Like to stay in the current state of affairs and like public forum debates given the relevance. Been judging PF style debates for over a year across several tournaments

I am a parent judge, and this is my first time judging. I would prefer a slower speaking speed (no spreading). I will allow you to go a little bit over time to finish a sentence, though I will be timing. I will prefer sound logic over an unwarranted piece of evidence. Don't be rude or mean to your opponent. I will evaluate your round based off of how effectively your argument is communicated and the logical linkchain you present (saving 10,000 people with a logical path to that impact is better than saving 1,000,000 people with jumps in your logic). I will call for a piece of evidence if the point is hotly contested throughout the round.

Thank you, and remember to have fun!

Hi! My name is Shannon Babu, and I'm a parent judge from Concord, MA. This school year (2023-24), I am primarily judging speech events, but I also judge public forum. I am a math and science teacher, so I love to see your clear thesis, your logical process, and a nice tight summary in your speech. My primary concerns in public forum are your logical process: linkages, evidence, weighing, etc.

For speech:

Extemp
Here's some ways to get a high ranking from me:
-Answer the question
-Content > delivery, but doing both is always better. Maintain a slower pace so I can actually flow
-Clever/unique substructure and diversified arguments.
-Answering NO (or whatever is not the obvious answer)
-I’ll generally reward creativity.

In general forpublic forum:

I expect you to keep your own time, but I'm happy to keep time for you - just ask.

It's ok to be nervous, and it's ok if your voice shakes - that means you care about what you're doing! We're all here to learn and help each other, even through a competitive environment.

You may sit or stand, whatever makes you the most comfortable.

You may speak relatively quickly with me, but please don't spread. My ears are only human.

I will allow a few extra seconds for a debater to finish a sentence, finish a question, or finish an answer.

If you have any questions for me during the debate, please ask! It's ok to ask questions between process steps, and asking is ALWAYS better than not asking.

I have the following non-negotiable expectation:

*treat your teammate and opponents with respect and dignity (polite body language, mindful utterances/whispering, professional language, etc).

I'm excited to hear your arguments - I know how much work goes into your preparation, and I'm here to support your process!

Hello Debaters, 

I am parent judge for Public Forum. I can flow speeches as long as I understand what they are saying. Here are some general preferences:

• I am not familiar with debate jargon or with theory debate
• If you choose to speak fast, provide speech document
• Cross Examination is an important part of the debate to me and I will pay attention to it
• Hold each other accountable for time
• It would help if you can provide a roadmap before speech after constructive
• I will give/cut speaker points based on coherency and substance
• Weighing is very important and explain properly

Lastly, have fun and be respectful!

Experience. I have competed for four years at California State University of Sacramento in the following events: National Forensics Association Lincoln Douglas, Extemporaneous, Public Forum, and Impromptu. Additionally, I have participated in the Communications 111 class rookie tournament for four years as a coach and a judge. As a rookie coach, I have worked on debate evidence in the following areas: as a writing coach, case writer, rookie tournament judge, research student, and on-case and off-case writing for constructive and rebuttal speeches. Lastly, I have competed in the affirmative/negative debates at the local city council's online reading practices.

Debate Judging Philosophy. My role as a judge is to evaluate the debate round based on policy maker paradigm, critical paradigm, and/or rule-based theory. I believe that both the affirmative and negative must meet their burdens with well-developed arguments. This means that the debaters should present their arguments in a clear, logical, and coherent way, using appropriate language and evidence. Next, I believe debates should be followed in a recognizable format and should provide greater knowledge with the use of analysis and refutation. I will evaluate the round based on advantages, disadvantages, and weighing of impacts. Speed is Okay.

Individual Events. The mechanics of speech must be observed faithfully –poise, quality, use of voice, effectiveness, ease of gesture, emphasis, variety, and enunciation. In addition, the participant must be able to interpret the full meaning of the oration and be able to carry the interpretation over to the audience.

Debate:

I vote based on organization. Your arguments need to get me from A to D, have good impacts that make sense and if you are claiming abuse you must be clear what was abusive. If shoes lead to death give me step to step as to why. I won’t do the work for you, I will know your speaks after the first two speeches but I look at the flow after the round to see how the over all round went. If your case doesn’t make sense on my flow then you may be dropped. Persuasion is how the other processes what they hear you say, not what you think you said.

IE:

Limited Prep:

Origination, clear follow through of how each point ties to the topic and attention getter is how I weigh the speech it’s self. Knowing your walk, time management, eye contact and good projection is what I expect the speaker to show.

Everything Else

If you do not have cards then be memorized. If you are not then be on cards, you can be a great speaker on cards but not on a minute long of a 9 minute speech. At least practice your walk, eye contact, projection and body control. You might be ranked lower for being on cards but I cannot give you the 4 or 5 if I hear a minute.
If your character is supposed to make me cry, then make every cry, make me angry make me what ever emotion your character is expressing so I can feel your message through your performance.

speak clear, speak loud and be bold. I purposely sit in the back because you need to own the room and have everyone be involved in the work you put into your piece.

I am a parent judge. I judged over 100 competitions.

I will rate the competitors based on two main parts:

-Composition:

If the content is effective writing or not.

Does the competitor's speech organize clearly and easy to follow?

Does the speech contain ample solid reasoning and logic

Is the speech too general or does it focus on specifics?

Does the speech make too many generalizations or assumptions about the audience?

Does the speech contain evidence and examples?

Does the speech have good rhetorical choices?

-Delivery:

I would like competitors to use effective oral presentation skills. I will check if the competitor is comfortable with delivery such as having a clear voice, good intonation, or a nice tone.

I will also check if the speaker uses effective body language or not such as hand gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact.

I value professionalism above all. Maintain respectful and professional conduct throughout the debate. Avoid personal attacks or offensive language. Wishing all debaters to be an "empathetic" leaders!!

For Debaters:

Hello,

I am judging for the first time and where I know about the flow of the debate , I am technically not familiar with counterplans and so on, please explain them thoroughly.

I prefer moderate to slower speed of speech of the given argument.

I always emphasize on clarity of speaking which will always make me take your side.

I am particularly against to emotional expression of arguments as I prefer more of a convincing content with necessary evidences.

Before the round ends a look at the case sheet of both the parties can always be a better help.

To end up with, I am totally against to the interruption in the flow of one's speech either by their team or the opposing team.

All the best !

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For Speech :

Hello ,

As a person judging for speech I expect a combination of answers to the question (merely the topic of the speech) and your composition of words, statements and texts which should be a selling point to convince me , where I don't mind the way you try to emphasize the ways your view point is true or fair.

In most of the cases, I like to have some sort of factual info added in your speeches. to add with, a little bit of Humor, Sarcasm (if applicable) will always be plus.

To end with, I expect an effective speech (in the time boundaries given) which is an attractive one whether its a story telling or interpreting something or putting out your view point it should be able to make an impact .

All the best!

My experience in public speaking goes as far back as elementary school plays. But my experience in competitive public speaking began when I competed as a slam poet in my high school years for the SayWordLA team in the years of 2016-18. We represented the city of Pomona at Brave New Voices and made it to semi finals both years. In between that, I became a Los Angeles Youth Poet Ambassador in 2017. When I went to college at Mt.SAC, I competed in Poetry, DUO, Persuasion, and extemp. I was awarded multiple medals throughout the season and took some hardware home from nationals as well. Our team took Gold in 2022 at Phi Rho Pi.

Part of my judging philosophy is that we establish and create a safe space for all competitors. We can achieve this together by being good audience members. That means no phones or side conversations while a speaker is performing. We know you are a great speaker, let’s practice being respectful listeners.

I am happy to help you grow in your events and I’m sure we can learn from each other.

Good luck always!

email: kimberly@adcominc.us

Hey ya'll, I was a 3-year debater at LAMDL and captained my high school team and graduated UCLA 2021 with background in political science and a concentration in IR. I debated up to varsity so I'm very familiar with all the tricks, strategies, lingo when it comes to debate. I also debated in parli at UCLA for around 2 years.

Email chain: myprofessionalemail47@yahoo.com, ejumico@gmail.com

Small things that will earn you some favorable opinions or extra speaks

-Be politically tactful on language use. Although I won't ding you if you curse or any of that sort, I do find it more entertaining and fun if you can piss off your opponent while remaining calm and kind to strategically manipulate them rather than yell and get mad. This also means that you should be very careful about using certain words that might trigger the opponent or allow them to utilize that as an offensive tool.

-Use as much tech lingo as you can. Point out when the opponent drops something or why the disad outweighs and turns the case or when there is a double bind, etc etc.

-Analogical arguments with outside references will earn you huge huge points. References through classical literature, strategic board games, video games, anime, historical examples, current events or even just bare and basic academics. It shows me how well versed and cultured you are and that's a part of showmanship.

-Scientific theories, mathematical references, experiments, philosophical thoughts, high academia examples will get you close to a 30 on your speaks and definitely make your argument stronger.

Big things that will lean the debate towards your favor and win you rounds

-I like a good framework debate. Really impact out why I should be voting for your side.

-If you're running high theory Kritik, you need to be prepared to be able to explain and convince me how the evidence supports your argument. A lot of the time when high theory Kritik is run, people fail to explain how the evidence can be interpreted in a certain way.

-Fairness and debate theory arguments are legitimate arguments and voters, please don't drop them.

-I was a solid K debater so it will be favorable for Neg to run K and T BUT I am first and foremost a strategist debater. Which means I will treat debate as a game and you SHOULD pick and choose arguments that are more favorable to you and what the Aff has debated very very weakly one or if there is a possibility that the Disad can outweigh the case better than your link story on the K, I would much prefer if you went for DA and CP than K and T.

-K Affs must be prepared to debate theory and fw more heavily than their impact.

-I LOVE offensive strategies and arguments whether you're Aff or Neg. If you can make it seem like what the opponent advocates for causes more harms than it claims to solve for or causes the exact harms it claims to solve for + more (not just more harms than your advocacy) then it won't be as hard for me to decide on a winner.

-Would love to hear arguments that are radical, revolutionary, yet still realistic. They should be unique and interesting. Be creative! High speaks + wins if you're creative. Try to make me frame the round more differently than usual and think outside the box.

-Answer theory please.

Disclosed biases, beliefs, educational background

West coast bred, progressive arguments are more palatable but some personal beliefs are more centrist or right swinging (depending on what). Well versed with foreign policy and especially issues dealing with Middle East and China, have some economics background. With that being said, I do not vote based on beliefs but arguments, I also don't vote based on what I know so you need to tell me what I need to vote on verbatim. Will vote against a racial bias impact if not clearly articulated. You should never make the assumption that I will automatically already have the background to something, please answer an argument even if you think I already should have prior knowledge on it.

Round specificities

CX:I do not flow but I pay attention.

T-team:Ok.

Flashing:I do not count it as prep unless it feels like you're taking advantage of it.

Time:Take your own time and opponents time, I do not time. If you don't know what your time is during prep or during the speech, I will be taking off points.

I do my best to let the arguments unfold in the round and not let my bias intervene. I don't mind any theoretical positions. All theoretical positions need to be won and fleshed out in round. In terms of speed, if you fly, I may need to ask you to slow a bit, and if your opponent needs you to slow and asks, I expect you too.

I have judged Varsity Policy, Parli and LD debate rounds and IE rounds for 10 years at both the high school and college tournament level. I competed at San Francisco State University in debate and IEs and went to Nationals twice, and I also competed at North Hollywood High School.

Make it a clean debate. Keep the thinking as linear as possible.

Counterplans should be well thought out – and original. (Plan-Inclusive Counterplans are seriously problematic.)

Speed is not an issue with me as usually I can flow when someone spreads.

I do like theory arguments but not arguments that are way, way out there and have no basis in fact or applicability.

Going offcase with non-traditional arguments is fine as long as such arguments are explained.

Above all, have fun.

I was the Asst. Coach for Wm. S. Hart High School in Newhall, CA from 2015 to 2023, and still help online occasionally.

I have judged IEs for 27 years.

I have judged Congress for 24 years.

I have been judging LD, Parlie and PoFo for 21 years. I do NOT do Policy or Big Questions.

I ask that speakers avoid spreading and/or reading/speaking at an excessive rate of speed. Communication is paramount.

Respectfulness and courtesy are required at all times.

As a competitor, please do not tell me what decision I have to make. I'll decide that for myself.

I do not disclose. Nor do I give any oral critiques prior to the tournaments ending, although once it's all over, I'm happy to discuss. My comments will be on the individual ballots and RFD.

Background

I've dabbled in Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum, Congressional, Impromptu, Extemporaneous, Big Questions, and Dramatic/Humorous Interpretation — and have judged a fair amount of Original Oratory, Policy Debate, Poetry, Prose, Parliament, and Duo Interpretation rounds.

General Points

- In speech events, more attention is paid to fluidity and engaging presentation; in debate, this is not necessary. I don't mind if you speak very fast, as long as your case is shared with your partner or you pay attention to speaking clearly. The case and its arguments are ultimately more important than presentation, however.

- Point out the weaknesses in your opponent's case, though do not be needlessly impolite. On that note, refrain from demonstrating misogyny, homophobia, and racism.

- Make sure to address your opponent's arguments well, and to defend yours well. Too often, a compelling argument is left uncontested or a compelling argument is not reaffirmed.

Additional Points

- Theory, Kritiks, Counter-plans, Perms, Plans, and DAs are fine to implement/mention, just make sure your logic is sound. If the conclusions/links do not make sense or are needlessly complicated, I won't be particularly partial to them. Critical arguments are fine, too.

- Make sure to provide a justification for impact framing in Parliamentary Debate; magnitude is not as important as the probable and structural impacts of actions.

- Referencing cards in Lincoln Douglas and Public Forum makes for a better structured round, and gives tenability to your arguments. I'd recommend doing so.

I am a parent judge.

I have judged PF rounds a few times, and am comfortable with the format. With that being said, I am a lay parent judge and do not have any prior knowledge to the topics (no theory or kritiks, please!)

Please WEIGH, and do it properly. I have come across kids who have just yelled, "we win on magnitude, scope probability, etc." without properly explaining and comparing their impact/argument to the opponents'.

Have your impacts flushed out, and back it up with factual, statistical evidence.

I want your framework to be upheld throughout the debate, and have the contentions correspond to it.

Be respectful during cross, or else I will knock down speaks.

Most importantly, have fun!

Hello competitors,

My name is Chitra Jayaraman and I have been judging speech for a few years now, so I am pretty familiar with most categories.

For original events, writing and solutions are just as important as how good of orators you are. I appreciate good cadence and tech, but I would also like to see good writing with well thought out solutions and sources when those are applicable.

For interpretation events, your piece selection does matter, however I am more looking at gauging your skill set. Tonal variation, emotional variation, show me that you are able to become a character. I would also like to see clean characters popping. This is so important especially in events like POI when you are constantly changing.

While planning out your tech is important, it should still seem like it is natural. Movement shouldn’t seem robotic or over rehearsed.

Good luck orators, I look forward to seeing your pieces!

Introduction:

Hello, my name is Pavan Katragadda. I have been involved in the world of speech and debate for over five years, serving as a parent judge. My journey in this field has been enriching and enlightening, and I am eager to continue learning and growing with each debate I judge.

Communication Style:

Clarity of speech is of utmost importance to me. I believe that the essence of a good debate lies not in the speed at which arguments are delivered, but in the articulation and structure of those arguments. Therefore, I encourage debaters to speak clearly and at a pace that allows me to follow their line of reasoning. If you choose to spread, please be aware that if I cannot follow your arguments, it may impact my evaluation.

Technical Terms:

While I am familiar with the general rules and format for most of the Debates, I may not be well-versed in all “technical” terms from the debating vocabulary. If you plan on using any such terms, I would appreciate it if you could explain them during your speech. This will ensure that I fully understand your argument and can evaluate it accurately.

Post-Round Process:

After the round has concluded, I like to take a few minutes to reflect on the arguments presented and enter my feedback and results. Please understand that this process takes time, and as such, I will not be able to disclose the results or provide judge’s feedback immediately after the round.

Expectations:

I expect all debaters to come prepared with strong arguments backed by solid evidence. A good debate is not just about winning or losing; it’s about learning, growing, and enjoying the process. So let’s have a fun and engaging debate!

Hey there, I’m a former 7 year competitor at the high school and university levels from John Swett HS, Diablo Valley College, and Sacramento State. I am a former national champion in Extemporaneous Speaking at the university level, and have a strong background of LD, Parli, IPDA, Imp, and a functioning knowledge of everything else.

In the debate realm, I allow all theory arguments to be made, however you will have to show me how your shell is tied into the current resolution very clearly if you want to win. I don’t want to hear a Capitalism or Climate Catastrophe K when you don’t actually know how it ties into the res, it’s vague and your opponent has an automatic leg up if you don’t do that work. One thing to keep in mind, is that I will almost never vote on a criterion of "morality". Everyone in the world has their own subjective morality, and for you to impart your own as a voting issue is not convincing. Of course, if your opponent is being clearly racist or something like that, call it out and we'll deal with it, but I would refrain from using it as a voting issue. I can keep up with moderately fast spreading, but i may ask you to slow down. If i do, please do so, I’m a kindergarten teacher now and my spreading ears are a bit rusty, haha. For the 2AR, 1NR, PMR, and all applicable ending speeches, I love collapse and am well persuaded by a snipe shot of 1 or 2 voting issues rather than a shotgun approach, but I am particularly hawkish on dropped arguments, especially if your opponent puts significant work into them. Do your best to link it into your turns or inherency at the end without breaking the new argument rules. Use cross-X wisely, I don’t respond well to sarcasm or arrogance in cross, be respectful and ask relevant questions. I’m not afraid to give out under 25 speaks if you’re going to act out of turn. In general, be clear, concise, and respectful.

In the speech realm, much less to go over. In LP I’ll give 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 30 second, and countdown from 10 seconds hand signals. If you need to time yourself, please ask me first. I like short intros and conclusions, your time should be spent in the main points, and the more relevant sources, the better.

Please remember to have fun. This is an incredible activity, and I’m not handling out college scholarships. Do your best, I’ll give you relevant feedback, and we’ll all hopefully have a great time.

My pronouns: she/they

Be respectful!

IEs

Competed in limited prep, platform, and public forum for Fullerton Union High School. I've seen dozens of coaching sessions and performances of all events, especially the drama events. I competed in British Parlimentary debate and speech on the collegiate level.

DEBATE

General:

I'm mainly a speechie. Competed in limited prep and platform for Fullerton Union High School. Competed in public forum debate my senior year. Competed in British Parliamentary debate and speech for Cal Poly Humboldt. I'm midway between a lay and circuit judge. Okay with fast speaking but might miss a thing or two so take that however you like

List our your voters clearly. If you have extra time, repeat those voters please.

Start ASAP! Be aware of how you characterize the other team and sound during crossfires; be mindful and respectful, marginalization frequently happens

My approach to judging is holistic. A single blunder won't break your case so don't panic if you lost on a critical issue. I try to look at everything you did - style, content, humor, teamwork etc.

First and foremost, let us treat each other with respect and create a fun learning experience for participants and judges alike! I look for your non-monotonous articulation skills, body language and easy to understand speech flow.

Introduction:

Hello, my name is Aman Kumar. This is my first time judging any format of speech & debate however I have been involved in this world throughout my education. My journey in this field has been enriching and I am eager to continue learning and growing with each debate I judge.

Communication Style:

Clarity of speech is of utmost importance to me. I believe the essence of a good debate lies not in the speed at which arguments are delivered but in the articulation and structure of those arguments. Therefore, I encourage participants to speak clearly and at a pace that allows me to follow their line of reasoning even though they still must stay within the time limit. If you chose to speed, please be aware that if I cannot follow your arguments, it may impact your evaluation.

Technical Terms:

While I am familiar with the general rules and format for most of the debates, I may not be well-versed in all debate jargon. If you plan on using any such terms, I would appreciate if you could explain them during your speech. This will ensure that I fully understand your argument and can evaluate it precisely.

Post-Round Process:

After the round has concluded, I would like to take a few minutes to reflect on the arguments presented and enter my feedback & results. Please understand that this process takes time and as such I will not be able to disclose the results or provide any feedback immediately.

I judge on how well you are organized, how well you support your points, how well you refute your opponent's points, and your speaking skills.

I believe that debate should be used to strengthen ones ability to construct, and effectively relay, a point of view by using clearly explained and expressed evidence for support. What one learns from participating in debate can be used in our everyday social interactions. With that said, there is no use for spreading or speaking like an auctioneer in the real world, such as a debate with family and/or friends or Congress. Competitors should be aware that there is a person (most likely not a professional debator) judging their case. That judge has to listen to the points given, process the weight of the arguements, and write down those points in real time. I believe that a few well thought out arguements are more powerful than rhetorically vomiting arguements at a rapid pace.

As a judge I am looking for a well structured, thought out, and delivered case, especially when judging a finals round. During a final round both teams will most likely have equally strong cases. Sometimes how the case was presented, and which team gave me what I needed the way I needed can be what tilts decision.

Hi there! I've been performing since I was very young, and I am a 2007 graduate of the American Musical & Dramatic Academy in New York City. I direct both adult and youth productions at my local theatre and have been an active judge in both this year's, as well as last year's, tournament seasons.

I have completed the NFHS Cultural Competency course, and I identify as diversity enhancing!

POI/PR/PO: Show me a strong commitment to your material, with bold but organic choices. Use your binder --this is a reading event-- but don't hide behind it!

HI/DI: Make sure your piece tells a decisive story and that your character transitions are smooth enough that I know who's talking at at all times! Also important: sure, bold choices are good, but I still want to see the nuances behind your characters and what you're saying. Rather than just doing stock characters, approach them from a place of truth. That almost always yields funnier and/or more powerful results!

EXTEMP: Research, research, research! I'm looking for a well-organized speech that answers the question clearly and provides a lot of cited sources.

OO/INFO: I love how much I learn when judging both of these categories. Remember your top priority is to teach us something, and that good lessons are organized, compelling, and easy to understand.

CONGRESS: Ask great questions of your fellow debaters and be researched enough to be able to provide convincing answers to the questions that are asked of you! Looking for strong points and organization in your speeches!

Remember that no one can offer exactly what YOU offer, and embrace that! Most of all, have fun!

amanda072086@gmail.com
Speak clearly. Any speed is fine as long as you slow down and read your tag lines and main points very clearly. Spreading is fine. Give clear indication of when you have reached the burden you set out.

LD: I am a true values debate judge in LD. Tabula rasa judge. Flexible to any kinds of cases and arguments as long as they are respectful. If your case is not topical or abusive and your opponent argues and proves that in their speeches then I am willing to vote based on topicality, education and abuse.

PF and CX: Be respectful and cordial to your opponent. I’m open to most anything in Policy rounds. Always stay on the debate topic, don’t wander off onto an irrelevant subject because it’s more enjoyable to argue about than the topic is. Always allow your opponent the opportunity to complete their sentence before continuing to cross.
I’m a Tabula rasa Judge especially in Policy debate. If you don’t tell me how you want me to weigh the round and set a minimum burden for each side to have to meet within the round to win then I will default to judging based on the block and will turn into a games playing judge and will make voting decisions based on what my flow shows and dropped arguments or arguments that were lost or conceded will very much factor into my vote. Impacts, Warrants and links need to be made very clear, and always show me the magnitude.

I expect all debaters to treat each other with respect. I value logically structured arguments. Use credible sources to support your claims, and make sure your evidence is relevant to the topic. Clear and concise communication is important to me. I prefer you articulate and avoid jargon.Speak audibly, and make effective use of gestures and body language. For winning criteria, I will consider the overall quality of the arguments, the strength of the evidence, the effectiveness of rebuttals, and the clarity of communication. Regardless of the outcome, I encourage all debaters to use this experience as an opportunity for growth and learning. Good luck to both teams and let's have a great debate!

I am an experienced parent judge.

Public Forum:

1. Clear speaking that is not too fast.

2. Evidence is clearly explained to support your arguments and don't forget to highlight your impacts.

3. Incrementally advancing your idea, while invalidating/outweighing opponents ideas.

4. A good cross examination is key.

5. The deciding factor for me is the cross examination, wrapping up with a clear explanation on why you outweigh your opponent.

6. I flow the arguments and I'm listening carefully, so if you drop an arguments, I will know :) In other words, check your flow before saying your opponent dropped something.

7. Come prepared!

8. Speak assertively, but don't yell :)

Have fun!

I am a parent judge. I am engineer by training and profession. This is my first year judging but I am an avid follower of debates. I do my research on topics and as a human I do form views, but I will NOT use it to judge the debaters.

My Focus:

• Be respectful and have a healthy debate.
• Have a clear flow to arguments, present evidence and be concise.
• Clarity and ability to understand arguments without being the loudest voice.
• Special focus on crossfire and rebuttals.

Hi all! I’m a relatively new judge (2nd time) but my husband and daughter are both very experienced in Speech and Debate and have tried to prepare me for this! I’ve been in communications as a field of work for over 20 years and have a masters in communications so I will be judging heavily on rhetoric and generally how persuasive you are. For interp kids, I was the historian of the thespian society in high school so I have at least some experience in theatre. I wish you all the best of luck and please maintain a respectful environment.

Competitive Experience

High School - CHSSA/NSDA - Extemp, OA, PuFo, LD

Collegiate - NFA - Policy/CX

Coaching Experience

High School - CHSSA/NSDA - Assistant (Alumni) Coach; Head Coach/Program Coordinator

Judging Experience

High School - CHSSA/NSDA - All events

Collegiate - NFA - Policy/CX

Background

I have been involved in speech & debate in some capacity since high school and competed at the collegiate level. My emphasis has namely been geared towards extemporaneous speaking and debate (namely PuFo, LD, and Policy/CX). Though I'm new to coaching, I've been in this community of wall takers for over 10 years and love every minute of it!

In terms of my general judging philosophy I'd say two phrases should be considered, those being "tabula rasa" (clean slate) and "sell me!". My perspective is that it's the competitors burden to prove to the judge or show why their performance is equipped to pick up the ballot. Certainly I can make the connection and piece together the narrative/story, but the more you ask me to intervene the more I have to implement my biases into the round. Long-story short it's disheartening to see competitors lose rounds because they leave ambiguity to be pieced together, and as a former competitor who has lost more than one round to this - I don't want to do the same to other speakers/debaters.

In general, from a technique standpoint if you act as though your judges are lay judges it's easier to ramp up than it is to tone back.

Debate Cues

1) Procedures - Card quals, roadmapping, and signposting

These make for a smooth round and much more efficient! Do your judge a favor and get things moving the longer the day, the less quality the adjudication- we get tired too haha

2) Arguments - Impact Calculus, Topicality, and Solvency

I generally am pretty open to what is brought forth, hence my "tabula rasa" spiel, but need to see a clear end result from either team in the debate. Whoever has the more believable and impact narrative will pick up the ballot.

3) Evidence - Needs to be there, this is debate...

No matter the style of debate, if you make an argument it needs to be proven in some way. If not then you ask me to be an "activist judge" where bias takes precedence over argumentation, in my view this is unfair to the competitors and bad for debate.

4) Sportsmanship - We all want to learn from this experience

Compete with honest intent and assertion, but not to cause harm. Too many a time debates get ugly and personal, that's not why we're here. This is a learning opportunity and academically stimulating. Let's keep it civil and competitive.

Speech Cues

1) Structure - Clear and concise

My coach taught me this rule and it's what I teach unto others: a) Tell them what you're gonna tell them; b) Tell them; c) Tell them what you told them. There should be a logical pattern in your speech.

2) Impact - Make it personable

Cultural competency is a really big aspect of public speaking that goes unsung. Find someway to connect with your audience and give us something tangible to take away from the speech, once completed.

3) Creativity - Bring it to life

I have a really special place for Interps and OPP because it brings forth the creative energy and so too can other speeches. Make this speech an experience for us to enjoy!

4) Authentic - You are the centerpiece

With speaking you are the epicenter, give the audience a reason to divert their attention to you! Also, bring some creativity to the forefront this makes for a more compelling speech.

As a two year college level debater, i have modern experiences and can relate with whatever style or strategy you know. For Debate, my biggest takeaway is clash with opponents and that would win you my ballot even with decent on-case arguments. I'm open to Topicality, Kritiks and any other strategy you can employ. For speed, talk in a decent pace. If a non-debater walks in the room, can they relate with you? However, I can keep up with whatever speed. I just think that's a plus.

Foe I/Es, confidence, structure and performance is what i care about. Implement subtle humor where needed.

JUST DO YOUR THING!!!

I am a parent. Please speak clearly and slowly and avoid technical jargon. I value sound logic and reasoning. I don't value disrespectful language or tune. Please DO NOT bring up new points in the 2nd Rebuttal.

Occupation: Software Development

School Affiliation: Dougherty Valley High School

Years of Judging/Event Types: 2nd year of judging, PF, Congress, Speech

Speaker Points: Fluency, voice inflection, passion, structured speeches (easy to understand in a logical order) I start at 28 and go up. Obviously I'll drop it if you're rude, racist, sexist, etc.

- Don't spread, speak at a moderate pace, NO JARGON. If I look confused or like i'm falling behind, probably slow down and explain a bit more.

I do take notes, but I will also try to just listen as much as possible to understand your arguments to the best of my ability. Don't sacrifice content just for "lay" appeal.

How heavily do I weigh the following (1 - not at all 5-somewhat 10- weighed heavily):

Clothing/Appearance: 1

Use of Evidence: 10

Real World Impacts: 10

Cross Ex: 5

Debate skill over truthful arguments: 5

Help me evaluate the round:

A cohesive narrative should start in Rebuttal. Explain why your impacts are really important and spend a lot of time on your warrants, convince me as to why your impacts will happen and to the extent that you claim. Don't just falsely claim DROPS or CONCESSIONS but do point them out if they actually happened, and why they mean I should vote for you. Explain your evidence well. Fluency and passion show me that you are confident in your research and argumentation.

HAVE FUN WITH THE ROUND!!!

Please don't run critical affirmatives in front of me. Please go at a conversational speed. I can't understand/ be able to flow spreading. If running a theory, please walk me through it so I understand you. I will judge based on how persuasive an argument is. I will also take evidence into account. I’m not big on debate jargon. Please be polite to your competitors. I also will a lot of times judge on if an argument is responded to.

In terms of experience, I competed in some collegiate IPDA tournament's, but I mostly competed in platform and interpretation events. I competed at Mt. San Antonio College and we just recently won Gold at our national Phi Rho Pi tournament. My experience in forensics as a whole allows me to know specifically what I look for in a speaker.

Some general rules:

Do not be rude while you’re speaking or while anyone else is speaking.
You do not need to change your style for me. I will be able to keep up.
I appreciate off time road maps.
No spreading and I do not disclose after the round is over.

In general, I’m here to help you grow and thrive in this event. I hope it is fun and rewarding!

email is megan@adcominc.us

I am pretty much a debate judge, I can follow along and flow a debate really well. I understand parli jargon, but I dont like to see it outside of appropriate rounds. I also very much favor structure in debate. If you can make your arguments clear and understandable, then it makes it so much easier for me.

I am not a lay judge.

I am a pf debater some policy experience, I can evaluate progress args but am not the best at it.

Please send speech docs to kanishk1031@gmail.com

Savoy High School, Savoy, Texas / Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida

DEBATE EXPERIENCE:
I competed in CX Debate, LD Debate, and Informative/Extemporaneous speaking during my four years of high school. I then went on to join the Debate Team during my two years at Florida State University as well. In the years following college graduation, I have both judged and coached students/tournaments on all levels from Elementary School through Collegiate levels.

JUDGING EXPERIENCE:

Experience Judging: CX Debate, Policy Debate, LD Debate, Parli Debate, Public Forum Debate, Congress Debate, Informative/Extemporaneous Speaking, Editorial Commentary, Spontaneous Argumentation Debate (SPAR), Dramatic Interpretation, Humorous Interpretation, and Oratory.

AWARDS/CREDENTIALS:

High School - 9th Grade - 5th Place in State of Texas 1A - Cross-X Debate High School - 10th Grade - 5th Place in State of Texas 1A - Cross-X Debate High School - 11th Grade - 4th Place in State of Texas 1A - Cross-X Debate High School - 11th Grade - 5th Place in State of Texas 1A - Impromptu Speaking High School - 12th Grade - 4th Place in State of Texas 1A - Cross-X Debate High School - 12th Grade - 2nd Place (Silver Gavel) Speaker Award - 2nd Best Speaker in State of Texas - 1A Cross-X Debate

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

CROSS-EXAMINATION DEBATE:

Briefly, I am a traditional CX judge, and, as you can see above, the majority of my experience both on a competitive level as well as that of a judge has been on the CX circuits. I am most interested in seeing a values debate under NSDA rules that affirms or negates the resolution. I am always open to hearing plans/counter-plans and find a debate round to be very intriguing if/when I see two teams who know how to present, execute, and defend a quality plan/counter-plan, etc. I want to see debaters who have learned something about the topic and can share that with me. I am much less interested in debates on theory. Engage in an argument with the other person's framework and contentions and I will be engaged. However, at the same time, basics are still very important to me. (i.e., Pay attention to AND provide/present strong, credible, current evidence in support of any contentions/arguments presented. Be quick to point out/counter old, outdated, irrelevant/unreliable evidence given by an opponent. I believe very strongly in backing any/all contentions/arguments with strong evidence from reliable/trustworthy sources.

LINCOLN DOUGLAS DEBATE:

PARLI DEBATE:

I definitely don't like to hear tons of evidence in Parli, which should be about the arguments, not the evidence. However, again, please refer to my notes above under Cross-Examination Debate regarding my thoughts on evidence, etc. Please ask and accept some POIs, and use them to help frame the debate. Manufacturing of evidence has become a real ethical problem in Parli. I don't really want to be the evidence police, but I might ask how I can access your source if the case turns on evidence. FLOW, FLOW, FLOW a debate in it's ENTIRETY from start to finish. It is almost ALWAYS easily apparent if/when a debater fails to do this as arguments/contentions almost always end up being forgotten/skipped/unresponded to as a result. This could prove catastrophic to a debate. I tend to carry any arguments/contentions presented in the constructives all the way through to the end and, in most cases, will consider them to be fact if/when an argument/contention is skipped over and/or not responded to by each team member.

IN MORE DEPTH:
Crystallization: It's good practice. Do it. Signpost, too.

Speed/flow: I can handle speed, having competed myself on a collegiate level, but if you have a good case and are a quick, logical thinker, you don't need speed to win. IMO, good debating should be good public speaking. It's your job to understand how to do that, so I am not going to call "clear", and I am certainly not interested in reading your case. If you're too fast, I'll just stop writing and try to listen as best I can. I will flow the debate, but I'm looking for compelling arguments, not just blippy arguments covering the flow. If you're not sure, I'd go with more focus on creating strong, compelling arguments vs reading your speech faster, etc.

Evidence: Evidence is important, but won't win the debate unless it is deployed in support of well constructed arguments. Just because your card is more recent doesn't mean it's better than your opponent's card on the same issue - your burden is to tell me why it is better, or more relevant. Be careful about getting into extended discussions about methodology of studies. I get that some evidence should be challenged, but a debate about evidence isn't the point.

Attitude: By all means challenge your opponent! Be assertive, even aggressive, but don't be a jerk. You don't have to be loud, fast, rude, or sarcastic to have power as a speaker. Though debates can be/often times are quite contentious, even heated at times, I EXPECT AND DEMAND that ALL DEBATERS treat one another, their teammates, their opponents, coaches, judges, and staff with the utmost respect AT ALL TIMES. I do not like ugly (mean). I can appreciate an aggressive/contentious debate/cross-examination, etc, however, it is imperative that each and every competitor carry themselves with class, dignity, and respect at all times. Remember, we are ALL IN THIS TOGETHER at the end of the day!

Speaker points: I don't have a system for speaker points. I rarely give perfect speaker points. I have judged debaters who have never won a round, and have judged state champions, and have, personally, been the recipient of a Silver Gavel Speaker Award my Senior Year in High School. However, even then, I did not receive perfect speaker points from my judges. I am comparing you to all the debaters I have seen. It's not very scientific and probably inconsistent, but I do try to be fair. If you are hoping for a lenient judge who gives out speaker points like they're nothing...that's not me. While I will ALWAYS BE FAIR in giving out speaker points, I expect any debater that I give perfect/near perfect points to to REALLY set themselves apart from the rest in some form or fashion and EARN those high points. Again, however, I am not one to be TOO STRINGENT/STINGY with my speaker points and will, always, be fair to all.

Kritiks: I don't care for them. They seem kind of abusive to me and often fail to offer good links, which won't help you win. Even if your opponent doesn't know what to do with your kritik, by using one you transfer the burden to yourself, so if you don't do it well you lose, unless the opponent is very weak. I generally find them to be poor substitutes for a good debate on the resolution - but not always. I suppose my question is, "Why are you running a K?" If it's just because it's cool - don't.

Other: Unless instructed to do so, I don't disclose decisions or speaker points in prelims, though I will give some comments if that is within the tournament's norms and you have specific questions.

Add me to the email chain: camillesyip@gmail.com

Currently a junior at Monta Vista High School in CA.

• pf for 3 years
• duo speech 1 year
• original advocacy 2 years

Pf judging:

• starts speaker points at 27-28
• automatic L if a team is sexist, racist, homophobic, ableist, etc.
• NO THEORY PLEASE DONT TURN PF INTO POLICY (automatic L)
• Being funny and engaging = more speaker points:)
• have fun