In general, speak at a moderate speed, and be considerate of your teammates, opponents, and judges. Refrain from hyperbole. Please be clear, concise, and organized -- connect the dots for me.

I am not a technical judge. I will flow the best I can and evaluate your arguments but I am not comfortable with progressive rounds. Keep the round traditional (no tricks) or risk losing my ballot. There is no need to speed read. Please do things to make your speech easier to follow. Slow down/emphasize taglines. Signpost, and Roadmap off-time for clarity.

Debate and arguments must be persuasive. If the argument does not persuade me, I have no reason to vote for it. I do not intervene so debaters must tell me what is important and why I should vote for them. Be clear about what I am weighing and what I should value most highly. Impacts should be realistic. Not every action could or will cause a nuclear war. Your argument should be clear and plausible. I appreciate a clear analysis of why you should win in the final rebuttals.

It is important to show respect to your competitors and approach every speech as an opportunity to teach and learn.

As a judge, I appreciate the dedication, hard work, and passion of every individual participating in speech and debate events. For debate, I am looking for a framework which provides reasoning and evidence to clearly define arguments with logical construction tying all of the relevant pieces together. The understanding of the opposition’s arguments should be inherent through effective and thorough cross and rebuttals. For speech, I will utilize the normal judging criteria depending on the type weighing each criteria piece and the impact on the overall effect of the performance. In summary, I expect individuals to be confident, respectful, and assertive during the events while challenging their colleagues in a spirited competitive nature. Thank you for the opportunity to judge you. Best of luck in your pursuit of greatness!