Dakota Marlega | she/her/hers | dakotamarlega@gmail.com

Public Forum is my bread-and-butter, though I have judged Policy and am acquainted with LD. In high school, I competed in PF all four years, and was co-captain of my team junior and senior year. I recently graduated from Ripon College with degrees in Communication and Theatre. I'm a nerd for rhetorical theory and enjoy a balance of qualitative and quantitative evidence. If you can weave in values with your contentions, I'll be happy as a clam. I am human, with my own ideologies and beliefs, but as a judge, I aim to enter each round as a blank slate.

While your technical speaking ability matters, my RFD will nearly always go to the side with the most cogent argumentation that directly impacts the resolution. What might that be, you ask? Well, that's for you to construct and effectively deliver in the rounds! Further, your argument should be accessible, as though I am a lay judge with no prior knowledge on the resolution.

I don't tolerate spreading in PF or LD (if it's Policy, go for it); one of the great things about debate is learning how to create concise arguments within a time frame. I am a bit of a stickler for time limits, and I will gently cut you off if you go past the allotted minutes. I'm not a fan of off-time roadmaps. Also, if I can't understand you, I logically cannot assess your argument within the round. If you're having technical difficulties, don't be afraid to let me know, and we can work on a solution.

In events where you have a partner, you should be working with them. This doesn't mean you should be speaking (or, in virtual tournaments, messaging) during rounds. I value conversational debates; being able to effectively communicate WITH your opponents instead of throwing arguments AT one another is a lost art that debate can resurrect. Don't be afraid to let your personality shine; a personable, persuasive debater goes far!!

Debate can get heated, which is great, but it's crucial to remember your opponents are still human beings with feelings. If you insult your opponent, are rude in any way, or display inappropriate decorum, I will not hesitate to take that into account. If you've overstepped, or gotten a little too fiery in a round (happens to the best of us!), simply take fifteen seconds to acknowledge, apologize, and move on. I will value honesty over belittlement 10 times out of 10.

Lastly, as a former debater, I know the feeling of a bare-bones ballot. I will ALWAYS provide as much feedback as possible, for every single debater. Thank you in advance for a spectacular round!