Last changed on
Wed April 12, 2023 at 9:02 PM CDT
Background:
Debated at Topeka High for 4 years (2014-2018; Oceans, Surveillance, China, Education)
Currently in third year debating for K-State (2019 - 2022). Two years doing policy (Space, Alliances) and one year doing NFA LD (Counterterrorism).
Email - bkthoeni@gmail.com - I will flow in paper and will only look at evidence after the round if I really think I need to or you tell me to.
Top Level:
Read whatever you want to. My preferences or background of running/not running certain arguments should not dissuade you from running whatever strategy you think is best for yourself. Read a plan text or don't read a plan text, I am willing to hear any kind of debate.
I did traditional policy args in high school. So, DA's, T, case turns, etc. Now, I do a mix of kritkal and policy arguments at KSU. I consider myself to have enough experience to be able to judge any kind of argument that could be run by either team.
I like judge instruction at the top of the 2NR and 2AR giving a quick overview instructing how I ought to write my ballot and why. I also think explicit impact calc in the 2NR or 2AR is a good idea.
As you think you are winning arguments, make sure you explain why winning that argument matters. Ideally, all your arguments you go for in the rebuttals ought to have these 4 parts in some form or fashion:
1. Clarify what the argument is.
2. Explain why your interpretation of that argument is true.
3. Why it matters in the context of the flow or RFD.
4. How it answers/responds to the other team's argument.
Go slowish for tags, especially authors, standards, and theory, but as long as you are clear and signpost you can go as fast as you want on the text of cards.
Last, debate can be stressful. Make sure you are having fun. :)
How I view certain args/random notes:
T:
The key to winning T is impacting out your standards as much as possible. I default thinking education and fairness are both equally important impacts - one isn't more important than the other. I default thinking that clash and predictable ground are the best internal links to make to get to those impact arguments. Taking the time in prep to make a contextualized list of what the other team's model of debate looks like and what their interpretation justifies/ doesn't justify is a good strategy.
Your 2nr probably needs to be 5 minutes of T if you go for it, a minimum of 3:30.
FW/Theory
The point above about impacting out your education and fairness claims applies here too. This means the key for teams to win FW or theory is to explain why the other team's model of debate produces less productive debates, why your model of debate is better, or point to proven abuse in the round.
DA:
It's a DisAdd, so the more specific you make the links to your DA's the better.
I like all DA's, but especially weird, process, and PTX DA's.
CP:
Your CP text should be as precise as possible.
The CP should probably have some sort of solvency advocate. It can be a highlighting or reference to an aff card, but it has to be there.
"Cheating" CP's are generally reasons to reject the arg, not the team.
Affs should be clear about how the perm solves the links. Likewise, the neg should be explicit in explaining how the perm still links, don't just say so.
K:
Precise links are more important here than they are for DA's.
I am least familiar with psychoanalysis K's, but regardless, I consider myself to have enough experience to be able to adjudicate any type of kritik.
The alt needs to be explained well.
K aff's are fine.