UMKC (Fall 2009), and Houston (Spring 2009, 2012-2015)
Non-negotiables
- If you use sexually explicit language or engage in sexually explicit performances in high school debates, you should strike me.
- If you think the appropriate response to other people explaining how they need to be included in debate is to say "West is best" or "Violence towards people like you is good" please strike me.
- Purposeful or dismissive acts of misgendering will result in a full speaker point loss and if the other team makes it an argument the possible loss of a ballot.
- All permutations must have a text.
- I will not vote on hidden theory shells unless the following are met (I clearly have it on my flow, the document sent during the round includes it , and the theory is warranted to be sufficient for a winning argument how it is read in the original form.)
Tech ---------------------------------------------------------X----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Truth
I very slightly side with tech, but more importantly conceded arguments are only as good as the warrants you extend and what the evidence actually says. Not your tagline, the argument/evidence. I think this is important because the Flow is very important to my decision making but I am not willing to vote for a gross misrepresentation of evidence, nor am I willing to entertain tagline extensions as warranted explanations. I can never think of a reason for a debater to say "read this card" if you're doing your job I should read it and go yep that is what they said in round! Truth also matters, if confronted with conflicting claims about the nature of a set of evidence I will pass judgement on correctness over technical factors.
What is Debate?
I think that we need to understand we are a community of people responsible for the activity, We are responsible for teaching and guiding students to make decisions that are descriptive of the community they wish to compete within.
Policy
Theory
Theoretical rejections of the team have an incredibly high burden in my mind. Theoretical rejections of the argument have a much lower burden. For me to vote for a team entirely on theory they must prove that the debate was borderline impossible. Contrarily to win reject them argument you only have to prove the debate would be better without the argument. To me using theory to force a condensing of the round is a sound strategy. Also, generally, if you're conceding that conditionality is good then you're highly unlikely to get me to vote down the team on another theory argument.
DA's
Disadvantages are the core of all aspects of debating. Make sure you extend all four components when going for a DA. This includes when going for Disadvantages from any perspective.
CP's
Calling into question the legitimacy of many different types of counter-plans should be a portion of your strategy. Too many affirmatives allow the negative to get away with a lot of abuse on the counter-plan that they shouldn't. CP must have a text, a clear solvency mechanism and a net benefit. Please make sure you extend each if you go for the argument. Perm do Both, Perm Do CP, and Perm do aff and CP on other issues are all answers to various things, but the latter two you need to justify. Please create nuance in both perm and theory debates this makes life a lot easier.
Framework
I feel strongly that framework should be part of a strategy to answer critical affirmatives but should not be your "answer" for critical affirmatives. Given the debates I have watched most recently the question of fairness vs critical education has largely come out of the side of critical education arguments. I also think that the majority of rounds I voted for framework have been for clash standards, with a very strong push for limiting subject formation, and a very strong push that the game effects every aspect of debate and thus infects the critical education/DA's the aff is going for. Combined with SSD or solid TVA push this tends to be the easiest way to my ballot as the negative. I also find the more you mitigate the aff itself the more likely I am to vote for something like Fairness or Clash is a sliding scale.
For the affirmative having your DA/Critical Education impact turn the content we clash over needs to be explicitly done, I generally am fine with any number of potential frames for this type of arguments and am willing to vote on innovations if they impact turn the clash or fairness' content or form. That being said I do not judge college debates (I've judged like 3 in my lifetime.) and as such the new verbiages or the hottest new trend needs to be explained to me in this format. What is the argument? Why does it impact turn Clash/Fairness? and What resolves the claim? (Alt or interp.) The aff must also have a good reason it needs to occur on the aff. I'm down for SSD bad to be clear but being aff is special and their should be a reason you need to be aff.
Critical Affirmatives
Critical affirmatives should have a solid defense of both their importance but also the importance of debating it. There should be a clear area of debate that the negative can and should engage in. That being said I really enjoy watching good Kritikal affirmatives deploy the various ways of relooking at debate structures and topics. I find affirmatives that are either very small but willing to engage with whatever strategy the negative chooses, or conversely, very large structural affirmatives that will engage on a theory level with everything to be the best. Be ready to answer the core questions negation should ask you. Why this aff? Why this round? Why negate this? Why this ballot? If you think you have good answers to those then I'm likely going to enjoy watching the debate.
The Kritik
Kritik as framework :I am willing to vote for kritiks that pair down to just a framework argument but feel this decision needs to be hyper clear in the 2NR, preferably in the 2NC as that would give you the biggest set of arguments and still lets you no link aff offense. If you are going for framework then do that, don't hedge bets that's generally how you lose rounds. Win that the affs scholarship is fundamentally abhorrent or unreliable to the point of worthlessness. Win that this furthers systems of domination, and win that a model of rejection proposed by the negative interp is a better world for debate than the consequences only style the aff uses.
Kritik as structure: I am willing to vote for kritiks as structural criticisms, I treat these debates very much how I treat CP/DA debates. You need to win the alt and a net benefit that outweighs the aff. Obviously you can do that through mitigation of the aff or via the alternative resolving the impacts, or action of the 1AC. I like clear Link -> Impact -> Alt solves extensions just like I expect that from CP/DA Debates.
The PIK: I have no issues with these if they are clearly flagged (I do mean very clearly) in either the 1NC or the Block. I do not think you get to answer the CX question can the kritik result in the aff, say no and then proceed to go for a PIK. I think these can be strategic especially against arguments about reps, but you need to win reps severance bad, and that PIKS are good. It is a strategy do not mind it have fun.
Being involved in debate for the last 40+ years as a competitor to retired coach, I am one to believe in the reason for the activity. Thus, when it comes to judging, I follow the traditional routes. For CX it is all about stock issues with a hint of DAs, CPs, etc. I am not a fan of Kritiks or game playing so try to avoid it if possible. Solvency carries a lot of weight with me. Give voters at the end.
For LD, I love a great clash between values and criterions. Don't dismiss this aspect because to me this is where the original "framework" resides. CPs in LD will be judged based on the CX perspective and thus must be mutually exclusive and competitive. DAs must be presented to evaluate a CP. Give voters at the end.
Public Forum is more of a discussion for me and not necessarily based on card after card after card! Leave this for CX debate. Instead work on explaining and carrying the big picture in the round. No need to do line by line as time doesn't permit it anyway (unless you spread!). Plans and CPs have no role in Public Forum, so do not do it as I have no preference for this as an evaluator! Give voters at the end!
World School is relatively new to me as I have judge only about 20 rounds of it. However, I have judge many parliamentary debate rounds (high school and college) and they tend to relate as the same. I see it as a contest of teamwork to develop reasonable substantive arguments and this is where I will give all my attention to. Don't argue too much on the definitions and burdens as I will be made to select on my own experiences vs. yours (from the world issues). Since NSDA governs WS, I will look to their judges' training mechanism to evaluate every round so make sure you follow the guidelines set by them. Speaker duties are important to make the round what it should look like. Do not make this a CX round and with that, counter mechanisms should be NON-TOPICAL! Speak well and give plenty of eye contact to me as I will be the one to make a final decision as to what is "best" to either uphold/deny the proposition. Good luck!
email chain jimene39218@verizon.net
I debated policy in high school and college; I have judged for years and have coached on the high school and college levels. I am tabula rasa and will vote on anything as long as it is carried well throughout the debate. I will not intervene or make the arguments for you. I evaluate on tech over truth. It is your debate; tell me how to vote, weigh the impacts, and clash. That said, do not run any arguments that could be offensive and exclude individuals from the debate space such as racism good, religion bad, or arguments that are demeaning to one's identity. Speed is great; be sure to be clear and sign post.
Ks - I am fine with Ks and will evaluate any alternative; be sure to explain the alternative and how it solves. Also, explain how the K specifically links to the aff as well as the DAs to a perm. Presumption flips aff if the neg is more of a departure from the status quo, but the aff needs to make the claim. I will not do the work for you.
K Affs - I like policy affirmatives but will vote on any K aff as long as you have a reason to be untopical and clearly explain your praxis. That said, I will also vote on FW if it is not sufficiently answered by the aff.
CPs - I love CPs. Clash on timeframe, inherency, solvency, and method of solvency will go a long way for both sides.
DAs - I like DAs; be sure to explain why the DA makes the status quo worse and how it outweighs/turns the case. Too often teams do not sufficiently weigh the round.
T - I love in depth topicality debates. Please weigh the impacts and extend interpretations. I will vote on reasonability or competing interps. Tell me how to vote.
Final Rebuttals - The purpose of these speeches is to weigh the impacts and break down the round. I expect clash and will only evaluate what is on the flow at the end of the round. Merely extending taglines without clear warranting and explanations are not persuasive and will not win the round alone. Inherency, solvency, timeframe, probability, and magnitude are all really important in determining a round. Use them to your advantage.
Speaker Points - Competence, clash, and professionalism will gain the most speaker points. There is never a need to be rude or unprofessional; cursing is unnecessary and discouraged.
I am a parent judge and have a lot of experience judging PF and LD. Please monitor your own time - I will not be keeping track of speech/prep time.
PF
Do what you want, I'm fine with anything :)
Policy/LD
I am able to follow along with your arguments, but please do not spread. I don't have experience with T and K, so I won't be able to understand them.
Emails - yes, “at the google messaging service” means @gmail.com
All rounds - esdebate93 at the google messaging service
Policy - dulles.policy.db8 at the google messaging service
LD - dulles.ld.db8 at the google messaging service
About me
I am currently the program director for Speech and Debate at Dulles High School, where I also teach AP Psychology and AP Research.I primarily judge Policy and LD. I've judge at every level from TOC finals to novice debate at locals; you are not likely to surprise me. I've worked at a few camps, most recently the University of Houston's Honors Debate Workshop and the Texas Debate Collective. If you are interested in attending a summer debate institute, I'd be happy to talk with you about that aspiration. My academic background is in Curriculum Development and Instruction (MEd), English (BA), and Anthropology (minor).
Top Level - (If pressed for time, read this)
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Be kind and respectful towards yourselves, each other, your judges, coaches, teammates, and the tournament staff.
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I care about this activity to the point where it's literally my job. Acting like you want to be here and care about improving goes a long way with me.
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Fundamental skills are way more important to me than the content of your arguments (barring content that violates point 1). When I say fundamentals, I mean: Clarity, efficiency, flowing, organization, ethically sourcing high quality evidence, knowing what you are talking about, and judge instruction. I will stop flowing if I can't understand you. Answering an argument that was in the doc but wasn't read caps speaks at 26.5.
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I do not enjoy cowardice. Strike me if you plan to dodge clash with tricks and other shifty nonsense.
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Disclosure is probably net good for everyone in most instances. Open to arguments as to why it is not, but absent legitimate safety concerns, this is a hard sell.
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Tech and Truth both matter, with truth determining how technically difficult an argument is to win. Winning 2+2= 4 is easier than it is to win that it equals any other number.
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I would like to see more time devoted to debating the case. I give way too many RFDs where the negative loses because they didn't reade case defense for my liking.
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Arguments you read in the 1NC should be legitimate 2NR options. Going for everything is a losing move.
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Don’t just answer arguments from the prior speech. Anticipate your opponents' next moves in the next speech and shut them down.
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Ethos (appeals to credibility), Pathos (appeals to emotion), and Kairos (timing/context) are as important as Logos. I am not a computer. I would like to be persuaded.
Policy Arguments
I love them, but I am not a topic expert, so err on the side of over-explanation of topic specific jargon, especially earlier on the topic. Case specific CPs and DA links are better than generics. Presumption almost always negates, unless the 2NR goes for a counterplan, in which case I think it goes to the side defending the more incremental change from the status quo. I am willing to judge kick if you win that it is a logical extension of conditionality and that conditionality is good, but I am not inclined to make your strategic decisions for you. 5 off is probably the sweet spot balancing quality and quantity for me, but feel free to do more or less if that's your thing.
On the aff - I prefer affs with 1-2 advantages that have multiple routes to diverse impacts over affs with 5 advantages that all end with the same impact or 1 advantage with a really long and convoluted link chain.
I am a negation theorist at heart. I think writing better 1ACs, better permutation texts, and better intrinsicness tests are better answers to the “problem” of “being aff is hard” than running to non-resolutional theory like “PICs bad”; however, I am not opposed to voting for those sorts of arguments if that is your preferred way of making the negative team’s job harder and you deploy them strategically. If you must make this sort of argument, I am much more receptive to those that privilege research and clash, like “CPs must have a solvency advocate”, than I am to arguments like “conditionality is bad”.
Please slow down and leave pen time on taglines, plan/CP text, permutation texts, intrinsicness tests, and theory arguments.
Kritikal Arguments
I love them and have probably done some amount of reading relevant to your arguments. It is still best for you to assume I know little to nothing about them though. You absolutely must have read a lot about your thesis, and you need to make your link arguments contextual to the 1AC using quotes. Know that the alt is the weakest part of your argument and be ready to defend it. Have examples for both your link arguments and the alternative. The case page should not be the K 2.0. You should have case specific uniqueness, link, internal link, and impact defense, perhaps some fun impact turns that jibe with your K. Kritik 2NRs often go for too much. Pick a couple of arguments, tell a story, and shut down 2AR spin.
On the aff - I love thinking about and coaching these strategies but am very often disappointed at the lack of thought and preparation against core negative arguments when judging. Don’t be that team. You should not only be ready to debate Framework, Cap, or the Hegemony DA, you should be stoked about it. If I don’t know how the aff solves its impacts at the end of the debate, it will be a presumption ballot.
Performance elements should relate to arguments later in the debate, they're purposeful, not just there for vibes. It should go without saying that offense predicated on some sort of performance should be paired with some performance element in the 1AC/1NC. Reading cards is not enough. I generally think that performance stuff doesn't work in LD due to lack of a 2AC or negative block.
Framework Arguments - (see topicality as well)
I prefer impact arguments about skills, research, and clash over those about fairness in these debates, but it is an impact I am more than willing to vote for. Having an interpretation for each part of the resolution they violate is super strategic and allows for more tailored explanation of your argument later in the debate.
On the aff - I prefer counter-interpretations over impact turns in these debates, but am more than willing to vote for them.
Topicality Arguments
Topicality is fundamentally a question of limits; all other standards can help make the limits push but are secondary. I default to competing interpretations.
On the aff - Reasonability is an argument for the counter-interpretation, not the aff.
Topic specific interpretations are best.
Philosophy Arguments
I love them when deployed substantively. I’ve done some reading here, but don’t assume I know your arguments. Organize and adjust your speed to ensure I get each point in the syllogism. The trickiest you should get is making arguments about various skepticisms. I'm here for non-utilitarian ethics in policy debate so long as they sensibly affirm or negate.
I am a pretty open judge. I prefer LD Debate and not a heavy influence in Policy. Resolutional debate is important, and not straying off. The ability to be creative is important, but being able to handle heavy argumentation and deep thought is also important. Do not run a case that you cannot handle.
Otherwise, pretty open to the way a debate can run.
add me to the email chain pls: gabrielasvaldez@gmail.com
Winston Churchill High School '20 UT '24
In high school, I primarily read K’s so I’m a better judge for k v. k and policy v. k debates. policy v. policy debates are great if that's what you do best!
Tell me how I should evaluate arguments/impacts
K v. K - These debates can get messy so make sure you have aff specific links. If you're going to go for the perm, explain why your two theories are compatible.
Policy v. K - Aff specific links are good and give you a much better chance of winning the debate. I’m familiar with some different K literature but make sure your arguments are clear and theories are well explained. The framework debate is extremely important, don’t forget about it.
K aff v. FW/T - Explain why your interp/counter interp is the best for debate. I have/will vote on FW/T.
Policy v. Policy - I engaged in these types of debates the least in high school but I know how to evaluate them. If this is what you're most comfortable with go for it.
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LD Specific
I did policy in high school so I'm not super familiar with LD tricks/uncommon theory arguments. I've judged LD for the past few years on and off but I'm not the best for these types of arguments! Besides this, all the stuff above applies.
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don’t make arguments/comments that are racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, etc.
do what you do best
have fun
I am Dyspolity@gmail.com on email chains.
Snapshot: If TOC speed is a large element of your approach to debate, I am not your preference. But I do possess a high level of understanding of how all forms of debate function in the competitive space. I love judging at NSDA nationals. Principally this is because the schools who compete the most robust circuits have to slow down and I get to be a meaningful participant in the debates. I am not fast enough to judge the TOC circuit and even my home circuit, TFA can have me out over my skis trying to follow. But here, my experience has been that the very best schools adapt to the format by slowing their roll and this allows me to viscerally enjoy the beauty and rigor of their advocacy. Do not confuse my pace limitations with cognitive limits.
I am living with COPD. I may have Oxygen hooked up in the back of the room while judging. You may see me laboring to breath at times, particularly if I am walking too and from rounds. Do not be overly concerned.
Who I am:
Policy debater in the 1970's and 80's. I left debate for 15 years then became a coach in 1995. I was a spread debater, but speed then was not what speed is today. I am not the fast judge you want if you like speed. Because you will email me your constructive speeches, I will follow along fine, but in the speeches that win or lose the round I may not be following if you are TOC circuit fast. If that makes me a dinosaur, so be it.
I have coached most of my career in Houston at public schools, but I also coached some fine teams at Denton Guyer and most recently in Athens, Texas. Currently I no longer coach directly. I have had strong TOC debaters in LD, but recently any LDers that I have coached were getting their best help from private coaching. Only recently have I had Policy debate good enough to be relevant at TOC tournaments. Along the way I enjoyed coaching PF, Congress and World's and was adept at giving kids an edge regardless of the debate event they chose.
I rarely give 30's. High points come from clear speaking, cogent strategic choices, professional attitudes and eloquent rhetoric.
Likes:
Line by line debates. I want to see the clash of ideas.
Policy arguments that are sufficiently developed. A disadvantage is almost never one card. Counterplans, too, must be fully developed. Case specific counterplans are vastly preferable to broad generics. PIC's are fine.
Framework debates that actually clash. I like K debates, but I am more likely to vote on a K that is based on philosophy that is more substantive and less ephemeral. NOTE: I have recently concluded that running a K with me in the back of the room is likely to be a mistake. I like the ideas in critical arguments, but I believe I evaluate policy arguments more cleanly.
Dislikes:
Poor extensions. Adept extensions will include references to evidence, warrants and impacts.
Overclaiming. Did I need to actually include that?
Theory Arguments, including T. I get that sometimes it is necessary, but flowing the standards and other analytical elements of the debate, particularly in rebuttals, is miserable. To be clear, I do vote on both theory and T, but the standards debate will lose me if you are running through it.
Circuit level speed.
I am fine with conditional elements of a negative advocacy. I believe that policy making in the real world is going to evaluate multiple options and may even question assumptions at the same time. But I prefer that the positions be presented cogently.
Rudeness and arrogance. I believe that every time you debate you are functioning as a representative of the activity. When you are debating an opponent whose skill development does not approach your own, I would prefer that you debate in such a way so as to enable them to learn from the beating your are giving them. You can beat them soundly, and not risk losing the ballot, without crushing their hopes and dreams. Don't be a jerk. Here is a test, if you have to ask if a certain behavior is symptomatic of jerkitude, then it is.
One More Concern:
There are terms of art in debate that seem to change rather frequently. My observation is that many of these terms become shorthand for more thoroughly explained arguments, or theoretical positions. You should not assume that I understand the particularly specialized language of this specific iteration of debate.
Policy Debate:
I default negative unless convinced otherwise. Also, I fail to see why the concept of presumption lacks relevance any more.
LD Debate:
Because of the time skew, I try to give the affirmative a lot of leeway. For example, I default aff unless convinced otherwise.
I have a very high threshold to overcome my skepticism on ROTB and ROTJ and Pre-Fiat arguments. I should also include K aff's that do not affirm the resolution and most RVI's in that set of ideas that I am skeptical about on face. I will vote on these arguments but there is a higher threshold of certainty to trigger my ballot. I find theory arguments more persuasive if there is demonstrable in-round abuse.
PF Debate:
I won't drop a team for paraphrasing, yet, but I think it is one of the most odious practices on the landscape of modern debate. Both teams are responsible for extending arguments through the debate and I certainly do not give any consideration for arguments in the final focus speeches that were not properly extended in the middle of the debate.
Congress:
1) This is not an interactive activity. I will not signal you when I am ready. If I am in the back of your Congress session, I am ready. 2) At the best levels of this event, everyone speaks well. Content rules my rankings. 3)I am particularly fond of strong sourcing. 4)If you aren't warranting your claims, you do not warrant a high ranking on my ballot. 5) Your language choices should reflect scholarship. 6) All debate is about the resolution of substantive issues central to some controversy, as such clash is critical.