This is my third time judging LD. Please speak clearly and not too fast. Explain your arguments thoroughly and signpost in rebuttals. Also, be respectful to your opponents. Good luck and have fun!

I have been a parent judge since November 2022. I have primarily judged LD but have judged one round of Parli. Please speak clearly at moderate speed so that I can understand your arguments. Please be polite to your opponent. Please provide sufficient evidence for your arguments when asked by your opponent. Don’t introduce new evidence in final speech.

Please speak slowly so I can understand all of your arguments.

Please don’t be aggressive or talk disrespectfully loud/talk over your opponent.

Good luck!

I am a parent and have been judging for a few years now. I always start with an open mind at the beginning of every debate. I am looking for the best set of arguments that can convince me one way or the other. I certainly expect you to back up your contentions with data. But I also expect you to take the information and statistics you have and weave it as compelling set of arguments in support of your contentions or to counter your opponent's arguments. For me, the data and statistics are a means to an end and not an end in itself.

A couple of things that can help or hurt your case:

1. Please don't be rude or patronize your opponent(s)

2. I recognize sometimes there are a lot of points/data you need to get in to support your case but that speed should not be at the cost of coherence

I respect the work students put in to prepare for these debates and you can rest assured that I will pay undivided attention to everything you have to say during the debate.

Have fun!

I am a traditional parent judge.

Please speak clearly and make sure I can understand what you are saying.

If you are rude to your opponent I will drop you.

I will flow and take notes as you debate and I will vote based on this flow. I value evidence.

I am a parent judge and have been judging since September 2019. I have primarily judged LD but in the last 2 years I have judged PF, Parli Policy and Congress too. I do flow and take copious notes. I am not comfortable with spreading, so please speak at moderate speed so that I can understand your arguments. Please make sure you are polite to your opponent. Please provide sufficient evidence to substantiate your contentions and be able to provide evidence when asked by your opponent. Do not introduce new evidence in your final speeches or lie that arguments were dropped when they weren't. It will definitely count against you as I do flow. Overall enjoy the debate and have fun!

Hello,

My name is Paul Choi, and I am a parent judge. I am an engineering manager in the tech industry.

I appreciate clearly laid-out arguments. Ideally, the contentions should flow together to create an overarching case for your argument. Each contention should be well-supported by evidence. There is no need to speak fast, or overwhelm the opponent or judges with the volume of evidence - oftentimes I find that the best debaters are able to clearly present their side of the argument with couple of well-chosen contentions and a few supporting evidences.

I have been in awe of many of the debates I've been privileged to witness so far. I am excited to hear more. Good luck and have a great round!

I prefer slow and clear speaking in debate -- If I can't understand what you're saying, I might miss a key point in your argument, so please enunciate and emphasize the points you want me to take away! I believe that all of the techniques related to speech (vocal inflection, facial expression, and emotion) are a fundamental part of debate and should be utilized. Be assertive but still respectful of your opponents! And have fun!

Judged 2 weekends before in 2022. This is my first in 2023.

I am a parent judge; I'll take notes but won't be flowing, so be extra careful about signposting since that's the only way I can keep track of arguments.

I focus on the quality of the arguments - how well they are backed up with data. I am fine with vigorous counter arguments and debate but do not appreciate personal attacks or rudeness.

I have previously judged LD, Policy, PF, and Parli. Please be thorough with your arguments and have clear impacts. Speaker points will be docked for overly aggressive or hostile behavior. Please be respectful to one an another and follow through with the debate in a mature and respectful manner. Finally, maintain a clear order while addressing all arguments. Refrain from jumping around, and instead, provide clear flow. Off time roadmaps are helpful and appreciated.

I will not be interrupting or talking during the debate, however would closely monitor the timings of the debate sessions. I will not be providing any feedback post debate.

I have been a parent judge for 3+ years and have mainly judged LD. Important notes for debaters:

1. Speak clearly and at normal pace
2. Tag your contentions
3. Be respectful

I am a well-experienced parent-judge and have judged LD, PF, and Policy.

-I encourage you to talk at a reasonable pace so that your arguments are clear

-Make sure to keep time of yourselves

-Don't bring up new arguments in final focus

-Be respectful of your opponents

I am a parent judge.

Enjoy debates that are fact based, with evidence where possible. Please be professional and respectful at all times. I also listen to the counters during CX carefully. Strong evidence will earn you points (over eloquence)

I judge debates based on the logic behind arguments and if your impacts are strong and make sense. I look for a clear presentation and will judge based on speaking abilities as well as arguments. I prefer moderate speaking pace so that arguments are better understood.

I am a parent judge. I listen to the arguments and only judge based on the arguments presented.

I am a parent judge who have judged quite a number of rounds in speech and debate events by now. But, please don't assume I know acronyms when you use it the first time. Please email your speeches to csl5148@gmail.com and cards exchanged, particularly if you are a fast debater. Thank you and good luck.

Hello,

I am a parent judge.

I hope you guys enjoy your debate and have fun always.

I believe this is a good learning and a good community to support each other.

please respect each other and support one another.

Thank you for your a lot of effort.

I am looking forward to seeing you soon.

Regards,

Jung

I competed in policy debate for two years in high school (many, many years ago). I enjoy understanding various aspects of different policy issues, but am not likely to fully understand debaters who speak very quickly (English is my first language).

I prefer a few quality arguments (developed with various supporting points) over raw quantity of arguments. I would be sympathetic to a debater that does a good job addressing arguments, but does not address all opposing arguments because there are too many of them, especially if the opposing arguments were not well developed to begin with.

I tend to believe that more extraordinary claims (e.g. enacting a certain policy will lead to global nuclear war) requires more and better evidence to support such claims and might not be convinced by such claims if they are lightly supported (even if the other side does not adequately address the claims). Also, I do not believe that all quotes / pieces of evidence are of equal weight.

If the other side has crafted a meaningful argument by quoting evidence out of context, please let me know.

I will likely look unfavorably upon debaters who seem to be focusing on minor points. Basing your case on a mere technicality might make the case rather precarious.

While certain techniques such as trying to change the resolution through Kritik might seem clever, I tend to view them as unsportsmanlike and I will likely feel free to ignore such attempts (especially trying to change the resolution).

While I think that roadmaps are helpful, I like to start the time when you speak. So, even if you claim an "off-time roadmap," your time might have already started.

Hi,

I'm a parent judge.

Please do not spread or I will not be able to understand you.

I am a parent judge who has had experience for the past 3 years. Please don't spread.

Policy:

I would prefer it if you debate using stock issues (harms, solvency, DA, etc). Please make substantive arguments that can win you the debate.

LD: 

I am looking for clarity of thought, structured and substantive arguments (where you keep track of and rebut your opponent's argument), and effective cross-examination.  

Please explain why the reasons you have won at the end of the debate. 

Good luck to all competitors.

I am a lay judge, I have never participated in any kind of debate myself.

Please speak slowly so that I can understand what you are saying and sign post very clearly so I know what you are talking about.

That's all: good luck on your round!

I am a parent judge. This is my second year judging the debate.  Here are the items I try looking for

• Strength of arguments

• Claims, reasons, and supporting evidence

• Refutation of opponent’s arguments

• are they having fun and enjoying the competition? 

I am also learning from both teams debating  as a Judge 

Please speak slowly and be respectful. Lesser well developed arguments are more important than too many arguments. Rebuttals should provide data-points to address the important issues advanced in constructive speeches. Each debater should mention their framework - value and criterion.

Please do not say anything inappropriate, racist, homophobic, or anything offensive to your opponent. Please be kind & respectful to your opponent, and do not interrupt your opponent during cross-examination. No offensive terms or personal attacks

I consider evidence, and argument interaction very important. Evidence must be quantitive with clear and credible references. Supporting evidence is critical. I also pay attention whether opponents questions and contentions are addressed or not.

Please speak clearly. Also please define any acronyms you will be using throughout at the beginning. Make sure your key points and values are clear.

I am a parent judge with >7 years of judging experience in LD, PF, Parli and Policy debates as well as individual events. As a typical lay judge, my primary emphasis lies in evaluating the logical coherence of arguments, which should be well-supported by solid evidence. I flow and prefer clear speaking with no spreading. Additionally, I believe in the significance of maintaining respect towards opponents throughout the round.

From San Jose CA. My son is active in debate and I've judged speech and debate competitions for ~6 years.

Speed- I prefer elucidation and clarity to speed.

I like fewer more well developed points versus lots of varied but weaker arguments.

I dislike rude behavior, verbal or through gestures.

I really enjoy the creativity that teams bring to their debate topics and the diligence they bring to the preparation.

Speak at an understandable pace. Have fun!

Parent Judge:
Don't spread, make sure to make your arguments clear.

All responses to constructive must be in rebuttal. If an argument is not extended through FF & Summary, then it won't count. Make sure to frontline your defense against the opponents through all speeches as well.

Sign post

ganu.sankar@gmail.com -- add to the email chain

I am a parent judge. I prefer to give a written comment instead verbal comment at the end of the debate.

I am a parent judge judging for the last 3 years. I have been mainly judging LD but have occasionally done other forms as well. I take a lot of notes so please do speak at moderate speeds and explain your arguments logically. I like powerful speakers but please be courteous to other contestants and provide appropriate evidence to substantiate your contentions. Please do not stretch the truth since that could count against you. Have lots of fun!

Do your best!!!

I'm a parent judge.

I'm a parent judge. Please articulate/speak slower and state your contentions clearly to make it easier for me to follow. I will award my ballot to the debater who expresses a strong foundation in their case and has concise (to-the-point) rebuttals.

I look forward to judging!

Parent judge.

Has experienced judging both speech and debate events.

Like to see eye contact, clear tone and confident moments.

Long time coach with tons of judging experience across most events. California doesn't have OI, Prose, or Poetry so those would be exceptions.

Policy, PF, LD, and Parli you can run any argument you wish. However, you'll need to go slow and explain the position. "Politics Disad" means nothing to me....explain the argument. The default is probably for a debater to think I'm a slow judge or a traditionalist, and on some level that is true, but I'm willing to listen to most any argument if it's explained and warranted.

I am not comfortable with spreading, so please speak at a moderate pace and be clear. I cannot judge what I cannot understand. Demonstrate your knowledge of the topic. Please do not just throw statistics out, explain how they matter. That being said, do also ensure you have evidence based arguments. Have structured speeches. Warrant and weight your arguments.

Keep track of your own timings. Enjoy the round!!

Adrian Youngquist (they/them)

I have been coaching LD for Palo Alto for 5 years, and before that, I was an LD debater there.
Email: adrian.youngquist@gmail.com

For lay tournaments: I believe that lay tournaments should be lay–flay. I am capable of judging a fast round, but I really do not want to. I will drop speaks if you instigate a fast round. Debate flay—you can speak like a fast newscaster but don't sound like an auctioneer.

For non-LD debate events: I've judged them, I know the format (most familiar with PF, less so with others), all of the below applies, except I will not be at all familiar with the topic lit.

I will vote on pretty much anything unless it is offensive, but if your case is strategically abusive, your speaks will suffer.

Impact your arguments. If your argument has no explicit impacts and solid links to those impacts, I won't vote on it. Have a clear ballot story, and do plenty of weighing. I won't weigh, extend, or cross-apply for you, and if you don't tell me how to evaluate the round, you probably won't like how I do evaluate the round. If your opponent does weighing and impacting and you don't, even if their weighing and impacting is poor, they will almost surely win. Debate clearly with well-explained links.

In general, I'm well-read in the topic literature (for LD). I'll probably know when you're making things up or misusing your evidence. I will vote on bad evidence if your opponent doesn't call you on it as long as it's not blatant cheating, but I won't be happy about it, and your speaks will suffer.

I was not a circuit debater, but I have experience with circuit arguments, and I will vote on them. I'm not comfortable with fast spreading, but some speed is okay. If you're extremely clear, 300 wpm is okay. Otherwise stick to a little above 200 max. If you see me stop writing, you are unclear, too fast, or saying something that doesn't merit writing down. (Also see my note on lay tournaments.)

LARP debate is fine. Exception: I hate extinction link chains. Unless the topic is explicitly about something like nuclear weapons, climate change, or a similarly large threat, I don't want to hear it. If there are more than two–three links, I don't want to hear it. These arguments usually just get in the way of substantive debate. Cards are almost always power tagged. I lower speaks significantly for any bad link chain that just attempts to inflate impacts.

If you are running something complicated like a nuanced K, explain it well, slow down on the analytics, and run it at your own risk—be warned that I don't have experience with the literature or this type of debate. I will vote on it, but don't expect me to understand something if you don't clearly explain it. The same goes for complicated FWs, though to a lesser degree. Explain things well and don't expect me to vote for you/believe your arguments just because you use big, fancy words.
I prefer topical debate, so if you want me to vote on a non-topical K, performative case, or other non-topical argument, you need to explain your ROB extremely well. Know that this is not my preferred type of debate, and as above, run it at your own risk.

I'll vote on theory/topicality, but I strongly dislike frivolous/abusive theory. I default to competing interps, but in cases of frivolous theory I am very receptive to arguments for reasonability. Don't run theory just for the fun of it.

Speaker points: I believe that speaker points are meant to encourage and discourage norms in debate. Your strategic decisions, argument quality, weighing, and round framing, as well as the way you treat your opponent, will determine your speaks. I don't assign speaks based on perceived speaking ability.

- Abusive arguments will severely lower your speaks.
- It should be a given, but do not be offensive. If you are lucky, only your speaks will suffer. If it is bad enough, it will lose you the round.
- Be polite and don't be a bully.
- Don't force a circuit round at a lay tournament, especially if your opponent is clearly uncomfortable with it
- Stay within the time limits. Go ahead and finish your (short) sentence after time, and it is okay to answer a question after time runs out in CX (you don't need to ask me, please). Past that, I will not flow anything you say, and your speaks will suffer.
- My pet peeve is misused statistics. Analyze statistics well or point out your opponent's misanalyzed statistics and I will give you bonus speaker points. Egregiously misuse statistics and your speaks will drop.

On email chains: Your adding me to an email chain and giving me a copy of your case does NOT give you license to read less clearly or skip parts. If I do not catch something during your speech, I will not put it on my flow. I use your case for technological difficulties and informational purposes only—referring back to evidence when specific parts are disputed, exact wording of tag lines, plan texts, and interpretations, etc.

Hi, if you can, please do not speak very fast. Thank you