I do not favor spreading; keep a reasonable pace to your arguments.

Hello, I'm Manisha Chauhan-Patel, a parent judge looking forward to hearing about the upcoming Speech & Debate Tournament.

When judging, I'm looking for clear messages and persuasive information that justifies your side of the argument. I would especially like you to be polite when addressing each other and be timely in your responses.

Fast talking (spreading) is not going to cut it, I would like you to speak openly and succinctly about the subject matter.

I will base your points on the following:

> professionalism

> research

> attitude

> arguments for/against

> empathetic

I'm keen to hear your side of the argument and will do my best to judge transparently as possible. Good luck!

This is only my second time judging a debate tournament. I appreciate the need to speak quickly, but if it is so fast that you aren't understood, then it's counterproductive so please try to speak at a fast conversational rate.

I have been the sponsor of the Speech and Debate Team at Apex Friendship High School for the last eight years. This is my eighth year judging. I have taught English for 20 years and Speech for five.

1. Framework is critical. If you don't connect your evidence to your framework, you haven't succeeded.

2. Do not spread--I value quality over quantity.

3. I value strong CX skills--being able to think on your feet and attack an opponent's case is key to winning the round.

4. Civil discourse is expected.

Hi! I'm Claire (she/her), and I'm a senior at Durham Academy in my 4th year in LD. I've primarily debated on the NC local circuit.

Debate should be a safe space. If you're respectful in round, I'll be happy. If you ever feel uncomfortable in round due to the actions of your opponent or something else, please let me know.

Please try to:

1. Warrant. Explain the logic that leads you to conclude something (especially if your opponent has a response to your reasoning. It is not ideal if you do not actually interact with what they said).
2. Extend. I will find it hard to consider a 2AR "voting issue" if the warranting for it did not come up in the 1AR.
3. Signpost. Let me know which side and/or argument you're referring to so that I can give you full credit for extending or responding to something.
4. Weigh. Aim to write my ballot for me by telling me exactly what you win on and why, along with why that matters in the context of the round. This one's probably the hardest on the list, but it goes a long, long way in helping me make a decision.
5. Stay on time. I'll let you finish your sentence/thought up to 10 seconds, and after that I'll hold up my timer and/or verbally remind you of the time.

Speaker points will probably range from 27.5-29.5, but honestly more in the ballpark of 28-29 because speaker points are subjective and making the effort to take on this activity is something to be proud of.

I don't really flow cross, so if you want me to remember something from it, bring it up in a speech.

I won't disclose decisions (at DSDLs), but I am happy to give feedback after the round if you'd like. If you want to make small talk before the round to distract yourself from your nerves, feel free to talk to me about k-pop and/or books, though note that I am prone to rambling about both. Good luck!

Parent judge. Prefer no spreading and very clear statement of Value, Value Criterion,

and Contentions.

I am a parent lay judge! We would all benefit if you present your arguments at a pace and in an outline format that ensures I can flow them correctly. I have no issues with an off-time roadmap if you desire.

I value logic with supporting evidence over emotional arguments. I would prefer to hear coherently linked arguments rather than an assortment of arguments unrelated to each other.

This is my first-year judging LD as a parent judge. (Last year I judged for speech. ) If you do disclose to each other, please also add me to the email chain: yaxing.liu@gmail.com.

I am a lay judge who values clear structures, argumentations, and value clashes. I am willing to vote on any argument that is well-supported and well-impacted. and will not vote off of any theory or progressive arguments. I prefer traditional rounds with weighing and voters. Please tell me what I should vote for. Signpost, give an off-time roadmap, and please speak concisely. I will not vote for any argument that I cannot understand.

Best luck!

I'm flow oriented and prefer that debaters explicitly state and weigh impacts. I like to include authors' names when I flow; please read them clearly.

I am a parent judge and have been participating in local and national high school LD debates since 2018. I prefer sound evidence, compelling arguments and solid voter issues. I enjoy LD debates and hope we all have fun!

I have a fairly straightforward perspective on my judging preferences. I am very much a traditional flow judge. I do not prefer progressive styles. I don't prefer spreading, and if a debater speaks so quickly that I have trouble understanding them, I will not be able to prefer their arguments.

Backing up your arguments with convincing evidence and telling me specifically why I should prefer your evidence over your opponent's will help you win the round. Extending your arguments throughout the flow and pointing out to me any concessions your opponent made in cross-ex or any arguments dropped by your opponent will greatly strengthen your case. Voter issues are helpful. Explain to me the reasons for why you believe you won the round. Clarity of thought and logic for me will trump fast speech every time.

Hi, I'm Laura (she/her)

I am a parent judge.

I am fine with faster than conversational speed, but make sure I can flow.

Feel free to include me on the email chain: lmeyermd@gmail.com

I will vote off the flow and won't intervene. I am best at evaluating more traditional or slower policy style rounds, and open to more basic kiritiks and philosophy. Whatever you read, make sure you are explaining your links and giving good judge instruction.

Competed in high school LD for 4 years. Currently compete in British Parliamentary for Duke University. I primarily competed in traditional tournaments so I am the best at evaluating those types of argumentation. I am fine with most speeds so long as each word is properly enunciated.

tech > truth

I will cast my ballot based on who I believe is "winning the flow." To me, that's not necessarily who's winning the most arguments on the flow, but who has done work analyzing and weighing the arguments they are winning under a reasonable framing. Insofar as that's true, having clear and fleshed out extensions and crystallization is really important to winning my ballot.

I think framework debate is irrelevant in most rounds I've judged where debaters spent the longest on it and extremely relevant in most rounds I've judged where debaters spent the least amount of time on it. Do not over nor under value framing.

Please ask me any further questions before the round starts. If the tournament allows it, I will give an oral RFD after the round, but here is my email if you have any further questions after that: jack.morgenstein@gmail.com

Include me on the email chain please: jessie.pein@duke.edu. I really prefer speech drop tho.

Hey! I'm Jessie Pein. I debated for Harrison High School in Harrison, New York. I primarily debated on the national TOC circuit, but I am also familiar with traditional debate (attended both NCFL nationals and NSDA nationals '21). I qualified to the TOC junior year and senior year, broke my junior year, and I have 11 career bids. I worked at both NSD Philly and NSD Flagship this past summer. I mostly read topical Ks, soft left affs, and some T/Theory; but I'd strongly prefer if you debated your best layer, the way you'd like to (and will be disappointed if you read something just because you think I'll like it). I will evaluate almost every argument as long as it has a claim, warrant, and an impact. Be kind, show respect to the activity, and most importantly, have fun reading what you want to read! Additionally, feel free to email me after round!

Harvard Update '24: I won't vote on music related theory. If I can't hear you, I can't flow you, so this is more for you then it is for me.

Shortcut:

1. Ks
2. Phil
3. Theory
4. Policy/Tricks

Random:

I have learned to appreciate a good skep/determinism 2NR. This doesn't mean you should auto read this argument; I am just noting that my debating history might lead you to believe I do not evaluate these arguments, which is untrue.

I am definitely the worst judge for a policy vs. policy debate or a heavy tricks round.

Novice rounds:

1. weigh. your. impacts. please. novice rounds get irresolvable super quickly, so using weighing in your speeches is necessary (probability, magnitude, etc.)

2. signpost! please tell me when you're extending your arguments, or when your responding to your opponent's. if you're responding to the AC, tell me that's what you're doing.

3. give voters! write my ballot for me. if you're giving the 2AR, respond to their voters and interact.

4. do not steal prep. if i see you're stealing prep, i will say something.

Basically, just do what you're good at. Keep me entertained. Happy debating!

If you have any questions about anything written here, please don't be afraid to ask! Debating as a novice can be scary, so i'll try to provide as much feedback as possible in my RFDs. also, +.1 speaker points if the email chain/speech drop is ready to be sent ahead of time.

I am a parent judge and have judged LD novice and varsity since 2019. I appreciate well formed arguments, encourage you to weigh and take care not to drop arguments put forth by your opponent. I do not like spreading or fatalist arguments. I appreciate common sense and arguments that have a logical progression. Students who take an aggressive tone with their opponent are not gaining any speaker points with me. Be respectful and convincing!

Hello! I'm Julianna Roseland (she/her). I debated LD for three years at Cary High, and was captain my senior year. I attended NSDA Nationals in 2022, but the bulk of my experience is with the DSDL league.

You can add me to the chain at juliannaroseland@gmail.com.

First of all, please don't refer directly to me in your speech as 'judge', it's an enormous pet peeve of mine.

I almost exclusively debate at local tournaments, so I'm most familiar with traditional style debate. Although I don't realistically expect this to happen in this district, if you run any sort of progressive techniques (kritiks, theory, spikes, Ks, etc) I will do my best to follow it. HOWEVER, it needs to be done respectfully. In my view, progressive debate is used 9/10 as a cheap trick for debaters from larger schools to steamroll over debaters from smaller schools, which I find to be grossly unethical. If you do run theory, make sure that it's clear why it matters in the round; you can't just whine about the neg having a timeskew and expect me to vote off of it.

As a judge, I most value clarity and creativity. For clarity, please please signpost as best you can! Good signposting will ensure that all three of us are on the same page and helps me judge the round as accurately as possible. In terms of creativity, put your own spin on things! I love it when a debater's personality comes out in their delivery, rhetoric, and chosen arguments.

FW: I love it when debaters have fun with philosophy; it's part of what makes LD so enjoyable. However, don't try to say that your opponent's framework is bad because it justifies genocide or slavery. It's ridiculous and trivializes real-world oppression and violence.

I'm tech>truth. Just be sure to be clear about your impacts, especially with more 'out there' contentions. And if an argument is not carried successfully across the flow, I will not carry it for you.

I'm fine with speed, but don't be excessive. Debate is as much of an exercise in rhetoric as argumentation, and speaking at 400 wpm sacrifices the former.

Above all, please be kind to one another! Good clash is what makes a round interesting to watch/judge, but there's a fine line in healthy competition and entitled chauvinism. If you are blatantly disrespectful to your opponent, expect your speaks to suffer. If you are racist/sexist/bigoted in any way, I will not hesitate to drop you.

I am an assistant coach, this is my second year coaching, third year judging. I am a teacher certified in English Language Arts and have actively taught high school for 5 years. My notes and comments tend to follow my flow/train of thought as I type as I go, making comments as I see things.

For my first two years of judging, I have almost exclusively judged speech events with debate/congress sprinkled in, however this year I have been judging mostly LD.

I have never gone into a round and found a student I wanted to do poorly. I want you to succeed as much as you want to succeed.

Paradigm for LD

Construction of Message:Is your argument well-thought? Is your resolve interesting? Does your evidence support your claims? Are you claims tied together and supporting each other? Does your argument flow in a logical way that makes it easy to follow by only listening, and not reading?

Delivery of Message:Are you speaking slowly and clearly enough that the judge can actually process what you are saying? (this is a speech and debate competition, not a race). Do you command the room when you speak, without being overbearing? Can the judge hear what you are saying without straining?

Evidence of Engagement:Are you actually listening to you fellow competitor? Do you make points in questioning and rebuttal that are based on what your opponents said, and not just what you thought they said? Are you adapting to the way the round is flowing?

Construction of Rebuttal:Are you able to use their Value to support your own argument? Are your counterclaims based in evidence? Are you pointing out any logical fallacies? If you raise a concern about something in your opponents case (ex: you accuse them of cherry-picking), is your case safe from similar scrutiny?

Decorum: Are you behaving in a way that reflects well on yourself, your coach, your school, and the District?

Paradigm for Congress

How I Rank:While the ballot on Tabroom only has a place to score speeches, it is not unlikely that room is full of great speakers. To fairly rank the room, I have a personal spreadsheet where I score individual speeches, as well as the categories below, to help separate the "great speakers" from the "great congresspersons". Think of it like a rubric for your English class project. Speeches are the biggest category, but not the only one.

Speeches:Do you provide a unique perspective on the bill, and not simply rehashing what has been said in the round already? Do you back up your reasoning with logos, ethos, AND pathos? Is your speech deep, instead of wide (more detail on one specific aspect of the bill, rather than trying to cover all angles of the bill)? Do you write with a clarity of style and purpose, with a good turn of phrase? Do you engage your listeners? Do you respond well to questions?

Questioning:Are your questions thoughtful and based on listening closely to the speaker, and what they actually said? Are your questions brief and to the point? Do you avoid simple yes or no, gotcha style questions? Does your questioning have a clear line of thinking? Do you connect questioning to previous speeches? Do you avoid prefacing?

Decorum:Do you follow the rules of the chamber? Do you follow speaking times? Do you speak calmly and collectedly? Do you ask or answer questions assertively, without being aggressive? Do you respect your fellow speakers?

RP:Do your speeches reflect that you are a congressperson, and not a high school teenager? Do you think of your constituents? Do you consider yourself a representative of your state or District? Do you allow your RP perspective to make your speeches better, and not become a distraction? Do you participate in motions, seconding, etc?

Knowledge of Rules:Do you have an obvious and clear understanding of the rules? Do you follow them closely? Are there any egregious breaking of the rules?

Special Consideration for the Presiding Officer:The Presiding Officer is marked for one "speech" per hour. This score is a reflection of how well they perform the specific duties of PO. It concerns knowledge of the rules (at a higher expectation than the average congress competitor), the efficiency of the room, the fairness of the PO, and the demeanor of the PO (should be calming and welcoming). I also look at them for decorum and RP.

I am a layjudge. Do your best to persuade me!

I really enjoy hearing thoughtful arguments from young people. The talent on display in these tournaments gives me hope for our future!

1) Manage your time well

2) Be prepared with material for evidence

3) Respect your opponent

4) Effective communication rather than speed is key

5) Use logical reasoning to strengthen your points

This is my third year as a parent speech and debate judge. I have been judging public forum during this time. As a judge I need to be convinced that the resolution (con or pro) needs to be adopted.

In addition these are some additional considerations:

1) Manage your time well
2) No new arguments in the final focus
3) Be prepared with material for evidence - do not search for evidence during the debate.
4) Effective communication, logical reasoning and leverage relevant evidence to strengthen your argument

I'm a parent judge with some experience judging LD. Please try to keep things simple and straightforward, and don't assume I understand complex theories. A well established framework and structured contentions supporting it will be awarded. I value concise, well organized and articulated arguments over speed and quantity of evidence. Please don't spread. Logic and depth in analysis is most important in winning my vote. Keep good timing and use all of your speech time. I don't flow, but I usually take good notes. Please be respectful to your opponent throughout the round. I view overly aggressive tone to be a weakness. Good luck!

This paradigm is written mostly for LD debates, which I frequently judge. Towards the end, I have specifics for PF debates, which I also judge, though less frequently.

What preferences do you have, as a judge?

Any progressive arguments, tricks, theories, I can't evaluate. Substantive arguments only, please.

Keep in mind that I am a lay judge. Most lay judges don't have knowledge of or even interest of knowing the nitty-gritty of public debates, and I am certainly one of that kind. You can think of lay judges as ordinary Americans watching politicians debating on TV, or as jurors sitting in a civil court and watching lawyers presenting their cases.

Generally speaking, if you defend your contentions well and put serious dents on your opponent's, you would have a good chance of winning the debate.

In a neck-and-neck round where AFF is winning this argument but NEG is winning the other, I would weigh the importance of each argument. If that still cannot break the tie, it may boil down to tiny things here and there that I won't elaborate here. Fortunately, I rarely had to do a coin flip for tie-breaker.

Logistics

I prefer normal conversational speed because English is not my native language.

If you plan to spread during the debate, it's imperative that you send your scripts/docs in advance, with clear highlighting. Tabroom's doc share feature is good enough, but if you'd like to include me in the email chain, here it is: michael.zhou@gmail.com.

Along the same line, please reduce the usage of jargons to get the most credit out of your claims and arguments.

It's my habit to take notes during the debate and write comments while debaters use their prep time. The purpose is to give instant and candid feedback to both debaters from a judge's perspective and lay out my reasoning for win/lose decision. I hope that helps debaters improve their cases, sharpen their skills and prep for next rounds.

How should debaters approach constructive speeches?

A few well-developed arguments prove more persuasive than a larger quantity of arguments. I am an engineer and practice the principle of reducing complex concepts to the simplest meaningful terms. You may often hear Alert Einstein being quoted "if you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." Sometimes, less is more.

Arguments should each be addressed individually in a concise manner, with a clear pause before moving to the next argument.

Now, the most important thing! Arguments should be coherent. Let me give an example. If you claim US military presence is the main factor of regional instability and next second you suggest US forces be redeployed from Middle East to Indo-Pacific region, that creates a self-inconsistence. These types of logical mistakes are extremely detrimental to your case's credibility. It's like shooting yourself in the foot. Let me stress this: logics and coherency.

How should debaters approach rebuttal speeches?

I prefer each rebuttal making a brief reference to the specific issue advanced in constructive speeches.

Same as constructive speeches, rebuttals should be delivered succinctly, with emphasis on the key issues.

How should debaters approach evidence?

Citations after article introduction.

How should debaters use values, criteria and arguments to support a value position?

Build the value that is not overly complicated, relatable, and criterion should not be over technical.

What arguments (such as philosophical, theoretical or empirical) do you prefer to support a value position?

Empirical.

Here are the reasons.

I am genuinely interested in many disciplines but I rarely read philosophy books, so I can't judge if you approach the resolution from a philosophical angle.

An ideal world exists only in a utopian ideology but we are living in a real world, and an imperfect one. Countless things theoretically ideal or with wonderful intentions have led to total disasters in human history.

So I prefer empirical arguments ONLY.

Please explain your views on critical arguments.

Critical arguments should provide substantial evidence for their support.

How should debaters run on case arguments?

Make sure all claims are supported with specific, defined examples, no paraphrasing.

How should debaters run off case arguments?

Make sure they have a purpose or illustration for the case at hand.

For PF

While most of content above is still generally relevant for PF, I am adding a couple of points specific to public forum debates that help you understand my preferences.

• Have a clearly outlined constructive speech. It would be a huge plus if you start with each of your critical points in an emphasized one-liner, because that saves me time to summarize it for you.
• I generally don't question or ask for evidence, unless your statements are outrageously contradicting with common sense or my knowledge. That does not mean the opponents won't poke holes and challenge you. Which brings my next point.
• I value quality rebuttals and that counts heavily toward decision making of who wins/loses. Meaning if you cannot refute your opponent's critical points effectively, those points will stand. You can think of this process as point reduction. Both you and your opponents start at a perfect 30-point. Every time you have a strong rebuttal, you are reducing points from your opponents. Every time you defend your constructive points well, you are reserving/keeping points for yourself.
• Last but not least, substance is more important than presentation. It's even okay to stutter during debates, and it won't count against you unless your arguments are not cohesive, which shows you are less prepared.