KSHSAA 5A 6A 4 Speaker State Debate Championship
2022 — Wichita, KS/US
6A / 5A Paradigm List
All Paradigms: Show HideI am a recently retired former debate coach of more than 35 years so I am familiar with debate theory and practice. In general I will listen to any arguments put forward by the debaters and evaluate them in the manner the debaters ask me to. That said, if the debaters do NOT give me a framework for evaluating arguments I will have to make one up which is likely to make at least one of the teams in the round unhappy. There are a couple of things that I am "old school" on. I will listen to T arguments and use the voters the teams put forward to evaluate it, but I believe that being inside the boundaries of the resolution is a minimum requirement for the Affirmative so I am not giving any bonus points to Aff. for doing so. In short, reverse voters on T are going to require a lot of work by the Aff to convince me. I also believe that CPs must be non-topical; otherwise they are advocating affirming the resolution. So if Neg want to run a topical counter plan they are going to have to do some work to convince me that is an acceptable position. Otherwise the round belongs to the teams and I will evaluate in the manner they ask me to. Finally, speed is fine so long as it is clear. That said, I am happier as a judge evaluating augments that are developed in depth rather than evaluating many arguments presented rapidly but with little depth or explanation. Good luck and speak well!
Please add me to the email chain: Brenda.aurora13@gmail.com
I debated for Washburn Rural for four years between 2014 and 2018. I debated for the University of Kansas last year, but am not debating this year so I can focus on my nursing degree. Generally speaking, I am not picky about arguments and speed. Do what you want and I’ll do my best to keep up.
T: I believe that topicality is a question of competing interpretations. I like to see good explanations of each team’s offense on the flow, how their offense interacts with the other team, and why their interpretation creates a better model for debate.
Disads: I’m a big fan, especially when you have a specific link. I think impact calculus and turns case arguments are important. I always enjoy listening to a good agenda or election disad.
CPs: Delay counterplans are cheating. I’m willing to judge kick a counterplan unless the affirmative gives me a reason not to. I prefer specific solvency advocates.
Ks: I didn’t read a lot of Ks in high school. I am most familiar with neolib and cap, but I am willing to listen to pretty much anything as long at it is explained well. I will NOT listen to death/extinction good kritiks. These arguments can be triggering for me and for other people that may be competing in or watching your round. When it comes to links, I like when they are specific to the affirmative and describe how the aff increasing/makes worse whatever it is that the neg is critiquing. If you’re going for your alt, you need to prove that it solves, as well as clearly explain to me what a world of the alternative looks like. The framing debate should be more than a block reading competition, especially if the neg isn’t going to go for the alt. The neg’s interpretation should be meaningful and not just “whoever best challenges (whatever the K is critiquing)”
Theory: I believe theory is usually only a reason to reject an argument, not a team, especially considering most theory debates are block reading contests where no one really explains or understands the argument. That being said, I might be willing to vote on condo if you really explain your interpretation and impact the argument out.
Some other things to note: I enjoy a good case debate. Please be kind and respectful to one another. If you are horribly rude and disrespectful I’ll probably vote against you
please at me to the email chain: madelyn.atkins.debate@gmail.com
pronouns: she/her
expericence:
Debated at Lansing High School for 4 years
Coaching:
Lansing (2021-2022)
Shawnee Mission South (2023-current)
top level:
- tech over truth but arguments must be warranted
- Read whatever aff/neg strategy that you are the most comfortable with and I will do my best to adapt and be unbiased
- Judge instruction is important and often underutilized
topicality:
- I went for t a lot my senior year and I think it is a good strategy that more teams should go for
- I default to competing interpretations
- Explain what your model means for the topic, case lists can be helpful for this
k affs:
- framework - I think that fairness and clash can both be both impacts (but that's also up to the debaters to prove). Don't just read generic framework blocks - try to contextualize them to the aff. Specific evidence can be helpful for a TVA but isn't absolutely necessary
disads:
- make turns case args and impact calc is helpful
counterplans:
- process counterplans are okay, but I probably err aff on theory
- delay counterplans are cheating
- textual and functional is always good
- err neg on condo but can be convinced otherwise
- all theory args except for condo I default to reject the arg not the team
- I will only judge kick if the neg makes the argument and the aff doesn't contest it, best to start this debate before the 2nr/2ar
kritiks:
- answer arguments on the line by line instead of in a long overview
- specific links are better than generic ones
- clearly explain the link, impact, and alt
case:
- neg should utilize case debates more - could definitely win on presumption
I debated all four years in high school.
There's nothing technical that I'm picky about; run what you will just as long as you understand what it is you are running.
Don't spread. Please. If you talk too fast I will not be able to understand you and nothing you say will register with me and I will be lost and you will be sad.
All I ask is that you're respectful. I'm basically a lay judge who knows what's up.
Short Version:
-yes email chain: nyu.bs.debate@gmail.com
-if you would like to contact me about something else, the best way to reach me is: bootj093@newschool.edu - please do not use this email for chains I would like to avoid cluttering it every weekend which is why I have a separate one for them
-debated in high school @ Mill Valley (local policy circuit in Kansas) and college @ NYU (CEDA-NDT) for 7 years total - mostly policy arguments in high school, mix of high theory and policy in college
-head LD/policy debate coach at Bronx Science and assistant policy coach at The New School, former assistant for Blue Valley West, Mill Valley, and Mamaroneck
-spin > evidence quality, unless the evidence is completely inconsistent with the spin
-tech > truth as long as the tech has a claim, warrant, and impact
-great for impact turns
-t-framework impacts ranked: topic education > skills > clash/arg refinement > scenario planning > fun > literally any other reason why debate is good > fairness
-I updated the t-fw part of my paradigm recently (under policy, 12/4/23) - if you are anticipating having a framework debate in front of me on either side, I would appreciate it if you skimmed it at least
-don't like to judge kick but if you give me reasons to I might
-personally think condo has gone way too far in recent years and more people should go for it, but I don't presume one way or the other for theory questions
-all kinds of theory, including topicality, framework, and/or "role of the ballot" arguments are about ideal models of debate
-most of the rounds I judge are clash debates, but I've been in policy v policy and k v k both as a debater and judge so I'm down for anything
-for high school policy 23-24: I actually used to work for the Social Security Administration (only for about 7-8 months) and I have two immediate family members who currently work there - so I have a decent amount of prior knowledge about how the agency works internally, processes benefits, the technology it uses, etc. - but not necessarily policy proposals for social security reform
Long Version:
Overview: Debate is for the debaters so do your thing and I'll do my best to provide a fair decision despite any preferences or experiences that I have. I have had the opportunity to judge and participate in debates of several different formats, circuits, and styles in my short career. What I've found is that all forms of debate are valuable in some way, though often for different reasons, whether it be policy, critical, performance, LD, PF, local circuit, national circuit, public debates, etc. Feel free to adapt arguments, but please don't change your style of debate for me. I want to see what you are prepared for, practiced in, and passionate about. Please have fun! Debating is fun for you I hope!
Speaking and Presentation: I don't care about how you look, how you're dressed, how fast or in what manner you speak, where you sit, whether you stand, etc. Do whatever makes you feel comfortable and will help you be the best debater you can be. My one preference for positioning is that you face me during speeches. It makes it easier to hear and also I like to look up a lot while flowing on my laptop. For some panel situations, this can be harder, just try your best and don't worry about it too much.
Speed - I do not like to follow along in the speech doc while you are giving your speech. I like to read cards in prep time, when they are referenced in cx, and while making my decision. I will use it as a backup during a speech if I have to. This is a particular problem in LD, that has been exacerbated by two years of online debate. I expect to be able to hear every word in your speech, yes including the text of cards. I expect to be able to flow tags, analytics, theory interps, or anything else that is not the interior text of a card. This means you can go faster in the text of a card, this does mean you should be unclear while reading the text of a card. This also means you should go slower for things that are not that. This is because even if I can hear and understand something you are saying, that does not necessarily mean that my fingers can move fast enough to get it onto my flow. When you are reading analytics or theory args, you are generally making warranted arguments much faster than if you were reading a card. Therefore, you need to slow down so I can get those warrants on my flow.
Clarity - I'm bad at yelling clear. I try to do it when things are particularly egregious but honestly, I feel bad about throwing a debater off their game in the middle of a speech. I think you can clear or slow your opponent if you are comfortable with it - but not excessively to avoid interruption please - max 2-3 times a speech. If you are unclear with tags or analytics in an earlier speech, I will try to let you know immediately after the speech is over. If you do it in a rebuttal, you are 100% at fault because I know you can do it clearly, but are choosing not to. Focus on efficiency, not speed.
Logistical Stuff: I would like the round to run as on-time as possible. Docs should be ready to be sent when you end prep time. Orders/roadmaps should be given quickly and not changed several times. Marking docs can happen outside of prep time, but it should entail only marking where cards were cut. I would prefer that, at the varsity level, CX or prep time is taken to ask if something was not read or which arguments were read. I think it’s your responsibility to listen to your opponent’s speech to determine what was said and what wasn’t. I don’t take prep or speech time for tech issues - the clock can stop if necessary. Use the bathroom, fill up your water bottle as needed - tournaments generally give plenty of time for a round and so long as the debaters are not taking excessive time to do other things like send docs, I find that these sorts of things aren’t what truly makes the round run behind.
Email chain or speech drop is fine for docs, which should be shared before a speech. I really prefer Word documents if possible, but don't stress about changing your format if you can't figure it out. Unless there is an accommodation request, not officially or anything just an ask before the round, I don't think analytics need to be sent. Advocacy texts, theory interps, and shells should be sent. Cards are sent for the purposes of ethics and examining more closely the research of your opponent. Too many of you have stopped listening to your opponents entirely and I think the rising norm of sending every single word you plan on saying is a big part of it. It also makes you worse debaters because in the instances where your opponent decides to look up from their laptop and make a spontaneous argument, many of you just miss it entirely.
Stop stealing prep time. When prep time is called by either side, you should not be talking to your partner, typing excessively on your computer, or writing things down. My opinion on “flex prep,” or asking questions during prep time, is that you can ask for clarifications, but your opponent doesn’t have to answer more typical cx questions if they don’t want to (it is also time that they are entitled to use to focus on prep), and I don’t consider the answers in prep to have the same weight as in cx. Prep time is not a speech, and I dislike it when a second ultra-pointed cx begins in prep time because you think it makes your opponent look worse. It doesn’t - it makes you look worse.
Speaker Points: I try to adjust based on the strength of the tournament pool/division, but my accuracy can vary depending on how many rounds in the tournament I've already judged.
29.5+ You are one of the top three speakers in the tournament and should be in finals.
29.1-29.4 You are a great speaker who should be in late elims of the tournament.
28.7-29 You are a good speaker who should probably break.
28.4-28.6 You're doing well, but need some more improvement to be prepared for elims.
28-28.3 You need significant improvement before I think you can debate effectively in elims.
<28 You have done something incredibly offensive or committed an ethics violation, which I will detail in written comments and speak with you about in oral feedback.
The three things that affect speaker points the most are speaking clearly/efficiently, cross-x, and making effective choices in the final rebuttals.
If you win the debate without reading from a laptop in the 2NR/2AR your floor for speaks is a 29.
For Policy:
T-Framework: The fw debates I like the most are about the advantages and disadvantages of having debates over a fiated policy implementation of the topic. I would prefer if your interpretation/violation was phrased in terms of what the affirmative should do/have done - I think this trend of crafting an interpretation around negative burdens is silly - i.e. "negatives should not be burdened with the rejoinder of untopical affirmatives." I'm not usually a big fan of neg interpretations that only limit out certain parts of the topic - strategically, they usually seem to just link back to neg offense about limits and predictability absent a more critical strategy. I think of framework through an offense/defense paradigm and in terms of models of debate. My opinion is that you all spend dozens or hundreds of hours doing research, redos, practice, and debates - you should be prepared to defend that the research you do, the debates you have, and how you have those debates are good.
1. Topic-specific arguments are best - i.e. is it a good or bad thing that we are having rounds talking about fiscal redistribution, nuclear weapons, resource extraction, or military presence? How can that prepare people to take what they learn in debate outside of the activity? Why is topic-specific education valuable or harmful in a world of disinformation, an uninformed American public, escalating global crises, climate change, etc.? Don't be silly and read an extinction impact or anything though.
2. Arguments about debate in general are also great - I'm down for a "debate about debate" - the reason that I as a coach and judge invest tons of time into this activity is because I think it is pedagogically valuable - but what that value should look like, what is best to take from it, is in my opinion the crux of framework debates. Should debate be a competitive space or not? What are the implications of imagining a world where government policy gets passed? What should fiat look like or should it be used at all?
I can be convinced that debate should die given better debating from that side. But honestly, this is not my personal belief - the decline of policy debate in terms of participation at the college and high school level makes me very sad actually. I can also be convinced that debate is God's gift to earth and is absolutely perfect, even though I also believe that there are many problems with the activity. There is also a huge sliding scale between these two options.
3. Major defensive arguments and turns are good - technical stuff about framework like ssd, tvas, relative solvency of counter-interps, turns case and turns the disad arguments, uniqueness claims about the current trends of debate, claims about the history of debate, does it shape subjectivity or not - are all things that I think are worth talking about and can be used to make "try or die" or presumption arguments - though they should not be the focal point of your offense. I like when tvas are carded solvency advocates and/or full plan texts.
4. I do not like judging debates about procedural fairness:
A) They are usually very boring. On every topic, the same pre-written blocks, read at each other without any original thought over and over. I dislike other arguments for this reason too - ultra-generic kritiks and process cps - but even with those, they often get topic or aff-specific contextualizations in the block. This does not usually happen with fairness.
B) I often find fairness very unimportant on its own relative to the other key issues of framework - meaning I don't usually think it is offense. I find a lot of these debates to end up pretty tautological - "fairness is an impact because debate is a game and games should have rules or else they'd be unfair," etc. Many teams in front of me will win that fairness is necessary to preserve the game, but never take the next step of explaining to me why preserving the game is good. In that scenario, what "impact" am I really voting on? Even if the other team agrees that the game of debate is good (which a lot of k affs contest anyway), you still have to quantify or qualify how important that is for me to reasonably compare it to the aff's offense - saying "well we all must care about fairness because we're here, they make strategic arguments, etc." - is not sufficient to do that. I usually agree that competitive incentives mean people care about fairness somewhat. But how much and why is that important? I get an answer with nearly every other argument in debate, but hardly ever with fairness. I think a threshold for if something is an impact is that it's weighable.
C) Despite this, fairness can be impacted out into something tangible or I can be convinced that "tangibility" and consequences are not how I should make my decision. My hints are Nebel and Glówczewski.
5. Everyone needs to compare their impacts alongside other defensive claims in the debate and tell me why I should vote for them. Like traditional T, it's an offense/defense, disad/counterplan, model of debate thing for me. For some reason, impact comparison just seems to disappear from debaters' repertoire when debating framework, which is really frustrating for me.
Kritiks: Both sides of these debates often involve a lot of people reading overviews at each other, especially in high school, which can make it hard to evaluate at the end of the round. Have a clear link story and a reason why the alternative resolves those links. Absent an alt, have a framework as to why your impacts matter/why you still win the round. Impacts are negative effects of the status quo, the alternative resolves the status quo, and the links are reasons why the aff prevents the alternative from happening. Perms are a test of the strength of the link. Framework, ROB, and ROJ arguments operate on the same level to me and I think they are responsive to each other. My feelings on impacts here are similar to t-fw.
I still study some French high theory authors in grad school, but from a historical perspective. In my last couple years of college debate I read Baudrillard and DnG-style arguments a lot, some psychoanalysis as well - earlier than that my tastes were a little more questionable and I liked Foucault, Zizek, and Nietzsche a lot, though I more often went for policy arguments - I gave a lot of fw+extinction outweighs 2ARs. A lot of the debates I find most interesting include critical ir or critical security studies arguments. I have also coached many other kinds of kritiks, including all of the above sans Zizek as well as a lot of debaters going for arguments about anti-blackness or feminism. Set col stuff I don't know the theory as well tbh.
Affirmatives: I think all affs should have a clear impact story with a good solvency advocate explaining why the aff resolves the links to those impacts. I really enjoy affs that are creative and outside of what a lot of people are reading, but are still grounded in the resolution. If you can find a clever interpretation of the topic or policy idea that the community hasn't thought of yet, I'll probably bump your speaks a bit.
Disads: Love 'em. Impact framing is very important in debates without a neg advocacy. Turns cases/turns the da is usually much better than timeframe/probability/magnitude. Between two improbable extinction impacts, I default to using timeframe a lot of the time. A lot of disads (especially politics) have pretty bad ev/internal link chains, so try to wow me with 1 good card that you explain well in rebuttals rather than spitting out 10 bad ones. 0 risk of a disad is absolutely a thing, but hard to prove, like presumption.
Counterplans: They should have solvency advocates and a clear story for competition. Exploit generic link chains in affs. My favorites are advantage cps, specific pics, and recuttings of 1AC solvency ev. I like process cps when they are specific to the topic or have good solvency advocates. I will vote on other ones still, but theory and perm do the cp debates may be harder for you. I think some process cps are even very pedagogically valuable and can be highly persuasive with up-to-date, well-cut evidence - consult Japan on relevant topics for instance. But these arguments can potentially be turned by clash and depth over breadth. And neg flex in general can be a very strong argument in policy. I won't judge kick unless you tell me to in the 2NR, and preferably it should have some kind of justification.
Topicality: I default to competing interps and thinking of interps as models of debate. Be clear about what your interp includes and excludes and why that is a good thing. I view topicality like a disad most of the time, and vote for whoever's vision of the topic is best. I find arguments about limits and the effect that interpretations have on research to be the most convincing. I like topicality debates quite a bit.
Theory: Slow down, slow down, slow down. Like T, I think of theory through models of debate and default to competing interps- you should have an interpretation to make your life a little easier if you want to extend it - if you don't, I will assume the most extreme one (i.e. no pics, no condo, etc.). If you don't have a counter-interp in response to a theory argument, you are in a bad position. If your interpretation uses debate jargon like pics, "process" cps, and the like - you should tell me what you mean by those terms at least in rebuttal. Can pics be out of any word said, anything in the plan, anything defended in the solvency advocate or in cx, any concept advocated for, etc.? I think there is often too much confusion over what is meant to be a process cp. The interpretation I like best for "process" is "counterplans that result in the entirety of the plan." I like condo bad arguments, especially against super abusive 1ncs, but the neg gets a ton of time in the block to answer it, so it can be really hard to give a good enough 1ar on it without devoting a lot of time as well - so if you are going to go for it in the 2ar, you need to expand on it and cover block responses in the 1ar. Warrant out reject the argument vs. reject the team.
For LD:
Prefs Shortcut:
1 - LARP, High Theory Ks
2 - Other Ks, Topicality
3 - Phil, Theory that isn't condo or pics bad
4/5/strike - Trad, Tricks
My disclaimer is I try to keep an open mind for any debate - you should always use the arguments/style that you are most prepared with and practiced in. You all seem to really like these shortcuts, so I caved and made one - but these are not necessarily reflective of my like or dislike for any particular argument, instead more of my experience with different kinds, meaning some probably require more explanation for me to "get it." I love when I do though - I'm always happy to learn new things in debate!
Phil Debates: Something I am fairly unfamiliar with, but I've been learning more about over the past 6 months (02/23). I have read, voted for, and coached many things to the contrary, but if you want to know what I truly believe, I basically think most things collapse into some version of consequentialist utilitarianism. If you are to convince me that I should not be a consequentialist, then I need clear instructions for how I should evaluate offense. Utilitarianism I'm used to being a little more skeptical of from k debates, but other criticisms of util from say analytic philosophy I will probably be unfamiliar with.
Trad Debate: By far what I am least familiar with. I don't coach this style and never competed in anything like LD trad debate - I did traditional/lay policy debate a bit in high school - but that is based on something called "stock issues" which is a completely different set of standards than LD's value/value criterion. I struggle in these debates because for me, like "stock issues" do in policy, these terms seem to restrictively categorize arguments and actually do more to obscure their meaning than reveal it. In the trad debates I've seen (not many, to be fair), tons of time was dedicated to clarifying minutiae and defining words that either everyone ended up agreeing on or that didn't factor into the way that I would make my decision. I don't inherently dislike LD trad debate at all, it honestly just makes things more difficult for me to understand because of how I've been trained in policy debate for 11 years. I try my best, but I feel that I have to sort through trad "jargon" to really get at what you all think is important. I would prefer if you compared relative impacts directly rather than told me one is better than the other 100% of the time.
Plans/DAs/CPs: See the part in my policy paradigm. Plans/CP texts should be clearly written and are generally better when in the language of a specific solvency advocate. I think the NC should be a little more developed for DAs than in policy - policy can have some missing internal links because they get the block to make new arguments, but you do not get new args in the NR that are unresponsive to the 1AR - make sure you are making complete arguments that you can extend.
Kritiks: Some stuff in my policy paradigm is probably useful. Look there for K-affs vs. T-fw. I'm most familiar with so-called "high theory" but I have also debated against, judged, and coached many other kinds of kritiks. Like with DAs/CPs, stuff that would generally be later in the debate for policy should be included in the NC, like ROBs/fw args. Kritiks to me are usually consequentialist, they just care about different kinds of consequences - i.e. the consequences of discourse, research practices, and other impacts more proximate than extinction.
ROB/ROJs: In my mind, this is a kind of theory debate. The way I see this deployed in LD most of the time is as a combination of two arguments. First, what we would call in policy "framework" (not what you call fw in LD) - an argument about which "level" I should evaluate the debate on. "Pre-fiat" and "post-fiat" are the terms that you all like to use a lot, but it doesn't necessarily have to be confined to this. I could be convinced for instance that research practices should come before discourse or something else. The second part is generally an impact framing argument - not only that reps should come first, but that a certain kind of reps should be prioritized - i.e. ROB is to vote for whoever best centers a certain kind of knowledge. These are related, but also have separate warrants and implications for the round, so I consider them separately most of the time. I very often can in fact conclude that reps must come first, but that your opponent’s reps are better because of some impact framing argument that they are making elsewhere. Also, ROB and ROJ are indistinct from one another to me, and I don’t see the point in reading both of them in the same debate.
Topicality: You can see some thoughts in the policy sections as well if you're having that kind of T debate about a plan. I personally think some resolutions in LD justify plans and some don't. But I can be convinced that having plans or not having plans is good for debate, which is what is important for me in deciding these debates. The things I care about here are education and fairness, generally more education stuff than fairness. Topicality interpretations are models of the topic that affirmatives should follow to produce the best debates possible. I view T like a DA and vote for whichever model produces the best theoretical version of debate. I care about "pragmatics" - "semantics" matter to me only insofar as they have a pragmatic impact - i.e. topic/definitional precision is important because it means our research is closer to real-world scholarship on the topic. Jurisdiction is a vacuous non-starter. Nebel stuff is kind of interesting, but I generally find it easier just to make an argument about limits. Reasonability is something I almost never vote on - to be “reasonable” I think you have to either meet your opponent’s interp or have a better one.
RVIs: The vast majority of the time these are unnecessary when you all go for them. If you win your theory or topicality interp is better than your opponent's, then you will most likely win the debate, because the opposing team will not have enough offense on substance. I'm less inclined to believe topicality is an RVI. I think it’s an aff burden to prove they are topical and the neg getting to test that is generally a good thing. Other theory makes more sense as an RVI. Sometimes when a negative debater is going for both theory and substance in the NR, the RVI can be more justifiable to go for in the 2AR because of the unique time differences of LD. If they make the decision to fully commit to theory in the NR, however, the RVI is unnecessary - not that I'm ideologically opposed to it, it just doesn't get you anything extra for winning the debate - 5 seconds of "they dropped substance" is easier and the warrants for your c/i's standards are generally much better than the ones for the RVI.
Disclosure Theory: This is not a section that I would ever have to write for policy. I find it unfortunate that I have to write it for LD. Disclosure is good because it allows schools access to knowledge of what their opponents are reading, which in pre-disclosure days was restricted to larger programs that could afford to send scouts to rounds. It also leads to better debates where the participants are more well-prepared. What I would like to happen for disclosure in general is this:
1) previously read arguments on the topic are disclosed to at least the level of cites on the opencaselist wiki,
2) a good faith effort is made by the aff to disclose any arguments including the advocacy/plan, fw, and cards that they plan on reading in the AC that they've read before once the pairing comes out,
3) a good faith effort is made by the neg to disclose any previously read positions, tied to NC arguments on their wiki, that they've gone for in the NR on the current topic (and previous if asked) once they receive disclosure from the aff,
4) all the cites disclosed are accurate and not misrepresentations of what is read,
5) nobody reads disclosure theory!!
This is basically the situation in college policy, but it seems we still have a ways to go for LD. In a few rare instances I've encountered misdisclosure, even teams saying things like "well it doesn't matter that we didn't read the scenario we said we were going to read because they're a k team and it wasn't really going to change their argument anyways." More intentional things like this, or bad disclosure from debaters and programs that really should know better, I don't mind voting on. I really don't like however when disclosure is used to punish debaters for a lack of knowledge or because it is a norm they are not used to. You have to understand, my roots are as a lay debater who didn't know what the wiki was and didn't disclose for a single round in high school. For my first two years, I debated exclusively on paper and physically handed pages to my opponent while debating after reading them to share evidence. For a couple years after that, we "flashed" evidence to each other by tossing around a usb drive - tournaments didn't provide public wifi. I've been in way more non-lay debates since then and have spent much more time doing "progressive" debate than I ever did lay debate, but I'm very sympathetic still to these kinds of debaters.
Especially if a good-faith attempt is made, interps that are excluding debaters based on a few minutes of a violation, a round report from several tournaments ago, or other petty things make me sad to judge. My threshold for reasonability in these debates will be much lower. Having some empathy and clearly communicating with your opponent what you want from them is a much better strategy for achieving better disclosure practices in the community than reading theory as a punitive measure. If you want something for disclosure, ask for it, or you have no standing. Also, if you read a disclosure interp that you yourself do not meet, you have no standing. Open source theory and disclosure of new affs are more debatable than other kinds of disclosure arguments, and like with T and other theory I will vote for whichever interp I determine is better for debate.
Other Theory: I really liked theory when I did policy debate, but that theory is also different from a lot of LD theory. What that means is I mainly know cp theory - condo, pics, process cps, perm competition (i.e. textual vs. functional, perm do the cp), severance/intrinsicness, and other things of that nature. You can see some of my thoughts on these arguments in the policy section. I've also had some experience with spec arguments. Like T, I view theory similarly to a da debate. Interpretations are models of debate that I endorse which describe ideally what all other debates should look like. I almost always view things through competing interps. Like with T, in order to win reasonability I think you need to have a pretty solid I/meet argument. Not having a counter-interp the speech after the interp is introduced is a major mistake that can cost you the round. I decide theory debates by determining which interp produces a model of debate that is "best." I default to primarily caring about education - i.e. depth vs. breadth, argument quality, research quality, etc. but I can be convinced that fairness is a controlling factor for some of these things or should come first. I find myself pretty unconvinced by arguments that I should care about things like NSDA rules, jurisdiction, some quirk of the tournament invitation language, etc.
Tricks: I think I've officially judged one "tricks" round now, and I've been trying to learn as much as I can while coaching my squad. I enjoyed it, though I can't say I understood everything that was happening. I engaged in some amount of trickery in policy debate - paradoxes, wipeout, process cps, kicking out of the aff, obscure theory args, etc. However, what was always key to winning these kinds of debates was having invested time in research, blocks, a2s - the same as I would for any other argument. I need to be able to understand what your reason is for obtaining my ballot. If you want to spread out arguments in the NC, that's fine and expected, but I still expect you to collapse in the NR and explain in depth why I should vote for you. I won't evaluate new arguments in the NR that are not directly responsive to the 1AR. The reason one-line voting issues in the NC don't generally work with me in the back is that they do not have enough warrants to make a convincing NR speech.
Experience: 2 years college policy, 5 years parli, 5 years NFA-LD, I've been coaching a combination of HS policy, CEDA/NDT, NFA-LD and Parli for 9 years.
Email for the chain: bowersd@moval.edu
Online Debate: A couple of things I think are important before starting. Please make sure that your computer is plugged in before starting, your mic is muted while the other person is speaking. Also, there will be tech problems throughout the year, please be cool about it. If there is a disconnect during a speech time will stop and the speaker will be responsible for picking up where they left off when they reconnect.
General: I very much believe that I am here for you, so whatever style of debate you enjoy doing you should do that. I think that I probably will hold the line on cheap shot arguments more often than not, typically one line arguments on a theory shell/solvency flow will not get my ballot. Generally the team that does the better link/impact analysis/comparison will win my ballot.
I'll talk about some things here to maybe clear some questions you may have but genuinely whatever you want to do. If you have questions please feel free to ask.
Impact framing: Sans an alternative I think that death is the worst impact in the debate, but I'm very willing and happy to listen to other impact framing arguments.
Theory: I think that absent another framing mechanism I would evaluate T via competing interps, that being said I'm open to whatever method you want in terms of evaluating the argument. I think that my threshold for voting on T is low IE it's just another argument that if you win I will vote on. I don't have a preference on whether or not condo is good or bad. Most if not all questions like that can be resolved in round. I do not need proven abuse to vote on Topicality.
CP: Awesome, fun, I don't think I've met a counterplan I wasn't in some way a fan of from a strategic standpoint. That being said I think that overly complicated texts need to be explained. If I don't know what the counterplan does or how it functionally solves the aff it is harder to win me.
K: I don't have a preference for any type of alternative, I will say that it would be easier for me to vote for a K if I understand what the alternative does. I won't vote against a K if I don't understand what the alt does it just definitely makes it an easier ballot for you.
Associate Director of Debate @ KU
Last Updated: Pre-GSU 2016
Quick pre-round notes:
I would prefer speech docs while I judge. Please email them to bricker312@gmail.com.
The affirmative should read and defend a topical example of the resolution and the negative should negate the affirmative's example.
I reward teams that demonstrate a robust knowledge of the topic and literature concerning the topic.
More info:
1. The word "interpretation" matters more to me than some. You must counterdefine words, or you will likely lose. You must meet your theory interpretation, or you will likely lose.
2. The words "voting issue" matter more to me than some. I am not searching for cheap shots, nor do I especially enjoy theory debates. However, I feel that I would be intervening if I applied "reject the argument not the team" to arguments that debaters did not explicitly apply the impact takeout to. That said, proliferation of empty voting issues will not only hurt your speaker points, but can be grouped and pretty easily disposed of by opponents.
3. "Turns the case" matters more to me than some. Is it offense? Does the link to the advantage/fiat outweigh or prevent turning the case? Does it mean the aff doesn't solve? Questions that should be answered by the 1ar.
I believe that debaters work hard, and I will work hard for them. The more debaters can show they have worked hard: good case debates, specific strategies, etc. the more likely it is I will reward debaters with speaker points and higher effort. In the same vain, debaters who make clear that they don’t work outside of debates won’t receive high speaker points.
Argument issues:
Topicality – It is a voting issue and not a reverse voting issue. I have not yet been persuaded by arguments in favor of reasonability; however, the reason for this usually lies with the fact that affirmatives fail to question the conventional wisdom that limits are good.
Kritiks – It will be difficult to convince me that I should completely disregard my conceptions of rationality, pragmatism and my aversion to unnecessary death. As a general rule, I think of Kritiks like a counterplan with net-benefits. The more aff specific the better.
Counterplans – I am up in the air about textual vs. functional competition – they both have their time and place, and are probably not universal rules. The cross-ex answer “for your DAs but not your counterplans” has always made negative sense to me. I understand that there are MANDATES of the plan and EFFECTS of the plan; I find this distinction more understandable than the usual c-x answer.
Rundown of general thoughts about counterplans:
Conditionality – it's feeling like a little bit much at the moment
PICs – Good, especially if they PIC out of a part of the plan
Consult/Condition – Up in the air and context specific. Solvency advocates, aff stances, etc. can change my feelings.
Delay – Aff leaning, but might be more competitive based on the structure of the affirmative, or a cross-ex answer. For example, if the affirmative has an advantage that takes the position the advantage can only be solved if it happens before "X" date, then the counterplan to do it after that date seems competitive.
Word PICs – Aff leaning
Alternate non-USFG actors – Aff leaning
Demeanor issues:
Be respectful of your opponent, partner and judge. All types of discrimination are prohibited. Don’t clip cards, don’t cut cards out of context, etc. Don't misclose.
Finally, our community relies on host tournaments with classroom space - don't steal, defame or destroy it.
Any questions, ask.
I have judged debate and forensics off and on for the last 7 years.
Debate is, first and foremost, a communication activity. Arguments should be clearly laid out in a way that allows me to understand, but also shows that the debaters have a firm grasp on their evidence and why it is being used. Pretend I know nothing. I am not a flow judge, but I do take notes in the round.
I don't ask to see speech docs. My decisions will be made off of what is said in the round.
I encourage you to speak at a conversational pace.
Zachary Brown
He/Him/His
zrbrown@gmail.com
Updated: Sept 2019
Background:
8 years debate experience 2000-2008 (Derby HS, Wichita State University)
11 years coaching experience 2007-2018 (Assistant coach- Wichita East HS, Wichita State University, Head Coach- Hutchinson HS)
I am no longer as active as I used to be and I have not coached or judged extensively for the last few years. Explain your topic acronyms and argument jargon.
I think the topic is important but what the "topic" means is open for discussion. Debate is an important forum and I support efforts to discuss ways to make the community better.
I feel that respect and inclusion are fundamental values. Be mindful of the people in the room. Be nice! I have no tolerance for rude, disrespectful, and exclusionary behavior. Don't like it? Strike me. Debate is a game. Play to win, but have fun!
I don't care what kind of arguments you make, just make it a good one. I am not impressed by teams who copy the latest trends and arguments from a college or national circuit wiki without fundamental knowledge on how to execute those arguments. I like innovative arguments and I've voted for some wild stuff, but know your argument and do it well. I appreciate gutsy decisions and well executed strategy. I miss case debate.
At the risk of being a luddite, I don't like to call for cards and I don't want to get your speech doc. Debate is a communication activity and too many debaters rely on the speech doc to make arguments that the were not clearly made in a speech. I don't want to read the evidence unless I have to. Usually if I call for a card that means that there is a fundamental disagreement about contents, suspicion of clipping, or unclear argumentation. Evidence quality matters a lot to me. The most underutilized skill in debate is good evidence comparison. Give me reasons to "prefer your evidence". It is the job of the debater to explain their arguments in a way that is understandable and flowable. Rate of delivery doesn't matter to me, but clarity does.
I know there is lots of other stuff to discuss. Just ask me before round if you have any questions.
6.2.5
I default to a policy maker paradigm, but will evaluate the round as instructed by the debaters. Understand that I was an almost totally conventional policy debater when competing, so allow further room for explanation if you feel you’re reading something out of the box. What I stress the most is that you do what you’re most comfortable with, and please ask if you have any specific questions before the round begins.
I debated for four years at WRHS. I'm very familiar with case debate, topicality, disads (particularly politics), theory arguments, and most types of CPs. I am unfamiliar with most K literature, but that does not mean I can’t be convinced it’s worth voting on.
What I want the most in a round is for everyone to have fun, and create clash across their arguments both thematically and on the line by line.
What I want the least in a round is to be left without instruction or vision, floating in between the neg and aff worlds with no discernable way to vote. My ideal 2AR or 2NR is worldbuilding just as much as it is line by line.
Being mean or condescending will lose you points, if not the round. Debate is a place for inclusion and respect.
hey yall
she/her
i coached at sms, im still six years out, did not debate in college (i mostly coached forensics) went to jdi twice, competed in debate on the state and regional level.
but anyways,
speed: fast or slow, did both in high school, respect both kinds of debate. i don't actively think about or practice debate anymore so overestimate me at your own risk.
t: typically i defer competing interps. i don't think that critical affs need to have tangible solvency advocates to be considered important and educational debates. but i am also sympathetic to framework debates and edu args as well
disads: they are great.
k: i feel comfortable evaluating the k, i have voted for alt and no alt critical positions but have also voted against them. i think reps are important and i don't think criticisms are material that should be used only for the purpose of offense. they are important for thought disruption, but idonlike when people pretend that they care about "real world impacts" and lie.
cp: ! sure ! conditionality is good !
i have voted on presumption before and would prolly do it again
Preferred pronouns are she/her but I won't make a fuss out of it. But if you don't give your opponents the respect of using their pronouns, then we may have an issue.
Experience: I've gone to nationals three times so far, have done debate since my freshman year. I understand debate terms, arguments, and how to utilize arguments. My favorite argument was always the cap k, and my least favorite argument is T, but I understand its utility and will vote on it if the argument is presented well enough.
If an argument is presented poorly and I can't understand where it stands on the flow, there is a good chance I just won't even consider it in the round. Literally just say, "Advantage one is ___" and I understand how to flow. Failing to do that will definitely result in poor speaker points. Or at the least share your documents with me so I can flow with you.
I like my debates to be fun with well-developed arguments. Have a good time and respect one another. That's all I really ask from you.
debated 3 years at Lansing and graduated in 2020
I've been out of debate completely for 2ish years now - this tournament is the first I've judged in a long time so you might want to treat me as a flay judge
yes add me to the chain
email: amberdawsondebate@gmail.com
general
****please don't go card speed in rebuttals
-condo is usually the only reason to reject the team
-judge kick is fine unless otherwise contested
-dont waste cx, have some sort of plan
-more than 6 off starts to get excessive
-for speed, go just a bit slower for online tournaments then you would at a normal one
T
-please slow down on analytics especially in the 1ar and beyond
-I really enjoy t debates and I think sometimes it under utilized as a strategy
-I generally default to competing interps
-2ar/2nr should do a really good job comparing models and case lists are always good, as well as specific examples on the grounds debate on what you lose/gain
-if you're going for reasonability in the 2ar do a good job of explaining what the reasonable interp of your model looks like contextual to competing interps - most important time to do model debate
cp
-process cp's are fine but I don't think 2a's go for theory enough against explicitly cheating cp's - utilize theory if you can
-functional and textual competition is pretty important
-please say counterplan instead of ceepee, it pains me deeply
k
not my specialty especially high theory but,
-specific links are always good
-links of omission probably aren't links - you'd have to do a lot of work to convince me otherwise
-do a lot of work on alt explanation, please don't leave it up to me to make a guess as to what it does
-if you're aff dont forget you have an aff - weigh your impacts
-explain the perm in some capacity in the 2ac - dont shotgun 14 perms in a row - explaining them gives me ink time and means the neg doesnt just have to group them
k aff
-not much to say here, read whatever you're comfortable with but be prepared to do a lot of explaining
-being in the direction of the topic is probably best
v k aff
-i think a lot of the time teams read a k in the 1nc as a throw away arg which is not a good strat - either put a lot more on case or utilize the k you read
-fairness being an impact is a toss up - this one's up to debaters
-have a terminal impact in the 2nr!!
-even if you dont have a lot of cards on the alt, some good analytics will go a long way
I competed in HS during the 90's.
I coached at Shawnee Heights HS in KS for 11 years
I seldom think speed is a good idea
I am largely policy maker, at least in background
I do not mind debating debate, real world implication, politics, social issues or narratives
I want clash over just about anything else
I prefer argumentation over cards
it is possible I have become a grumpy old man
I will try to answer any questions and offer any support I can to help debate, debaters, and the round I am watching
I cannot stand teams that abuse their competition
I hate most everything about the K. I understand them, and know they are a thing and you may have them as a central part of you strat., so run them if you must. Just know that there is no such thing as tabula rasa, and my extreme bias will likely influence how I view things down the flow, even as I actively try to prevent it.
oddly I DO like a discussion of out of round impacts, role of the ballot, and real world impact of the activity/arguments
have never looked at cards-never will
In my final "get off my lawn" rant, I hate the time wasted between speeches dealing with or waiting on tech. I seriously don't care if it hasn't loaded before the speech begins. See---grumpy
Debated 4 years at Dowling HS in Des Moines, Iowa (09-12, Energy, Poverty, Military, Space)
Debated at KU (13-15, Energy, War Powers, Legalization)
Previously Coached: Ast. Coach Shawnee Mission Northwest, Lansing High School.
Currently Coaching: Ast. Coach Washburn Rural High School
UPDATE 10/1: CX is closed and lasts three minutes after constructive. I won't listen to questions or answers outside of those three minutes or made by people that aren't designated for that CX. I think it's a bummer that a lot of CXs get taken over by one person on each team. It doesn't give me the opportunity to evaluate debaters or for debaters to grow in areas where they might struggle. I'm going to start using my rounds to curb that.
Top Level
Do whatever you need to win rounds. I have arguments that I like / don't like, but I'd rather see you do whatever you do best, than do what I like badly. Have fun. I love this activity, and I hope that everyone in it does as well. Don't be unnecessarily rude, I get that some rudeness happens, but you don't want me to not like you. Last top level note. If you lose my ballot, it's your fault as a debater for not convincing me that you won. Both teams walk into the room with an equal chance to win, and if you disagree with my decision, it's because you didn't do enough to take the debate out of my hands.
Carrot and Stick
Carrot - every correctly identified dropped argument will be rewarded with .1 speaks (max .5 boost)
Stick - every incorrectly identified dropped argument will be punished with -.2 speaks (no max, do not do this)
General
DAs - please. Impact calc/ turns case stuff great, and I've seen plenty of debates (read *bad debates) where that analysis is dropped by the 1ar. Make sure to answer these args if you're aff.
Impact turns - love these debates. I'll even go so far as to reward these debates with an extra .2 speaker points. By impact turns I mean heg bag to answer heg good, not wipeout. Wipeout will not be rewarded. It will make me sad.
CPs - I ran a lot of the CPs that get a bad rep like consult. I see these as strategically beneficial. I also see them as unfair. The aff will not beat a consult/ condition CP without a perm and/or theory. That's not to say that by extending those the aff autowins, but it's likely the only way to win. I lean neg on most questions of CP competition and legitimacy, but that doesn't mean you can't win things like aff doesn't need to be immediate and unconditional, or that something like international actors are illegit.
Theory - Almost always a reason to reject the arg, not the team. Obviously conditionality is the exception to that rule.
T - Default competing interps. Will vote on potential abuse. Topical version of the aff is good and case lists are must haves. "X" o.w. T args are silly to me.
Ks - dropping k tricks will lose you the debate. I'm fine with Ks, do what you want to. Make sure that what you're running is relevant for that round. If you only run security every round, if you hit a structural violence aff, your security K will not compel me. Make sure to challenge the alternative on the aff. Make sure to have a defense of your epistemology/ontology/reps or that these things aren't important, losing this will usually result in you losing the round.
K affs - a fiat'd aff with critical advantages is obviously fine. A plan text you don't defend: less fine, but still viable. Forget the topic affs are a hard sell in front of me. It can happen, but odds are you're going to want someone else higher up on your sheet. I believe debate is good, not perfect, but getting better. I don't think the debate round is the best place to resolve the issues in the community.
Speaker points.
I don't really have a set system. Obviously the carrot and stick above apply. It's mostly based on how well you did technically, with modifications for style and presentation. If you do something that upsets me (you're unnecessarily rude, offensive, do something shady), your points will reflect that.
Email: maverickedwards1@gmail.com
Counterplans that result in the plan are problematic; I have a preference for theoretical objections over perm do the cp in the 2AR.
I generally think that fairness is good and the only impact a ballot can 'solve.' Impact turns to clash, fairness, predictability, etc. are difficult to win in front of me absent technical concessions.
I prefer to vote for advocacies with concrete, material strategies. An alternative or 1AC that advocates and defends a movement instead of USFG-based action is much more appealing to me than a strategy based on criticism without contestable action.
Teams that choose to go for a criticism should spend time explaining the critique's theory in front of me in practical terms without jargon. Big words or concepts that are familiar to people well read in the literature but not the general public will hurt your application of the theory and may lead to a frustrating decision.
I strongly prefer strategies that demonstrate why the AFF's plan should not happen. If I cannot identify a reason the AFF's MBI makes the world materially worse, then I am likely to vote AFF.
Darren Elliott "Chief" --Director of Debate and Forensics Kansas City KS Community College
delliott@kckcc.edu
Probably the least interventionist judge you will encounter. Will listen to and fairly consider any argument presented. (Avoid obvious racist and sexist arguments and ad Homs). For an argument to be a round winner you need to win the impact the argument has in relation to the impacts your opponent might be winning and how all of those affect/are afffected by the ballot or decision (think framework for the debate). No predispositions against any strategy be it a Disad/CP/Case or K or T/Framework on the Neg or a straight up policy or K Aff. Win what it is you do and win why that matters. I actually appreciate a good Disad/CP/Case Offense debate as much as anything (even though the arguments a number of recent KCKCC debaters might lead one to think otherwise). The beauty of debate is its innovation.
I appreciate in-depth arguments and hard work and reward that with speaker points. A debate that begins in the first couple of speeches at a depth that most debates aspire to be by the last two speeches is a work of art and shows dedication and foresight that should be rewarded. Cross-X as well, in this regard, that shows as good or better of an understanding of your opponents arguments as they do will also be rewarded. Cross-X is a lost art.
Most of all--Have Fun and Good Luck!!
Tim Ellis
Head Coach - Washburn Rural High School, Topeka, KS
Email chain - ellistim@usd437.net,
I am the head debate coach at Washburn Rural High School. I dedicate a large portion of my free time to coaching and teaching debate. I will work very hard during debates to keep an accurate flow of what is being said and to provide the best feedback possible to the debaters that are participating. I cannot promise to be perfect, but I will do my best to listen to your arguments and help you grow as a debater, just like I do with the students that I coach at Washburn Rural.
Because I care about debate and enjoy watching people argue and learn, I prefer debates where people respond to the arguments forwarded by their opponents. I prefer that they do so in a respectful manner that makes debate fun. Tournaments are long and stressful, so being able to enjoy a debate round is of paramount importance to me. Not being able to have fun in a debate is not a reason I will ever vote against a team, but you will see your speaker points rise if you seem to be enjoying the activity and make it a more enjoyable place for those you are competing against.
I will do my best to adjudicate whatever argument you decide to read in the debate. However, I would say that I generally prefer that the affirmative defend a topical change from the status quo and that the negative team says that change from the status quo is a bad idea. I am not the best judge on the planet for affs without a plan (see the first part of the previous statement), but I am far from the worst. I am not the best judge on the planet for process counterplans (see the second part of the previous statement), but I am far from the worst. Much like having fun, the above things are preferences, not requirements for winning a debate.
Topic specific things about intellectual property rights:
- The neg is in a tough spot on this year's topic in terms of generics. If you are good at debating topicality, it will likely not be difficult to convince me that a more limited version of the topic could be better. However, limits for the sake of limits is not really a persuasive argument, so a big limits DA alone does not automatically result in a negative victory.
- Equally debated, I can be convinced that the mere presence of resolutional words in the plan is insufficient to prove that the affirmative's mandate is topical.
- Please debate the affirmative case. I know it can be tempting to just impact turn the aff, but generally the scenario you are turning lacks solvency or an internal link, and perhaps that would be a better use of your time than ripping into heg bad cards off your laptop for 13 minutes.
- This topic is dense and difficult to research. Speaks will likely reward teams who engagein specific research, affirmative or negative, for the positions that they present.
- We are in an election year. One of the most important things that young people can do is read about and learn about the election. IPR links are not very good, but if you think about the way some of these plans would be exploited by one party or the other in other ways, I can easily be convinced that elections is a viable disadvantage.
As long as I am a judge, the rounds I judge will be a safe space. If there is any exclusionary language, evidence, or actions I will not hesitate to stop the round, vote you down, and talk to your coach. Hate has no space in debate.
Experience:
I am a student as Wichita State University, and I am a Political Science major; I love good discussions about Politics so doing so = good speaks.
I did policy debate all 4 years of high school, and I have competed at NCFL and NSDA (in pfd, so clown on me)
General Information:
-Roadmaps are off time
-Spreading is fine but make it clear when tags are being read and analysis/analytics need to be done while not spreading (I might not catch it = not weighing/flowing it)
-Please for the love of God, signpost or else I won't flow it or weigh it in the round
-You need to extend warrants as well as the credentials
---> Example: "Extend Roberts 19 which says that pineapple does not belong on pizza"
-I prefer Speechdrop.net to send evidence, but if that does not work, use this email for email chains:
---> ayleenescobedonats@gmail.com
-If a team asks for evidence, don't refuse to send it. If you case is that good you don't need to withhold it from the other team
-I will not keep track of your prep, but please announce when you cease prep and announce how much time you have left
-Sending evidence is off time unless it's obvious you're stealing prep then I will take time off your prep
-I would prefer if teams refer to each other as "the negative team", "the affirmative team", 1AC, etc. It prevents misgendering from happening
---> With this being said, I would prefer if teams don't ask for pronouns because I do not want someone to feel as if they have to come out in order to be included in this space.
-Read trigger warnings for triggering content. A failure to do so will make you on my bad side, and I will probably vote you down.
---> This can be done off time
---> If the other team is not okay with triggering content, I expect you to be able to accommodate
TELL ME HOW TO VOTE. DO THE WORK. THIS ALSO MEANS YOU NEED TO EXPLAIN ARGUMENTS
Framework:
-Framework is really important. I hope to see framework outlined in the 1AC, but if there is none, I hope the 1NC will read some
-I will vote on Framework debates
Topicality:
-Don't read T unless the other team is clearly untopical
-If it comes down to competing definitions, I will probably just consider the T debate a wash and not vote on it
Counterplans:
-Counterplans need to be mutually exclusive and have net bens
-I don't like delay CPs or CPs that are pretty much the same thing as the aff [this includes different actor CPs]
DAs:
-Please extend the WHOLE DA and not just link cards or impact cards
-I usually don't like Politics DAs or Economy DAs, but if that's all you have (because resolutions can be dumb sometimes) feel free to read them
Kritiks:
-Dawg, I love Ks, so don't shy away from them but explain them THOROUGHLY
-Make sure the alt actually has solvency
---> Reject the aff is not an alt
-If you cannot explain the theory in your K or how your alt solves better than the aff, don't read it
-I don't appreciate when white individuals read anti-blackness or settler colonialism for obvious reasons
Theory:
-I won't vote on Condo bad theory unless you can show me clear abuse
-Any SPEC argument I generally won't vote on
-Trigger warning theory is valid
-I will not vote for "Generic DAs are bad" theory (generally)
-Don't even bother reading abuse theory if the neg split the block/do basic neg things, but call them out if they read new offense in the 2NC
On Case:
-Don't read "No inherency" or "No harms/significance" unless there is a clear violation
-ANSWER THE FRAMEWORK IF THERE IS FW:EITHER READ NEW FW OR DE FACTO TO THE AFF FW
-Solvency arguments have a special place in my heart
-Actually answer the 1AC, please <3
Impacts:
-I prefer structural impacts instead of existential ones, but I understand if you read them
---> If teams get into a debate over structural FW vs. existential FW I will 100% weigh the structural FW over existential
-Do impact calc please
If you have any questions, feel free to ask! :))
they/them
I'd like to be on the SpeechDrop or email chain:
I'm a senior at Baker University and I graduated from De Soto High School in 2021. At DHS, I did policy, PFD, Congress, impromptu, extemp, oration, prose, and poetry in some variation over all four years.
I will listen to literally any argument and I will flow. Please give roadmaps and signposts. Keep your own time. Disclosure is good for education.
Learn something, try something new, have fun, and be a good person :)
She/her
email chain – maddie.halabi@gmail.com
debated at wichita east for four years, graduated in 2020
ku '24 (not debating)
Tech>truth. Speed is fine, but clarity is a must.
If you are mean or problematic I will dock speaks or auto-drop you.
Note - I have zero topic knowledge. I haven't heard, read, or listened to a debate about water policy. I will not understand any acronyms unless you explain them.
Ks – If I don’t understand it, I won’t vote for it. While debating, I never went for a K, which means it will be very difficult for me to explain why you win the debate in an rfd. You can read a K in front of me, but I generally think that affs can weigh the plan. Please have specific, well explained links that are impacted out. If you decide to go for a K, I am most familiar with cap and somewhat familiar with antiblackness from debates in high school.
T – Never an rvi! I default to competing interps. No extensive topic knowledge means you need to over explain. I think impact debating on t is always underdone.
CP - For process/questionably legitimate cps, I'll try my best, but this is just a disclaimer: I may not do what you think I will do. I have not thought about CP competition in years, so if you are depending on me to evaluate a debate over intrinsicness, I am not the best judge for you. No judge kick. Do your own decision calculus - I won't decide what 2nr decision is best for you.
Theory – I generally think condo is good, but obviously you can convince me otherwise.
Things I like: disclosure, line by line and clash, being nice and funny, strategic cx moments
kvk debates - I do not know how to evaluate these. Don't do this.
TL;DR, the best strategy to win my ballot is to do solid decision calculus with a good impact.
If you have any questions, please ask me before the debate!
John Hale
(He/Him)
Judging for Wichita East, I have limited experience with debate and am not familiar with acronyms or excessive debate lingo. I evaluate the round based on the number of points made and on which team has the most persuasive argument. I don’t flow, but I will take notes on the round and will always be as unbiased as possible.
Speed: I understand the theory behind Spreading, but cannot follow an argument made by someone using it .
K’s: As I have never debated before, I have no experience with K lit and I will probably not understand it whatsoever.
CPs: I have trouble understanding confusing perms and CP theory, please be thorough if you go for either of these strategies.
The use of racial/sexist/homophobic/transphobic slurs, in any way other than as used by individuals who are affected by those slurs, results in 0 speaks and a loss. Be mindful of problematic (non-slur) language. Mistakes happen, but so must sincere apologies.
Former three year debater at Olathe South High School and current assistant coach there as well.
I've debated in both KDC and DCI divisions so I'm down for any style of debate.
Big Picture:
Tech>Truth
Judge instruction is very important to me. I want to flow the round with minimal judge intervention, this means that I want you to explain to me why I should prefer your arguments, what I should vote for in the round, etc.
This means that you should run with what you feel the most confident and comfortable with. However, if you don't provide me with a way to vote in the round I will just default policy maker.
Personally, I believe that debate is a game of offense and defense. Offense for both teams is very important to win the round for me.
Impact Calc is a must.
A team is much more likely to win my ballot if they have a clean flow. This means having great signposting, line by line, and clash.
Extending and explaining warrants would be nice.
I understand that this is a competitive activity and for me it's cool to be laid back but I request that the debaters are still respectful to each other inside or outside the round.
If you have any questions about my paradigm or my decision, please feel free to ask me anything.
Disadvantages: While it is true that the more recent your uniqueness is, the more likely I am to weigh your argument and the DA but old-ish ones work fine too. That being said, I hate when a team just says that I should prefer their evidence because the opponent's card is "outdated". The team must explain to me in context as to why it matters that one card is newer then the other (what about the more recent world has changed?). Obviously the more specific your link, the more likely I am to weigh the DA but generic links work too if you make them. I feel that lately debaters have been treating these types of debates as separate piece from the case flow. Both teams should articulate how/why the DA interacts with the case. This includes impact calc which is severely under utilized. I'm most likely to vote on this flow if its connected to the aff case instead of being a floating argument for me to evaluate. Aff teams should also be looking to turn disads into advantages for the case instead of only playing defense. I am also a huge fans of both link and impact turns on disads and take them very seriously if the aff plans on running them in the round. If the aff does end up going for or winning on a link or impact turn, just make sure to fully explain to me what means for the debate round as a whole. I want you to treat it as if you have just won a new free advantage for your case.
Topicality: I believe that the best style of T debate is one where the main focus of the debate is around the standards and voters of T. In order for me to vote on T, I would need a team to put a heavy amount of the debate on the standards or voters. For me, T is not an automatic voting issue, if a team does a well enough job on the voters flow, I can be convinced that it doesn't matter if the aff isn't topical since there is no reason to vote for T. Also, I fully believe that T is not a reverse voting issue. If nothing else is specified, I default competing interps over reasonability.
Counterplans: I think the best way to convince me whether to or not to vote on a counterplan is do compare the solvency of the aff to the solvency of the counterplan in order to prove which one solves the impacts better. I'm cool with all types of counterplans such as PICs, delay, consult, etc. I find myself leaning towards the negative's side on the argument of whether or not some counterplans are abusive or not. That being said, I'm willing to vote on any type of counterplan theory if done right. Perm is a test of competition, not an advocacy.
Kritiks: The Kritiks that I have a decent amount of knowledge or experience with are security, militarism, capitalism, set col, and anthro. Don't just expect me to know everything about the K and make sure to really go in depth in explaining how it works. My preference on links is pretty generic as I would prefer you to use specific links but generics are fine as long as you are prepared to defend them. For impact, I would want you to do lots of work on how that impact affects the case by doing case turns or impact calculus. Even though it is important to include some work on the alt by including some good comparative solvency in it, it is not the most important thing for me. While having a good alt would obviously make the K a lot stronger, I would be fine for voting for a K with a weak alt if the impact is fleshed out enough to completely outweigh or turn the aff case. If your impact is just destroying the other team, then I don't really think you need that good of an alt but just make sure you give me some kind of an alt such as reject the aff so I have some kind of alt to even vote on. Even though I am not that big on the alt, I do need some kind of an alt in order for me to vote for the K.
Kritikal Affirmatives: A lot of my thoughts here are similar to my thoughts on Kritiks as well. This does not mean that I won't vote on K-Affs as I have before. Overall, I think the most important thing to K-Affs to me is judge instruction. Specifically, the aff team needs to tell me what I am voting for and what my ballot does for the debate round and how that ballot or the 1AC solves. This means that role of the ballot is very important to my vote and should be clear what it is in the 1AC. I prefer that your K-Aff is related to the resolution somewhat instead of just debate as a whole and for the aff team to be fully explain what they are exactly rejecting or critiquing.
Framework: When I debated, this was my favorite part of the K debate so I do enjoy seeing a good FW round. How I feel about FW debates is pretty much the same way as I feel about T debates. While it is of course important to talk about all of FW, I believe that the majority of the debate should be on the standards/voters/impacts of FW. The debates of FW should be impacted out to not only this debate round, but also debate as a whole. I think the best way for teams to argue FW is for them to use their impacts on the flow as offense. Unless the neg can make a really compelling we meet argument, I find it extremely hard to see myself voting for the neg on K if they lose FW.
Theory: Unless the other team is obviously extremely abusive in the round for whatever the reason, for me theory is a hail mary. That means that if you go for it, you better go all the way and make it the voting issue in the round. For less abusive theory arguments, I generally default reject the argument over reject the team but I am willing to reject the team if I am convinced so. Specifically on condo, I do find that my threshold for condo is extremely high, I believe that debate is ultimately a game and the neg has every right to take advantage in this game and run as many off-case positions as they want. That doesn't mean I won't vote on condo though, the aff just needs to have an argument explaining why this model of the game is bad for debate as a whole.
On Case: The only real arguments for me for the on case are purely solvency based ones. Lately, I have been finding it very hard for me to vote for a negative team with no offense and their sole argument being that the case doesn't solve. If worst case scenario for passing the aff is simply that it doesn't solve while best case scenario is gaining X and Y impacts, then I'm gonna feel pretty comfortable voting aff. For me, solvency deficits mainly help you win your probability arguments on impact calc. Besides solvency, I think that case turns are very useful as on case arguments as well. Overall, solvency arguments can be effective, but offense is also needed as well in order to gain my ballot.
Speed: I'm cool with spreading or going as fast as you want as long as you're clear and slower on tags, authors, analytical arguments, and theory. I expect for debaters to slow down a bit if they are reading from a pre made block on their computer. That being said, I don't expect perfect clarity with spreading but I want at least to understand it somewhat so it's not just straight gibberish.
Speaks: I decide speaks based upon argumentation not necessarily presentation. Obviously some speaking ability is factored in, but I’ve gotta be fair to the 1As out there.
I did not debate in high school or college, but have served as a debate assistant for several years. I have judged about 10 rounds on this year's topic. I am policy maker or stock issue judge. I appreciate when teams listen to the evidence that the other team is reading and analyze it and check the warrants. I hate just reading blocks without explanation.
The Affirmative has the burden of proof to support the resolution. You will probably do better if you do not speed read to me.
Generic Disads, Counter Plans, Kritiks are fine. Topicality is fine. Specific links are important. Explanation is important.
The last speakers should weight the round.
I will penalize rudeness. Just be nice to each other.
Email: patrickheath16@gmail.com
I debated in high school for 4 years.
I did not debate in college.
Be kind to one another. Meanness will only get you the L.
Communication skills and resolution of substantive issues are of roughly equal importance.
Stock issue emphasis best prescribes my approach to judging debate - The negative only needs to win one stock issue to win the round.
Fairly rapid delivery acceptable so long as the presentation is clearly enunciated. I need to understand you.
Counterplans are acceptable if justified, and if consistent with other elements of the negative approach.
Topicality is fairly important; roughly on par with other major issues in the round.
I find generic disadvantages generally acceptable.
I find kritiks reprehensible; I prefer specific real-world arguments. *Please don’t run critical aff’s*
Please add me to the email chain: JuTheWho@gmail.com
T-USFG
Impact weighing and comparisons are very important to how I decide these debates. If I think that both teams have some point of offense they are both winning, it makes it difficult to decide these debates if there isn’t any discussion of the other teams impact. If you solve their impacts, your impact turns them, or anything else related to that then please point that out. However, less is more when it comes to the number of impacts you are extending throughout the debate. One really well developed impact or impact turn is much better than three or four less well developed ones.
I also think it’s important for affirmative teams to have a clear tie or relationship with the topic. I find it harder to be persuaded to vote for affirmatives that I don’t think have a lot to do with the topic in some way. How you do this is up to you, but just make it clear to me.
In the past, I have voted on various impacts from and on framework. Personally I have been more of a fan of clash impacts than fairness, but I don’t think that should discourage you from going for whatever impact you feel most comfortable with.
Topicality
More explanation needed if you go for reasonability. Most of the debates I have judged where the aff goes for reasonability are very surface level extensions from the one sentence you said in the 2AC.
DA’s
Not much to say here. Read them and go for them when you can/want to. Where I start evaluating the debate for disad vs. case debates is very dependent on the disad and what arguments you are making a bigger deal about. If there is a lot of push back from the aff on the link and this is where you spend most of your time in the 2nr/2ar, I will probably start by evaluating the debate there. If impacts/their comparisons seem to be where a lot of time is spent, then I will start thinking about that first.
K’s
Debating case is very important. Having arguments that you think not only implicate the aff but also help your links are nice. Sometimes I feel like whenever a team goes for case arguments it feels detached from the rest of the debate on the K. IF you can make them connected somehow that would be good.
Have a reason for going for whatever framework arguments you are going for in the last speeches. This goes for the aff and the neg. So many times I have felt like people are just extending framework because their coaches told them to and not because they think there is reason why it is important for how the judge evaluates arguments at the end of the debate.
If you have a bunch of what seems to be conflicting theories in the cards you are going for and extending on the neg, please make it clear why what you are doing is okay. Alternatively, affirmative teams should be pointing out when they think the things the negative has said don’t make much sense.
CP’s
Again, read them and go for them when you can/want to. I don’t think I have very many predispositions about certain counterplans at this point in time. I think this just means that if you think a certain counterplan automatically beats an affirmative, I would prefer it if you showed it in the arguments you are making and the evidence you are reading. A counterplan that seems to be very solvent when explained, but lacking in evidence or that just generally has under highlighted cards will be harder to win in front of me.
A really good solvency deficit that aligns with whatever advantage you are going for in the 2ar is more important to me than you going for a bunch of different arguments that are less well developed.
Stock issues. T should only be what’s actually off topic. I don’t like Ks unless they’re actually applicable. Academic problems that aren’t likely to be real life issues have no interest for me. I’d rather it be concrete, undeniable, and undeniably important.
I am slightly hard of hearing, so please speak clearly (especially with masks) and with a decent volume. Speeding/spreading means I can’t understand you. If I can’t understand you, I can’t vote for you.
Paradigm
Email: Krousekevin1@gmail.com
Background:
Coaching:
Olathe North Assistant Debate Coach (2024-present) - Policy Debate
Simpson College Assistant Debate Coach (2024-present) - LD focus
Olathe East Assistant Debate and Forensics Coach (2017-2024) - Policy and LD focus
Debate experience:
4 years competing in Policy and LD in High School
3 years competing in College Parli debate (NPTE/NPDA circuit)
If you only read one thing on this paradigm, it should be my thoughts below on extending arguments:
Extend your arguments. Extend your arguments. EXTEND YOUR ARGUMENTS! (THIS IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT FOR ME THAN WHAT TYPE OF ARGUMENT YOU READ) Some of the debates I've watched this year have me so frustrated cuz you'll just be absolutely crushing in parts of the debate but just not extend other parts needed to make it relevant. For example, I've seen so many teams going for framework this year where the last rebuttals are 5 minutes of standards and voters and just no extension of an interp that resolves them. Or 2ARs that do so much impact calc and impact-turns-the-DA stuff that they never explain how their aff resolves these impacts so I'm left intervening and extending key warrants for you that OR intervening and voting on a presumption argument that the other team doesn't necessarily make. So err on the side of over extending arguments and take advantage of my high threshold and call out other teams bad argument extension to make me feel less interventionist pulling the trigger on it. What does this mean? Arguments extended should have a claim and a warrant that supports that claim. If your argument extension is just name dropping a lot of authors sited in previous speeches, you're gonna have a bad time during my RFD. The key parts of the "story" of the argument need to be explicitly extended in each speech. For example, if you're going for T in the 2NR then the interp, violation, the standard you're going for, and why it's a voter should be present in every neg speech. Whatever advantage the 2AR is going for should include each part of of the 'story' of aff advantage (uniqueness, solvency, internal link, impact) and I should be able to follow that back on my flow from the 1AR and 2AC. If the 2AR is only impact outweighs and doesn't say anything about how the aff solves it, I'm partial to voting neg on a presumption ballot
Ways to get good speaks in front of me:
-Extend your arguments adequately (see above paragraph) and callout other teams for insufficient extensions
-Framing the round correctly (identifying the most relevant nexus point of the debate, explain why you're winning it, explain why it wins you the round)
-Doc is sent by the time prep ends
-One partner doesn't dominate every CX
-Send pre-written analytics in your doc
-At least pretend to be having fun lol
-Clash! Your blocks are fine but debates are SOOO much more enjoyable to watch when you get off your blocks and contextualize links/args to the round
-Flow. If you respond to args that were in a doc but weren't actually read, it will hurt your speaks
-Utilize powerful CX moments later in the debate
-If you have a performative component to your kritital argument, explain it's function and utilize it as offense. So many times I see some really cool poetry or something in 1ACs but never get told why poetry is cool/offense and it feels like the aff forgets about it after the 2AC. If it's just in the 1AC to look cool, you were probably better off reading ev or making arguments. If it's there for more than that, USE IT!
Speed:
I can keep up for the most part. Some teams in the national circuit are too fast for me but doesn't happen often. If you think you're one of those teams, go like an 8/10. Slow down for interps and nuanced theory blocks (ESPEICALLY IF THEY ARENT IN THE DOC). 10 off rounds are not fun to watch but you do you.
Argument preferences:
In high school, I preferred traditional policy debate. In college I read mostly Ks. I studied philosophy but don't assume I know everything about your author or their argument. Something that annoys me in these debates is when teams so caught up in buzzwords that they forget to extend warrants. EXTEND YOUR ARGUMENTS. Not just author names, but extend the actual argument. Often teams get so caught up in line by line or responding to the other team that they don't extend their aff or interp or something else necessary for you to win. This will make me sad and you disappointed in the RFD.
I'd rather you debate arguments you enjoy and are comfortable with as opposed to adapting to my preferences. A good debate on my least favorite argument is far more preferable than a bad debate on my favorite argument. I'm open to however you'd like to debate, but you must tell me how to evaluate the round and justify it. Justify your methodology and isolate your offense.
I don't judge kick CPs or Alts, the 2NR should either kick it or go for it. I'm probably not understanding something, but I don't know what "judge kick is the logical extension of condo" means. Condo means you can either go for the advocacy in the 2nr or not. Condo does not mean that the judge will make argumentative selection on your behalf, like judge kicking entails.
K affs- I don't think an affirmative needs to defend the resolution if they can justify their advocacy/methodology appropriately and generate offense against the resolution. I wish negs going for framework did more work explaining how the TVA articulated is sufficient instead of just reading their blocks with random TVAs v K aff, these debates are often shallow and too generic. I think being in the direction of the resolution makes the debate considerably easier for the aff as opposed to a full rejection of the topic, but I've voted for both a decent amount. I wish more negs would engage with the substance of the aff or innovated beyond the basic cap/fw/presumption 1nc but I've vote for this plenty too. I have recently been convinced that fairness can be impacted out well, but most time this isn't done so it usually functions as an internal link to education.
Document sharing:
I have no preference on email chain or speechdrop, but it does irritate me when debaters wait until the round is supposed to be started before trying to figure this stuff out.
Ev Quality:
I'm of the opinion that one good card can be more effective if utilized and analyzed well than 10 bad/mediocre cards that are just read. At the same time, I think a mediocre card utilized strategically can be more useful than a good card under-analyzed. I don't go back and thoroughly re-read every piece of evidence after the round unless it is a card that has become a key point of contestation.
Any other questions, feel free to ask before the round.
LD Paradigm:
I've coached progressive and traditional LD teams and am happy to judge either. You do you. I don't think these debates need a value/criterion, but the debates I watch that do have them usually don't utilize them well. I'm of the opinion that High School LD time structure is busted. The 1AR is simply not enough time. The NFA-LD circuit in college fixed this with an extra 2 minutes in the 1AR but I haven't judged a ton on this circuit so how that implicates when arguments get deployed or interacts with nuanced theory arguments isn't something I've spent much time thinking about. To make up for this bad time structure in High School LD, smart affs should have prempts in their 1AC to try and avoid reading new cards in the 1AR. Smart negs will diversify neg offense to be able to collapse and exploit 1AR mistakes. Pretty much everything applies from my policy paradigm but Imma say it in bold again because most people ignore it anyways: EXTEND YOUR ARGUMENTS. Not just author names, but extend the actual claim and warrant. Often teams get so caught up in line by line or responding to the other team that they don't extend their aff or interp or something else necessary for you to win. This will make me sad and you disappointed in the RFD.
I'm a lay judge and new to policy debate. However, I have done debate in the past so I have some understanding of arguments and how they should go. I don't like debates that are overly speedy. I will be primarily judging on arguments that follow facts and make sense. I will listen to almost anything, it just needs to make sense. Explain everything to me, I am a policy maker.
Christy L'Esperance
Overland Park, KS
Judge Paradigm
I debated neither in high school nor college.
I've judged 1 preliminary round on this topic (Los Angeles Urban Debate League Summer Camp).
I prioritize communication skills and resolution of substantive issues equally. Substance and style are each critical in effective debate.
I emphasize debate skills when judging and prefer a moderate contest pace. While the pace should move briskly with an efficient use of time, an effective debater will appear more confident and in control of the information if the pace isn't rushed to an anxious level (stumbling over words, voice raises in pitch).
Counterplans are acceptable if justified and if consistent with other elements of the negative approach.
Topicality is fairly important, roughly on par with other major issues in the round.
I find generic disadvantages and kritiks acceptable if specific links are clearly analyzed.
Name: SIMON L'ESPERANCE
City: OVERLAND PARK State: KANSAS
1) Did you debate in high school? Yes Number of years: 1
2) Did you debate in college? No Number of years: 0
3) How many elimination rounds have you judged on this topic? 0
4) How many preliminary rounds have you judged on this topic? 1
5) List tournaments where you have judged this year: Los Angeles Urban Debate League summer camp
6) Please choose the following that applies to your judging criteria:
I. Which best describes your priorities in judging debates? c. Communication skills and resolution of substantive issues are of roughly equal importance.
II. Which best prescribes your paradigm or approach to judging debate?
e. Tabula rasa (judge adopts perspective according to standards in the round)
III. What speed or rate of presentation do you prefer? c. Fairly rapid delivery acceptable so long as presentation is clearly enunciated-very rapid speed discouraged.
IV. Counterplans are: . Acceptable if justified, and if consistent with other elements of the negative approach.
V. Topicality is: a. Very important in my decision; I consider it a paramount issue.
VI. I find generic disadvantages: b. Acceptable if specific links are clearly analyzed.
VII. I find kritiks: b. Acceptable if specific links are clearly analyzed.
4 years of debate (KDC) at Lansing High (2017-2021)
KCKCC Debate (NPDA/NFA LD) (2021–2024)
Assistant Coaching at Olathe North, KCKCC (2024– current)
Formally assistant coaching at Lansing (2021–2024)
I'm down for speech drop or email whichever works best for you. christopherlapeedebate@gmail.com
TLDR: I've learned that as I judge more the more I realize I don't particularly care for certain arguments over others. Rather, I care more about debaters doing what they're good at and maximizing their talents. Granted to whereas I'm ok with you reading whatever, do keep in mind that the experience I've had with debate/arguments might not make me the best decision maker in the back of the room for that round. So if you get me in the back of the room read what you want but be mindful it might need a little explanation in the Rebuttals.
Speed–I'm cool with it if I can't keep up i'll say speed if you arent clear i'll say clear. People never slow down on analytics so imma just start clearing folks if I cant understand what your saying without the doc. This will allow me to keep up better. If you ignore my speed/clear signals I'm gonna be bound to miss stuff so if you get an rfd you don't like after the round thats prolly why.
LD– All of the stuff below applies if you wanna read a plan and have a policy debate do it idc its your debate have fun!
More in depth version of how I evaluate
Top level:I default tech over truth. The only time I'll use truth as a means of decision making is to break a tie in an argument which usually will only happen if the debate is very messy.
T: On T I'll default to competing Interps unless I get a good reason to favor reasonability or if reasonability goes conceded. I think T is a debate about models of a hypothetical community agreement to what the the topic should look like, in this I think the debate comes down to the internal links like who controls limits and ground and who's limits/ground is best for education and fairness. I don't think you need proven abuse but if there is you should point that out.
CP: I think CP's can be a good test of solvency mechanisms of the aff I wont vote on a cp unless it has a net benefit. I think the CP is a reason why 1% risk of the DA means I should probably vote neg if the CP solves, even if case outweighs. I don't think the CP alone is a reason to vote neg, just because there is another way to solve the aff doesn't mean I shouldn't give it a try. Internal net benefits are real and I'll vote on a CP with one.
Condo: I tend to think condo is good unless the neg is just trying to time suck by reading like 5 CP's and then just going for whichever you cant get to in time
DA's: I have quite a bit of experience with these but not a lot to say on them, I think a DA being non uq means no risk. I think no Link means the same, I think the I/L strat is commonly underrated if the link doesn't actually trigger the mpx then there is probably no risk, MPX turning a DA is underrated too. If you go for the DA in front of me focus on the story of the DA and form a coherent story and focus on the internals if I understand how the plan actually causes the MPX I'm more likely to vote for the DA.
Spec: If you go for spec go for it just like you would T. I'll listen to 5 mins of spec and vote on it. Same thing as T I view it as a models debate and you should focus on the internals because that tends to show who actually controls the mpx debate.
The K: On the link level first. I think the links to the k page operate in the same way as links to the Disad. What I mean by this is that the more specific the better. Just vaguely describing "the apocalyptic rhetoric of the 1ac" seems like a very generic link which is prolly not that hard for a turn and or no link argument.
On the impact debate. I think you need to be weighing the impact of the kritik in the round I find that a lot of debaters get jumbled up in line by line and forget to actually weigh the impact. Just extending it and saying "they cause xyz" isn't good because it isn't developed and lacks the warranting of why that matters and why I should vote neg because they cause that.
On the alt debate. It's a common stereotype of K debaters that we can't explain the alt. What does the alt look like? Why is that good? And so on so forth. I think that while I hate this stereotype I dislike even more that in the rounds I've watched debaters have tended to just read their tag line of the alt solvency and the alt whenever asked in cx what does the alt look like, and or do that to extend the alt in later speeches. This is not a good way to debate and doesn't help you convince anyone your alt is good, you should be able to articulate the method of your alt whatever that may be and how that changes the debate space or the world. I don't think this means you need to be able to tell me exactly what goes on at every waking point of the day.
K aff:
On the case debate– I think k affs should link to the topic/debate in some way shape or form otherwise they feel very generic. specificity >>>>>>>> generics (on every arg tho). There should be a clear impact/impacts to the aff. I think where the aff falls short is in the method/advocacy debate I think that I should be able to understand the method and how it is able to resolve the impact in some way shape or form. I think the rob/roj should be clearly identified (the earlier in the round the better). That way I understand how I should evaluate the rest of the debate and process through things (I think in close debates both teams wind up winning different parts of the flow, I need to understand why your flow comes first). I think that performance K affs lose the performance aspect which sucks, I think that applying the performance throughout the rest of the debate is >>>>>> rather than losing it after the 1ac.
V FW– I tend to think debate is a game that shapes subjectivity – Ie y'all wanna win rounds and fairness is good, and also the arguments we make/debate shapes who we become as advocates. I will technically sway based off args made in the round (ie debate doesn't shape subjectivity/debate isn't a game) I think from the neg I need a clear interp with a brightline for what affs are and are not topical extended throughout the debate. I need a clear violation extended throughout the debate. I think standards act as internal links to the impacts of fairness and education. I think you should be able to win that your fairness is better than the affs fairness and that it outweighs their education. for the aff I also think you need a clear interp for what affs are and are not allowed under your model of debate extended throughout the debate. If you go for a we meet I think that the we meet should be clear and makes sense and also be throughout the debate. I think the aff should win that the TVA doesn't resolve your offense/education, that your fairness is just as good or better than the neg's model of fairness. And that your education outweighs. I think top level impact turns to t/fw are good. And use the rob/roj against the T debate (remember it all comes down to filtering what arguments are most important and come first)
KvK– uhhhhhhh I tend to get a little lost in these debates sometimes tbh bc I think its tough to evaluate and weigh two methods against each other especially if they aren't necessarily competitive with each other. I think in these debate the fw debate including the rob/roj is most important, and judge instruction is likely how you'd pick me up if I'm in the back of the room. If you don't tell me how to evaluate arguments and what they mean in context to the round we'll all prolly wind up frustrated at the end of the round bc I'll intervene or make a bad choice. (I'm not perfect and make mistakes so judge instruction is crucial to make sure I don't make them)
I debated for 3 years in high school and 1 year in college and have been a coach for 4 years.
I almost always am a policymaker with some exceptions when it comes to kritiks.
I prefer any impact other than nuclear war. I'll listen to nuclear war impacts on DAs, and I've voted for them but I have to be able to see a clear connection on why the voting for the aff would cause a war, the links need to be very strong. As a policymaker I want to be able to evaluate how the plan would hypothetically affect people which is why I tend to prefer smaller magnitude impacts that let me weigh the benefits of the aff with the potential harm to individuals. Also on DAs, I highly value uniqueness. If you're going to run a generic link, at the very least have super recent evidence. Same goes for specific links as well; recency will almost never hurt you, but old evidence will.
As for topicality, I don't mind it and have voted on it before but to win on T alone with me you'd have to do significant work on the voters. I will not vote on T because the neg thinks the aff might be abusive, you have to be committed to this strategy all the way to persuade me to move away from a policymaker framework to examine topicality.
I don't enjoy counterplans but I'm not opposed to them. If you think that a CP is your best strategy in that round then by all means go for it, just know that I almost always will think that there are better arguments to have made. On the aff, I don't want you to read every perm in the book. Do some solid work on theory and I will likely buy it.
Kritiks are important and have some place in debate. That said I don't want to hear a K every round, but I am familiar with most literature and as I said above value arguments that allow me to weigh the aff with the impacts on individual people. The role of the ballot is very important to me, along with being able to do the analysis on your own without just reading a block at me. You will need to do a significant amount of work to get to move me from policymaking to kritiks, however if you think this is your best strategy I trust your judgement, just show me it is your strongest argument.
As for the aff, I don't like K affs, and I prefer a lot of advantages (scenarios). I believe affs should read a plan text. Don't get too overwhelmed by the neg and forget about your case. Far too frequently I see affs that have totally lost track of their advantages by the 1AR. I will not weigh your advantages against the neg if you left them untouched after the 1AC.
In general, I'm not picky on your speed, I'll flow the round so please be very clear on what arguments you are making and where on the flow you want them. I will flow however you want as long as you tell me what argument/card goes where. I like a strong impact calc throughout the round. Anyone can read cards, I value the analysis of if the proposed policy is good or bad and why. There's more to that than just reading the evidence.
If you have questions about specific arguments or want more information about something you can ask me before the round or email me at lglingenfelter@gmail.com
maize '21, ku '25 (not debating)
assistant coach at de soto
jeanninealopez@gmail.com
i competed in policy for 4 years and almost solely ran policy arguments
i don't have many predispositions about particular arguments -- my preference for policy arguments over k's is not out of distaste but out of ignorance so if you want to run them, i will listen, but don't assume i'll know what you're talking about -- i primarily ran counterplan/disad strategies, so i know those best, but run what you know best
speed is fine only if you are clear
your speech is over once your timer goes off -- you can take a few words to finish a sentence, but anything else that you say isn't going to be on my flow
please ask questions if you have any
Catherine Magaña
I appreciate when debaters show that they care and that they want to be debating and put energy into it. I will put as much effort into my decision and comments as you do into debating. Lots of good can come from this activity so I encourage you to be part of that.
Won't vote on events that happened outside of the round. I am not the person to adjudicate those experiences.
If I cannot hear what you are saying I will clear you once and then stop flowing. You may have made an argument but if you're unclear, the chances I write it down are slim. And if you're not flowing, I'm not flowing.
Prep ends when the email is sent. Don't clip and don't steal prep.
Specific evidence comparison is important, so do more than just surface level analysis. Pull lines out of cards, indict them, anything. People get away with reading lots of terrible evidence - don't let them!
As the judge, I will do my best not to intervene but if I have to come to my own conclusion about something that wasn't debated out then I will explain why I did and what could have prevented that.
CP and DA
If you want me to utilize judge kick then please do not wait until the 2NR to say it. I think zero risk can be a thing. I have been out of the game for a while now so not great for highly technical debates about CP competition.
K
If you're neg - I find myself persuaded most often by K turns case arguments and specific links. Talk about the aff more. I think speech organization is important here and will appreciate signposting instead of just reading down your document.
I vote for planless affs as much as anything else. Affs should probably be related to the topic. Tell me why spending time learning about x is better than learning about y, especially in that round.
T
I enjoy T debates. These debates can be shallow sometimes so I appreciate contextualization of the aff, in-round abuse, and telling me what precedent would be set by x definition. Not voting on plan text in a vacuum.
Other: Reading every word off of your computer is not impressive or innovative. Speaks will reward the use of your flow.
Put me on the chain: tianamarion7@gmail.com
Background: I debated four years at Salina South High School (2017-21). I was also the 5A 2-speak state champion in 2021 on the prison reform topic. I currently debate in college at Kansas Wesleyan University (parli + LD), and I had a brief stint at Yale. I have assistant coached at Salina South, head coached at Sacred Heart high school, and assistant coached at McPherson High School.
Judging Philosophy: Tech over truth. I think debate is a game, whoever plays it best wins my ballot. With this, I have often voted against good plans or good counterplans that I think are good ideas, because they weren't argued correctly. I try to keep my own personal biases (in any way) out of the debate round. Do not change how you debate to adapt to me; I want to see how you debate at what you believe is your best. I'm comfortable with any speed from conversational to rapid spreading. Speech drop > Email chains. ****I am of the belief that all on case and off case arguments need to be read in the 1NC. Also no new in the 2NC. I will not vote you down because of this, but I will not be happy.
Topic Specific: This year, I have been judging and coaching on the 4A and 3-2-1 A circuit. I am not a big fan of "soft left" impacts which are huge on this topic, so it will be much easier for me to vote on high magnitude impacts (yes, I am an unironic nuke war impact enjoyer).
Topicality: I believe it is an a priori and will judge it first before examining the case. I judge topicality on whether you can prove specific in-round abuse and if it sets a precedent for bad debating. I have enjoyed debating and coaching topicality, so please do not be afraid to run it!
Counterplans: I believe every counterplan has to have a net benefit, and I don’t care about whether it’s topical or not. I don't think conditionality is abusive in most cases, but I can be convinced with a really good condo bad shell.
Kritiks: I am most comfortable with Capitalism, Settler Colonialism, Security, Queerness, and Anti-blackness. Anything further will probably require some explanation. Must have Framework to tell me how to weigh the K vs Case.
Background
4-year debater from Pittsburg graduated 2019. Currently assistant coach at Olathe South
Experience in high-flow rounds both as a debater and a judge
Don't care how evidence is shared, but I personally want speech docs
email: marlerleyton2@gmail.com
General Stuff
I will evaluate the round in whatever lens you tell me to, I'm very very open to most arguments. Only thing I will say to be careful of is that I will not do work on the flow for you, I expect you to tell me where to vote, why I'm voting, and what the ballot means when I sign it.
Tech vs Truth - I'm pretty middle ground on it, I find it hard to believe that tech outweighs truth completely and vice versa
If you want vote on cheating or anything like that, you need to give me a quality block and undeniable proof. Sending a picture in an email chain where I can barely see the whats happening because it is so blurry will not cut it at all. If you're accusing a team of doing something that should lose them the round then you are going to have an extremely high burden and you better not have done anything shady during the round as well.
No new in the 2 please
If you keep the flow clean there's a 90% chance that you'll get my ballot from that alone.
Specific Args
Ks - Open to all types of literature and args, I'm not as well-versed as I would like to be, but I do love the lit and spend time outside of the debate sphere studying it as well so I won't be completely lost. I'm very well-versed with Cp Ks, Set-Col, Imperialism, and some nihilism. Most other lit I'm comfortable with and will understand, you'll have to keep the flow clean and explicitly state where you want everything to go.
DAs - Pretty much every DA will fly, Trade-Off DAs will have a harder time finding my ballot I think there's a ton of thumpers on them and you'll have to give me a pretty specific chain here otherwise I'm probably going to err aff. Tix DAs are 100% acceptable and you can get my ballot a good chunk of the time, only thing I'll say on them is don't blow up some random super tiny piece of legislation it needs to be something that actually matters and can have an impact on the world around us. Outside of that I'll just evaluate it based what you explicitly state.
CPs - Open to all CPs, just be prepared to argue theory if you run 3 CPs with condo on all of them, severance CPs you'll have to do a ton of work on the flow with as well so just be smart and use them strategically rather than just as an arg you can throw out at any time.
T - Love T debates, I will judge them harshly though, I was a big T debater so if you aren't pulling through and debating your standards/voters then it'll be really hard to pick up my ballot
K Affs - For the most part the same opinion I have on Ks applies here, I like the lit, I find it interesting, and I'm always open to the arg as long as you can justify on the flow or you can win the framework debate
Theory - Need a good reason for it or you need to provide real quality argumentation or I will not vote on it
ksumccoy@gmail.com
Introduction
I'm an assistant coach for debate and forensics at Blue Valley North. As a theater and English teacher of nearly 20 years, interp. events are probably my strongest area. You should probably see me more as a community judge with some background in the event rather than someone that pays close attention. I'm more of a sponsor than a coach most weekends that just makes sure students get to their rooms. As of October 2023, I have only judged a couple rounds and have little contact with the topic research file.
Policy...
I know this isn's succinct and what advanced debaters are going to want to hear or debate to, but I hope the following helps.
1. I'm a theater and English Lit. teacher first. Don't just read at me. I think this is an oral communication event. Communicative issues and telling the story are still important. I'm not going to try to listen or flow speed. Honestly, I'm tired of people reading a powertag with a whole bunch of stuff they don't really understand or not linking it to the round we're in. I'll jump on the email chain/speechdrop, but I'd rather be listening to your rather than reading highlighted text.
2. I'd like to think that I'd listen to just about anything in the room and be willing to vote on it, but I'm probably a policy maker who prefers reasonable and probable impacts over magnitude. I haven't had a lot of Ks to consider or vote on so I'm not sure how I feel about them philosophically. I'm not a games player that will vote a team down for missing one minor arg. on T in the 1AR. I don't like ridiculous spreading args. from the neg. that then kicks everything that doesn't stick. I'd rather have a couple speeches debating the merits of an argument and find some depth than shell out ten things that don't matter.
3. I'm good with judge instructions. Explain to me why I should be voting a certain way. I'm not going to be reading every sentence of your evidence and make the arguments for you. I'm also not an expert in the event that will know every piece of the game y'all do.
4. If you open the abuse story in the round, you better not be doing it elsewhere. I think new in the 2 is typically slimy if off case, but I'm primarily talking anything running a ton of T you plan to kick in the 2NR, turning CX into a speech, stalling finding a timer and prep time, fiddling with the file share, et al. If you waste time on an abuse story when you could have used that time to debate this issue, or your opponent points out you were just as or more abusive in the round, I'll vote you down for wasting our time discussing it. Debate the topic.
Congress
I've scored a few rounds in Kansas invitationals over the years. Probably 5-10 rounds. I've used Congress as a model for various classroom activities and projects in my English and Speech classes and worked with students here and there on some speeches. I enjoy an efficient and respectful chamber with obvious connections and clash between speeches to show active listening. Yes, speeches will be prepared with credible evidence and relevant sourcing, but there should be clear sections responding to the debate in the room. Strong POs will be considered in ranking. As a theater director for 10 years, I'm used to watching the entire stage. You are always "on" in a session. A congressperson who is listening, engaging, efficient, and respectful will be rewarded over one who is simply domineering.
LD - I've judged these rounds here and there and at the national tournament, but it has been awhile. Be sure to take care of the value and VC debate as that is the framework that lets me know how to vote in the round. Evidence to show how real world examples have worked are great, but don't forget the values work. This is why I like this style of debate. We aren't focused primarily on the policy but the ideas and values. If you keep that in mind and can explain it for a theater/English teacher that prefers a communicative style, you'll have a better chance at the ballot.
PFD - Well, this is something I haven't seen a lot of, so I'd encourage you to look at the other comments regarding LD and Policy and cross apply to this event. Haven't coached it. Only seen a few rounds of it.
Hi!
I debated (Policy, Student Congress) at Andover High School for four years (Education, Immigration, Weapons, CJR)
Currently the policy assistant for Andover High/debater at WSU.
Yes, add me to the email chain, my email is gracemcmanus22@gmail.com
Top level
I don’t care how you debate just don’t be violent in the round. This doesn’t mean you can’t be mean, but rather that you need to be respectful. Meaning your attitude needs to have purpose. If you are just mean for the sake of being mean, your speaks will be hurt and if it goes to far I will end the round and you gotta take an auto L.
Tech over truth. The arguments you make in the debate can be outrageously false but if you are winning on the technical side I will vote for you. If it is a debate where both teams are even on the tech level and impact level, I will have to default to truth. Truth is the last option for me in a debate and if I default to it, usually it means something has gone seriously awry in the debate.
Planless affirmatives
Totally ok with these debates. I will say however that not defending a method in the 1AC means the only way to really win the debate is winning an impact turn on the framework flow, so do with that what you will.
You need to defend the purpose of the ballot. I’m fine with arguments about the ballot being healing for xyz reason but you need to extrapolate that to me.
Framework/T-USFG
I’ll vote for framework any day of the week, if you are winning your impacts. You need to explain why your impacts matter in the space that we are in. Fairness is fine as an impact but saying things like “they have made the debate unfair so reject them” isn’t convincing to me. Tell me why your impacts matter in the context of the debate.
KvK
Method v Method debates are always fun to partake and adjudicate in. If you want to win my ballot you need to give sufficient defense to your alt/advocacy and significant offense against the other teams alt/advocacy. Offense/defense is super important in these debates and if you are too defensive you will likely lose my ballot.
K's on the neg
Run whatever arguments you want. I’m pretty knowledgeable with a lot of k lit but my knowledge does have short falls.
K lit where I have done extensive research: antiblackness, cap, and security.
- go for whatever arg you want on these, you can assume I understand the ins and outs of these arguments, so long framing explanations are unnecessary but you do you.
K lit where I lack research: anthro
- I’m not saying anthro is a bad argument to read in front of me but there are certainly better ones to read. I will vote for you if you win, but you will just need to explain every part of the k in front of me like I’m a silly parent judge.
Every other area not mentioned are areas that I have knowledge on but haven’t done research in so you don’t need to explain the ins and outs of their theory of power but good explanation of the alt would be chill.
Explanation is usually much better when contextualized to links, alt, f/w, etc... and not a chunk of text for a minute at the top of a speech.
Topicality
I will evaluate topicality as offense/defense just like every other argument in debate.
Evidence quality is not that important to me. But if you have evidence that is specific to the topic and debate you will find it easier to win my ballot.
I was never a T debater in high school, and I am certainly not one in college. You can absolutely read T in front of me and I will vote on it, but if I looked bored in the back it’s because I am.
Counterplans
Read whatever you want and do whatever you want. I will vote for whatever theory argument you want if you are winning on it. With that being said if you want me to vote on a theory argument in the 2AR it needs to be the entire 2AR. There is zero point in extending condo in the 2AR for like 3 minutes and then moving on to case.
I default to judge kick but just please say it in the block.
I use sufficiency framing when evaluating counterplans.
Disadvantages
Read whatever you want, if you are winning the debate I will vote for it.
Uniqueness: I am unconvinced by generic “our uniqueness is two days newer, prefer it” args. Tell me why those “two days” matter for your argument. Uniqueness usually becomes a wash in most debates anyways.
Link/Link turns: If the 2AR wants to win a link turn to the da ima need more than 20 seconds on the link debate. If you want to win a link turn you need to win the link debate. For the neg, impact framing at the top means nothing for the link turn. It’s not a try or die to prevent x scenario if you’re losing the link turn.
impact: do whatever you want, make sure you have impact framing at the top of your rebuttals.
Case
Try or die is important to me. If the negs only answer to case is solvency pushes but concedes the squo causes extinction and doesn't have a CP to remedy that then even a small risk the aff solves will almost certainly win them the debate. The opposite is true if aff drops an internal net benefit to a process CP, as the neg now controls try or die.
0% risk is definitely possible on both sides.
Impact Turns: I’ll vote for whatever impact turn you go for. I have no morals so read whatever you want.
Misc
I do not flow cross x unless you ask me to.
Speaker points range:
28 - 28.4 = More work needs done on executing your speeches.
28.5 -28.8 = Average: room for improvement
28.9 - 29.3 = Above Average: perfect
29.4 - 30 = Perfect + vibes were good + creative
I won’t give you extra points if you ask.
I am a HUGE SpeechDrop truther, please do not use an email chain.
I am the head coach at De Soto (KS).
Tech/Truth, Ev Quality
For both of these things, I try to limit judge intervention as much as I possibly can. I'm probably 70/30 tech v truth and I think your evidence should actually say what you claim it says. That being said, because of my intervention philosophy, you need to call this out deliberately in the round for me to evaluate it. I will absolutely vote on "untruthful" arguments if there are no responses (or responses too late in the debate) claiming otherwise. However, I am increasingly realizing how much I dislike meme-y arguments in debates so at least make an attempt to say things that are moderately real, otherwise I might embrace my grumpy old man mentality and vote it down on truth claims.
K
I will listen to and evaluate critical positions. I have become a lot more K-friendly over time, but please don't interpret that statement as a green light to read something just because you can. Accessibility is a very important (and, in my opinion, undervalued) part of any kritik. As such, be very explicit on what the role of the ballot is and what the intended impact of the alt and/or performance is. I will vote on no link to the K and I will default to policy impacts if told to do so. Don't be a moving target or change advocacy stances between speeches (obviously you can kick out of the K but some of those things might haunt you on other flows). Perf con arguments are very persuasive to me.
CPs
Competition > nearly everything else. For this reason, I really have a hard time voting for advantage CPs. I am typically persuaded by PICs bad arguments unless the neg can prove competition/lack of abuse in round. Be sure to have a clear net ben (internal or external) and articulate what it is: I've seen far too many CPs without them gone for. For the aff, I don't love hearing a laundry list of every perm you can think of. Read and articulate perms that actually test competitiveness (i.e. "perm do the aff" isn't a thing) and explain how the actions can coexist.
DAs
DAs should be unique. Generics are good but link quality is important.
Condo
I have no threshold for the amount of conditional CPs or Ks or whatever the neg wants to run. However, if the aff wants to read abuse or condo bad I will certainly listen to it. Watch out for those pesky perf cons.
T
Explain your definitions and make sure the card you use has warrants that actually state (or strongly imply) your interp. Competing interps need to be evaluated in terms of both the definition's contextual value to the resolution as well as the warrants of the definition read. Explain your limits/ground. No laundry list here; articulate how exactly in-round abuse has occurred or how what the plan text justifies is bad. Explain your voters. If you want to read and actually go for T, I need to see contextual work done early and often.
Theory (General)
In terms of other theory arguments like spec, disclosure, etc. I need to have clear voters. Make sure to articulate the sequential order of evaluation when multiple theoretical stances are being taken. On this note, RVIs are a *silly* thing and I will *begrudgingly* vote for them but they need to be weighed against the initial theory claim well.
CX
I don't flow CX. I view CX mainly as a means to generate (or lose) ethos in the debate, not necessarily to win arguments on the flow. Don't make this a shouting match please, otherwise I'm just going to ignore both teams and nobody wants that. We're all friends here.
Speed
I am okay with speed. However, if your argument is 1) intricate and requiring significant analytical explanation 2) not in the speech doc or 3) rooted in accessibility literature slow it down. It will help you if I can understand what's going on. I'd prefer you be organized, clear, and slow instead of messy, unintelligible, and fast. I won't ever give up on your speech if you have a hard time with clarity, but just know I may not pick up all of your arguments (obviously a bad thing for you).
Experience:
4 Years of High School Debate
Judge at numerous invitational & state tournaments
Preferences:
I consider myself a judge who both values communication and resolution skills during a round. In other words, carry yourself and communicate in an effective way, but also talk about pressing and important issues during the round.
I am more of a tabula rasa judge meaning I will adapt my perspective varying on the round.
I discourage fast, speed talking during the round. Please talk and communicate in way that is understandable and poised. I also prefer when you take time to summarize the argument rather than leaving that up to the judge to do.
Topicality and disadvantages are fine during the round. Counterplans are acceptable as long as they are relevant and explained well. Please refrain from kritiks.
Please be kind and respectable to each other during the round!
Maize High School '20 (China, Education, Immigration, Arm Sales)
Wichita State (Alliances)
Cornell '24 (Didn't debate)
I now work as a researcher for the United Steelworkers's collective bargaining department. Reach out if you ever want to learn about working in the labor movement. Also means that I don't judge a ton of debates anymore and probably am not super familiar with the topic.
Formerly coached at Maize High School and St. Mark's School of Texas. Call me Connor. they/them
---Top Level---
1. Do whatever you're best at and I'll be happy. When I debated, I primarily ran policy args. My last year of debate, ~50% of my 2nr's were T. I was more K focused for a few years. I'm probably not the absolute best for K debaters (see section below), but I can hang. I usually find myself in clash debates.
2. Disclosure is good. Preferably on the wiki. Plus .2 speaker points if you fully open source the round docs on the wiki (tell me/remind me right after the 2ar. I'm not going to check for you and I'm bad at remembering if you tell me earlier).
3. Don't be mean or offensive. Please actively try to make the community inclusive. I think debate is sometimes an opportunity to learn and grow. However, openly reprehensible remarks and a continuation of poor behavior after being corrected will not be tolerated. I will not hesitate to dock speaks, drop you, or report you to the tournament directors/your coach if you say or do anything offensive or unethical. I can "handle" any type of argument but maintaining a healthy debate environment is the most important aspect of any round for me.
---Things that make me sad---
"Mark that as an analytic" - no.
Not numbering and labeling your arguments. Give your off names in the 1nc. It makes me frustrated when everyone's calling the same sheet different names.
Asking for a marked copy bc you didn't flow.
Stealing prep. You all are not as clever as you think you are. I know what you are doing.
Not starting the round promptly at the start time and generally wasting time unnecessarily. Debate tournaments are exhausting for everyone and I would like the round to be finished ASAP so I have time to write a ballot, give an RFD, talk to my teams, eat food, etc.
Not knowing how to email. I get that mistakes happen, but also it's the year of our lord two thousand and twenty four. The chain should be set up before the round. I really don't want to do a speechdrop. Call me crotchety or old fashioned, but I like to have a record of the round in case it's needed later.
Give your email a proper subject line so everyone involved can search for rounds when they need to later.
"I can provide a card on this later" - no you won't, no one ever does.
---Online Debate---
I'm a big fan of posting the roadmap in the chat.
Slow down. It's possible that I might miss things during the round due to tech errors. Most mics are also not great and so it can be harder to understand what you are saying at full speed.
I have a multiple monitor setup so I might be looking around but I promise I'm paying attention.
If my camera is ever off, please get some sort of confirmation from me before you begin your speech. It's very awkward to have to ask you to give your speech again bc I was afk. It has happened before and it sucks for everyone involved.
---Ks---
I'm totally fine with Ks, but my audio processing issues often are not. I struggle to flow K debates the most I've noticed, and I think a lot of that has to do with the way K debaters debate. Being hyper conscious of the flowability of your arguments is key to me picking up everything. I won't be offended if that means you pref me down. I'm mostly just requesting you don't drop huge blocks filled with words that are not easy to flow if you want me to flow everything you said.
If you're reading something that includes music in someway, I'd greatly appreciate if you turn it down/off while you speak. My auditory processing issues makes it difficult for me to understand what you're saying when there is something playing in the background. I don't have any qualms about this form of argumentation, I just want to understand what you're saying. I'm happy to work with you to find a solution that's still meaningful.
K affs need counter interps. I require a greater explanation of what debate looks like under the aff model more than most judges. You should explain how your (counter)interp generates offense/defense to help me conceptualize weighing clash vs your model. I don't think shotgunning a bunch of underdeveloped framework DAs is a good or efficient use of your time. Most of them are usually the same argument anyways, and I'd rather you have 2-3 carded & impacted out disads.
I think that fairness is probably an impact, but I don't think it makes sense to use it as a round about way to go for a clash terminal. Just go for clash or go for fairness. Predictability is usually the most persuasive i/l for me. I think debate has game characteristics, but is probably not purely a game. If you go for clash, contextualize the education you gain to the topic and be specific.
---Other thoughts---
Condo is good but I'll vote that it's bad if you go for it. I mostly don't think there's a great interp for either side.
I love scrappy debaters. I've only ever debated on small squads (i.e., my partner and I were the ones doing the majority of prep for the team) so I respect teams that are doing what they can with limited resources more than most. Debaters who are willing to make smart, bold strategic moves when they're behind will be rewarded.
I'm not sure how I feel about judge kick. It seems like it makes 2ars incredibly difficult, but I think sometimes that's okay.
I like T debates more than most judges.
About me :P
This is my fourth year debating at Wichita State University and my eighth year in the activity. From Nae Edwards' paradigm: I don't care about what you do just do it well. I can judge the 7 off CP/DA debate or the straight up clash debate. GLHF.
Obviously, every judge comes into a debate with their own preconceptions about life and the activity. I'll do my best to ignore these and vote along the instruction I've been given in-round. I will reward debaters and teams who tell me how to vote and why.
More specific thoughts:
Planless Affs
--- I love how creative they can be and love the tech of clash debates. I'll vote either way, pls be organized and don't forget your 1AC exists. Those 8 minutes of you yapping, vibing to music, etc. should always be leveraged as offense.
--- For teams reading these affs: make the debate and its impacts as in-round as possible. Give reasons as to why proximal impacts are more important and how the ballot can resolve these but not the neg's impacts. Also, get read of those minute-long solvency explanations at the top of your speeches and explain the aff through line-by-line. It's far more efficient, persuasive, and strategic.
--- For teams debating against these affs: make the debate and its impacts as out-of-round and generalizable as possible while leveraging in-round instances of abuse as links to your offense. (i.e., a no-link to a disad proves your offense on T) You'll be in a really good spot if I know why models are good and important, how the ballot resolves your offense, and how your impacts are actually proximate in the instance of this particular round.
--- I've always thought that debaters (and judges) heavily undervalue presumption. I read a planless aff for years and I'll be the first to admit that they don't do anything and can't solve their impacts 99.9% of the time. Teams tend to be really, really bad at justifying why that's okay or even debatable. I will absolutely pull the trigger on presumption and it's very, very hard to convince me that it could ever be an RVI without substantial defense as to why solving your impacts is bad somehow.
--- Fairness can be an impact but it can also be an internal link to clash/education, both routes can be persuasive. Whatever you're doing, just answer things correctly and tell me why your impact is more important and you'll probably be ahead.
--- T/FW is not your only tool to beating these affs. Put unexpected pressure on them. Smart PIKs, impact turns, DAs, or unconventional Ks can always be something of an option and can be levied to make T/FW even more persuasive. You have nothing to lose from reading more than 1 or 2 off in the 1AC. Every planless aff is built to answer your generic t/fw + cap k 1NC but very few are ready for warming good or your Japan Prolif DA.
DAs
--- The more specific the better -- this goes for links, evidence quality, and impact comparison/turns case analysis.
--- The more offensive your response to DAs, (typically) the better. Throw out link turns and impact turns when its strategic and I'll be happy. A block that has to answer impact turns on their bad food prices and econ DAs that they never intended to go for anyway is so much less fun to execute. Link turns can be applied strategically across pages, don't forget about your offense.
CPs
--- I'm persuaded by theory args against arguably cheaty CP's (multiplank, consult, etc.). This is more of a check against these CPs than an ethical gripe -- I think they're much harder to answer and the aff has far less tools to do so. I am more than happy to vote for them, just be sure to really cover your bases on the theory side of things in the 2NR.
Ks
--- I've dabbled in and read deeply from a bunch of different literature bases and feel comfortable evaluating and commenting/critiquing on whatever you want to read.
--- I've always thought of the K as a CP+DA and advise you to do the same, it makes everything so much more organized and digestible. As with planless affs, I don't need your minute long overview, the best K teams make use of line-by-line to explain and develop arguments.
--- This isn't super important, but I think it's really funny and wrong when teams of a certain ethnicity read from a literature base that does not "belong to them". I think there are potential justifications that can be made for this but, considering the privilege that lies in voyeurism, I'm highly sympathetic to someone saying you can't read black nihilism as an Indian kid from the 'burbs. I'm sorry buddy but the optics are not in your favor, I don't make the rules.
KvK
--- Either the best or the worst debates but usually messy and needlessly difficult to evaluate.
--- Implicate their theory of power in the explanation of your own. My favorite debates I've ever been in were the ones where both teams were prepared for 3rd and 4th level testing of each other's methodology and theory of power. Be as specific as possible and persuasion will follow.
--- Please, for the love of God, explain the perm. It's not a magic wand that makes the 8 minutes I spent listening to the 1NC disappear.
Theory
--- I honestly love theory debates but don't really enjoy judging them since debaters tend to get lost in the sauce and forget that offense/defense applies here as well. Just stay organized, win your offense, and you'll probably be ahead.
--- Neg-leaning on most things but can be persuaded either way.
Etc.
--- I love impact turns and will vote for anything from wipeout to warming good. I think these debates can be really funny and entertaining but also educational and I enjoy watching/participating in them. As highlighted above, read whatever you want and I will adjudicate accordingly.
--- Impact defense is the most underrated thing in debate. This applies to a DA/CP debate or a K debate -- it is so much easier to win a critique of the aff's security logics if you're winning their Chinese tech leadership scenario is doodoo. Make a concerted effort to explain exactly why their impact scenarios are non-unique, incoherent, or just wrong and you will be rewarded.
--- Always be thinking big picture and about the 2NR/2AR and most of everything will fall into place. Don't overcomplicate moving pieces and always try to have a clear understanding of how different pages interact. This is an x-factor that can get you out of tough debates and put your opponent in a disadvantageous position even when it seems they're far ahead on something damning.
--- Speaker points are about evidence comparison, organization, strategic awareness, impact calc, and judge instruction. I will also reward free food and humor, pls make me laugh.
--- If you want a few references for how I hope to evaluate debates, go read Phillip Samuel's, Thomas Babcock's, Azja Butler's, Devane Murphy's, or Lindsey Shook's paradigms. These are some of the people that have taught me what I know or that I trust having in the back of a debate regardless of context.
--- Ultimately, debate is like any other creative pursuit in that the beauty of it tends to be in how grandly elegant 3 or 4 basic elements can be. Don't make it complicated. Boil the debate down to its essentials and remember that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. If you are defending an advocacy, tell me what the world of that advocacy looks like and why it would be preferable to the opposing advocacy. This is likely what my RFD will sound like.
Email Chain: qmnguyen1229@gmail.com
Please include relevant information (tournament name, round, team codes, ect.) in the subject line and speech doc names.
I debated at Wichita East (2015-2019). I then coached + regularly judged (2019-2022). Since then, I have not coached and only judge once or twice a year. I likely know absolutely nothing about the topic or newer debate trends/norms.
When I debated, I was a stereotypical policy 2N – I usually went for a counterplan + disad, never read kritiks, and always went for T-USFG vs K affs. I have very little experience reading kritiks but plenty answering them.
Thus, I am most comfortable and competent judging policy vs policy rounds. I am okay for policy vs K rounds. I will be a very bad judge for K vs K rounds. I do not have an ideological opposition to kritiks but due to my lack of experience going for them you should err on the side of over explanation.
That being said, please debate using whatever speed and arguments you are most comfortable with, and I will do my best to adapt to you. If you provide clear and warranted analysis, explanation, impact comparison, and judge instruction you are likely to win my ballot regardless of your argument style.
Yes, I do want to be on the e-mail chain: mphrommany@bluevalleyk12.org
I was a debater for Spring Hill High School. Coach for Manhattan High School 2017-2024. I now Coach for Blue Valley High School in Stillwell, KS.
Top Level: I am definitely a policymaker and will vote for the side/scenario that does the most good while causing the least amount of harm. My view of Policy maker does leave room for in-round impacts. Impact calc in the rebuttals will go a long way with me. An overview is always appreciated. I, like many judges, can get lost in high-speed rounds. Don't just assume I know things or will do any work for you. I default to tech over truth but don't push it. If your evidence is bad, I can't vote on it. I can't pretend like Russia didn't invade The Ukraine.
Speed: I'll keep up alright in higher speed rounds, but always run the risk of getting lost. I'll flow off of the speech doc, but I need slow and clear analytics. Doing your job breaking down the round in the 2NR/AR benefits me.
Kritiks: I am comfortable with the basics of the K, but my lit knowledge base is quite low. I am not receptive to Kritiks of Rhetoric (or most procedurals for that matter) if you can't give me a clear link to the AFF. Don't just say "their security rhetoric is problematic" if you can't highlight that rhetoric for me.
K-AFFs: I'll vote for a K-AFF, but you'll have to do enough work to prove that the ballot of a random Debate judge matters to your aff. A strong understanding of how the debate ecosystem functions will help you here. There are opportunities for a Perf Con debate that I haven't been seeing with enough teams.
Identity-centric Kritiks: Don't use black and brown narratives as just a route to the ballot. Cheapening these narratives because you know you can beat a policy team causes real-world harm. Seeing that you are carrying your advocacy in and out of the round that I am watching matters to me.
Topicality: Topicality violations have to be generally pretty blatant for me. There are fairly standard responses an Aff can make that will generally sway me on Topicality. If the Aff doesn't do some simple work, then I am forced to vote Neg. I default to competing interpretations and will evaluate the standards in a way to determine which interpretation best upholds an equitable debate experience. I have a hard time voting for a potential for abuse. In round abuse (like the aff linking out of everything) will weigh more heavily on my ballot.
Counter plans: I'll listen to a good counter-plan debate, but they have to be competitive. I have a hard time voting for a Consult CP. They are messy debates.
Politics DA's: I'll evaluate a politics DA, but I always want some great uniqueness evidence and a strong link. Many politics DA's I have been seeing lack the latter. Generic Politics DA answers will often win me over. I don't love the Politics DA
Don't be an awful person. I'll vote you down. Keeping this activity healthy for all students is important to me.
Please feel free to ask me questions. You all knowing my preferences benefit me just as much as it benefits you all. Don't be afraid to ask for additional feedback. If I have time, I'll chat with you :)
Random stuff for this year: 2024-2025
--- I need to see some fantastic evidence comparison this year. The literature feels very divided on what conditions best generate things like innovation.,
--- I have a hard time believing IPR will sway the election
---I think the K ground this year is fantastic
--- I will listen to a generic Strengthening Enforcement T debate. I'm not quite sure of how I feel about this argument yet.
Years debate in high school: 4 at newton high school (Space topic, Transportation, Economic engagement, Oceans)
Years debate in college: I debated three years in college at the ndt-ceda level (Military reduction, Climate policy, healthcare)
Overview:
Debate is an educational space and i value learning above everything else. I value kritikal and policy arguments, especially when they have nuance. I look for in depth debates.
Counterplans are legit
Critiques are legit- i want to know what the aff does, why that's bad, and what the alt does different.
In theory arguments- i will not settle for blanket claims of unfairness, i need to know the specific in round abuse and how that held up education in the name of a W for the other team. If you go for theory- spend the entire 2nr on it
Dont know what else to put on here! Um, make my ballot for me. Tell me what you won, how you won it, and why that means you win the ballot. Im pretty tabula rasa
I'm currently a Third Year law student. I debated for four years in high school. Did KDC and DCI but did Oration for national tournaments. I'm on my fourth year coaching for Blue Valley.
I'm not picky on the arguments you run I'll vote on whatever you win on the flow.
In electronic debate, I prefer people to be as efficient in transitions as possible to account for technical difficulties and so I usually count prep until teams have pressed send on their documents in exchanging speeches.
put me on the email chain: madeline.rowley@gmail.com
they/them
debated at kapaun mt carmel and wichita east in high school
tldr: do what you want. i was a policy debater in high school but have a general understanding of most k's. i was a 2a and 2n so i don't really feel a big bias.
Email - baylejoesandy@gmail.com
Experience: High School Policy Debator and Speech student for 4 Years at Great Bend High School (2016-2020). Also, dabbled in congressional debate. Currently, I am a political science/econ student at Wichita State, so I keep updated on current news.
For speech, I did DI, Oration, and Impromptu in HS. Went to nationals two times in DI.
Overall: I will listen to whatever you choose to say, however you wish to say it. I will make every effort to fairly evaluate those arguments that you make in the round. If you choose to invest time in an argument make sure it is good and reasonable. Even if you spend a lot of time on something, I am more likely to vote with the team that makes a more logical argument based on evidence and probability. I do enjoy the line-by-line argument style, so please tell me where to put the argument on the flow, and why it matters (impact calc). I believe in the Toulmin argumentation of debate and believe that evidence matters and good quality of data with you being able to articulate that information. Just extended claims and tag isn't enough to win the argument. Have a vision/story and make sure that flows through the round.
I am more of a policy maker/stock issues judge. I love a good DA/ADV argument and when a team uses impact calc. However, please do not completely change your style of debate for me. I want to see what you do well and how you do it. I am pretty open-minded as long as I can understand the arguments you are making.
Speed: Speed is fine in most cases, but I am used to slower debate. Slow down on the tag and then you can go faster on the evidence part of the card.
Framework: I do like framework. It helps give me a way to frame the round and decide who wins the debate or I will default to policy maker. However, don't put the debate in a way that eliminates all ground for the other team. Have voters on framework or a way for me to compare it to the other team.
Theory: I am not a huge fan but will listen and possibly put some weight on it. Just tell me why it matters and you must spend some time on the argument. Show me why it is important rather than spending a sentence on it.
Topicality: I do feel that Topicality is an underdeveloped and under used strategic tool. I love a good T debate if it is done well. Most times teams use it as another argument with no strategic value. Please work on the standards/voters. If T is done well and is reasonable I will vote on it. However, if the aff is very much topical, I won't vote on T.
Counterplans: I am not big on counter plans. I have not used them much and have not been around debate that uses them often. So, if you decide to go with a CP please explain. I will vote on issues that make sense and will need some help from you with that type of argument. I am open to listening but must understand to vote and put weight on it. I do prefer specific solvency to generic on Cp’s.
Kritiks: Not too big on Ks. You will need to explain the literature and articulate the impact and alternative to win the debate. Tell me how to approach the argument and avoid excessive jargon. I prefer more tangible alternatives rather than reject the team. Critical Aff’s are fine too, but be able to explain. Also, I haven't debated or seen many Ks before, so please be super clear. If you have a good K debate, I will probably vote on it.
DA’s/Adv/Turns: I am huge on DAs and Advs. Please show why there are more disadvantages than advantages or vice versa. If one outweighs the other I will vote on this. Also, please utilize turns. I grant some risk to weak link stories. Make sure you still do the work and answer all levels. Impact Calc. is crucial.
Case: It’s important and neither side should neglect case debate. I love a good case debate. And a smart analysis of evidence.
What not to do: 1. Be Rude or disrespectful. Be aware of the language that you use and how it’s employed. This is a communication activity don’t be racist, sexist, ablest, etc. I reserve the right to give you a loss, or at least penalize your speaker points. 2. Don’t steal prep time or abuse flash time.
Email chain: lfsdebate@gmail.com
Who Am I: I debated four years at Field Kindley High School in Coffeyville, KS, did not debate in college, and have been an assistant coach at Lawrence Free State High School in Lawrence, KS since 2013. I have a Master's degree in International Relations.
General Approach: Tell me what I should be voting on and why. If you want me to evaluate the round differently than they do, then you need to win a reason why your framework or paradigm is the one that I should use. If no one does that, then I'll default to a policymaker paradigm. I don't view offense and defense as an either/or proposition, but if you do then I prefer offense.
Standard Operating Procedure: (How I will evaluate the round unless one of the teams wins that I should do something different) The affirmative has a non-severable duty to advocate something resolutional, and that advocacy must be clear and stable. The goal of the negative is to prove that the affirmative's advocacy is undesirable, worse than a competitive alternative, or theoretically invalid. I default to evaluating all non-theory arguments on a single plane, am much more willing to reject an argument than a team, and will almost always treat dropped arguments as true.
Mechanics: (I'm not going to decide the round on these things by themselves, but they undeniably affect my ability to evaluate it)
- Signposting - Please do this as much as possible. I'm not just talking about giving a roadmap at the start of each speech or which piece of paper you're talking about during the speech, but where on the line-by-line you are and what you're doing (i.e. if you read a turn, call it a turn).
- Overviews - These are helpful for establishing your story on that argument, but generally tend to go on too long for me and seem to have become a substitute for specific line-by-line work, clash, and warrant extension. I view these other items as more productive/valuable ways to spend your time.
- Delivery - I care way more about clarity than speed; I have yet to hear anybody who I thought was clear enough and too fast. I'll say "clear" if you ask me to, but ultimately the burden is on you. Slowing down and enunciating for tags and analytics makes it more likely that I'll get everything.
- Cross Examination - Be polite. Make your point or get an answer, then move on. Don't use cross-ex to make arguments.
- Prep Time - I don't think prep should stop until the flash drive comes out of your computer or the email is sent, but I won't police prep as long as both teams are reasonable.
Argumentation: (I'll probably be fine with whatever you want to do, and you shouldn't feel the need to fundamentally change your strategy for me. These are preferences, not rules.)
- Case - I prefer that you do case work in general, and think that it's under-utilized for impact calc. Internal links matter.
- CPs/DAs - I prefer specific solvency and link cards (I'm sure you do, too), but generics are fine provided you do the work.
- Framework - I prefer that framework gets its own page on the flow, and that it gets substantive development beyond each side reading frontlines at each other/me.
- Kritiks - I prefer that there is an alternative, and that you either go for it or do the work to explain why you win anyway. "Reject the Aff." isn't an alternative, it's what I do if I agree with the alternative. I don't get real excited about links of omission, so some narrative work will help you here.
- Performance - I prefer that you identify the function of the ballot as clearly and as early as possible.
- Procedurals - I prefer that they be structured and that you identify how the round was affected or altered by what the other team did or didn't do.
- Theory - I prefer that theory gets its own page on the flow, and that it gets substantive development beyond each side reading frontlines at each other/me.
- Topicality - I prefer that teams articulate how/why their interpretation is better for debate from a holistic perspective. TVAs and/or case lists are good. My least favorite way to start an RFD is, "So, I think the Aff. is topical, but also you're losing topicality."
Miscellaneous: (These things matter enough that I made a specific section for them, and will definitely be on my mind during the round.)
- I'm not planning to judge kick for you, but have no problem doing so if that instruction is in the debate. The Aff. can object, of course.
- Anybody can read cards, good analysis and strategic decision-making are harder to do and frequently more valuable.
- Individual pages on the flow do not exist in a vacuum, and what is happening on one almost certainly affects what is happening on another.
- Comparative impact calculus. Again, comparative impact calculus.
- You may not actually be winning every argument in the round; acknowledging this in your analysis and telling me why you win anyway is a good thing.
- Winning an argument is not the same thing as winning the round on an argument. If you want to win the round on an argument you've won or are winning, take the time to win the round on it.
- The 2NR and 2AR are for making choices, you only have to win the round once.
- I will read along during speeches and will likely double back to look at cards again, but I don't like being asked to read evidence and decide for myself. If they're reading problematic evidence, yours is substantively better, etc., then do that work in the debate.
Zen: (Just my thoughts, they don't necessarily mean anything except that I thought them.)
- Debate is a speaking game, where teams must construct logically sound, valid arguments to defend, while challenging the same effort from their opponents.
- It's better to be more right than the other team than more clever.
- A round is just a collection of individual decisions. If you make the right decisions more often than not, then you'll win more times than you lose.
I'll be happy to answer any questions.
Lansing High School '21
University of Kansas '25 (not debating)
Please add me to the email chain: maddie.souser@gmail.com
Pronouns: she/her
top level
Do your thing. I'll try to resolve the debate with as little intervention as possible. I'd rather you read something you enjoy reading, I'll do my best to adapt to what arguments you read.
I’ve done limited research on this topic and have only judged a few rounds this season.
If anything on my paradigm isn't clear or your have questions - feel free to ask me before round or shoot me an email
Planless affs:
I'm best at adjudicating and giving constructive feedback in debates with policy affs because that's where most of my experience as a debater was, but I enjoy watching and evaluating planless affs.
Make sure you're explaining the literature/process that your aff takes
Being in the direction of the topic is important
Framework - 2nc/2nr's should interact with the aff at some level, ie. don't just read generic uncontextualized t-usfg blocks. Give a detailed explanation as to why the specific model/aff is worse for debate. Most debates that don't contextualize framework arguments to the aff end up sounding like "K affs are bad for debate", which is a strat you can go for but it's much easier to win with specific offense and more difficult to convince me that any and all planless affs are bad for debate.
Fairness and education can both be impacts (unless argued otherwise), but I personally think fairness is argued best as an i/l to education
Topicality:
I default to competing interpretations
TVA's are good to help explain impacts and help contextualize what offense you lose under the aff's model
Slow down a little bit on analytics
Disads
Da/cp debates are usually pretty fun and probably my favorite to watch
Specific links>topic links
Not much to say here
Counterplans:
Default condo is good, but can be convinced otherwise
Process cp's are fine, but I eer aff on theory
I default to judge kick
Condo is the only theory argument that is a reason to reject the team
2a's - please utilize going for theory more, negative teams can be pretty abusive when it comes to fiat - even if you don't end up going for it, having it in your arsenal is good practice and might save you from losing to a random process cp one day
Kritics:
Assume I don't know your lit, make sure you are explaining your ev and contextualizing it to the topic/aff
Not the best judge for kvk debates, very limited experience here
Line by line>long overviews
Other:
Judge instruction is important - your 2nr/2ar should outline what you want the decision on my ballot to look like
Be kind to everyone in the round! Debate is a fun and educational outlet for people - don't make me intervene because you've made someone else feel uncomfortable/unsafe in the debate space.
I debated for four years in High School at Olathe North and am currently assistant coaching there. I have not judged a whole lot of rounds and that is due to the college classes I am also taking at Johnson County Community College and the University of Kansas.
Please share what you plan on reading
email for email chains: swansonator01 @ gmail dot com
Speak clearly especially if you plan on going fast. If you are not clear in your spread...don't spread. I care more about the quality of your arguments rather than the quantity and I also care about how they fit into the flow of the debate.
I am fine with Ks and K affs and I especially care about HOW we achieve the alt if you run a K. ex. Revolution. Also, condo is good.
I will try my best not to intervene save for if you are rude and toxic in the round. Tell me how to vote and why. Run what you want to run and not what you think I want you to run.
If you run T, make sure it is reasonable and I will most likely not vote on it unless it is dropped.
My judging is pretty straightforward. I rarely if ever have voted for a kritik. I like rounds where there is a substantive debate that doesn't go off wild theoretical tangents. I abhor generic disads where everything goes extinct. I view debate as an incubator for young people to seriously look at given problems and discuss possible solutions and thoughtfully debate the merits of that round's plan.
Speed- rapid and clear please. If you have to shout to get it all out - you will lose me!
If you have to loudly suck in large amounts of air to spread super fast -you will lose me!!
Best of Luck to all of you!!!!
I am an assistant debate coach at Kansas City Kansas Community College. In college, I debated mostly parli, some LD and Policy, for Saint Mary’s College of California. My partner and I dropped in octos of NPDA in 2019. My debate partner and I mostly read critical arguments. So I’m cool with Ks, and a well-written K always brings me joy. Make sure you can explain how you link and how your alt solves. I also know my way around a plan debate, so read whatever you like. Make sure your Aff is inherent, and have a clear, consistent story through uniqueness, links, and impact. I think little affs with 100% solvency are underappreciated. I’m also down to hear your CP/DA and think condo is probably good. I would be equally happy to vote on a theory or framework argument if you tell me why that means you win the debate. I am good with speed, just slow down for your alt/plan and interps and don’t use it to exclude people.
mszafraniec1997@gmail.com for the email chain, or if you'd like to ask me questions about your round later.
I also reserve the right to vote teams down for being overtly oppressive (saying something racist, misogynist, homophobic, transphobic, ablest, Islamophobic, etc.), generally or directed to competitors.
Bring me a chai and you get block 30s
Overall: Read offence. Use more warrants. Do impact calc, the more work you do for me explaining how you win the better your chances are of winning. Be nice to each other.
Employment: 7 years as an attorney and 7 years as an assistant debate and forensics judge.
Experience: 2 years high school debate, 1 semester college debate at KU, over 10 years of judging including judging policy at EKNSDA and KCKNCFL and judging PFD at NSDA and NCFL, including PFD finals at NCFL 2019.
Arg Prefs:
Topicality is rarely an acceptable argument, unless in extreme cases. When it is run, it should be at the top of the flow and is an a priori issue for me.
Generic disads are always acceptable. Just don't expect them to be super important to my flow if the impacts are outrageous or the link story is weak. Regardless, if they are on the flow, aff must respond.
Topical counterplans are almost never acceptable to me, but if you can make an argument why it would be necessary in this round, tell me.
Open to any K, just make sure you know the material. Misrepresentations of the philosophy presented in the cards, or cards that don't actually make or support the argument made by the neg team will be discounted.
Big impacts are disfavored but not terminal to an arg. They simply don't carry a lot of weight with me.
Give me voters! Tell me why to vote on any argument, weigh it against other arguments in the round, and do the work for me. Leave as little as possible up to my discretion/analysis so that you remain in as much control of the round as possible.
While I will not do a team's work for them on arguments, if a team misrepresents what a card actually says, the persuasive power of that argument is heavily discounted. The other team still needs to challenge the argument, but the misrepresented argument will not weigh heavily in the round.
Style Prefs:
Speed is fine, provided there is competent analysis and your enunciation is clear. Speed does not work for me if your enunciation/volume is poor, or if you are just burning through cards without considering what the cards are actually saying/doing any analysis.
On-case in the two is fine with me, though I would like a preview of it in the 1N.
Give me more detailed roadmaps than "everything on the flow."
I am a stock issues judge, make sure you explain how you attack the stock issues on NEG and defend all of them on AFF. I was a 4-year policy debater and am now a college debater. I was the assistant debate coach at Manhattan High School. I don't care if you spread but make sure I can understand you. My least favorite argument is the recency of your cards. Do not tell me to prefer your evidence because of the year unless you absolutely have a good reason why their evidence is invalid. Obviously no new args in rebuttals but feel free to run new cards in your 2AR. Not liking an argument is not an excuse to not interact with it. Always take your opponent's argument at its best. I'm not a fan of K debate but I will definitely vote on a K if it is well explained and well-argued. Don't kick arguments that aren't hurting you.
My email for chains/questions/feedback is katerina.thomas01@gmail.com !
I am a judge that only watches a few rounds of debate per year.
As a layjudge, an off time roadmap and clear sign posting is very helpful.
Rate of delivery can be rapid as long as there is articulation and clear points.
Several arguments will help win a round, but not without a firm connection to the case.
Communication is slightly more important than resolution of issues. I need to be able to follow the arguments and match them to the case in order for me to vote on the information presented.
I’m not fond of spending a lot of time on topicality arguments but if one is presented it needs to be defended.
Counterplans need to have a clear advantage over the aff and not contradict other neg arguments.
Generic disadvantages are fine as long as they are tied back to the original case.
Like other types of evidence, kritiks need clear links. Extended argument on the theory of debate detracts from having an actual debate.
Cliff notes: I am a closeted K-Hack (meaning they aren’t my fav, but a well poised one is nice) posing as a policy maker. On that note, spreading for the purpose of outspreading the other team is no different than word vomit. I am okay with speed if args (and your tags) are EXTREMELY clear and well developed, I am not okay with speed when it is solely for out-reading the other team. Tell me where to flow, how to vote, and why it is important. If you’re going so fast I can’t flow, I won’t.
For Email chains: kutt@usd266.com, however, I prefer the tabroom created doc drops to keep rounds moving. It wastes so much time waiting for emails.
PSA: Preflow means you flow before you get into round. I should not have to wait to start the round because you need to flow your own case. Even in PFD. You should have several preflowed copies of your pro and con cases so you're prepared for either side.
I place an emphasis on the substantial issues in the round while also taking into consideration communication skills.
Stock issues are important to address. If the stock issues are negated and then not readdressed by the affirmative, that will play an important role in my decision.
I prefer a moderate speed of debate. Reading through evidence is okay as long as you take time to explain your thoughts in a moderate speed.
Counterplans are fine as long as it does not contradict other elements of the negative speeches.
Unless the affirmative is obviously not topical, topicality is not of importance to me.
When utilizing disadvantages, they should show a clear link to the affirmative. It is not important for me to hear several disadvantages. If you have one strong disadvantage that links, that is a priority.
Please do not use kritiks in the round unless you feel strongly about using it in the particular round.
Please be respectful and kind in the round. I will vote on the issues so it is not necessary to be rude.
(these are my thoughts translated into debate lingo by my daughter)
I am a lay/parent judge and evaluate stock issues. Please use judge instruction and tell me why you do/don't solve the aff. I prefer listening to DA's as they make the most sense to me. If you run a CP, I will not understand the rules of things like perms, linking to net benefits, etc. and will likely only evaluate whether or not the aff or the cp is a face-level better idea. Please do not run K's.
I like good public speaking skills, persuasion, and confidence.
I am much more experienced in forensics than I am in debate.
I have been judging all types of debate for a few years now, so I know the basics, but I generally prefer to be treated as an inexperienced judge (in other words, please speak fairly slowly and assume I don't know many abbreviations for the current topic).
I care most about competitors speaking clearly, acting professionally, making logical arguments, and having solid evidence to support those arguments.
I have found that I am difficult to be persuaded on Topicality arguments. I also REALLY don't like kritiks... And if you make a ridiculous stretch to something leading to nuclear war or human extinction, you probably won't win that argument with me.
Please call me Sha (pronounced like Shay) in round, judge is too formal for me and I would just much rather be called by my name.
If your going to do an email chain I want to be included: shawilson4521@gmail.com
About me: I did debate 4 years of high school in Texas (Godley 17-20, Snyder 20-21) which included 2 years of Lincoln Douglas as well as 2 years of policy. I'm now a member of the debate team at Missouri Valley College (21-present) where I do a little bit of everything on the debate side of things.
General:
Im generally fine with speed however I do have my threshold for it and will call clear when you reach that limit. It is possible to mumble or speak too quietly, especially in a virtual debate. Please make sure you enunciate clearly. Make your signposts and taglines very clear, so I know where to flow. You can be fast but I'd rather you be clear than anything else. I will give you two clears if I cant understand you and if you don't slow down after the 2nd clear I'm likely to drop speaker points slightly. I rarely read anything after the round unless theres just something super conflicted or messed up so if you tell me to go back and read before my decision without reasoning out why its so important for me to read I'm not gonna do that unless there is something inherently racist or messed up in said piece of ev that being said I do follow the ev in the speech docs during the speech. I cater to the different styles and don't have one that I prefer more over the rest. Truth over Tech I'd much rather you say something that is correct and make good arguments than try and out spread your opponent. Please don't be rude to your opponent I will remove speaker points or down vote because of this. Keep your own time but I will also be timing you just in case. I need you to weigh your arguments against your opponents and tell me why you won. Make taglines clear to me please, it makes it easier for me to flow what you are saying. In the end run whatever you prefer and what makes you comfortable. I am very laid back and will vote on just about anything but I need arguments to be weighed clearly for me to vote on them. Impact calc is super important to me and the more/better you do this the easier it will be for me to vote.
At the end of the day it's not my job to tell you what to run, I'm here to provide education and feedback not tell you to run something or not run something. Run whatever you are most comfortable running and what you enjoy running as long as things are clear I will vote for anything. If you have any questions about the round or you're interested in college debate feel free to reach out at the above email address.
Online Debate: Please make sure that your computer is plugged in or fully charged before starting, your mic is muted while the other person is speaking. Also, there is a good chance that tech problems may occur, please be cool about it. If there is a disconnect during a speech time will stop and the speaker will be responsible for picking up where they left off when they reconnect. I get that online debate adds a sort of weird complexity to it but lets try and make it run as smoothly as possible.
More specifics:
Policy:
Topicality
I enjoy a good T debate. I will vote for this a lot of the time if done well and proven abuse. Stock issues are still very important and in my opinion very fun. If you're going to run it, run it well. A good T arg is something really easy for me to vote on. Run T if there is a clear violation. Please emphasize voters. T is one of my favorite things to run and hear, if done well its a really easy way to win my ballot.
Disadvantages
Please read specific links if you have them. Tell me exactly how the aff plan fits into your scenario. I'm fine with terminal impacts as long as they are warranted. DAs can be really fun and the more links you have the more fun they get. If you don't have good links I probably won't vote here but if thats all you have then run it.
Counterplans
I like CPs when they are run well. Please have a unique net benefit on the CP.
Kritiks
Just like disadvantages, I think Ks should have specific links. As the years have gone by I've gotten more knowledgeable about Ks but that being said if you run them you need to make the story clear for me, if I don't understand an argument I'm not gonna vote for it. Make sure you have more than just a reject alt. What does the alt call for us to do? What will a world in the alt look like? Ks can be really fun and a way to my ballot if done correctly, but I won't vote on this unless I understand exactly what the world of the alt looks like/what the alt even does. If you're gonna read a K aff make the story clear, while I'm not the most k aff person I will vote for them and when done well are really fun.
LD:
For ld I will vote on any arg that is ran well. The only thing I ask here is that you have a clear Value and or Value Criterion. I will not make any arguments for you if its not said I'm not connecting the dots so you either say it or it doesn't exist in the round to me. I want clear clash in the round, the more clear the clash is and you telling me where you're winning during said clash the more likely you are to get my ballot.
PF:
Clash, please clash. Good clash in a public forum debate makes for an excellent debate. When both teams just lay out their cases with no clash the debate turns into 2 ships crossing a sea at night without ever touching, that makes for a boring debate. The thing I see too often in public forum is the situation above. The more you make your case clash with your opponents the more likely you are to get my ballot. I love crazy unique args but if you like to stick to the basics and do it well keep doing that.
About me: I debated for 4 years at Mill Valley (2014-18) and I am now an assistant coach at Blue Valley West. I'm currently in my first year of OT school if that matters to anyone.
Please add me to the email chain: allisonwinker@gmail.com
Top level:
*Pre-KSHSAA state update:* I have not judged a lot of debates on the water topic, but I would say I am pretty familiar with the core of the topic from coaching.
I will evaluate anything you read to the very best of my ability. I try my best to leave any biases at the door and make a fair decision no matter what. However, my background and most experience is in policy-oriented arguments and therefore I will be best judging those debates.
Tech > truth, but warrants of arguments should still always be extended and explained. Evidence quality is still important to me, but I won't make arguments for you based on the ev that weren't made in the round.
Please tell me how to evaluate arguments in rebuttals so that I am not left to figure it out myself. I always try to intervene as little as possible when making my decisions and only vote on arguments based on what was said in the round. I try not to read evidence when writing my RFD unless it was an extremely important card to the outcome of the round and/or I can't resolve the debate without reading it. If you want me to read a piece of evidence, tell me that in the 2NR/2AR.
Please be kind. Debate is hard; there's no reason to make it even harder for others.
Kritiks/K affs/FW
I don't have a lot of background knowledge in critical literature and therefore I will require more explanation of these arguments than some other judges. If I can't reasonably explain an argument myself or explain to a team in an RFD, I won't vote for it. This does not mean that I need to have a super high understanding of the literature or argument, but that you spent enough time on it in the debate for me to feel comfortable voting on it.
Literature I am more familiar with: security, neolib/cap, set col. Assume that I am unfamiliar with anything else. Please slow down on tags and analytics (especially important things like perms) and don't use buzzwords. Good line-by-line and impact comparison is very important to me in making my decision. Long overviews are not a good idea.
Ks on the neg: Explain clearly what the alt does and how it solves for the impacts you're claiming. I often find myself confused as to what I am voting for at the end of the round, so a robust explanation of the alternative will help you immensely. I don't think that links of omission are links and links that are very specific to the plan are most persuasive. I will let the affirmative weigh the case unless I'm given a convincing reason not to do so.
Framework vs. K affs:
I think that affirmatives should probably defend a plan, and if not, they should be grounded in the resolution in some way. I am usually pretty persuaded by the TVA if it's done well, so the aff needs to explain why the TVA can't access the same impacts as they can. Neg teams need actually engage the aff and do impact explanation and comparison vs. reading blocks without ever contextualizing it to the aff.
I am increasingly starting to think that fairness isn't a terminal impact but rather an internal link, but I can be persuaded otherwise. I think a lot of neg teams don't really explain why these impacts matter, they just say 'key to fairness,' 'key to clash,' etc. but miss the explanation of the implications of those impacts.
I am not a good judge for a K v. K debate.
Counterplans
The more aff-specific, the better. I will reward you/give more leeway on creative counterplans and ones with recut 1AC ev. They need to be competitive and should probably have a solvency advocate - if it doesn't have one I'll have a much lower threshold for voting aff on solvency deficits. I default to judge kick unless I am told otherwise.
Even though I think condo is generally good, I think it's definitely underutilized by aff teams, especially when neg teams read 3+ advocacies, kick planks, etc. I would say I generally lean neg-ish on most counterplan theory arguments if debated equally.
Topicality
I am not a fan of T on the water topic. I get sometimes it's the most strategic option, but just know it might be more of an uphill battle with me than other arguments would be.
Make the flow clean, explain your impacts, and be clear on what your interp includes and excludes and why that is a good thing. Case lists are a good idea on both sides.
I default to competing interps. I'm generally not a big fan of reasonability and think it's usually a waste of time unless you give convincing reasons as to why I should vote on it.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask. Good luck and have fun!
I'd like to be added to the email chain mwoodcock692@gmail.com
(he/him)
email chain >> speech drop
Experience:
Debating:
I debated at Lansing High School for 4 years
Debated two years at KU (alliances and antitrust)
Coaching:
Lansing (2020-2022)
Shawnee Mission South (current) :)
Top Level -
1. Tech over truth, the only scenario in which I may look towards truth rather than tech is as a means to break a tie in portions of debates that are extremely difficult to resolve (i.e. lack of clash)
2. Don’t let anything said in this paradigm discourage you from reading/going for any argument, the best debates are ones where people have devoted ample time in researching the argumentative positions they read. I enjoy debate and will put my best effort into my decision because of the ample work that debaters put into the activity should be seen and rewarded as such, which I believe requires judges to do the same.
3. If any arguments that are homophobic, racist, and etc. are presented you will lose the debate and be rewarded the least amount of speaks as possible. This also includes any other way that you may make the debate space less safe for people.
4. Taking CX as prep will be rewarded with lower speaks.
5. JUDGE INSTRUCTION! If you think that a portion of the debate should be the deciding factor, then tell me why that is and how I should evaluate it. The more judge instruction that you do, then the more happy you are to be with the decision I give.
Topicality -
I default to competing interpretations, if you believe I should evaluate this differently, then tell me to do so. Some big things that matter to me here is that I think both teams should have a robust explanation of what they think the topic should look like. I find limits to be more compelling than a loss of ground as internal links to the impacts that you are going for.
Impact comparison is still important here, like why does fairness outweigh education or the impacts that your opponents are going for. If the debate takes the course where both teams are going for fairness, then this should be done at the internal link level, but regardless there needs to be more impact comparison in topicality.
I think that I am pretty relaxed with my biases as to what aff's are topical and I like to think that I reward teams who invest research into these arguments and think that teams who read aff's that are perceived to be regarded as topical to the community should be punished for lazy debating on whether their aff is topical or not.
Critical Affs –
I prefer aff's have some relationship with the topic, I also want you to tell me what and how this relationship is established. I feel pretty comfortable adjudicating these debates but also believe that the more judge instruction you give me, the happier you will be. I also think that the more offense that you generate on the fw page, then the better position you put yourself in. I think if you are reading a version of an anti-cap lit based aff, then generating this offense can be more difficult, but not impossible. The ones that I have seen on this topic feel pretty defensive on fw and I think you should invest time into creating this offense.
For the neg --- I believe there is a trend where teams are choosing to read definitions that stop at Ericson, and/or some sort of evidence that is similar to it. I don't think this puts you in a position to win your limits offense and my threshold for aff defense and offense is increasingly more compelling. So, if this is your strategy, then you need to invest time into creating a vision of the topic that is actually limiting.
The 2nr should have some discussion of case, or tell me how fw interacts with the case page and give me ample judge instruction on why it should come first. Reading positions other than just framework are more enjoyable debate to watch, but fw debates can be equally as interesting as long as there is time devoted to it and your strategy.
Disads -
Not much to say here...
I think there has been a trend towards reading the least number of cards as possible, while there may be SOME cases where those cards make all the arguments needed, I will be sympathetic to new 1ar arguments should they be extended into the block.
Link specificity and spin are what I look for and reward if it is being done. Obviously, the more specific the link the better, but good spin can go a long way.
I like and reward aff strategies that straight turn disads and/or other offense generating strategies.
Counterplans –
Counterplans can make for interesting debates. I tend to side with the neg on pics and agent counterplans. I think other competition questions are typically decided on whichever team has invested more time in their strategy revolving around competition. Furthermore, I am more than happy and comfortable in adjudicating these debates, again judge instruction is important here.
With theory debates I think I am most compelled to reject the team only in context with condo but can be persuaded with other theory arguments if you are able to impact them out well enough. I enjoy watching aff teams double-down on condo and I don’t think there is a certain number of off that makes me more/less likely to vote on the argument, just win your interpretation if this is what the debate boils down to.
Kritiks –
The more specific of a link I think the better (this goes very any argument though) whether or not this is a link to the plan or the aff's performance, link spin can also go a long way. Pulling lines from evidence and contextualizing them to your link analysis is good. I do not think there must be an alternative in order to win the debate, just make sure you are wining other arguments that justify you doing this (i.e. framework). With these debates telling me what and why x matters are very important in framing my ballot.
With permutations I think the neg has to do more than just say, “all links are disads to the perm,” make sure to explain how they operate as such, and if you are going for the perm being intrinsic and/or severance make sure to explain why and tie an impact to it. On the flip side, I think that aff teams need to do a better job at answering each individual piece of offense to win a permutation (i.e. each link, disad, or solvency question) with a net benefit.
Case -
Don’t neglect case, it never hurts to extend some sort of defense or offense no matter how miniscule it may be. I think neg teams going for k’s sometimes get away with not going to the case page, if this happens make sure to use your aff.
I don’t understand the use of framing pages. They are often things that don’t matter if the neg just wins the disad or kritik that they are going for. I think the best examples of framing pages were affs written on the immigration topic and have since not seen one that was inherently offensive rather than defensive. The same goes for pre-empts. This is not to say don’t have a fed key warrant, but rather don’t just read a bunch of thumper cards or random pieces of impact defense. In this instance you should just read another advantage.