About me:
- I use He/Him pronouns
- email (for email chains, etc.): kalinahmad@gmail.com
- 2 years of policy debate experience, currently a British Parliamentary debater at UW Madison

Public Forum Paradigm:
First, it should be noted that I do not have any experience debating in PF. Thus, I will not necessarily know niche rules and theory arguments specific to the format, so I would advise that you not rely on those. I enjoy hearing unconventional arguments, however - so long as you do the work to explain them and show that they are relevant. PF was made to be judged by the average person, so write niche arguments in a way that would make sense to someone uninitiated.
In rounds without that kind of argument, I'll generally vote based on impact analysis. I typically find myself defaulting to a somewhat deontological mindset, but I would always prefer to see arguments on impact framing in round as opposed to relying my personal biases.
Despite being a former policy debater, I do not think speed is a good thing in debate - especially not in PF. The speaking speed I would prefer to hear would be a little faster than normal speaking speed. And, one last thing that really shouldn't need to be said - don't be rude in round. I don't want to hear insults, nor language that is harmful to minorities.

I am a debate coach who has judged all types of debate for nearly 30 years. In recent years, I have focused mainly on public forum and occasionally Lincoln Douglas.

When judging public forum, I adopt the point of view of someone who is conversant in basic terminology and concepts but without any preconceived opinions on the merits of the resolution. The team that is more effective in using evidence and argumentation to convince me that their side should prevail gets the win.

I value clarity and precision in argumentation. While I can flow and comprehend more rapid delivery (I have coached policy), I think that public forum is not well suited to speed. If you are speaking rapidly because there is a lot you really need to cover, I am ok with that. If you are speaking rapidly because you feel it will confuse the other team, I will be annoyed. If you are speaking rapidly because you think it will impress me, it will not.

Since time is so limited, keep it simple and straightforward. Direct refutation, line by line responses and precise attacks are easiest for me to weigh, so why not do that?

The summary is an important speech because it tells me how your side sees the entire round now that constructives and rebuttals are on the flow. The final focus is best spent weighing the round and telling me why your side prevails.

Crossfires are not speeches, so anything from a crossfire that you want on the flow must still be mentioned in a subsequent speech. However, I listen carefully to all crossfires, so I will be aware of whether their contents are being accurately characterized.

In Lincoln-Douglas, I prefer clarity and quality over speed and quantity. I appreciate direct refutation and line by line analysis. My preference is for a reasonable and straightforward interpretation of the resolution. If given a choice, I would like a round that had fewer but better arguments rather than a spread of arguments that all lack decent development.

I do value the traditional role of LD as the more philosophical type of debate, and the value and value criterion play a unique and helpful role in this. However, I am mindful of the fact that not all resolutions lend themselves to this tradition as well as others do, so I am ok with making adjustments accordingly. If I don't feel I've been given clear reasons why I should vote the way you want me to, I will tend to default to a traditional approach, so having the value and value criterion in place still serves a purpose.

Evidence is important in LD to back up your basic claims, but I'd rather have you give me a couple great cards along with excellent analysis then many cards without it.

In your last speech, please make it very clear to me why I should be convinced by what is on the flow to vote for your side.

I look forward to hearing you debate!

What school(s) are you affiliated with? I am affiliated with Middleton High School

Were you a competitor when in school? If so, what style of debate did you do and for how many years? I participated in debate for one year when I was in high school. We did not have computers, so I mainly remember doing lots of research in the library.

How often do you judge public forum debate? I have judged public forum a few times per year.

Speaking

How fast can students speak during speeches? Just a little faster than conversational

If a student is speaking too fast or unclear, will you give any cues to them? I will let each student handle their pacing as they see fit.

Evaluating the Round

1. Do you prefer arguments over style, style over arguments, or weigh them equally? I prefer solid arguments over style.

2. What do you see as the role of the final focus in the round? Make sure you explain all your best arguments and the reasons that you believe that you are winning the round.

3. If a team plans to win the debate on an argument, in your opinion does that argument have to be extended in the rebuttal or summary speeches? Make sure to extend your points throughout the round.

4. Do you weigh evidence over analytics, analytics over evidence, or weigh them equally? I weigh evidence and analytics equally.

Other Notes

In a few sentences, describe the type of debate you would like most to hear or any other things debaters/coaches should know about your judging style.

Hi. I am a parent judge. I value clarity in your presentation, both audible and informational. Be sure to speak clearly and not too quickly. Explain your points and back them up with supporting information. Have fun and show respect for other participants!

I have been working as a judge for school districts since 2017. As a 2016 graduate from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, I have staffed five presidential campaigns. I also have worked in the field of public health and tutored economics. I staffed a COVID testing center for four months. I am passionate about environmental economics, and how the intersections of public health and economics have an impact on human health and wellbeing. I wrote a paper about the differences between carbon taxes and cap and trade policies during my junior year of high school, and have worked for both Kirsten Gillibrand and Tom Steyer. Gillibrand received an A- for her campaign from Greenpeace, and Steyer has been a proponent of carbon taxes. My other academic work involves performing a chi-square analysis on Brasica rapa to determine the effect of a carcinogen. I have helped coach students and also was the captain of the speech team my junior year of high school, and I competed in Student Congress. I try to judge public forum as much as possible, and have judged multiple times in a year.

Speaking

If a student is speaking too fast, I will let the student know they are speaking too fast. I can also provide time signals when students are at one, two, or three minutes. Students can speak as fast as they would like to speak.

Evaluating Speeches

I evaluate speeches based on evidence and reasoning. The role of the final focus should be to succinctly summarize an argument. The argument should be extended in the summary speech. I weigh evidence over analytics. While style is important, please recognize that rational speeches are generally stronger and my preference. Reasoning should be based on facts, and either argument can be supported if it is argued well.

I would like to see speeches that are content driven and are well-researched. In the past, I have recognized when evidence is factually incorrect. Evidence should also support the overall argument.

I am a relatively new judge, having served as one in 3 events before (all in this latest season). I am a senior executive at a Fortune 10 company in the healthcare / pharma space. My background is fairly international as I grew up in Brazil and have travelled extensively around the world. I was originally an engineer, but went to business school in Chicago 25 years ago and have since been in the Corporate world.

In terms of what I generally like to see in the debates, I would say the main point is I prefer quality over quantity. In my limited experience judging, I find that trying to cover too much material means there is little time to clearly articulate your points and making your case convincing. It is also very difficult for a judge (maybe just me) to follow when someone reads 4 pages worth of materials in a minute. So my advice is use your time wisely to make your points convincing, take a breath when needed and focus on the main points you are trying to make.

Finally, it is important to make points based on strong and logical rationale. Flawed logic is generally a killer in debates.

Good luck and I hope I can meet you!

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Speaking

How fast can students speak during speeches?

A: Not too fast

If a student is speaking too fast or unclear, will you give any cues to them? Put yes & what you will do to show they are too fast or unclear. Otherwise, put no.

A: I would love too, but it is honestly hard given the speed. So don't assume I will be able to.

Evaluating the Round

1. Do you prefer arguments over style, style over arguments, or weigh them equally? Click or tap here to enter text.

A: Equally

2. What do you see as the role of the final focus in the round? Click or tap here to enter text.

3. If a team plans to win the debate on an argument, in your opinion does that argument have to be extended in the rebuttal or summary speeches? Click or tap here to enter text.

A: Preferably yes

4. Do you weigh evidence over analytics, analytics over evidence, or weigh them equally? Click or tap here to enter text.

A: Poor analytics will kill your chances, but evidence is important

Hi I am Frida (she/her)

As far as experience goes, I did three years of LD debate here in Wisconsin and I'm currently a junior at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee for Political Science, English, and Middle Eastern and North African Studies (Arabic). I also conduct research in Public Health, so fortunately (or unfortunately––however you view it) I come to the table with some background for most topics.

In General:

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE include me on the email chain if one is started.I will give you my email in the round if you start one.

Speed is fine. I can flow it. If you are using it as a strategy though to hurt your opponent, that feels very unsportsmanlike and I do not care for that.

I also like tangible statistical impacts. Nuclear fallout is great, but how likely is it actually? War, on the other hand, I am much more likely to believe and weigh. I will though listen to almost anything (obviously nothing racist, sexist, xenophobic, etc) so long as your links are strong. For a lot of these topics, I hear the same arguments over and over again so I love hearing new things!

What happens in cross stays in cross, unless it gets brought up. If it does, I will start weighing it.

Dropped items will not be considered unless your opponent mentions them, but I will be sure to comment on them afterward.

Please assume I do not know anything coming into the round. Tell me what to vote on and I probably will. I like clear voters and impacts.

For LD Specifically:

I really like a good framework debate. Show me how your framework is superior, how your case fits under it, and please don't drop it.

I don't love CPs and Ks, but I will hear them. If you run them because you know your opponent can't address them though, it makes the debate boring and, again, feels a bit unsportsmanlike.

Most importantly, have fun!

PF Debate Judge Paradigm

What school(s) are you affiliated with? Brookfield East

Were you a competitor when in school? If so, what style of debate did you do and for how many years? Public forum with some policy for four years

How often do you judge public forum debate? Not often

Speaking

How fast can students speak during speeches? Just a little faster than conversational

If a student is speaking too fast or unclear, will you give any cues to them? I will lean in if I cannot understand what they are saying

Evaluating the Round

1. Do you prefer arguments over style, style over arguments, or weigh them equally? Arguments.

2. What do you see as the role of the final focus in the round? Establishing why you have made your case and tying it back to the resolution. Clearly establish what the burden was

3. If a team plans to win the debate on an argument, in your opinion does that argument have to be extended in the rebuttal or summary speeches? Summary is fine

4. Do you weigh evidence over analytics, analytics over evidence, or weigh them equally? Analytics. I want to see critical thinkers

Other Notes

In a few sentences, describe the type of debate you would like most to hear or any other things debaters/coaches should know about your judging style.

I want a conversational debate over a formal debate. I want everyone to showcase they have thought about their position and can adequately defend it.

Judge's Paradigm: Mark Hope

I'm enthusiastic about the educational and intellectual potential that public forum debate offers to young minds. I believe in fostering an environment that emphasizes fairness, logic, and education.

Philosophy
Regarding the core of my judging paradigm, I can sum it up as "substance over form." While style, rhetoric, and delivery are significant, the quality of your arguments and evidence carries the most weight in my evaluations. Good arguments are like a clock built to last; they stand up to scrutiny and keep ticking.

Framework & Weighing Mechanisms
I'm fairly agnostic regarding the framework, whether it's policy-oriented, theoretical, or Kritikal. My primary focus is the integrity of your arguments and how well you justify your framework. If you win the framework debate, I will evaluate the round through that lens. It's like choosing the right playing field and then excelling on it.

Speaker Points
I award speaker points based on clarity, organization, and persuasive appeal. A high score requires not just proficiency in one area but a balanced performance across these criteria. In business parlance, think of it as a well-diversified portfolio—each aspect contributes to the overall success.

Speed and Style
I can handle speed but appreciate clear signposting and articulation. Think of speed as a tool, not a strategy. As for style, while I appreciate wit and humor, it should not come at the expense of respect or decorum.

Interaction and Cross-Examination
Cross-examination is essential to the round—your chance to challenge assumptions, clarify arguments, and assert your position. Effective cross-examination can shift the balance, much like a strategic pivot can redefine a business's trajectory.

Things to Avoid
I do not like ad hominem attacks, misrepresenting evidence, or overly aggressive behavior. These issues cloud the debate, and they will negatively impact my perception.

Conclusion
I aim to judge each round fairly, based on the merits of the arguments presented, while ensuring an educational and enriching experience for everyone involved. If you have any questions or need clarification on my paradigm, please ask before the round starts or during post-round feedback.

Pronouns: They/Them

I'm a former 4 year debater from Sheboygan North so I generally know all the ins and outs. However I do generally prefer if you would debate like you would if it was a parent judging. I care a lot about delivery and making clear solid points. Additionally while I can understand fast talking speeds if you're getting to spreading levels I will stop flowing. Another thing, my biggest pet peeve is passing off arguments as questions in Cross X. Cross X is about asking questions about the opponents case, something they brought up in a speech etc. If you basically throw out an argument and at the end throw in a question mark I will not flow it. All in all just talk clearly, make clear points, sign post, and be respectful to your opponent.

LD: as a former LD debater for two years I can handle speed however if you go too fast I will stop flowing. I will cry if you run a K (half joking) please do not run them. As a lay judge I will flow your arguments as long as I see clash. Have fun and respect your opponent!

I am a parent affiliated with Dominican High School. I did not compete in Debate in High School. I have judged one public forum debate.

I would prefer students speak in a conversational tone. If a student is talking too fast or is unclear, I will raise my hand.

I prefer arguments over style.

The role of the final focus of the round is to reiterate the argument and its perceptual dominance over the conflicting idea. To win the debate on an argument, the argument will be extended into the rebuttal or summary speeches.

I weigh analytics over evidence.

The type of debate I would most like to hear is one which is respectfully rebutted, clearly articulated, analytically sound, and emotionally persuasive.

PF Debate Judge Paradigm

What school(s) are you affiliated with? Middleton High School

Were you a competitor when in school? If so, what style of debate did you do, and for how many years? N/A

How often do you judge public forum debate? few times a year

Speaking

How fast can students speak during speeches? Fast is fine

If a student is speaking too fast or unclear, will you give any cues to them? no

Evaluating the Round

1. Do you prefer arguments over style, style over arguments, or weigh them equally? weigh them equally

2. What do you see as the role of the final focus in the round? Narrowing down the important aspects of the argument and poking holes in your opponents arguments.

3. If a team plans to win the debate on an argument, in your opinion does that argument have to be extended in the rebuttal or summary speeches? No

4. Do you weigh evidence over analytics, analytics over evidence, or weigh them equally? analytics over evidence

Other Notes

In a few sentences, describe the type of debate you would like most to hear or any other things debaters/coaches should know about your judging style.

I am a computer scientist by trade and very much like to hear logical analytical arguments that include as much tangible data as possible.

4-year PF debater for Brookfield Central High School. Senior @ WashU. Overall, your goal should be to limit how much I have to think because your arguments think for me. I will list preferences in their order of importance to me.

Flow every argument every round. Even if your opponent has yet to open the door on all your contentions, you must flow them. I will be more lenient on the summary and final focus, but I expect you to touch on each argument, or I will consider it dropped.

Fight for your framework. Hard. This is one of the most important arguments you will make. If you control the rules, you control the debate. Take control.

Clash. Clash. Clash. Crossfire is not only to seek clarifying information but also to prime me for how you will dominate your opponent's argument. Be dominant.

Impact calculus should come with likelihood. Given the probabilities, I don’t mind outlandish impact statements, but I want to know the expected value. If you don’t provide this, I will make my own conclusions, which you may not like.

When referencing cards, please try to include dates of publication or revision and any relevant details that speak to its credibility. I give great weight to source quality arguments, including methodological ones.

Speed is fine. Just remember to roadmap beforehand and signpost as you go.

I look at a few important things to decide who did the best. I check how well the teams clash with each other - do they respond to each other's points? I also look at the evidence they use to support their arguments. I pay attention to the content of what they say. Are their arguments logical, and do they make sense? I also think about whether their points are relevant to the debate topic. The way they organize their arguments is important too. Can I follow what they're saying easily? I am attentive to how well they communicate. Are they clear when they talk, and do they make their ideas easy to understand? During the part where they question each other, I see if they ask good questions and give good answers. It's like a conversation, and I want to see how well they handle it. The evidence they use also interests me the most. I check if it's reliable and recent. They also need to explain why it's important. Having a clear way to decide which arguments are more important is crucial. If they can show me why their points matter more, that's a plus. Responding to the other team's arguments is a skill I look for. They need to be good at saying why the other team is wrong while also making their own points stronger. Furthermore, I look at how they behave. Are they playing fair, following the rules, and being respectful? I want to see ethical behavior. Considering all these things helps me give fair feedback, usually verbal, and decide who did the best in the debate,

andrea.peterson-longmore@neenah.k12.wi.us thats my email before you ask.

I have sections below specific to each category, so just scroll and look for the bolded section you are interested in.

Experience: I am currently the head coach for Neenah high school Speech & Debate (but currently only assisting in LD/PF... if that makes sense? I do all the other things) and have been a coach for the last 6 years. I have students who compete locally as well as nationally- we had the national champion at NSDA in Congress, and a Quarterfinalist in LD, a national competitor in Speech, middle school nats nationa runner up....so I have judged all over the place. This is my ninth year as a judge ('22-'23). I judge all categories, except varsity policy. I was not a debater in school, so I have a more basic understanding of the more obscure things that go on in debate.

"I have 5 minutes and wanted to check your paradigm quick, whats the headlines?"

*******Update for Yale- I broke my dominant hand, and can't write. I take short notes by typing, but be as clear as you can about your points since I have to do this from memory =(

Congress is my JAM. I love it and I prefer to see that level of enthusiasm/preparation from the participants.

I wasn't a debater- explain things clearly or I drop arguments I don't understand. ***note on that- I understand the terms of debate (link, turn, impact, etc), just not more niche philosophies and less popular arguments***

Be nice to each other- respect will get you far with me

Impact calc and weighing of final arguments is the best strat with me

Don't argue with me in RFD. If I drop you and you think you should have won, explain it better next time.

I can handle spreading, but if you can't... don't. It's awkward to have to tell you that you don't make sense.

Use a timer, and stick to it- I hate it when kids go over time. I stop flowing within 5 seconds of the end of your time. I will not warn you about this- you know your time limits.

Okay, I love these little things I have seen on other paradigms, so hopefully this helps.

For your pref sheets: (1 being top pref, just to be clear)

K's 1<-------------------------------X------>5 (I like them, but I feel like I am not a good judge for them)

Policy – 1<----X--------------------------------->5 /strike

Phil – 1<-------------------X------------------>5

T/Theory- 1<-------------------------------X------>5

Tricks – 1<-------------------------------------X>5 Actually... X. <== I HATE them. Please don't run them.

Trad – 1<--X----------------------------------->5

See below for more in-depth explanations divided by category

Congress

Behavior: You are acting as a member of congress- keep that in mind in how you behave! Please make sure to respect the rules of your parli and PO. For the love all that is good, please pay attention to the round. This is far more fun when everyone participates! If I see you on your phone for more than a minute at a time I will be annoyed. Obviously you can answer a text or check the time quick, but if you are disengaged I will notice and I will not be happy.

Speeches: I LOVE *actually* extemporaneous speeches. Please breathe some life into your words- you are trying to make your fellow congresspeople vote for or against the bill! Make sure you include stats, citations, and some analysis of other speaker's points. I believe that if legislation is up for debate, there is current research to be read about it, thus I expect you are only using sources from AT MOST the last 5 years. Better if they are from the last 3. A good, weird AGD is fun. Please avoid the common Taylor Swift/Disney/over used quote choices though. Bonus if you can make me a crack a smile with it! (not really a "bonus," but I remember them when I am doing my rankings- which helps your placement)

PO's: Have a CLEAR sheet for people to follow, keep it updated. If you make a mistake, fix it and move on quickly. LEARN your chamber's names. It is so awkward to hear POs continually mess up the names in the chamber. If you need it, but a phonetic pronunciation spot in your sheet and ask them to put their name in that way for you. I tend to rank PO's high, as long as they are engaged and well versed in the congress rules, (or at least learning them!) if they are not engaged and EFFICIENT, they can expect a low ranking. I can't stand it when a PO says a whole 30 second thing after every speech and questioning block.

Questioning: Ask short, clear questions. Don't have a ton of lead up. I don't mind if you need to argue with each other a bit, but keep it civil and don't cut each other off unless its clear they are wasting your time or are not answering the question. It drives me insane to have a silent room for questions and no opposition to a bill, please ask lots of questions! It plays into my ranking- great speeches will only get you so far with me! If you don't ask any questions in a bill cycle, don't expect a rank of over 6 from me. This hold true even if you didn't speak on the bill. It doesn't require research to think critically and ask thoughtful questions.

Recesses: Keep them short. Do not ask for more than 5 minutes between bills- I am not willing to extend the end of the session to accommodate the chamber wasting time during the session.

Overall Preferences: I can't stand it when kids want to break cycle to just give a speech. I realize this isn't your fault, but that means the debate is stale and we need to move on. Unless you are giving a whole new perspective on the bill, you are far better off moving on to a new bill and giving a speech there. I am especially critical of these speeches in terms of quality of content and sources, because if you are insisting we listen to your extra speech, it must be REALLY good and worth not moving on.

Public Forum

Preferences: Please be clear and professional in round. I hate that the attitudes and behaviors seen in other styles is seeping into PF. As noted in other sections, I was not a debater, so don't expect me to know every single term you share. Generally, if I make a somewhat confused face, define your term.

A few things I love to see: Please, collapse arguments. It's so awesome to watch a veteran team (or even a novice team) weigh arguments and determine the largest impacts and points in the round and weigh them against each other, rather than slowly increase their speed in through the debate to try and get every single argument in to the last speech. Spreading has no place in PF- stop trying to make it happen, its not going to happen.

A few things I hate in rounds: Veteran debaters being overly hard on novices- we want to keep them in the activity, don't discourage them by running super dense over the top arguments- you will probably win if you just run a standard argument simply by being more experienced. "Stealing" prep- if you need prep take it, don't make me sit for 35 seconds and then tell me you're taking prep. If you want cards, fine... but ask for them all at once and get it over with quickly. It is super annoying to go through CX and then have a 15 minute "card trade" before getting back into debate.

Lincoln Douglas

Preferences: This is what the majority of my students do. I will flow everything and I will say clear if necessary, but only once before I stop flowing you. I was not a debater, so my knowledge of really weird arguments is lacking. Let me say that again. I WAS NOT A DEBATER- EXPLAIN WHAT YOU MEAN. It has become more and more common to use really dense philosophies in your framing- this is something I have little experience with. Make sure to explain your super specialized philosophy carefully or I can't use it as a weighing mechanism. I encourage you to run whatever you like, but explain it very well, especially if it is not something common. Err on the side of caution if you are not sure if it is common- like I said I am not well versed in most of the different arguments. In terms of speed I judge a lot of policy, so I would say I am comfortable with most speeds seen in LD.

A few things I love to see in round: Please weigh & tell me how to vote so I don’t have to intervene in any capacity. I also like to see super high respect for your opponent. This is such an underrated part of PF that is not nearly as present in LD or Policy, and it totally should be. Signpost clearly- I love hearing you tell me exactly what the "uniqueness" is, the "link" and the "impact. It makes it much easier for me to organize my flow. If you have nearly identical frames, I love to see kids recognize that and show how they can fit into each other's frame, rather than making the round about whether I should weigh using "limiting suffering" or "increasing societal welfare." Let's be honest, those are pretty similar, and if you fit in one you probably can fit in the other.

A few things I hate in rounds: Swearing- This seems like an obvious one, but is lacks professionalism if it is not needed to actually make the points. "Stealing" prep- if you need prep take it, don't make me sit for 35 seconds and then tell me you're taking prep. Veteran debaters being overly hard on novices- we want to keep them in the activity, don't discourage them by running super dense over the top arguments- you will probably win if you just run a standard argument simply by being more experienced. Last thing: if you run a "fairness" argument that you couldn't prep against your opponent and then you have a case against your opponent, expect me to completely drop your fairness argument. You just proved that you lied about the fairness since you prepped that argument. Use your time to prepare blocks and responses instead of wasteful and lazy theory shells.

Policy

Preferences: I do not like any tricks or unprofessional behavior in round, but snark is always okay. I prefer not to hear teams talking to each other while their opponents are presenting, as it is distracting to me as a judge. Open speeches are a no-go. If you don't have your own stuff ready, then take prep time. If you're out of prep time, organize yourself better next time. I generally only judge novice policy once in a while, so be aware you might be my only round this year, and I probably don't have a comprehensive knowledge of the subject area.

I am fine with spreading, (probably a 6/10 for speed) however if you are not understandable, I will only tell you clear once before I stop flowing you. Please be aware of your own speaking issues- for example, if you have braces and rubber bands, you probably should not spread, since you will be almost unintelligible. On the topic of spreading- I understand it is a strategy to get as many arguments in as possible, but be aware that a large breadth of arguments you do not understand is basically useless.

Impact calc is huge for me. If I don't clearly hear you explain why your impacts are bigger or more important, I judge completely by what is on my flow. DA's and CP's are fine in a round, and good experience for a novice/Post nov. I always flow cross x, and keep track of questions asked. I do not want to see a framework in novice policy.

Misc. Stuff for any style debate:

-I am not about speaker points- I think its a really biased system, but I do it because its required. I would not consider myself generous with points, but I try to be fair with the way the system is set up. That said, if you’re mean to your opponent I will substantially dock your speaks. If you can’t control your round without being disrespectful there is something wrong. Since I have been asked, I average about 28 for speaks.

-I don't flow things from CX unless I am told to. I find it to be one of the more telling parts of any round about who has stronger arguments and better understands the content, but if you want it to weigh in to my decision, you need to bring it up in speeches.

-Please understand whatever you’re running before you run it in front of me- it is super frustrating to hear kids hem and haw about defining terms when they didn't take time to understand what they are saying.

-I dislike timing rounds and I've found I'm extremely inaccurate. I will keep time, but it is best if we have multiple timers going to ensure accuracy. Please time yourselves and hold your opponent accountable so that I don't have to. I HATE having to cut people off because they are over time- I actually prefer if their opponent has a timer that goes off so I can hear it.

TLDR: Be respectful, know & define your stuff, use current sources, watch your time.

I debated 4 intensive years in high school in policy debate. I've coached PF for a number of years.

I'm comfortable with various approaches, cases, and theories so long as you can defend it. I'm more interested in clash. critical thinking, and understanding your case, than just repeating your points from your original constructive.

I take detailed notes (flow) during the debate. I do not flow cross examinations. If seeing a specific piece of evidence is relevant to the decision, I will ask for it. Please try to use all of the time allocated to you.

Logical arguments, strength of link chains, and "thinking on your feet" are important. Evidence should help support these arguments and the quality of evidence matters. Please extend arguments through the debate.

Speed is only an issue when words become very garbled and unintelligible. If I can't understand you, it will not be on the flow. I would suggest going with a style that is comfortable for you. If you run a crit (K), you will need to understand the philosophy behind it and be able to defend it; presenting a K that catches a team off guard isn't enough if you can't cogently respond to basic arguments and counterpoints against it.

Politeness and courtesy are important.

Email: Charles.p.russell@outlook.com

PF Paradigm – I come from a policy debate background and until recently have been almost exclusively a policy judge. Due to this, I know that I tend to view rounds under a somewhat policy framework. What is the plan, what are the problems, and how does the plan solve these problems? I also understand that not every PF topic is going to fit nicely into this mold. To help mitigate this tendency I am looking primarily to the quality of argumentation in the round.

What does this mean for you?

· I am looking for a round where the debaters are clear and understandable, willing and able to give good arguments.

· I much prefer a single quality argument over 5-10 short arguments with no substance and I ultimately want the debaters to tell me why the world is better under their plan or side of the topic than the opposing team.

· When presenting impacts please make sure that they are realistic. I don’t want Bob yelling at his dog to cause a nuclear war, but I am willing to listen to geopolitical tension leading to war.

· Give me a reason to vote for you. Tell me what is important in the round and why it is important. If you don’t, I default to a utilitarian evaluation of the round.

· I am perfectly willing to listen if you have evidence that says a source is bad, but you need to have evidence. I’m not going to drop a card just because you don’t personally like an author. In addition, saying that a source is biased can be a decent attack, but you need to give me evidence that disproves the source in addition to this.

Ultimately, if you focus on good argumentation, you should do just fine in front of me.

Policy - I, like my coach before me, have an old-school policy paradigm. What this means is that I look at the round and evaluate it based on what I feel is the best policy for the United States under the given resolution. In the round, you should argue everything under the assumption of that framework.

Speed – I am not a fan of speed. I understand that you are going to need to speak faster than a normal talking speed and that is fine given the time constraints in the round but there is no need to speak at the extreme speeds that are becoming more and more common. I am a great proponent of depth over breadth in debate. The more reasonable your speed the better you will likely find yourself doing in front of me.

Topicality – This is something that I feel can be put to great use and I have no problem seeing it in the round. That said, there are a couple of conditions. First, the voter in front of me is always jurisdiction, if you can reasonably prove that the Aff being presented is outside of the topic area I am likely to vote for T. Second, I am not a huge technical T judge. I much prefer that in round abuse or potential abuse is spelled out for me rather than someone trying to tell me that we should win T because the other team didn’t answer every small technical detail of a T argument.

Advantages and Disadvantages – This is the bread and butter of my judging paradigm. This is where I prefer to see most rounds debated and is the place where most rounds are won and lost in front of me. I want to see real-world impacts with realistic link chains. If your opponent is telling me that everything is going to lead to nuclear war or global extinction you just need to prove that this is not a realistic scenario and you will have won the impact for that advantage or DA. Politics is also perfectly allowable. The only politics DAs that I do not like are those saying that you spend political capital therefore these bad things happen. Those DAs tend to run roughshod over affirmative fiat so I don’t like seeing them and I don’t give them much if any in round weight.

CPs – Absolutely love to see a good CP. My only real requirements here are that the CP should be non-topical and competitive. CPs using other actors or consulting other countries are great and I am perfectly willing to entertain them so long as they meet the above requirements.

K – Kritiks are something that you need to be very selective with in front of me. You need to make sure that the alternative is a real-world policy alternative and not something that would never apply in reality. I absolutely agree that there may be questions of morality that are addressed by a kritik but without a policy alternative it isn’t going to go very far in front of me.

Last thoughts – First, be specific when you are telling me where your arguments are going. Don’t just tell me “on the Labor DA flow” and start spewing cards. Give me the specific points you are attacking and don’t expect me to do your work for you. I am more forgiving at the novice level because those debaters are still learning but I still expect you to tell me where you want your arguments to go. Second, if you feel an argument is going to be important in the round I had better hear more than 10 seconds about it in the constructives. Arguments that are presented as blips in the constructives and then expanded upon for 3-5 minutes in the rebuttal come across as something that you didn’t really care about that much until you realized that there may be a viable strategic option. If you want to go for something at the end of the round make sure that you have spent sufficient time on the argument in the constructives.

Hello, I'm Bidyadhar but feel free to call me Bidy.

I am a lay judge, therefore I might have difficulty understanding you/ your arguments at times. Make sure to be clear and concise with your speaking so there is less confusion. Also make sure to explain your points, so not only can I understand, but also your opponents can understand. Although I don't flow cross, I will be listening to the questions asked and responded, so to keep that in mind.

I do minimal research about the topic and will consider the facts, but I prefer argumentation over facts. If you're going to BS, make sure its credible. I don't want absurd BS, don't make claims that lead me to conclude that you're insensitive or ignorant.

I will try my best to provide adequate advice after the round, but if you don't understand please ask.

Be respectful, and I'll be respectful. No yelling, bullying, racism, sexism, all the isms.

Most importantly have fun, and improve as not only a debater, but as a person.

Hello! My name is Liberty Tidberg. I am a university art ed student. I didn't debate in high school, but I am the child of two debate coach parents and have been attending tournaments for my entire middle and high school years. I may not have competed in debate, but I have been raised on it. I have some knowledge of the technical rules of debate, and a vast knowledge of what makes a good argument.

Please No: Spreading, theory, progressive argumentation, discriminatory behavior. If I see you behaving in a way that is abusive to your opponent as a person as opposed to engaging with their arguments, I reserve every right to drop you for it. Debate should be an equitable space for all competitors.

Please speak at a moderate pace and absolutely no spreading. If you are speaking too quickly, I will let you know once and then I will stop flowing.

During crossfire, please be respectful to your opponents, I do not want to see a shouting match. How I Evaluate Rounds: quality > quantity, well-explained arguments, evidence weighing. Make it clear to me how you are winning the round, weighing is paramount.

Remember the goal is to serve as an academic exercise and have fun. Good luck to all competitors.